Authors
M S Sturrock1; L W Wilson1; N D Warnock1; A G Maule1; J J Dalzell1; 1 School of Biological Sciences, Institute for Global Food Security, Queen’s University Belfast Discussion
Plant parasitic nematodes (PPNs) impose significant economic losses on global agriculture, threatening food security. EU Legislation imposing the withdrawal of numerous chemical nematicides due to environmental toxicity will increase the burden on potato production across the EU, unless novel control strategies can be developed. RNA interference has proven invaluable in facilitating functional studies of nematode genes, improving our knowledge of basic biology, and informing control strategies. The ability to target nematode genes involved in feeding, development, reproduction and innate immunity through in planta production of dsRNA means that RNAi could be used directly as a control strategy. Here we present data on the knockdown ofneuropeptide-like protein genes across PPN species using in vitro RNAi. Localisation of nlp genes in the model nematode Caenorhabditis elegans suggest pleiotropic roles in sensory perception, feeding, and development, which is corroborated by in situ localisation of orthologues in PPNs. Interestingly, we have localised an nlp gene to the gonadal primodium of PPN J2s for the first time, indicating a potential role in development. Data presented outline in vitro RNAi optimisation procedures, and behavioural impacts of gene knockdown. 
