Pathogenic viruses are being used successfully for biocontrol of invasive insect pests, weeds and animals. Many of these viruses have been known for more than a century and their relationships to, and effect on, their hosts are well known. Pathogenic viruses of nematodes could be used directly as bionematicides while experimentally amenable non-pathogenic viruses could be genetically modified for the same purpose. The overall goal of this research is to take advantage of the contemporary sciences of virology, nematology, genomics, synthetic biology and biotechnology to identify viruses pathogenic to soybean cyst nematode, in particular those amenable to genetic manipulation.

Key Benefactors:
farmers, agronomists, extension agents