This protocol describes a standardized in vitro solid-medium bioassay for the preliminary evaluation of nematicidal activity of microbial strains using Panagrellus redivivus as a model organism. The method is based on the direct exposure of nematodes to microbial lawns grown on agar plates, allowing interaction with microbial cells and their associated metabolites under controlled laboratory conditions. Nematode mortality is assessed by microscopic observation and compared with appropriate negative controls. The assay is intended for rapid screening of bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms with potential nematicidal activity and applications in biological control and agricultural bioinputs. The procedure is simple, reproducible, and suitable for comparative evaluation of microbial strains under standardized experimental conditions, providing a useful tool for early-stage bioprospecting and functional characterization of microorganisms of agronomic interest.
Sauka et al. (Fri,) studied this question.