A Standardized Method to Assess Infection Rates of Root-Knot and Cyst Nematodes in Arabidopsis thaliana Mutants with Alterations in Root Development Related to Auxin and Cytokinin Signaling.

Plant parasitic nematodes cause a great impact in agricultural systems. The search for effective control methods is partly based on the understanding of underlying molecular mechanisms leading to the formation of nematode feeding sites. In this respect, crosstalk of hormones such as auxins and cytokinins (IAA, CK) between the plant and the nematode seems to be crucial. Thence, the study of loss of function or overexpressing lines with altered IAA and CK functioning is entailed. Those lines frequently show developmental defects in the number, position and/or length of the lateral roots what could generate a bias in the interpretation of the nematode infection parameters. Here we present a protocol to assess differences in nematode infectivity with the lowest interference of root architecture phenotypes in the results. Thus, tailored growth conditions and normalization parameters facilitate the standardized phenotyping of nematode infection.