Molecular Insights into Migratory Plant-Parasitic Nematodes

Migratory plant-parasitic nematodes (PPNs) pose significant threats to global agriculture and forestry. Recent advances in next-generation sequencing on migratory endoparasitic nematodes have revealed substantial genomic diversity, enhancing our understanding of their evolutionary adaptations and molecular mechanisms of pathogenicity. Their genomic plasticity also reflects functional adaptations for an endoparasitic lifestyle (i.e., detoxification and antioxidant defenses, anhydrobiosis or cryptobiosis, and environmental stress tolerance). Key findings highlight an expanding array of parasitism proteins, suggesting a more complex network of effectors than was previously recognized. This review provides an updated overview of relevant aspects of the biology and parasitic strategies of migratory endoparasitic nematodes, with a focus on species within clades 10 and 12. These molecular insights underscore the importance of ongoing research into lesser-studied species, which will ultimately contribute to the development of targeted strategies for nematode control and crop protection.