Nematicidal activity of essential oils and their components against the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita

In vitro nematicidal activity of six essential oils Cymbopogon flexuosus (Lemongrass), C. nardus (Jamrosa), Mentha arvensis (Japanese mint), M. spicata (Spearmint), M. citrata (bergamot oil), Ocimum basilicum (Basil) and five monoterpenes –citral, linalool, carvone, geraniol, menthol and methyl chavicol was evaluated against root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita. Among the essential oils, basil oil showed the highest nematicidal activity. ED₅₀ value of basil oil for juvenile immobility was 47.7 ppm after 24h of exposure. The remaining concentrations of different essential oils and their constituents were found to possess nematicidal activities of different magnitude.