Comparison of the efficacy of soil and foliar application of systemic and translaminar pesticides against Meloidogyne incognita

Complementary effects of silicon-induced plant defense and Trichogramma pretiosum biological control of fall armyworm in maize

Data suggest that combining silicon-induced resistance with T. pretiosum biological control offers an effective and durable approach to controlling fall armyworm while improving maize performance.

Susceptibility of melon cultivars to Meloidogyne incognita and suppression by biocontrol agents

Abstract: Melon (Cucumis melo L.) is widely consumed and among the most exported fresh fruits of Brazil. Despite substantial production, this crop is limited by several factors, notably the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita, for which few management tools are available. In our work, we assessed the host status of ten different melon genotypes, from which we selected ‘Asturia’ for subsequent biocontrol experiments. We then evaluated the efficacy of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, Pochonia chlamydosporia (i.e., Rizotec®), and Purpureocillium lilacinum twice against M. incognita, and, finally, we conducted a dose–response experiment using Rizotec® to determine its performance across application rates. All genotypes were susceptible. Regarding biocontrol, P. lilacinum significantly reduced nematodes per gram of root when applied once, compared with two applications for P. chlamydosporia. Regarding dose-response, increasing doses presented a strong negative correlation with final population size, with the EC50 estimated at 0.84 plant-1. In addition to reducing the nematode population, dosages also increased fresh weight, fruit weight, and stem diameter at themiddle and top of the plant. However, they only did so in the inoculated plants.Pochonia chlamydosporia (i.e, Rizotec) represents a potential strategy for the management of M. incognita and should be integrated with additional management practices to enhance its efficiency.

Integration of Selective Insecticides with Metarhizium anisopliae for Sustainable Management of Fall Armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) in Maize

Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) is a destructive invasive pest that poses a serious threat to maize production, necessitating the development of sustainable management strategies. The present study evaluated the efficacy of integrating selective insecticides with Metarhizium anisopliae for the management of fall armyworm under field conditions. Field experiments were conducted at two locations in South Gujarat, India, during the Rabi 2025–26 season using novaluron 5.25 + emamectin benzoate 0.9 SC and thiamethoxam 12.60 + lambda-cyhalothrin 9.50 SC applied alone and in combination with M. anisopliae, along with M. anisopliae alone and an untreated control. Repeated-measures mixed-effects analysis revealed significant treatment effects on plant infestation, leaf damage, cob infestation and cob yield. Among the evaluated treatments, novaluron 5.25 + emamectin benzoate 0.9 SC integrated with M. anisopliae recorded the lowest plant infestation (32.92%), leaf damage score (2.70) and cob infestation (11.01%), and produced the highest cob yield (13.21 t ha⁻¹), representing a 40.53% increase over the untreated control. Although statistically comparable with novaluron 5.25 + emamectin benzoate 0.9 SC applied alone for most parameters, the integrated treatment consistently showed numerically superior performance. In contrast, M. anisopliae applied alone provided only moderate suppression of fall armyworm and lower yield protection than insecticide-based treatments. These findings demonstrate that integrating M. anisopliae with selective insecticides improves fall armyworm management and maize productivity, highlighting its potential as an effective component of integrated pest management (IPM) for sustainable maize production.

In vitro Nematocidal Potential of Ricinus communis and Mangifera indica Leaf Extracts Against Root-Knot Nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.)

Root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) are among the most destructive plant-parasitic nematodes causing substantial yield losses in agricultural production worldwide. The extensive use of synthetic nematicides for their control has raised concerns regarding environmental pollution, human health risks, and the development of resistance, thereby necessitating the search for eco-friendly alternatives. This study evaluated the in vitro nematocidal activities of aqueous leaf extracts of Ricinus communis L. and Mangifera indica L. against second-stage juveniles (J2) of Meloidogyne spp. Nematodes were extracted from infected roots and rhizosphere soils of Musa spp. using the modified Baermann funnel technique. Aqueous leaf extracts were prepared by maceration and screened for phytochemical constituents. The extracts were tested at concentrations of 40, 60, 80, and 100 mg mL⁻¹, while distilled water served as the control. Nematode mortality was assessed at 24-hour intervals over a 120-hour exposure period. Data were subjected to two-way analysis of variance and treatment means separated using the Least Significant Difference (LSD) test at the 5% probability level. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, phenols, terpenoids, and steroids in both plant extracts, suggesting their potential nematocidal properties. The extracts exhibited concentration- and time-dependent nematocidal activities, with mortality increasing significantly (P < 0.05) as concentration and exposure duration increased. Ricinus communis consistently demonstrated greater nematocidal activity than M. indica at all concentrations and exposure periods. The highest mortality rates were recorded at 100 mg mL⁻¹ after 120 h of exposure, resulting in 83.44% and 65.94% mortality for R. communis and M. indica, respectively. The findings indicate that both plant extracts possess promising nematocidal properties, with R. communis showing superior efficacy, and may serve as environmentally sustainable alternatives to synthetic nematicides for the management of root-knot nematodes.

The Suppressive Impact of Mycorrhizal Fungi (Rhizophagus irregularis and Piriformospora indica) on Root-Knot Nematode (Meloidogyne incognita) in Lettuce

Biocontrol potential of Pseudomonas and Pantoea strains against the lettuce root aphid (Pemphigus bursarius L.) in witloof chicory (Cichorium intybus L. var. foliosum).

BACKGROUND Although microbial biopesticides are widely applied to manage foliar insect pests, their application against belowground insect pests has received less attention. These pests are generally more challenging to manage due to their concealed soil-dwelling lifestyle and the limited availability of delivery methods. Here, we evaluated the potential of Pseudomonas and Pantoea strains as a biocontrol strategy against the lettuce root aphid (Pemphigus bursarius) in witloof chicory (Cichorium intybus L. var. foliosum) using a realistic delivery approach based on seed inoculation, preceded by a screening via root immersion to identify the most promising strains. RESULTS Root immersion of witloof chicory plants in bacterial suspensions significantly decreased aphid survival for 10 out of 19 tested strains, with median lethal times (LT50) ranging from 0.6 to 7.5 days, compared to 10.7 days for the untreated control. When the four best-performing strains, including two Pseudomonas and two Pantoea strains, and a reference strain (Pseudomonas fluorescens PpR24) were applied via seed inoculation, the strains successfully colonized chicory roots at densities exceeding 106 colony-forming unit (CFU) g-1 of root tissue for at least 5 weeks and retained aphicidal activity, albeit with reduced efficacy. In addition, the strains significantly suppressed aphid population development, reducing total aphid population size by up to 82% at 21 days after aphid introduction. CONCLUSION In this study, we have identified novel Pseudomonas and Pantoea strains that effectively reduce survival and population development of Pemphigus bursarius on witloof chicory plants, highlighting their potential as a sustainable biocontrol strategy against root aphids. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.