A root knot disease of
Gomphrena globosa has been described. The disease exhibits typical symptoms, hypertrophy, formation of galls and club foot appearance of root
system and stunted growth of shoot.
Histopathology of the diseased roots was studied which showed the presence of the nematode in various stages of egg formation
and the presence of adult in the extra-stellar region.
The disease was experimentally produced in two varieties ofGomphrena globosa, Lucknow white and Lucknow purple by growing these in nematode-infested soil. Young seedlings quickly die before formation
of galls; the more mature plants produce typical galls and finally die.
There is a varietal difference in the reaction of the root tissue of the host to the invading nematode.
The causal nematode has been identified asDiploscapter coronata which is generally regarded as saprophagous.
Communicated by Dr. S. N. Das Gupta,f.a.sc.
The work was completed in 1948 but for unavoidable reasons could not be published earlier.
Maiden name.