Benzyl isothiocyanate from Carica papaia seed. A potential nematicide against Meloidogyne incognita

Abstract

Steam distilled oil from fresh/dry seeds of Carica papaya elicited nematicidal property in vitro against Caenorhabditis elegans and Meloidogyne incognita. Bioassay directed fractionation and GC-MS, IR and UV spectral data led to the identification of benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC) as the compound responsible for the activity. A total mortality at 25 ppm was evident within 150 and 210 minutes of exposure to BITC towards C. elegans and M incognita, respectively. BITC showed higher nematicidal activity in vitro than carbofuran (a commercially used nematicide).