<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;" lang="EN-US"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">This review presents a historical background on different aspects of the nematode <em>Radopholus similis </em>(Cobb) Thorne, an important pathogen of <em>Musa</em>, black pepper and anthurium. It examines the history of its discovery and its name, new approaches to its taxonomy and its genome, and the process of dissemination and pathogenic variability. Finally, it documents the evolution of the control measures in banana, from chemical control to bio-protection and managing the habitat of the pathogen.</span></span></span></p>