The wide range of feeding types and the ability to adapt to seasonal succession make nematodes significant indicators of ecological conditions of the soil in which they occur. Soil nematophauna is highly sensitive to any environmental damage and, therefore, the analysis of soil nematode community can be a useful diagnostic tool of soil health changes caused by polluting agents, among which also pesticides. Traditional morpho-taxonomic techniques for analysis of soil nematophauna have been flanked or substituted by more innovative and quicker molecular tools. Effectiveness of morpho-taxonomic and molecular techniques was comparatively evaluated through the analysis of soil nematode community from three selected relatively undisturbed and disturbed sites in Apulia region (Italy). Nematodes for both analyses were extracted from 100g sub-samples of composite soil samples collected at each site. Specimens for morphological analysis were fixed in a 2.5% formaldehyde solution and then identified at family and genus level under an optical microscope. The maturity and trophic diversity indices were determined. Total DNA was extracted from the nematode community of each soil subsample and PCR amplification was performed by using the small subunit (18s) of the ribosomal DNA gene, as diagnostic marker. The 18s rDNA was selected because of the large number of 18s sequences in GenBank, the existence of an 18s-based phylogenetic tree and the conserved nature of this gene to ensure complete phylogenetic coverage of the phylum. Sequence analysis through BLAST allowed to classify most of them at genus level and some of them at species level. Few sequences showed no similarity with those present in the database suggesting that they are new for the scientific community. The maturityand trophic diversity indices were also calculated for genera identified at molecular level. Results confirmed that nematodes are good indicators of soil health, as showing a different level of disturbance for each of the three sampled sites. Both morpho-taxonomic and molecular tecniques showed to be effective, though morpho-taxonomic is more time-consuming and skilfulness-requiring whereas a molecular analysis is largely more expensive.

I nematodi galligeni del genere Meloidogyne sono estremamente distruttivi e difficili da controllare, a causa della loro polifagia e della larga diffusione a livello mondiale. La crescente esigenza di una maggiore sostenibilità ambientale delle produzioni agricole impone la sostituzione dei nematocidi di sintesi tradizionalmente impiegati per il controllo di tali parassiti con prodotti a minore impatto sull'ambiente. I formulati basati su metaboliti secondari ad attività nematocida presenti in numerose specie vegetali offrono una concreta alternativa all'uso dei suddetti pesticidi. In particolare, gli olii essenziali ed i loro costituenti presentano un elevato potenziale applicativo, sia se impiegati direttamente in formulazioni nematocide che per lo sviluppo di analoghi derivati di maggiore efficacia. Vengono qui presentati i risultati di due esperimenti su pomodoro, diretti a verificare comparativamente l'attività nematocida nei confronti del nematode galligeno Meloidogyne incognita di trattamenti al terreno con soluzioni di differenti olii essenziali. Nel primo esperimento sono stati messi a confronto gli olii essenziali di Schinus molle, Cinnamomum camphora, Eugenia caryophillata, Cinnamomum zeylanicum e Citrus aurantium, mentre nella seconda prova sono stati utilizzati gli olii essenziali di due specie di Eucalyptus, E. citriodora e E. globulosus. In entrambi gli esperimenti gli olii sono stati distribuiti in acqua alle concentrazioni di 0,05, 0,1 e 0,2 mg kg-1 di terreno quattro settimane prima del trapianto di pomodoro della cv. Rutgers. Le piante sono state mantenute in serra a 25 °C per due mesi, al termine del quale periodo sono stati rilevati i parametri di crescita delle piante, l'indice di formazione di galle sulle radici e la popolazione del nematode sulle radici e nel terreno. Nel primo esperimento tutti i trattamenti con i cinque olii essenziali, tranne quelli con C. zeylanicum alle dosi di 0,05 e 0,1 mg kg-1 di terreno, hanno significativamente ridotto il numero di uova e larve di M. incognita sulle radici di pomodoro rispetto al testimone non trattato. L'effetto dei trattamenti è risultato meno evidente sulla formazione di galle sulle radici. Gli olii di S. molle e E. caryophillata sono complessivamente risultati più efficaci rispetto agli altri tre olii in prova. Nella seconda prova, tutti i trattamenti con gli olii essenziali di entrambe le specie hanno significativamente ridotto il numero di uova e larve e la formazione di galle sulle radici di pomodoro ed il tasso di riproduzione del nematode rispetto al testimone non trattato. L'olio essenziale di E. citriodora ha complessivamente mostrato un' attività nematocida superiore rispetto a quello di E. globulosus. Gran parte dei trattamenti con i due olii essenziali hanno inoltre indotto uno sviluppo dell'apparato radicale delle piante significativamente maggiore rispetto al testimone non trattato, mentre non hanno avuto alcun significativo effetto sulla parte aerea. I risultati

