Other citrus producing areas of the U.S. have reported similar, if not greater, losses from this nematode. Males neither feed on nor infect roots and complete their life cycle in 7 to 10 days. Only the female becomes embedded in the root where it feeds on the cortical cells and develops to maturity. About one-fourth of the anterior portion of the female body is within the root, usually 4 to 5 cells deep, but never beyond the cortex. After a feeding site is established, the nematode's body becomes immobile, with its posterior portion exterior to the root.
Females exude a gelatinous matrix that serves to protect the nematode eggs.
Actually, infected roots are slightly enlarged and have a very irregular surface irrespective of the adhering soil. The outer portion of such roots often separates readily from the axial portion, exposing the central cylinder. Aboveground Not all citrus trees having a high citrus nematode population on the roots show aboveground symptoms. Symptom expression may not be noticeable for 5 to 10 years after peak nematode population levels are reached. However, aboveground symptoms, when they finally appear, consist of general symptoms of malnutrition, such as yellowing of leaves, sparse foliage, small, nonuniform fruit, and defoliated branch ends.