An effective basis for control of potato cyst-nematodes and assessment of the impact on soil health

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Plant parasitic nematodes cause losses to global agriculture of 100b dollars annually. Potato cyst nematode costs the UK potato industry an estimated 43 m pounds sterling/year. Control often depends on nematicides that are both harmful to the environment and possibly human health but often essential for economic potato cropping in the UK. We have developed novel resistance that controls many nematodes including potato cyst-nematodes. This antifeedant approach has been shown to be effective, completely safe in food and benign to the environment. It has been highlighted uniquely by two government reports for its importance to UK agriculture. This work will develop the approach and achieve 90 per cent resistance by stacking antifeedants with peptides that prevent nematode attraction to host roots. The number and diversity of other nematode species will be used as an indication of soil health. We will determine whether or not using the peptides has any effect on non-target nematode species. We will develop methods that will allow nematode diversity to be assessed in a large number of field samples.This will add a further appropriate basis to those we have already deployed. We wish to assess any environmental impact of our technology on soil organisms in the field and allow its comparison with the pesticide use it would replace.