Nematicidal activity of medicinal plant essential oils against the pinewood nematode (Bursaphelenchus xylophilus)

Essential oils from 29 medicinal plant species were tested for nematicidal activity against the pinewood nematode (Bursaphelenchus xylophilus). The mortality of the nematode varied according to the plant materials and their concentrations. High nematicidal activity against male, female and juvenile nematodes of B. xylophilus was achieved with essential oils of Paeonia moutan, Perilla frutescens, Boswellia carterii and Schizonepeta tenuifolia, all of which caused 100% mortality at 2 mg ml−1, with LC50 values against juveniles, 0.26, 0.41, 0.21 and 0.41 mg ml−1, respectively. The other essential oils exerted weak or no activity.