Dear Colleagues,

Plant-parasitic nematodes are a notorious agricultural pest, damaging numerous cultures worldwide. Notably the root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne spp.) can attack more than 5000 plant species including vegetables, form complexes with soil-borne pathogens, and cause severe economic or even total crop loss. In the past, the control of the phytoparasitic nematodes has been based on the synthetic nematicides, the number of which has been drastically restricted in the EU because of their environmental side effects and subsequent non-inclusion in Annex I of 91/414/EEC. Methyl bromide, the most effective multipurpose soil fumigant, is off the market since 2005 according to the Montreal protocol and no available nematicide has equally replicated its role in crop protection. On the other hand, the few commercial nematicidal formulates still available are repeatedly used, leading to the evolution of biodegradation mechanisms in soil and low efficacy under field conditions. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop new nematode control measures so as to fill the gap in the crop protection against the plant-parasitic nematodes.

In recent years, the focus of research has been on the development of natural nematicidals and thousands of molecules, toxic or antagonistic to nematodes, of botanical or/and microbial origin, have been examined in that direction. This is mainly based on the fact that many natural products are less damaging to the environment and cause less toxicity on non-target organisms than the synthetic nematicides. In particular, the edible plant extracts are on the “Generally Recognized as Safe” (GRAS) list of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and in the EU they receive less intensive regulatory attention and can be introduced into the market as “low risk plant protection products” (Art. 22,47 of Reg. EC 1107/2009) or “basic substances” (Art. 23 of Reg. 1107/2009). Most interestingly, complex clusters of compounds, like plant extracts, can help combat resistance development contrary to the use of single active ingredients. Furthermore, botanical preparations used as biostimulants may help the host affront the nematode attack; while soil organic amendments principally used to enhance soil properties and quality, may furnish toxicity via the decomposition products against the plant-parasitic nematodes.

Newly developed chemically synthesized molecules, exhibiting nematicidal activity and formulated into next-generation nematicides are of particular importance used alone and in combination with the natural nematicidal products, cultural practices, crop rotation, and resistant cultivars in integrated pest management.

Therefore, Special Issue welcomes articles (original research papers and reviews) that focus on plant secondary metabolites with nematicidal properties, chemical composition and bioactivity, standardization of extraction, mechanisms of nematicidal activity, phytotoxicity issues, secondary effects on soil communities and free-living nematodes, effects on non-target organisms, nematicidal synergic interactions between active ingredients, biostimulant use in nematode management, soil organic amendments with nematicidal properties, new nematicidal synthetic molecules and formulation, resistance of plants on nematodes, and compatibility of various nematode control practices.

Dr. Nikoletta G. Ntalli
Guest Editor

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• Botanical nematicidals
• Nematicidal plant secondary metabolites
• Phytochemistry of botanical nematicidals
• Microbial nematicidals
• Nematicidals’ mode of action
• Combined use of natural and synthetic nematicidals
• Ecotoxicity of nematicides
• Effects of nematicides on soil communities and free-living nematodes
• Formulation technologies of nematicides
• Biostimulants in nematode management
• Nematicidal organic soil amendments
• Nematicides’ fate

• Plant-Parasitic Nematodes Management – the Second Edition in Plants