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Research article - Peer-reviewed, 2012

Novel bioassay demonstrates attraction of the white potato cyst nematode Globodera pallida (Stone) to non-volatile and volatile host plant cues

Farnier, Kevin; Bengtsson, Marie; Becher, Paul; Witzell, Johanna; Witzgall, Peter; Manduric, Sanja

Abstract

Potato cyst nematodes (PCNs) are a major pest of solanaceous crops such as potatoes, tomatoes, and eggplants and have been widely studied over the last 30 years, with the majority of earlier studies focusing on the identification of natural hatching factors. As a novel approach, we focused instead on chemicals involved in nematode orientation towards its host plant. A new dual choice sand bioassay was designed to study nematode responses to potato root exudates (PRE). This bioassay, conducted together with a traditional hatching bioassay, showed that biologically active compounds that induce both hatching and attraction of PCNs can be collected by water extraction of incised potato roots. Furthermore, our results demonstrated that PCN also were attracted by potato root volatiles. Further work is needed to fully understand how PCNs use host plant chemical cues to orientate towards hosts. Nevertheless, the simple attraction assay used in this study provides an important tool for the identification of host-emitted attractants.

Published in

Journal of Chemical Ecology
2012, volume: 38, number: 6, pages: 795-801

Authors' information

Farnier, Kevin
Department of Plant Protection Biology
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Plant Protection Biology
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Plant Protection Biology
Witzell, Johanna
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Plant Protection Biology
Manduric, Sanja
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Plant Protection Biology

UKÄ Subject classification

Zoology
Ecology

Publication Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10886-012-0105-y

URI (permanent link to this page)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/43064