Many plant parasitic and entomopathogenic nematodes harbor specialized and obligate bacteria as well as viruses. Given their evolutionary persistence, such cryptic species are considered to play effective roles during their host/microbe interactions lifetime, including mutualistic, antagonistic, or yet unknown host effects. To exploit such associations in plant protection, a comprehensive view is needed linking basic evolutionary relationships to applied aspects. This requires identifying the benefit or impact that hosts, acting as pests or biocontrol agents, receive from their endosymbionts. Targeting endosymbionts that are vital for a beneficial nematode or a pest may open novel perspectives for the management of their performance and traits, such as virulence or response to plant defense reactions. Some hypotheses are proposed to develop advanced control strategies through emerging biotechnological approaches.

许多植物寄生线虫和昆虫病原线虫都含有专门的专性细菌和病毒。鉴于它们的进化持久性，这些神秘物种被认为在其宿主/微生物相互作用的一生中发挥着有效的作用，包括互惠、对抗或未知的宿主效应。为了在植物保护中利用这种关联，需要一个将基本进化关系与应用方面联系起来的全面观点。这需要确定作为害虫或生物防治剂的宿主从内共生体中获得的益处或影响。针对有益线虫或害虫至关重要的内共生体可能会为其性能和性状的管理开辟新的视角，例如毒力或对植物防御反应的反应。提出了一些假设，以通过新兴的生物技术方法开发先进的控制策略。