As coffee-parasites, root-lesion nematodes (RLNs), Pratylenchus spp., have been underestimated in terms of their importance to coffee production. Indeed, their migratory behavior and the
symptoms they induce – non-specific root necrosis – have not caught the attention of nematologists, extensionists and growers
until recently. Nowadays, RLNs are being recognized as damaging to arabica and robusta coffees in Guatemala, El Salvador,
Indonesia and Vietnam, among others. This awareness has arisen from studies conducted on several aspects, such as population
fluctuation, epidemiology, assessment of damage threshold and management through chemical, biological, cultural and genetic
approaches. This chapter focuses on discussing in detail all these aspects.
Keywords Root-lesion nematodes - epidemiology - chemical control - cultural control - biological control - genetic control