EXPLORING NEMATODE SEXUAL DEVELOPMENT TO CONTROL ROOT-KNOT NEMATODES

The long-term goal of research is to develop effective and sustainable methods to reduce root-knot nematode (RKN) populations in crop fields by interfering with nematode development and reproduction. The objective of this project is to identify nematode genes critical for sex development ofMeloidogyne incognita. The central hypothesis is that the sex fate ofM. incognitais determined post-embryonically by regulation of sex-related genes at transcriptional or posttranscriptional levels. This hypothesis is formulated based on the previous studies of the environmental sex determination ofM. incognitaand our preliminary data. We propose to pursue the following two objectives:Objective 1. Identify nematode protein-coding genes critical forM. incognitasex development.Objective 2. Expression profiling and characterizing microRNA genes essential forM. incognitasex development. The work addresses the priority of program: "Behavioral attributes of pest and beneficial species". It will advance our understanding of sex development of root-knot nematodes and is critical to develop new methods for nematode control in agriculture.