I nematodi fitoparassiti sono responsabili di perdite rilevanti per la produzione di numerose colture agrarie di rilievo economico, causa l'ampia diffusione e la polifagia delle specie più dannose. Gli oli essenziali di molte "aromatiche" appartenenti alla vasta famiglia botanica delle Lamiaceae hanno già dimostrato di possedere un'elevata attività nematocida e, quindi, un ampio potenziale d'impiego nella preparazione di formulati a maggiore sostenibilità ambientale rispetto ai prodotti nematocidi di sintesi (Isman, 2000; Andrés et al., 2012).Tra le lamiacee, il lavandino (Lavandula hybrida Rev.) occupa un ruolo di rilievo nel mercato mondiale degli aromi e fragranze, dato che i suoi oli essenziali (O.E.), estratti dagli apici fiorali di un gran numero di cultivars, trovano largo impiego nell'industria di saponi, profumi, cosmetici, ecc. Recenti sviluppi nella ricerca sugli O.E. di lavandino ne hanno inoltre dimostrato le proprietà analgesiche, antinfiammatorie, sedative ed antibatteriche, correlate al contenuto dei due maggiori costituenti di tali oli, il linalolo ed il linalil acetato (Lis-Balchin e Hart, 2002). Obiettivo di questo lavoro è stato uno studio preliminare sull'attività nematocida degli O.E. di quattro differenti cultivars di lavandino: Alba, Abrialis, RC (Rinaldi Ceroni) e Sumiens, nei confronti di due nematodi fitoparassiti di grande rilevanza economica, quello galligeno Meloidogyne incognita ed il nematode delle lesioni radicali Pratylenchus vulnus (Perry et al., 2009).

Al genere Cinnamomum (Lauracee) appartengono oltre 300 specie aromatiche arboree ed arbustive, i cui oli essenziali presentano un ampio spettro di attività biologiche, tra cui anche un' attività biocida nei confronti di parassiti e patogeni di piante di interesse agrario. In particolare, gli autori conducono già da alcuni anni studi in vitro ed in vivo sull'attività degli oli essenziali di differenti specie di Cinnamomum nei confronti di nematodi, agenti fitoparassiti responsabili di forti perdite di produzione su colture di rilevante interesse economico. In questo lavoro l'effetto nematocida di differenti dosaggi (50, 100 e 200 ?l kg-1 di terreno) di due oli essenziali commerciali di C. zeylanicum e C. camphora è stato valutato comparativamente sul nematode galligeno Meloidogyne incognita in un esperimento in vaso su pomodoro della cv. Rutgers. Gli oli sono stati applicati in fertirrigazione 4 settimane prima del trapianto. L'esperimento ha previsto 5 ripetizioni di ciascuna tesi, utilizzando terreno non trattato ed un trattamento con il nematocida di sintesi fenamiphos come testimoni. Al completamento del ciclo biologico del nematode sono stati rilevati i parametri di crescita della pianta e la popolazione del nematode sulle radici. Tutti i trattamenti con l'olio essenziale di C. camphora hanno determinato una significativa riduzione della moltiplicazione di M. incognita sulle radici di pomodoro, mentre l'olio di C. zeylanicum è stato efficace solo alla dose più elevata. A tale dosaggio entrambi gli oli sono stati in grado di ridurre la popolazione del nematode a livelli statisticamente non differenti dal testimone chimico. Entrambi gli oli non hanno indotto significative variazioni di crescita delle piante rispetto a quelle non trattate, pur in presenza di una riduzione della biomassa radicale all'aumentare delle dosi. Nel complesso l'olio di C. camphora ha evidenziato un attività nematocida notevolmente più elevata rispetto a quello di C. zeylanicum, risultando dunque più adatto al potenziale sviluppo di formulati innovativi da inserire in strategie di lotta nematocida sostenibili per l'ambiente..

