Faria Jorge M S, Rusinque Leidy, Inácio Maria L
INIAV, I.P., National Institute for Agrarian and Veterinary Research, Quinta do Marquês, 2780-159 Oeiras, Portugal.
GREEN-IT Bioresources for Sustainability, Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Universidade Nova de Lisboa (ITQB NOVA), Av. da República, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal.
Plants (Basel). 2024 Jul 25;13(15):2046. doi: 10.3390/plants13152046.
The rice root-knot nematode (RRKN), Golden and Birchfield 1965, is a dangerous crop pest that affects rice production on a global scale. The largest rice-producing countries struggle with the impacts of RRKN infestation, namely, underdeveloped plants and a reduction in rice grain that can reach up to 70% of crop yield. In addition, the shift to strategies of sustainable pest management is leading to a withdrawal of some of the most effective pesticides, given the dangers they pose to the environment and human health. Volatile metabolites produced by plants can offer safer alternatives. The present study characterized the nematicidal activity of volatile phytochemicals against the RRKN and compared the most active with commercial nematicides concerning their safety to the environment and human health. Rice plants were used to grow large numbers of RRKNs for direct-contact bioassays. Mortality induced by the volatiles was followed for four days on RRKN second-stage juveniles. Of the 18 volatiles tested, carvacrol, eugenol, geraniol, and methyl salicylate showed the highest mortalities (100%) and were compared to traditional nematicides using (eco)toxicological parameters reported on freely available databases. While methyl salicylate had a faster activity, carvacrol had more lasting effects. When compared to synthetic nematicides, these volatile phytochemicals were reported to have higher thresholds of toxicity and beneficial ecotoxicological parameters. Ultimately, finding safer alternatives to traditional pesticides can lower the use of damaging chemicals in farming and leverage the transition to agricultural practices with a lower impact on biodiversity.
水稻根结线虫（RRKN），由戈尔登和伯奇菲尔德于1965年发现，是一种危险的作物害虫，在全球范围内影响水稻生产。最大的水稻生产国在应对RRKN侵染的影响方面面临困难，即植株发育不良以及水稻产量减少，减产幅度可达作物产量的70%。此外，鉴于一些最有效的杀虫剂对环境和人类健康构成的危险，向可持续害虫管理策略的转变导致这些杀虫剂的使用有所减少。植物产生的挥发性代谢物可以提供更安全的替代品。本研究对挥发性植物化学物质对RRKN的杀线虫活性进行了表征，并将最具活性的物质与商业杀线虫剂在对环境和人类健康的安全性方面进行了比较。利用水稻植株培养大量RRKN用于直接接触生物测定。对RRKN二龄幼虫跟踪观察了四天由挥发物引起的死亡率。在所测试的18种挥发物中，香芹酚、丁香酚、香叶醇和水杨酸甲酯表现出最高的死亡率（100%），并使用可在免费数据库中获取的（生态）毒理学参数与传统杀线虫剂进行了比较。虽然水杨酸甲酯活性更快，但香芹酚的效果更持久。与合成杀线虫剂相比，这些挥发性植物化学物质据报道具有更高的毒性阈值和有益的生态毒理学参数。最终，找到传统农药的更安全替代品可以减少农业中有害化学物质的使用，并推动向对生物多样性影响较小的农业实践转变。
