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Pineapple nematodes are a slow, quiet killer of yield. Root-knot (Meloidogyne), reniform (Rotylenchulus reniformis), and lesion (Pratylenchus) nematodes damage the root system, cause a slow diffuse block-wide decline, and are the main reason ratoon and replant blocks yield less than first-cycle blocks. Regional priority: Very high on replant and ratoon blocks worldwide. Universal on sandy and BRIS soils.

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When pineapple is most vulnerable

From establishment (month 0 to 3) onward, worsening with each cycle. Damage is chronic and multiplicative if blocks are replanted without a fallow break.

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How nematodes show in satellite data

  • Slow, diffuse NDVI shortfall over months - no clear pattern.
  • Block-wide rather than patchy.
  • Same block flags cycle after cycle if replanted without fallow.
  • Very hard to distinguish from chronic nutrient deficiency without soil and root sampling.

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Field symptoms

  • Stunted plants with short D-leaves
  • Slow, diffuse block-wide decline over months
  • Roots stunted, thick, and twisted with knots (root-knot) or short and dark (lesion, reniform)
  • Few feeder roots for the plant’s age
  • Reduced fruit size and yield
  • Poor response to fertilizer despite adequate soil test values
  • Overlap with waterlogging - separate by drainage pattern; nematodes are block-wide, waterlogging is zone-specific

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Reduce the damage by

  • Soil and root sampling before replanting - nematode counts guide the fallow decision.
  • Fallow with grass (Brachiaria, Panicum) or legume for 6 to 12 months between cycles.
  • Cover crops with nematicidal roots (marigold, mucuna, sunn hemp) plow-under.
  • Hot water treatment of suckers (50 C, 30 min) kills nematodes in planting material.
  • Nematicide at planting on chronic blocks - fenamiphos, oxamyl, or fluopyram where approved.
  • Do not replant immediately after a heavily infected block - the yield loss will compound.
  • Rotate to non-host crops where possible (grass, cereals) rather than back-to-back pineapple.

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Set an alert for early warning

Turn the diagnosis into a trigger. Nematode damage is chronic and cycle-scale, so use anomaly alerts and scheduled soil sampling.
Recommended settings for nematodes on pineapple:
  • Anomaly alert - trigger on persistent (> 90 days) block-wide NDVI shortfall of 5% or more below the phase baseline.
  • Pre-replant soil sampling reminder - schedule nematode counts 3 months before any planned replant.
  • Fallow-tracking flag - mark blocks that were replanted with less than 6 months fallow for close monitoring.