Genome resources of two pathotypes of the potato cyst nematode Globodera rostochiensis from New York

Authors: Wang, Xiaohong; Yang, Huijun; VERONNEAU, PIERRE-YVES - Agriculture And Agri-Food Canada; THURSTON, DAVID - Cornell University; MIMEE, BENJAMIN - Agriculture And Agri-Food Canada

Submitted to: Phytopathology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/16/2020
Publication Date: 4/1/2021
Citation: Wang, X., Yang, H., Veronneau, P., Thurston, D., Mimee, B. 2021. Genome resources of two pathotypes of the potato cyst nematode Globodera rostochiensis from New York. Phytopathology. https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTO-09-20-0403-A.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTO-09-20-0403-A

Interpretive Summary: The golden cyst nematode (aka golden nematode or GN; Globodera rostochiensis) is a quarantine pest that poses a serious threat to potato production and trade worldwide. Strict quarantine regulations and deployment of resistant potato cultivars have successfully confined the nematode to very limited areas in New York for several decades. However, a new pathotype (Ro2) that can reproduce well on existing resistant cultivars has emerged. The ability to detect Ro2 early in a field is critical to help maintain the success of GN quarantine in the United States. This study reports the whole-genome sequences of the two pathotypes (Ro1 and Ro2) of GN. Further comparative genomic analysis has identified sequence variations between the two pathotypes. The identification of these discriminant variants may enable the development of molecular diagnostic methods to quickly and reliably differentiate the two GN pathotypes in New York.

Technical Abstract: The potato cyst nematode, Globodera rostochiensis, is a regulated pest posing a serious threat to potato production worldwide. Although the endemic pathotype (Ro1) of G. rostochiensis has been confined to New York State for several decades as a result of quarantine regulations and management with resistant potato cultivars, a virulent pathotype, Ro2, has emerged, for which control measures are scarce. The ability to detect Ro2 early in fields is necessary to sustain the success of G. rostochiensis quarantine in the US. Here, we report the comparative analysis of whole-genome sequences of multiple single-cyst-derived Ro1 and Ro2 lines, propagated from original field populations. The identified discriminant variants are good targets for developing molecular diagnostic tools for differentiating G. rostochiensis pathotypes in New York.