Phytonematodes: A severe menace for successful cultivation of menthol mint in Indo-Gangetic plains

The overall development of nation relies on optimisation of crop production, enhancement in the export and limitation on avoidable imports. The availability of nutritious and healthy food, disease controlling food supplements and therapeutics are, among several factors, the determinants of quality of life of people all around the world. Phytonematodes constitute one of the most important groups of pathogenic organisms prevalent in and around the rhizosphere, play a potential role in reducing crop production and yield. Undoubtedly, these phytonematodes are associated with most of the medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) and cause severe damage, but the magnitude of crop damage has been established in only a few MAPs. Among different MAPs, menthol mint is on frontline because of higher net returns and greater demand in world market. Importantly two species of plant parasitic nematodes viz. Root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita and M. javanica) and root lesion nematode (Pratylenchus thornei) affect cultivation of menthol mint. Some of the models and techniques have been suggested to avoid the economic loss caused by nematode pest to menthol mint.