Eco‐friendly essential oil nanoformulations against root‐knot nematodes

Abstract The root‐knot nematode ( Meloidogyne incognita ) poses a serious threat to global agriculture, necessitating an ongoing effort to discover new alternatives to conventional nematicides. The use of nanoformulations for sustainable pest control is rapidly evolving. Nevertheless, the effectiveness of garlic essential oil‐based nanoemulsion (GEO‐NE) for nematode control remains limited. Therefore, this study focused on analysing the chemical composition of garlic essential oil (GEO), and developing three distinct GEO‐NEs. These formulations were subsequently characterized and evaluated for their in vivo nematicidal properties against M. incognita attacking tomatoes. GC–MS analysis revealed diallyl disulphide (66.68%), diallyl sulphide (8.56%), and diallyl trisulphide (7.4%) as the major constituents in GEO. The GEO was utilized to develop nanoemulsions using a high‐energy emulsification technique, resulting in a uniform and stable dispersion. This was accomplished by adding Tween 20 (F1), Tween 80 (F2), or a blend of Tween 80/Span 80 (F3) as surfactants, keeping varied emulsifier‐to‐garlic oil ratios. The three GEO‐NEs demonstrated particle sizes (≤130 nm), a polydispersity index (≤0.42), and zeta potential values between −12.7 and 4.50 mV. Excellent stability and spherical morphology were also achieved under diverse stress conditions. Furthermore, the findings indicated that all GEO‐NEs effectively manage M. incognita by decreasing root galling and 2nd stage juvenile's numbers in the soil, while enhancing tomato growth. Specifically, F1 and F2 demonstrated greater nematicidal efficacy compared to that of the tested nematicides: oxamyl and cadusafos. Our findings underscore the GEO‐NE efficacy as a promising bio‐rational option for greenhouse root‐knot nematode management, strengthening a more sustainable integrated nematode management approach.