Unravelling the potent nematotoxic compounds from Clonostachys rosea effective against root knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita-an in-vitro and in-silico approach

The study investigated the nematicidal properties of Clonostachys rosea against Meloidogyne incognita through in-vitro experiments, coupled with metabolite identification using GC-MS analysis and molecular docking to explore their interactions with M. incognita protein targets. C. rosea filtrate exhibits significant nematicidal effects, causing 100% juvenile mortality, 93.92% egg hatching inhibition, and 69.64% egg parasitization at high conidial concentrations. Through GC-MS analysis, several metabolites including stearic acid, tetradecanoic acid, dodecanoic acid, and 1-heptadecanol were identified as potential contributors to this activity. Molecular docking indicates their promising binding affinities to M. incognita protein targets, suggesting their potential role in disrupting key biological processes essential for the nematode's survival. In-planta studies support C. rosea's potential as a nematode control agent, suggesting its viability over conventional pesticides. This research underscores the need for further exploration of C. rosea for nematode management strategies. •Clonostachys rosea demonstrated biocontrol activity against Meloidogyne incognita.•C. rosea displayed a repertoire of distinct biomolecules.•Docking studies shows stearic acid binds strongly to M. incognita protein targets.