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Pest Table 2
Pest Description
GLOBODERA ROSTOCHIENSIS
IDENTITY: Scientific name: Globodera rostochiensis
(Wollenweber, 1923) Behrens, 1975
Common name: Potato cyst nematode or Golden nematode

NOTES ON TAXONOMY AND BIOLOGY: This cyst forming nematode has sedentary endoparasitic habits. Cysts  are persistent tanned sacs derived by the female body and contain the eggs. Cysts persist in soil for more than 10 years. Second-stage juveniles (J2) emerge from the cysts, penetrate host roots and establish a specialized feeding site (syncytium) in the stele. They develop into swollen females that retain the eggs, rupture root cortex and protrude from the root surface. At the end of the reproductive phase, the female body acquires a golden coloration prior to attaining the cyst stage. Because of this golden coloration, the nematode is commonly known as the golden nematode. The golden females die and become spherical brown cysts, which are circumfenestrate and lack bullae, and may be mistaken for G. pallida.

GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION: Algeria, Austria, Australia, Belarus, Belgium, Bolivia Bulgaria, Canada, Czeck Republic, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia Cyprus, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, Estonia, Faeroe Island, Falkland Islands, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lebanon, Libya, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Morocco, New Zealand, Norfolk Island, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Sierra Leone, Slovakia,  South Africa,  Spain, Sri Lanka Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, The Netherlands, The Philippines, Tunisia, Turkey,  Ukraine, UK, USA., Venezuela, Yugoslavia. In the US, the golden nematode occurs in New York State (Long Island and Steuben County, Upstate New York).  The nematode was also introduced in Delaware (Newcastle county) where it was eradicated. The spread of the nematode is restricted in the state of New York by quarantine actions including nematode surveys, application of nematicides and the use of resistant varieties.

HOSTS: Potato (Solanum tuberosum) is the main host of this species. Other hosts include many Solanum species, oca  (Oxalis tuberosa), jimsonweed (Datura stramonium), tomato (Lycopersicon spp.), and Salpiglossis spp.

CROP LOSSES: Under poor nematode management, crop losses induced by the golden nematode range 20-70% (Greco, 1988). Presence of the golden nematode in potato growing areas preclude the export of potatoes to international markets due to the restrictions imposed by many countries against this pest.

MEANS OF MOVEMENTS AND DIPERSAL: Nematodes are dispersed with soil debris and plant material contaminated by the cysts and by infected or contaminated potato tubers.

RATING: (H) Because of yield losses and adverse regulatory impact caused by this nematode, the risk posed by this pest to the United States is very high. Quarantine actions are already implemented by APHIS against the golden nematode.

REFERENCES:
    CAB International, 2001. Globodera rostochiensis, in Crop protection compendium, global modual, 3rd edition. Wallingford, UK: CAB International.
    Greco, N. 1988. Potato cyst nematodes: Globodera rostochiensis and G. pallida. Nematology Circular No. 149. Florida Department of Agriculture and Consuner Services, Division of Plant Industry, Gainesville, FL, USA.
    Marks R. J., and B. B. Brodie. 1998. Potato cyst nematodes: biology, distribution and control. Wallingford, UK.
    Stone, A. R. 1973. Heterodera rostochiensis. CIH descriptions of plant parasitic nematodes set 2, No. 16. St. Albans, UK: Commonwealth Institute of Helminthology.