Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) roots with and without infection by reniform nematode (Rotylenchus reniformis). The majority of reads derive from cotton genes, but nematode genes are also present. Transcriptome or Gene expression

The semi-endoparasitic reniform nematode (Rotylenchulus reniformis) is a major yield-limiting pest of multiple crops in the tropics and sub-tropics, including upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum). Reniform-resistant cotton varieties are urgently needed, but genes that confer resistance to reniform nematode have not been identified in any species. Parasitism by reniform nematode involves significant developmental changes in plant roots, leading to the formation of multicellular feeding structures called syncytia. Here we provide raw RNAseq reads from syncitial and non-syncitial cotton roots collected on three sampling dates across a 12-day time course.