Electrophysiological Responses of Male Potato Cyst NematodesGlobodera rostochiensis and G. pallidato Some Chemicals

Electrophysiological techniques and behavioral bioassays were used to evaluate the responses of males of the potato cyst nematodesGlobodera rostochiensis and G. pallidato various chemicals. Exposure of all males of both species to acetylcholine elicited strong electrophysiological responses and positive movement towards the source. By contrast, neither glycine nor citric acid induced any marked electrophysiological responses and only males of G. pallida showed significant behavioral responses, moving toward glycine and away from citric acid. The electrophysiological and behavioral responses to GABA and α-aminobutyric acid were complementary, with G. rostochiensis showing significant response only to the latter and G. pallida responding significantly only to the former. The electrophysiological response of individuals of both species to L- and D-tryptophan varied from no response to a strong response with a significant mean increase in spike activity of G. rostochiensis to D-tryptophan and of G. pallida to L-tryptophan; behavioral bioassays showed L-tryptophan was a deterrent for G. pallida. Males of both species responded significantly in both electrophysiological and behavioral assays to L-glutamic acid but not to D-glutamic acid.