Abstract: Tea (Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze) plant is an important source of different beverages which are claimed to be the most widely consumed fluids after water. It is grown in many countries ranging from as far north as 49° N, outer Carpathians to as far as 30° S;- Natal, South Africa and from altitudes varying from sea level in Japan to 2700 m above mean sea level (amsl) in Olenguruone, Kenya and Gisovu, Rwanda. The plant is widely adaptable to geographical areas with large variations in climate and physical features which affect rates of growth, yields and quality. A survey was conducted to determine the fungivorous nematodes associated with tea in Ngere tea catchment area in Kenya. Soil samples were collected from six electoral zones of Ngere factory (Ndakaini, Kimandi, Gatura, Karangi, Kiarutara and Mbugiti) in Gatanga division Thika district, Murang’a County, Kenya. The objectives of this research were to isolate, characterize and identify fungivorous nematodes that are associated with soil in tea growing areas of Ngere. Nematodes were extracted and recovered from soil samples using a modified baermann funnel method and identified under a light microscope based on their morphological characters. They were also classified according to their feeding habits. DNA was extracted from the isolates and PCR was performed. The amplified DNA was sequenced and the sequences compared with the sequences at NCBI database. Fungivorous nematodes recovered included Tylenchus spp., Aphelenchus spp., and Ditylenchus spp. Tylenchus spp was the most frequently occurring species in the soil (60.47%) where the population was 429 and Aphelenchus spp had frequency rating of 48.84% and a population of 530. Ditylenchus had the lowest frequency rating of 6.98%. Two genera of fungivorous nematodes were also encountered in stressed tea bushes rhizosphere. In the stressed tea bushes rhizosphere, fungivorous nematodes identified were Aphelenchus spp., and Tylenchus spp. The study showed that there is fungivorous nematodes inhabiting tea soils in Ngere tea catchment area.
Keywords: Tea, Fungivorous, frequency, nematode population, carbon content, Aphelenchus spp., Tylenchus spp., and Ditylenchus spp.
Title: Occurrence of fungivorous nematodes in Ngere tea catchment area, Murang’a County, Kenya
Author: Tom Kosgei Kibet, Johnson Kinyua, Daniel Kariuki, Edward George Mamati, Justus Onguso, Eliud Wafula
International Journal of Life Sciences Research
ISSN 2348-3148 (online), ISSN 2348-313X (Print)
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