Research:

Molecular pathotyping of plant-parasitic nematodes

Annually, more than 10% of the global food production is harmed by plant-parasitic nematodes, resulting in a monetary loss of around $125 billion USD. While nematicides have proven to be an effective method to control nematode populations, they are often harmful to the environment and human health.

Therefore, nematode resistance in plants appears to be a valuable mechanism to make crops less susceptible to parasitic nematodes. In this research, we aim to gain insight in the differences between virulent and non-virulent nematodes, and how plants might be made resistant against these parasites