Volatile organic compounds released from entomopathogenic nematode‐infected insect cadavers for the biocontrol of Meloidogyne incognita

Abstract BACKGROUND Root‐knot nematodes (RKNs), Meloidogyne spp. , are one of the most destructive polyphagous plant‐parasitic nematodes. They pose a serious threat to global food security and are difficult to control. Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) show promise in controlling RKNs. However, it remains unclear whether the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from EPN‐infected cadavers can control RKNs. RESULTS We investigated the fumigation activity of VOCs released from cadavers infected by five different species of EPNs on RKNs in Petri dishes, and found that VOCs released from Steinernema feltiae (SN strain) and S. carpocapsae (All strain) infected cadavers had a significant lethal effect on second‐stage juveniles (J2s) of Meloidogyne incognita . The VOCs released from the cadavers infected with S. feltiae were analyzed using SPME‐GC/MS. Dimethyl disulfide (DMDS), tetradecane, pentadecane, and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), were selected for a validation experiment with pure compounds. The DMDS compound had significant nematicidal activity and repelled J2s. DMDS also inhibited egg hatching and the invasion of tomato roots by J2s. In a pot experiment, the addition of S. feltiae ‐infected cadavers and cadavers wrapped with a 400‐mesh nylon net also significantly reduced the population of RKNs in tomato roots after 7 days. The number of root knots and eggs was reduced by 58% and 74.34%, respectively, compared to the control. CONCLUSION These results suggested that the VOCs emitted by the EPN‐infected cadavers affected various developmental stages of M. incognita and thus have the potential to be used in controlling RKNs through multiple methods. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.