EFFECT OF POMEGRANATE PEEL EXTRACT (PUNICA GRANATUM) AGAINST PLANT PARASITIC NEMATODES

Plant nematodes of Meloidogyne incognita are of great economic importance and lead to major damage to several crops. Therefore, the current study was to assess pomegranate (Punica granatum) peel's nematicidal potential through aqueous and ethanolic extracts for nematicidal potential. Chemical analyses were implemented for pomegranate fruit peel ethanolic extract for phenolic, flavonoid, saponins and anthocyanin contents. Additionally, the plant aqueous extracts at varying concentrations of 2.5, 5.0, and 7.5% were screened for egg hatchability and nematicidal activity against second stage juveniles of M. incognita in vitro. Results indicated that the alcoholic extract killed second stage juvenile root-knot nematodes and prevented egg hatching more effectively than the aqueous extract. The ethyl alcohol peel extract of P. granatum showed a highly promising mortality rate of 76–100% after 48 hours of exposure, and it fully blocked the egg hatching after 4 days at concentration 75 ppm. As extract concentration increased, J2 juvenile mortality and egg hatching gradually decreased. In greenhouse tests, when pomegranate fruit peel powder was used as a soil amendment, Pepper seedlings showed phytotoxicity at treatment rates of 10, 20, and 30 g/kg as compared to the untreated plants. It was noted that there were less larvae, galls, egg masses, and eggs. The growth of the pepper plants greatly enhanced compared to the untreated control plants. These results are promising for the development of eco-friendly natural nematocide agents and potential ways for their integration into sustainable management strategies.