Background and aims

Plant parasitic nematodes (PPNs) are among the most important pests in agriculture. Chemical inputs are widely used for their control; however, the negative impact of these agrochemicals on environmental and human health is a current concern. Biological control and interventions on rhizosphere signaling are promising ecofriendly alternatives for managing these pests in the field. Nevertheless, the molecular mechanisms involved in plant-PPN interaction need to be unraveled in order to develop appropriate management strategies. Strigolactones (SLs) are phytohormones that are exuded from roots, acting as signaling molecules in the rhizosphere. They are important cues in the establishment of arbuscular mycorrhizal and Rhizobium-legume symbioses. Recently, it has been shown that SLs can also affect the interaction between plants and certain PPN species; however, data are scarce and ambiguous. Some studies propose that SLs positively regulate PPN species performance acting as attractants to roots, or by inhibiting plant defense responses. On the contrary, other studies suggest that SLs could negatively regulate PPN performance by reducing abscisic acid, or by promoting plant interactions with beneficial soil microorganisms. In the present Opinion paper, we discuss these controversial results and propose future research challenges to develop new management strategies against these harmful PPN species.

中文翻译：

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松果内酯是植物与寄生线虫相互作用的关键吗？一个有趣的问题

背景和目标

植物寄生线虫（PPN）是农业中最重要的害虫之一。化学投入物被广泛用于控制。然而，这些农药对环境和人类健康的负面影响是当前关注的问题。根际信号的生物控制和干预是有望在野外管理这些害虫的生态友好替代品。然而，需要阐明植物-PPN相互作用中涉及的分子机制，以便制定适当的管理策略。Strigolactones（SLs）是从根部渗出的植物激素，在根际中充当信号分子。它们是建立丛枝菌根和根瘤菌的重要线索-豆类共生。最近，研究表明，SL还可以影响植物与某些PPN物种之间的相互作用。但是，数据稀缺且模棱两可。一些研究提出，SL可以积极调节PPN物种的性能，充当根系吸引剂，或者通过抑制植物防御反应而发挥作用。相反，其他研究表明，SL可以通过减少脱落酸或促进植物与有益土壤微生物的相互作用来负面调节PPN的性能。在本意见书中，我们讨论了这些有争议的结果，并提出了未来的研究挑战，以开发针对这些有害PPN物种的新管理策略。