Symptoms of wilting and root rot were observed in Curcuma wenyujin plants grown in Hainan fields.A root-lesion nematode，Pratylenchus sp.，was detected in the rhizosphere soil of diseased plants.A combined method of morphological and molecular biology was used to identify root-lesion nematodes in the rhizosphere of C. wenyujin to determine the type of nematodes and whether it is the pathogen causing wilting and root rot of C. wenyujin plants.Based on a systematic investigation of the incidence of diseases in the field，the pathogenicity of this nematode to C. wenyujin was confirmed with greenhouse potted inoculation according to Koch’s postulates.The results showed that the nematode was Pratylenchus coffeae.It infected the root tissue of C. wenyujin，completed its life cycle and reproduced extensively during the growth and development of root tissue，causing the browning，necrosis，or rotting of roots and rhizomes，accompanied by the stunting，yellowing，and wilting of plants，leading to the significant decrease in the yield and quality of root and stem.It is indicated that Pratylenchus coffeae is the pathogen of root rot nematode disease in C. wenyujin.This disease is a new disease that can occur throughout the entire growth period of C. wenyujin，and is severe in fields with continuous cropping.