Specifications include, but are not limited to: Potato Cyst Nematode (PCN) Surface Soil Sampling Service. Potato cyst nematodes—Globodera pallid (pale cyst nematode) and G. rostochiensis (goldennematode)—have been detected in the United States. These microscopic worms are considered invasive pests and present a serious threat to domestic and international commerce in potatoes and nursery stock. G. pallida was found in Idaho in 2006, and G.rostochiensis was discovered in New York in 1941 and also in the Canadian Provinces of Quebec and Alberta. Collectively, the two related nematodes are known as potato cyst nematodes or PCN. PCN primarily affects plants within the potato family, including potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants, and some weeds. PCN are soil-borne organisms that, instead of infesting potato tubers, infest the plant’s feeder roots. PCN is a quarantine pest in the United States and Canada.
