We are interested in developmental and behavioral adaptations to stress in plant-parasitic and free-living nematodes. Specifically how do these animals survive and thrive in adverse and changing environments? The model organism and nematode C. elegans undergoes a developmental switch and enters into a stress-resistant dauer stage under adverse environmental conditions. We found that certain neurons in the head undergo extensive dendrite arboriztion during dauer formation. Following a return to favorable environments these neurons remodel again and return to a non-dauer morphology. We are exploring the function and mechanisms behind this and other adaptations during the dauer stage. Heterodera glycines, the soybean cyst nematode, is the most destructive pathogen of soybeans. It is capable of surviving for 9 years in the absence of a host plant. What adaptations allow such long-term survival and what are the mechanistic underpinnings? We are exploring the nervous system of this animal to uncover how they sense and adapt to adverse conditions. Our goal is to develop alternative control strategies for H. glycines and other economically important plant-parasitic nematodes.
