QUÉ DEBEN SABER LOS ESTUDIANTES DE LA NEMATOLOGÍA AGRÍCOLA

• DOI: 10.22533/at.ed.1152310109

• Palavras-chave: Curso Nematologia, Programa analítico, nematodos parásitos de plantas

• Keywords: Nematology course, Analytic Program, plant parasitic nematodes

• Abstract: Nematode parasitism of plants reduces crop yield and quality in many agricultural systems. The consequent economic losses are especially significant in countries where there are few Nematologists serving agricultural clientele. Losses are not just in crops for local consumption; there can also be substantial losses in crops grown for export, which are major sources of revenue for agricultural industries and national economies. Additionally, nematode impacts in production systems such as pasture and forestry have received little attention. When the biology of the organisms and their interaction with plants is uncertain, the costs of recommended nematode control options may exceed their benefits in crop yield improvement. Nematology in Latin America is in a critical phase; there are few professors with expertise in teaching Nematology and several retired teachers have not been replaced. Consequently, there is a dearth of training of new nematologists and technical professionals capable of providing guidance to agricultural producers. In fact, in some Latin American countries, training in Nematology is not available. In those cases, sales personnel in the pesticide industry provide the only source of information on nematode problems and, consequently, nematode management is based primarily on the application of nematicides. In Latin American countries lacking Nematologists who are dedicated to research and teaching, the training, if any, on plant and soil nematodes may be provided as a lecture in a Plant Pathology course and incomplete in appropriate detail. We believe that, beyond organizing scientific conferences and journals, there are other important roles of the Nematology Societies of the world. One is to promote and support the hiring of Nematology professors in Universities and research institutes and another is to organize and present courses that provide broad training for new generations of nematologists. Such courses, designed for specific professional development needs for an agricultural system or institute, could be short and intense, three or four days in length, and presented by world experts in the specific subject area supported by local disciplinary representatives. Nematology Societies can provide important services in promoting the development and outreach of the science of Nematology in order to improve the economics of agricultural production within the framework of environmental stewardship, soil health and food safety.