Characterization of resistance to rice root-knot nematode Meloidogyne graminicola in an indica rice land race Aganni: insights on pre and post infection defence responses

Description

Somasekhar and co-authors describe, in 2026, resistance to the rice root-knot nematode in Aganni, an Indian indica rice landrace. The worm pest cuts rice yields by 16 to 32 percent and can destroy up to 87 percent of a crop in severe attacks. Screening 25 indica lines by their root gall index, the team found one resistant line, two partly resistant, and the rest susceptible or worse.

Aganni stood out with a gall index between 0.80 and 0.85, and its resistance held across seasons and setups. Attraction assays showed fewer nematodes homing to Aganni roots than to the susceptible cultivar TN1, a pre-infection defense. Worms that did enter penetrated, developed, and reproduced significantly less, a post-infection defense in studies. Infected Aganni roots fired higher activity of antioxidant defense enzymes, ascorbate peroxidase, catalase, and superoxide dismutase. The authors recommend Aganni as breeding stock for nematode management.

Catalog record

Source: https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13416126