Inter and intra-specific genomic variability of the potato cyst nematodes Globodera pallida and G. rostochiensis from Europe and South America using RAPD-PCR.

Eleven populations of the potato cyst nematode Globodera pallida from the UK and Peru were analyzed and compared using RAPD-PCR with four 10-mer primers. In addition, seven populations of G. rostochiensis from the UK and single populations from Germany, the Netherlands and Bolivia were included for comparison. Genomic variability was found both between and within species, with more variability in G. pallida than G. rostochiensis. The genomic pool of British G. pallida populations showed considerably less variation than the Peruvian populations, with 73% and 41% similarity between populations respectively. The genomic similarity among populations of G. rostochiensis was 89% for UK populations and 82% when the two continental European populations were included. Nevertheless, between populations within each species and from the same locality, genomic differences were still found.