Methodology for the Genetic Improvement of Coriander Aiming for Resistance to the Root Knot Nematode

Abstract

Coriander is among the most cultivated hardwoods in Brazil, but its production can be compromised due to damage caused by phytonematodes in the growing areas. Although there are several coriander cultivars in the market, none exhibit resistance to nematodes of the genus Meloidogyne. Thus, the present work aims at proposing a methodology to be used in coriander breeding programs for resistance to M. incognita. The experiment was carried out in a greenhouse at the Federal Rural University of Pernambuco. Five coriander cultivars, handled in three types of containers and three types of substrates, inoculated 15 days after sowing with 1,200 eggs per plant, were evaluated in a randomized block design with three replications in a subdivided plot arrangement. At 45 days after inoculation, the evaluation was started, quantifying the incidence of galls, number of galls in the root system, number of eggs and estimation of the nematode reproduction factor for each cultivar. The use of a 128-cell tray with Basaplant® substrate and experimental plot consisting of eight plants, a value obtained from estimation by the maximum modified curvature method, was the methodology that presented better results, being able to be used in the selection of coriander genotypes for resistance to M. incognita.