Abstract
, the pale cyst nematode (PCN), is a quarantine pest of potato posing a serious threat to the Idaho potato industry.
only hatches in the presence of a hatching stimulus produced by a host plant or closely related species. In the absence of this hatching stimulus,
can remain viable in the soil for decades. A trap crop stimulates hatch of
but is a nonhost, which means the nematode cannot develop or reproduce. This study evaluated the trap crop potential of several solanaceous species by determining
host status and hatching effect of each species. The species under investigation included
,
,
,
, and
. All species were determined to be nonhosts of
. The most promising trap crop candidates with a hatching stimulatory effect comparable to potato were
and
Further research is needed to assess whether these species could be effective
trap crops under Idaho field conditions.