The root‐knot nematodes Meloidogyne chitwoodi and M. fallax are potato parasites that have recently been designated as quarantine pests in Europe. The related and more widely distributed species M. hapla may be found associated with them in field conditions. Because of their morphological resemblance, specific diagnosis of these three species is a difficult task. Therefore, simple and reliable diagnostic tools are urgently needed, for both routine identification of these nematodes and implementation of efficient management strategies and/or phytosanitary regulations. Here is presented an overview of the research recently conducted at INRA Antibes (FR) in order to develop molecular tools for the characterization of these nematodes, based on satellite DNA sequences isolated from their genome.