Top 10 plant‐parasitic nematodes in molecular plant pathology

Summary The aim of this review was to undertake a survey of researchers working with plant‐parasitic nematodes in order to determine a ‘top 10’ list of these pathogens based on scientific and economic importance. Any such list will not be definitive as economic importance will vary depending on the region of the world in which a researcher is based. However, care was taken to include researchers from as many parts of the world as possible when carrying out the survey. The top 10 list emerging from the survey is composed of: (1) root‐knot nematodes ( M eloidogyne spp.); (2) cyst nematodes ( H eterodera and G lobodera spp.); (3) root lesion nematodes ( P ratylenchus spp.); (4) the burrowing nematode R adopholus similis ; (5) D itylenchus dipsaci ; (6) the pine wilt nematode B ursaphelenchus xylophilus ; (7) the reniform nematode R otylenchulus reniformis ; (8) X iphinema index (the only virus vector nematode to make the list); (9) N acobbus aberrans ; and (10) A phelenchoides besseyi . The biology of each nematode (or nematode group) is reviewed briefly.