Cyst Nematodes

Plant-parasitic nematodes of the genera Heterodera and Globodera, whose dead females turn into hard cysts that shelter eggs in the soil for years. A nematode belongs here when its cited article places it in one of those genera. The tough cyst protects the eggs, which can stay alive in the soil for many years until a host crop is planted, so infested fields are hard to clean. Management uses long crop rotations, resistant varieties and quarantine to stop spread on soil and machinery. This heading gathers the cyst nematodes of the atlas so a visitor can compare their hosts and ranges.