Abstract
Two in vitro experiments and two open field trials were carried out to investigate the nematicidal effect of Ruta graveolens on the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita. In the first in vitro experiment the nematode egg masses were immersed for 3 weeks in aqueous leaf extract of rue plants and then subjected to an hatching test in distilled water for five more weeks. In the other in vitro experiment M. incognita egg masses were exposed to the rue extract for 4, 8 and 16 hours and then incubated in distilled water for 8 weeks. Distilled water and a 5 μg/mL an aqueous solution of Fenamiphos or only distilled water were used as controls in the first and second in vitro experiment, respectively. Both hatching tests were carried out in a growth cabinet at 25±2 0C, providing four replicates for each treatment. In the first experiment the hatching from the egg masses treated with rue extracts and Fenamiphos solution resulted significantly lower than that in the untreated control. In the second in vitro experiment, a 8-hour immersion of the egg masses in the rue extract resulted in a final hatch significantly lower than that in distilled water. The nematicidal effect of R. graveolens green manure was investigated in open field condition on tomato and tobacco. Plots amended with rue plant biomass were compared with untreated and Fenamiphos treated plots (3 t/ha). Four replications were provided for each treatment. Crop yield, root gall index and soil nematode population density were recorded at the end of each crop cycle. Soil incorporation with R. graveolens plant materials significantly increased both tomato and tobacco yield and reduced root gall index and soil nematode population density in comparison to the untreated controls. These experiments demonstrated a high suitability of R. graveolens for the development of new sustainable nematicidal products.
Highlights
Yield of many vegetable and fruit crops can be heavily affected by the infestations of root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) (Lamberti et al, 2001; Sasanelli et al, 2018)
A satisfactory control of these pests can be achieved by soil treatments with synthetic nematicides, especially fumigants (Basile et al, 2003; Sasanelli et al, 2019)
The aim of this work was to assess the nematicidal potential of R. graveolens on the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita through both in vitro assays and field experiments on tomato and tobacco
Summary
Yield of many vegetable and fruit crops can be heavily affected by the infestations of root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) (Lamberti et al, 2001; Sasanelli et al, 2018). The increasing public attention to health and environmental risks related to the use of chemicals is evoking alternative control methods against nematode pests. Among these alternatives, use of plant derived products is gaining more and more interest among farmers and scientists (Ntalli and Caboni, 2012; Renčo et al, 2014). Use of plants as green manure has been widely investigated for its beneficial effect on the soil phisico-chemical properties and organic matter content, whereas the phytosanitary potential of this agronomic practice was studied mainly on Brassicaceae and Leguminosae species (D’Addabbo et al, 2004; Avato et al, 2013; 2009; Wen-Ching, 2018) and very few on Rutaceae plants (Sasanelli and D’Addabbo, 1993). The aim of this work was to assess the nematicidal potential of R. graveolens on the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita through both in vitro assays and field experiments on tomato and tobacco
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