Nematicidal Activity of Lantana Camara for Control of Root-Knot Nematode (Meloidogyne SPP.)

Abstract

Root- knot nematode is an obligate parasite of more than 200 plant species including agricultural, horticultural and woody plants. It causes conspicuous galls in the root due to which plant suffer from vascular damage which disturbs water and mineral uptake. Synthetic nematicide is one of the primary means of nematode control, however, of their higher cost, unavailability at the time of need and the hazards they pose as environment pollution, plants having nematicidal effect are used these days. The present study was conducted to explore the potential of locally available plant species for the control of root-knot nematode. In this study, nematicidal effect of Lantana camara was evaluated for the control of Meloidogyne spp. Various concentrations of aqueous leaf extracts of Lantana camara were assessed in vitro conditions against second stage juveniles (J xii

2 ) of Meloidogyne spp. Study showed 50% of Lantana camera solution at 48 hrs of incubation period and above showed effective in immobilizing second stage of larvae (J 2 ) of Meloidogyne spp. The standard concentration „S‟ of leaf extract was found to be highly nematostatic in which 98.66% of juveniles were paralyzed in 48 hrs. Similarly, 57.66% of nematode were paralyzed when applied 50% of leaf extract concentration in 48 hrs. Further research is needed to evaluate their efficacy under greenhouse and field conditions.