Nematicidal Activity of (E,E)-2,4-Decadienal and (E)-2-Decenal from Ailanthus altissima against Meloidogyne javanica

Methanol extracts of various plant parts of Ailanthus altissima were tested against the root knot nematode Meloidogyne javanica. Extracts of bark (ABE), wood (AWE), roots (ARE), and leaves (ALE) from A. altissima were investigated against freshly hatched second-stage juveniles (J2). AWE was the most active extract, with EC50/3d of 58.9 mg/L, while ALE, ARE, and ABE did not show nematicidal activity. The chemical composition of the extracts of A. altissima was determined by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, and (E,E)-2,4-decadienal, (E)-2-undecenal, (E)-2-decenal, hexanal, nonanal, and furfural were the most prominent constituents. (E,E)-2,4-Decadienal, (E)-2-decenal, and furfural showed the highest nematicidal activity against M. javanica, with EC50/1d = 11.7, 20.43, and 21.79 mg/L, respectively, while the other compounds were inactive at the concentrations tested. The results obtained showed that AWE and its constituents (E,E)-2,4-decadienal and (E)-2-decenal could be considered as potent botanical nematicidal agents.