The potato cyst nematodes (PCN) Globodera pallida and G. rostochiensis are major pests of potatoes. The G. pallida (and G. rostochiensis) life cycle includes both diapause and quiescent stages. Nematodes in dormancy (diapause or quiescent) are adapted for long-term survival and are more resistant to nematicides. This study analysed the mechanisms underlying diapause and quiescence. The effects of several compounds (8Br-cGMP, oxotremorine and atropine) on the activation of hatching were studied. The measurements of some morphometric parameters in diapaused and quiescent eggs after exposure to PRD revealed differences in dorsal gland length, subventral gland length and dorsal gland nucleolus. In addition, the expression of 2 effectors (IVg9 and cellulase) was not induced in diapaused eggs in water or PRD, while expression was slightly induced in quiescent eggs. Finally, we performed a comparative study to identify orthologues of C. elegans diapause related genes in plant-parasitic nematodes (G. pallida, Meloidogyne incognita, M. hapla and Bursaphelenchus xylophilus). This analysis suggested that it was not possible to identify G. pallida orthologues of the majority of C. elegans genes involved in the control of dauer formation. All these data suggest that G. pallida may use different mechanisms to C. elegans in regulating the survival stage.

The response of individual adult males of the potato cyst nematodes, Globodera rostochiensis and G. pallida, to sex pheromones from adult females was investigated using electrophysiological techniques. Each male nematode was pierced with an electrode close to the cephalic region and then exposed to pheromones from virgin females. Cellular responses in the form of action potentials were recorded as spike activity. The spike frequency produced by G. rostochiensis and G. pallida males increased significantly after the application of their homospecific pheromone. The spike frequency produced by G. pallida males also increased significantly after the application of G. rostochiensis female sex pheromone. In contrast, males of G. rostochiensis showed no significant response to G. pallida female sex pheromone. The electrophysiological results support and considerably extend information from agar plate behavioural bioassays.

Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) offers a potential basis for the development of a diagnostic assay to differentiate the potato cyst nematode species Globodera rostochiensis and G. pallida. Nine decamer primers have been tested for their ability to amplify species-specific DNA sequences. Primer OPG-05 produced 2 discrete DNA fragments, which were consistently present in 5 G. rostochiensis populations and absent in 5 G. pallida populations. These fragments were detectable in single females as well as in single 2nd-stage juveniles. Their amplification is extremely efficient, and reproducible over a wide range of template concentrations. One-fifth of a single juvenile is sufficient to generate reproducible RAPD markers. The amplification from single juveniles requires no DNA isolation. The use of a crude homogenate does not impair the polymerase chain reaction.