Laboratory and Field Appraisal of Furfural from Agro-Residues on Meloidogyne incognita infected Carrots

Conventional agriculture is interlocked with the utilization of synthetic pesticides and mineral fertilizers to hold back pest infestation and supplement soil nutrients, respectively. This process has led to threatening environmental pollution owing to the fact that most of the synthetics and minerals remain as residual in the environment with negative results. With this objective furfural from lignocellulosic biomass materials (plantain stem, corncob and sugarcane bagasse) were synthesized. Plantain stem, corncob and sugarcane bagasse were milled and hydrolysed with 8% sulphuric acid in a 5000 mL quick fit flask separately. This was refluxed and allowed to cool. Furfural content of the solution was extracted with distilled dichloromethane in a separating funnel. Obtained furfural was compared with carbofuran a synthetic nematicide on the population reduction of M. incognita in laboratory and field trials. In the laboratory test, 91% egg hatch inhibition and 71% juvenile mortality were recorded with the highest concentration of furfural (75mg), while tremendous reduction of M. incognita population was recorded in furfural treatment on the field relative to the population in control experiment. Vegetative growth and carrot yield was equally impressive in plants treated with furfural. Producing furfural from lignocellulosic biomass waste is a functional approach to waste utilization, this will reduce litters in the environment on account of poor management of solid waste. Encouraging the use of furfural as a nematicidal agent is suggested for resolving environmental pollution concerns about synthetics.