A significantly high loss in agricultural yield of bananas, worldwide, is attributed to the plant parasitic nematodes. Radopholus similis is one of the key pests of banana worldwide, causing reduction in plant growth of banana by more than 50% and decreases productive life of banana fields. The most effective remedy against these plant pests pauses a great environmental concern since nematicides are some of the most highly toxic chemical pesticides on market. In this study, aqueous leaf extracts of Lantana camara and Datura stramonium were tested for their nematicidal potential against Radopholus similis. The nematicidal effect of these aqueous leaf extracts was evaluated after different hours of exposure. All the aqueous leaf extracts of Lantana camara and Datura stramonium demonstrated significant in-vitro nematicidal activity against Radopholus similis, the burrowing nematode of banana compared to the control treatment which was sterile distilled water. Insignificant mortality of the nematodes was also observed in the control treatment. The percentage mortality (nematicidal effect) increased with increase in the hours of exposure. Datura stramonium aqueous leaf extract demonstrated a high nematicidal effect against Radopholus similis compared to Lantana camara aqueous leaf extract. The two plant extracts did not have a synergistic effect against Radopholus similis. The results obtained in the study demonstrate the potential of using Lantana camara and Datura stramonium aqueous leaf extracts as potential substitutes of chemical nematicides in the control of Radopholus similis, a key pest affecting banana production.

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