Antagonist plants have been used as an alternative to control plant-parasitic nematodes. One in vitro assay and two greenhouse experiments were carried out to evaluate the effects of Mexican-tea (Chenopodium ambrosioides) on the control of Pratylenchus brachyurus. In the in vitro test an extract of Mexican-tea was tested at four concentrations (20; 2; 0.2 and 0.02%), in suspensions containing 500 exemplars of P. brachyurus. After 48 h, living nematodes were collected and counted. A nematicidal action of Mexican-tea was observed by higher juvenile mortality in comparison with chemical control (aldicarb). In greenhouse experiments, 1 and 2, the Mexican-tea and soybean plants were inoculated with 1,500 and 5,000 P. brachyurus, respectively. Forty-five days later, plant shoots were incorporated in soil, as follows: shoots of Mexican-tea, were incorporated; shoots of soybean were incorporated; and plant shoots were not incorporated. One month later, each pot received one soybean plant, to act as a biological indicator of parasitism. At the end of experimental period (45 days later) the final nematode population was estimated by counting the nematodes extracted from soybean roots and soil, and data were collected of fresh root weight and shoot dry weight. Mexican-tea reduced the nematode population, although soybean plants had been affected by phytotoxicity.
Alternative control; cultural practice; lesion nematode; in vitro control
