The role of gibberellin in the response of rice to Meloidogyne graminicola and Hirschmanniella oryzae infection Mohammod HOSSAIN Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, UGent, Belgium e-mail: Mohammod.Hossain@ugent.be Supervisor Kamrun NAHAR Faculty of Bioscience Engineering Department of Molecular Biotechnology Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium e-mail: Kamrun.Nahar@ugent.be Promoter Professor Dr. Godelieve GHEYSEN Faculty of Bioscience Engineering Department of Molecular Biotechnology Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium e-mail: Godelieve.Gheysen@ugent.be Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of European Master of Science in Nematology June 2010