Greenhouse experiments on the effects of white potato cyst nematode infestations (Globodera pallida Stone) on initial growth and development of a series of potato cultivars are compared with the results of field experiments on sandy and sandy-peat soils on the effect of nematode density on tuber yield. A simple greenhouse test, assessing root growth response to potato cyst nematode infection, provided a good insight into a cultivar's tolerance performance in the field early in the growing season. As a very limited number of plants is needed for the greenhouse test, screening for tolerance can be conducted in the early stages of a breeding programme.