A plant-parasitic nematode’s view on modern agriculture

Plant-parasitic nematodes (PPNs) are highly successful economically important parasites but our knowledge about them derives almost exclusively from agricultural systems. This crop-centred perspective overlooks the evolutionary processes that shaped nematode parasitism and how host plants cope with these parasites long before agriculture emerged. Here, we review the PPN perspective on agriculture by integrating the natural phylogeography, ecology, reproductive biology, and coevolutionary history of PPNs. We discuss how various life-history traits facilitated the adaptation of PPNs to agricultural environments, enabling these parasites to become the devastating pests they are today. This evolutionary perspective provides new insights into PPN virulence, persistence, and spread. Furthermore, it may guide the development of more sustainable management strategies.