Effects and mode of action of some plant extracts on certain plant parasitic nematodes

Exposure to standard solution S extract ofPunica granatum, Thymus vulgaris andArtemisia absinthium for 72 h reduced the numbers of active nematodes by 100% forMeloidogyne incognita and by 95.7%, 71.4% and 42.9% forHelicotylenchus dihystera, respectively. Exposure to S/2 dilutions for 72 h reduced nematode motility by 100%, 77.3 and 72.7% forM. incognita, and by 92.9%, 37,1%, and 37,1% forH. dihystera, respectively. As exposure to S and S/2 extracts ofCitrullus colosynthis andRicinus communis reduced nematode motility by less than 32% forM. incognita and by less than 30% forH. dihystera. WhenM. incognita andH. dihystera were transfered to water for 72h, more than 85% of the individuals resumed normal movement at all extract dilutions except S ofA. absinthium andT. vulgaris and S and S/2 ofP. granatum. However, recovery ofM. incognita was more less than that ofH. dihystera. Exposure to S extracts ofP. granatum andT. vulgaris for 30 days reduced egg-hatching ofM. incognita by 100% and by 98.7% for S/2 dilutions. Also, 98.7% reduction in the egg-hatching was obtained by S ofA. absinthium. Extracts ofC. colosynthsis andR. communis gave less egg-hatching inhibition. Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity was suppressed by more than 75% inH. dihystera treated with S of each ofP. granatum, T. vulgaris andA. absinthium. However, the former extract gave the highest AChE inhibition (98.7%). When nematodes were treated with oxamyl (Vydate 24%), AChE activity was suppressed by 53.3%. The other extract dilutions suppressed AChE activity by less than 50%.