## 1 Introduction  
Potato, _Solanum tuberosum_ (L), belongs to the Solanaceae family, which comprises several economically important crops such as tomato, pepper, aubergine, and tobacco. Plant parasitic nematodes, particularly root-knot nematodes (RKNs) are among the most destructive and economically important pests of potatoes worldwide [1, 2]. In this context, _Meloidogyne_ spp. are obligate and highly polyphagous pests that form an intricate relationship with their host, causing drastic morphological and physiological changes in plant cell architecture [3]. A typical life cycle of RKNs spans between 4-6 weeks depending on the nematode species and environmental conditions. Following the embryonic phase, the infective second-stage juveniles (J2s) hatch from the egg. At 3 dpi, the nematodes have already penetrated the host root tips and migrating towards the elongation zone [4]. At this stage, the J2s select target cells to initiate reprogramming of host cells to giant cells (GCs). The nematodes are completely dependent on the induced GCs for their supply of nutrients. During the induction stage, the parasitic J2 abandons its migratory lifestyle, becomes sedentary to concentrate on feeding, development, and reproduction [5]. As the GCs enlarge, surrounding cells undergo rapid division causing swelling of roots and discontinuity of the vascular tissue. The sedentary nematode further molts into J3 and J4 stages, and finally into the adult stage when the nutrient acquisition stage commences from 7 dpi onwards. At the nutrient acquisition, the developing nematode, GCs, and surrounding tissue all contribute to the formation of typical RKN symptoms. These symptoms resemble large tumor-like galls that are readily visible to the naked eye [5]. Analogous to other plant pathogens, nematode secretions play a crucial role in manipulation of the host cellular function. Secreted molecules suppress host defense to initiate a successful infection process, including the establishment and maintenance of NFSs [6]. In the genus _Meloidogyne_, several effectors have been reported such as MiLSE5, which interferes with host metabolic and signaling pathways, or MjTTL5, Misp12, and MgGPP, which suppress the host immune responses facilitating successful nematode parasitism [7]. Due to their capability to infest plant species from diverse families, RKN species pose a great challenge to crop production globally [8]. In 2014, 22 species of RKN were reported in Africa causing damage to various vegetable and field crops. For decades, the use of nematicides has been effective in managing RKN populations. However, their usage is coupled with adverse effects on the ecosystem. This has led to the withdrawal of the most effective nematicides from the agro-markets, further aggravating crop losses due to RKN [9]. Plant host resistance through the use of resistant cultivars is an effective and environmentally safe alternative method of controlling RKN species [9]. Nevertheless, the current cultivated potato cultivar lacks resistance against RKN [10]. Thus, studies involving plant-nematode interactions will deepen our understanding of the molecular regulatory networks associated with resistance or susceptibility. The insights drawn from such studies will be useful in breeding programs to develop novel target-specific control strategies against nematodes. RNA-Sequencing has become a powerful instrument for gene expression profiling and detection of novel genes [11; 12] which has been used widely to study the expression profiles of RKN diseased Solanaceae plants [13; 14]. RNA-seq profiling has been used to decipher potato responses to various abiotic [15; 16] and biotic stresses [17; 18] where large sets of genes and pathways associated with either biotic and abiotic stress were revealed. To date, most research has focused on potato gene expression in response to potato cyst nematodes [19; 20; 21] while potato responses to RKN infestation remain poorly understood.