Abstract

Although plant tolerance and resistance to pathogens are genetically controlled, they are significantly influenced by environmental nutrition factors. Mineral nutrients can increase or decrease resistance or tolerance to pathogens and pests. Plants receiving ample nutrition have higher resistance to diseases and higher tolerance. This is based on the fact that more vigorous plants have greater capacity to offset a loss of photosynthates, for instance, or reduction in root and leaf surface area caused by infection by pathogens or poor nutrition. In this context, plant mineral nutrition can be considered an environmental nutrition factor that can be manipulated relatively easily, and is an important component in disease control, as well as a tool for managing phytonematodes, reported to be causing losses in countless important agricultural crops. Thus, the aim of this review was to discuss the importance of plant mineral nutrition in the control of phytoparasitic nematodes.

Key words: Management, plant nutrition, phytonematodes, resistance.