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Poster

Session: Session 2 Presenting Authors at Posters (Evens)

P-294 - Towards Understanding Sex Determination in Cyst Nematodes

Thursday, July 17, 2025
13:30 - 15:15  
Location: Confex Hall 3
Plant Interactions with nematodes & parasitic plants

    Presenting Author(s)

  • MI

    Muhammad Usman Ijaz

    University of Bonn
    Bonn, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany

    • Author(s)

  • MH

    M. Shamim Hasan

    Molecular Phytomedicine, University of Bonn
    Bonn, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany

  • FG

    Florian Grundler

    Professor
    Molecular Phytomedicine, University of Bonn
    Bonn, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany

Cyst nematodes are plant parasites that pose a significant threat to global food security by parasitizing and inducing a specialized feeding structure called the syncytium. This syncytium exclusively nourishes the nematode. Despite their dimorphic nature, the differentiation of nematodes into males or females occurs only after the establishment of the feeding structure. However, the precise mechanisms of sex determination remain unclear. This study aims to elucidate the environmental and molecular factors influencing sex determination in cyst nematodes, using Heterodera schachtii as a model system. A series of controlled experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of delayed feeding and starvation on sex ratio dynamics and parasitic success. Starved nematodes exhibited a higher male-to-female ratio, reduced syncytium size, and altered invasion behavior, revealing that environmental sex determination in H. schachtii is closely linked to nutritional factors. Molecular analyses further identified altered expression of NMAS-1, a key virulence effector. These findings highlight the interplay between environmental cues, nematode physiology, and host-pathogen dynamics. This research provides significant insights into the mechanisms of sex determination and host-pathogen interactions in plant-parasitic nematodes, contributing to the broader understanding of molecular plant-microbe interactions and offering potential strategies for targeted nematode control.