Risk factors and conservation

• Risk factors

Once introduced into a field via cyst-infested soil on farm equipment or plants for planting, Globodera populations will establish almost anywhere where the potato crop is able to grow.

Intensive cultural practices like absence of rotation, poor control of groundkeepers and use of non-certified seed tubers may be favourable conditions for potato cyst nematodes development. Natural decrease of cyst viability in the soil is favoured by irregular temperatures and low soil-moisture.

Due to the species specificity of the genetic resistance introduced into potato cultivars, improper soil diagnosis for Globodera spp. populations and repeated use of inadequate resistant cultivars may lead to a shift within mixed populations from a prevalence of G. rostochiensis (for which host resistance is available) to pure G. pallida populations (for which host resistance is still scarce).