Attraction and toxicity: Ways volatile organic compounds released by Pochonia chlamydosporia affect Meloidogyne incognita

The production of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) acting against plant-parasitic nematodes has been characterized in different fungi; however, the role of VOCs emitted by Pochonia chlamydosporia in its trophic interaction with Meloidogyne incognita is still unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of VOCs emitted by P. chlamydosporia strain Pc-10 on different stages (eggs, juveniles and female) of the M. incognita life cycle. Exposure of M. incognita eggs to VOCs released by Pc-10 resulted in a reduction up to 88 % in the nematode egg hatching, when compared to the control treatments. The VOCs emitted by Pc-10 also attracted M. incognita second-stage juveniles (J2). Through gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS), three molecules were identified from the volatiles of the strain Pc-10, with 1,4-dimethoxybenzene being the major compound. In tests performed in vitro, 1,4-dimethoxybenzene at a concentration of 1050 μg mL−1 inhibited M. incognita egg hatching by up to 78.7 % compared to the control (0 μg mL−1) and attracted M. incognita J2 in all concentrations evaluated (1, 10, 100, 1000, and 10000 μg mL-1). The 1,4-dimethoxybenzene also showed fumigant and non-fumigant nematicidal activity against M. incognita. This compound presented lethal concentration for 50 % (LC50) of M. incognita J2 ranged from 132 to 136 μg mL−1. Fumigation with 1,4-dimethoxybenzene (100 mg) reduced egg hatching by up to 89 % and killed up to 86 % of M. incognita J2 compared to the control (0 μg mL−1). In vivo, the VOCs produced by Pc-10, 1,4-dimethoxybenzene, and the combination of both (Pc-10 + 1,4-dimethoxybenzene) attracted the M. incognita J2, compared to the respective controls. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the attraction of M. incognita J2 and the toxicity to eggs and J2 by VOCs from P. chlamydosporia in which 1,4-dimethoxybenzene is the main toxin and attractant.