Question: Soaking wheat seeds in a 20% salt solution before sowing is a very effective control method for which of the following nematodes?
Options:
Meloidogyne sp.
Heterodera avenae
Anguina tritici
All of these
✅Explanation:
Anguina tritici (Wheat Gall Nematode): This nematode infests wheat seeds, forming galls within them. Soaking seeds in a 20% salt solution creates a hypertonic environment. This causes water to move out of the nematode cells (osmosis), leading to dehydration and death. The denser, healthy seeds sink, while the infected, galled seeds float and can be removed.
Anguina tritici (Wheat Gall Nematode): This nematode infests wheat seeds, forming galls within them. Soaking seeds in a 20% salt solution creates a hypertonic environment. This causes water to move out of the nematode cells (osmosis), leading to dehydration and death. The denser, healthy seeds sink, while the infected, galled seeds float and can be removed.