The effect of certain edaphic factors on the nematicidal activity of plant extracts

Abstract

There are several reports of the toxic nature of plant extracts to various plant parasitic nematodes (Sayre et al., 1964; Nene and Kumar, 1967; Deshmukh and Prasad, 1969; Abivardi, 1971; Gommers, 1972; Desai et al., 1973; Egunjobi and Afolami, 1976). We have explored previously the possible nematicidal properties of thirty weeds and shrubs commonly found locally in cultivated fields (Nandal and Bhatti, 1983); leaf extracts of eleven plant species were effective in controlling Meloidogyne javanica juveniles. This paper describes in vitro studies with M. javanica (Treub) Chitw. on the effect of temperature, pH, ageing and longevity of the extracts from the eleven plant species viz., Amaranthus gracilis Desf., Bougain villia L., Calotropis procera (Ait.) R. Br., Cannabis sativa L., Chenopodium album L., Clerodendron enermi L., Datura stramonium L., Ricinus communis L., Tribulus terrestris L., Vernonia cineraria Less. and Xanthium strumarium L.