Nematode: definition, History of phyto-nematology, General characteristics of plant parasitic nematodes.

Habitat and diversity, economic importance of nematodes.

General morphology and biology.

Classification of nematodes up to family level with emphasis on groups containing economically important genera.

Classification of nematodes on the basis of feeding/ parasitic habit. Symptomatology, role of nematodes in disease development, Interaction between _plant_parasitic_nematodes _and_ disease-causing fungi, bacteria, and viruses.

Nematode pests of crops: Rice, wheat, vegetables, pulses, oilseed and) fiber crops, citrus, and banana.

Different methods of nematode management: Cultural methods, physical; methods, biological methods, Chemical methods, Plant Quarantine, Plant resistance and INM.

Sampling methods, collection of soil and plant samples

Extraction of nematodes from soil and plant tissues following Cobb’s sieving and decanting technique, Baermann funnel technique.

Picking and counting of plant parasitic nematode.

Identification of economically important plant nematodes up to generic) level with the help of keys and description: Meloidogyne, Pratylenchus; Heterodera, — Tylenchulus, — Xiphinema, and Helicotylenchus etc.

Study of symptoms caused by important nematode pests of cereals, vegetables, pulses, etc.

Methods of application of nematicides and organic amendments.