Résumé
#Pratylenchus# sp., among other pests, has a significant impact on the economy of coffee plantations throughout Central America. A field experimentation was undertaken in the southwest of Guatemala to assess damage due to nematode and to evaluate 2 different methods of control: grafting on #C. canephora# var. Robusta, and chemical treatments (terbufos: 1 to 2g/plant twice a year). This experiment include 4 treatments (1- no grafting without chemical ; 2-no grafting plus chemical ; 3- grafting without chemical; 4- gafting plus chemical) and was carried out for five years, including the first 3 commercial harvests. Observations of nematode numbers, total weight of harvested berries and number of dead plants demonstrated the high degree of pathogenicity of #Pratylenchus# sp. on #C. arabica # and the very good efficiency of grafting as a method of control (production coffee beries multiplied by 3,6 on average). In contrast, chemical treatments resulted in a nonsignificant increase in production (x 1,14)