Abstract
Plant parasitic nematodes are microscopic worms that invade roots of plants. Globally they cause annual crop losses of $2billion ($400million in Australia), making them the fourth most important plant pathogens worldwide. However, study of these pathogens has been neglected: there are few trained nematologists in Australia. There is thus a need to apply new technologies to identify nematode problems. In this project a novel approach, that of protein profiling using mass spectroscopy, will be used to develop rapid, cost effective methods to identify nematodes. This will allow advisers and growers to identify nematode problems and so to control them appropriately.