Potential for identification of quarantine nematodes by PCR1

Quarantine nematodes often pose particular problems of precise identification. Restriction fragment length differences in some fragments of DNA can easily separate species and races of nematodes that are difficult to identify by morphometrics. Amplification of DNA sequences allows accurate identification using one individual or very few nematodes of any stage. The DNA amplification is simple, and the pattern of DNA restriction bands are easily read, without training in molecular biology. It is suggested that international cooperation is needed in order to build up banks of DNA restriction patterns characteristic of each quarantine nematode species.