ABSTRACT
Cucurbitacin-containing oilseed cake consistently suppressed nematode population densities of r nematode strategists. The two available products in liquid formulation, Nemarioc-AL and Nemafric-BL, are also available in granular formulation, Nemarioc-AG and Nemafric-BG, respectively. The products are applied in one of three technologies: ground leaching, botinemagation and priming-and-drying technologies. Bioactivities included inhibition of juvenile hatch, motility and infectivity, along with increased juvenile mortality. Bioactivities were primarily irreversible, with bioactivity mechanisms including isoprenylation and farneslation – serving as a form of bioremediation of cucurbitacins. However, certain K nematode strategists had some tolerance to the products and might not be successfully managed at concentrations used for managing r nematode strategists. The products have excellent shelf lives at room temperature, with associated challenges including phytotoxicity and inconsistent results in nematode suppression. The listed challenges were successfully empirically resolved using the curve-fitting allelochemical response dose algorithm computer model, with the resultant development of the dosage model. Applied using the principles of the dosage model, the products did not have any traces of cucurbitacin chemical residues in plant produce. In conclusion, products from Cucumis oilseed cakes are suitable to serve as sustainable alternatives to managing nematode population densities in the context of climate-smart agriculture.
