Objective:
Nematodes are a major pest in many tropical crop species. We are studying the interaction between the nematode and the plant using different molecular tools. Genes that are important for parasitism in the nematode as well as plant defence genes are being identified and their function is being studied, e.g. using RNAi. Currently, projects on banana and rice are running.
See also: http://www.molecularbiotechnology.ugent.be/group-research-4.html