P-618 - The Hidden War Underground: Molecular and Metabolic Dialogues Between Host Plants and Parasitic Nematodes

Plant-parasitic nematodes (PPNs) are among the most damaging agricultural pests, causing significant global yield losses and threatening food security. Among PPNs, the sedentary endoparasites, root-knot nematodes (RKN) and cyst nematodes (CN) incur most economic damage globally. The long-term and complex interaction of PPNs and their hosts is characterized by sophisticated molecular and physiological dynamics encompassing both early stages, from host recognition and nematode migration, and late stages consist of induction and maintenance of highly metabolically active feeding sites, nematode growth and development. Despite many advancements, the molecular and physiological basis of host-PPN interaction remains a puzzle. Nematode elicitors activating host PAMP-triggered immunity (PTI) are not well-characterized, and changes in host metabolism upon infection remains poorly understood. The present work aims to fill this knowledge gap by identifying the molecular patterns that trigger PTI in host plants and by conducting metabolite profiling of infected host tissues as well as major nematode stages. Taken together, this study will advance our understanding of the dynamics in early and late phases of host-parasite interactions, potentially leading to a more effective nematode management and control strategies.