Plant Nematode Interaction: A Sophisticated Dialogue

Abstract

Abstract Research on nematode parasitism tackles fundamental questions in plant development and host–parasite interaction. The plant-parasitic cyst and root-knot nematodes (RKNs) have evolved sophisticated strategies for exploiting plants with high impacts in agriculture worldwide. We review here recent knowledge acquired on putative parasitism genes and on their roles in the formation of permanent feeding sites within the host plant roots to ensure nematode survival. One of the most intriguing questions is how these nematodes are able to modulate or circumvent the host defence system. We then also discuss the mechanisms underlying the co-evolution between host plant resistance and nematode virulence. Finally, we present a brief overview of the status of genomic researches in RKNs. Their impacts in providing the development of environmentally sustainable new control strategies and fundamental clues as to the evolution and biology in plant-parasitic nematodes (PPNs) are illustrated.