LEVANTAMENTO DA OCORRÊNCIA DE NEMATÓIDES EM JABUTICABEIRAS EM HIDROLÂNDIA -GO

Abstract

The jabuticaba, a fruit of great economic and social importance for Hidrolândia, Goiás, has faced challenges due to the "sudden death" of orchards, a phenomenon that compromises both production and tree longevity. This problem manifests as progressive senescence of the branches, ultimately leading to the loss of fruit production within a few years. Given this scenario, this study aims to investigate the possible causes of this decline, with an emphasis on the presence of plant-parasitic nematodes as potential agents responsible for root damage. The research was conducted in commercial orchards in the municipality, where soil and root samples were collected from symptomatic and asymptomatic trees. Laboratory analyses did not confirm the presence of plant-parasitic nematodes in soil samples collected from areas with jabuticaba trees exhibiting symptoms of slow decline ("slow death"). However, in 16.67% of the root samples analyzed, the spiral nematode Helicotylenchus sp. was detected, but its presence did not show a direct association with the slow decline of the trees. Given the lack of clear correlation between nematodes and the decline of jabuticaba trees, further research is needed to investigate other possible factors involved in this issue, such as nutritional deficiencies, water stress, or fungal and bacterial pathogens.