EVALUATION OF THE EFFICIENCY OF SOME NANOCOMPOSITES IN ROOT-KNOT NEMATODES (MELOIDOGYNE SPP.) UNDER LABORATORY CONDITIONS

Root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne spp.) is the most important plant parasitic nematode that seriously affects the majority of agricultural crops, where the vessels are targeted inside the roots of the plants, which leads to the lack of water and nutrients from reaching the plants, and thus leads to wilting, yellowing, and stunting in the vegetative section, knots and swellings in the root. The aim of the study was to evaluate the ability of some nanocomposites (silver Ag-NPs, aluminum oxide nanoparticles, ALO-NPs, ZnO-NPs nanoparticles and Si-NPs silicon nanoparticles) at concentrations of (1000,2000 and 4000) for each one of them to inhibit rootknot nematode egg hatching. These nanocomposites have also been used to evaluate their ability to destroy second-stage juveniles of root-knot nematodes. The study was conducted on the roots of cucumber plants from the greenhouse in the College of Agriculture / University of Karbala. The results of the study showed a significant effect of nanocomposites on the inhibition of egg hatching of root-knot worms and the destruction of second-stage juveniles of these worms. Aluminum oxide nanoparticles (ALO-NPs) parameter was the most efficient and effective in both inhibiting the hatching of nematode eggs and destroying second-stage juveniles of root-knot nematodes. It was found that with increasing concentration, there was a corresponding increase in hatching inhibition and mortality of second-phase juveniles of root-knot worms. We conclude from the current study that the nanocomposites possess streptococcal nematicidal activity and can serve as an alternative to high-risk synthetic nematicides or irregular biological control agents without inducing any phytotoxicity