| dc.description | Nematodes are the most diverse and numerous Metazoa on Earth. More than 28000
described species probably represent only a small portion of the total member in the
phylum Nematoda (Hugot ef al., 2001). They are present in almost every habitat from
pristine to highly polluted ones (Cobb, 1914). It has been reported that numerically
they can be more than 1 million individuals per square meter accounting for about
80% of all individual animals on earth (Platt, 1994). Their numerical dominance,
diversity in lifestyles, and their presence at various trophic levels establish them to be
- an integral part of many ecosystems. Nematodes are important components of the soil
biotic community and serve as biological indicators for change in the soil
environments (Ekschmitt et al., 1999). They can be categorized as free-living or
parasites of plants and animals. Currently 4100 species of plant-parasitic nematodes
have been described which constitutes 15% of the total number of nematode species
known (Decraemer & Hunt, 2006). They are able to attack from terrestrial plants to
marine algae, often causing severe damage to crop plants either directly or as virus
vectors. The importance of plant-parasitic nematodes is generally masked by their
small size (0.3-1mm, mostly) but their impact on humans by inflicting heavy losses in
agriculture is substantial. | en_US |
