Quarantine Nematodes in Potato: Practical Solutions Using Molecular Tools

The potato cyst nematodes (PCN) Globodera rostochiensis and G. pallida and the rootknot nematodes Meloidogyne chitwoodi and M. fallax are important nematodes for potato production. Not only are they causing direct damage but also their status as quarantine nematodes jeopardizes international trade. Early detection of these species is of paramount importance. During the last decade, molecular tools have been developed that allow accurate identification and quantification. The challenge is to validate the methods and evaluate their performance for routine use. Specificity, sensitivity, selectivity and repeatability are of major importance to enable high throughput analysis. Examples from validation for M. chitwoodi and M. fallax were given during the workshop. Methods with high sensitivity (able to detect low numbers) are not always as specific (able to differentiate target species from others in mixtures) as other methods which on their turn are less sensitive. However, most errors will be made before the molecular analysis. Sampling and extraction of nematodes from the matrix (e.g., soil, potato peels, roots) is a limiting factor. During the discussion, it was clear that sampling Potato Research (2014) 57:365–366 DOI 10.1007/s11540-014-9281-1