Molecular characterization of a morphologically unusual potato cyst nematode*

During routine screening of soil samples for potato cyst nematodes, a morphologically variant cyst was detected. The internal transcribed spacer regions of the ribosomal DNA repeat unit from individual juveniles hatched from the cyst were amplified by PCR. The resulting products were digested with a range of restriction enzymes and their RFLP profiles compared with standard samples of Globodera rostochiensis and Globodera pallida . Most of the RFLP profiles yielded patterns similar to those of G. pallida although some restriction enzymes gave hybrid patterns showing elements of both G. rostochiensis and G. pallida . Clones of individual ITS regions from a single nematode from the variant cyst displayed either a G. pallida or G. rostochiensis pattern.