Climate changes and nematodes: expected effects and perspectives for plant protection

Abstract

Some factors interfering with plant protection from phytoparasitic nematodes are reviewed in the light of changes brought about by the global warming in action. The mechanisms mainly concern changes in temperature and water regimes. The effects of climate changes on the epidemiology and management of the main phytoparasitic species occurring in Mediterranean environments include the alteration of the reproductive cycles due to plants productivity, the geographic dispersion by more northern or higher altitude shifts, the spread of vectors. Other related indirect mechanisms are feedback effects due to the reactions of cultivated species or weeds, and those related to natural enemies. The potential management of some operational tools are briefly discussed, including the development and application of models and monitoring. An exemple of modeling changes induced by increasing temperatures on the carrot cyst nematode Heterodera carotae is briefly discussed.