Molecular approaches in plant nematology

Molecular biology techniques are being applied to an increasing number of problems in plant nematology. This article first reviews the progress made in studies on diagnostics and genetic variation using molecular biological techniques. It then goes on to consider how such techniques are currently being applied in studies on the fundamental biology of plant parasitic nematodes and their interactions with their hosts. This part of the review is split into sections on gene cloning (DNA and protein based approaches) and analysis of gene expression. Finally, potential areas of importance for future work are considered. An effort has been made throughout to explain the theory behind the many techniques used by molecular biologists in an attempt to make them more accessible to the non-specialist.