Lampung province is known as one of ginger production centers in Indonesia. The province has approximately 1,812 ha ginger plantation area distributed among three districts: Tanggamus, North Lampung, and South Lampung. One of the main constraints on ginger production in Lampung province is the presence of plant parasitic nematodes. The nematodes can cause severe damage on the crop resulted in a
significant yield loss. A research to study diversity of plant parasitic nematodes that
associated with ginger crops in Lampung province was conducted on March to October 2003. The aim of this research was to survey and record plant parasitic nematodes associated with ginger crops in Lampung. Survey of soil nematode was conducted on ginger plantation in three districts in Lampung Province. Soil samples were collected from the ginger rhizosphere using soil sampler on 0 – 20 cm deep. Extraction of soil
nematodes by method of decantation centrifugation using sugar solution was
conducted in Laboratory of Plant Protection, College of Agriculture, University of
Lampung. The nematode population within suspension was counted using a counting
disk under stereo-microscope with 400 times magnification. Dominance value was used to predict which nematodes genera that play an important role on ginger field. Semi-permanent nematode specimens were prepared in order to identify the genera founded. Nematodes identification into genera level was done under compoundmicroscope with 100 — 400 x magnification. The dominance value of ecological
parameter was used to measure the importance of genera nematodes associated with ginger crops. The abundance of the important genera was plotted on a histogram to compare the population level of nematodes in the ginger field from each district where the ginger crops were planted. The results of this research showed that at least ten genera of plant parasitic nematodes were associated with ginger crops in Lampung.
From Kedodong district (Tanggamus) seven genera of plant parasitic nematodes were collected. Six and five genera of plant parasitic nematodes were collected from Gadingrejo (Tanggamus) and Padang Cermin districts (South Lampung), respectively. Pralylenchus and Meloidogyne were two nematode genera found to be the most
dominant and important on nematodes communities that associated with ginger crop in Lampung. The number of Pratylenchus per 100 cc soil from Kedondong and Gadingrejo was 12 each, higher than that of from Padang Cermin (6 individu per 100 cc soil). Meanwhile, the population of Meloidogyne found in Gadingrejo was 40 individu per 100 cc soil, but only five individual nematodes were found from each Kedondong and Padang Cermin.