I nematodi fitoparassiti costituiscono una delle principali avversità delle colture agrarie, sia per le perdite di produzione direttamente arrecate che come vettori di patogeni fungini e virus. La drastica revisione europea dei pesticidi ammissibili in agricoltura ha intensificato la ricerca di nuovi formulati a maggiore sostenibilità ambientale, tra cui anche quelli basati su estratti ed olii vegetali. I metaboliti secondari coinvolti nei meccanismi di difesa di numerose specie vegetali costituiscono, infatti, una vasta fonte di nuovi fitofarmaci ad azione nematocida. In particolare, molte specie del genere del genere Artemisia sono già state segnalate per l'attività biocida dei loro estratti e dei relativi componenti. L'attività nematocida di un estratto acquoso di A. annua è stata studiata in una serie di esperimenti in vitro1 su tre specie di nematodi di elevata rilevanza economica, il nematode galligeno Meloidogyne incognita, il nematode cisticolo della patata Globodera rostochiensis ed il vettore di virus della vite Xiphinema index. L'estratto acquoso consisteva principalmente in composti fenolici quali acidi monoacil- e diacilclorogenici, in aggiunta ad acido caffeico. Le larve di M. incognita e G. rostochiensis e le femmine di X. index sono state immerse per 2, 4, 8 e 24 ore nell'estratto acquoso di A. annua a concentrazioni di 500, 250 and 125 ?l ml-1, mentre le masse d'uova di M. incognita e le cisti di G. rostochiensis sono state mantenute nelle stesse soluzioni per tempi di 24, 48, 96 ore e 1 o 2 settimane. L'estratto di A. annua ha mostrato una elevata tossicità nei confronti delle larve di G. rostochiensis ed uno scarso effetto sulla schiusura delle uova della stessa specie. L'effetto biocida dell'estratto è stato viceversa elevato sulle uova di M. incognita, mentre sulle larve è stato evidente solo ai tempi di esposizione più lunghi. La minore suscettibilità all'estratto è stata mostrata da X. index, visto che tassi di mortalità elevati sono stati osservati solo dopo i tempi più lunghi di esposizione alle concerazioni più elevate dell'estratto. Sebbene l'attività nematocida di A. annua vada ancora validata in vivo. I risultati ottenuti sembrano evidenziare buone potenzialità di impiego di tale specie nella formulazione di nuovi preparati nematocidi.

Gli attacchi di nematodi fitoparassiti sono generalmente noti come molto difficili da controllare in gran parte dei sistemi colturali. I formulati di sintesi tradizionalmente impiegati per il controllo dei nematodi sono in via di progressiva sostituzione con strategie di lotta a maggiore sostenibilità ambientale, tra le quali assume crescente importanza l'utilizzo di formulati di origine vegetale. La specie Artemisia annua (Asteracee) è nota per la presenza di numerosi componenti attivi, in particolare sesquiterpeni ad elevata attività biologica. E' stata dunque condotta una serie di esperimenti di laboratorio diretti a verificare l'attività nematocida di un estratto acquoso di A. annua e dei suoi componenti chimici principali, acido caffeico, acido clorogenico e artemisinina, e del derivato emisintetico dell'artemisinina, l'artesunato, nei confronti del nematode galligeno Meloidogyne incognita e del nematode cisticolo Globodera rostochiensis. Le larve di M. incognita e G. rostochiensis sono state esposte per 2, 4, 8 e 24 ore a concentrazioni di 500, 250 e 125 ?g mL-1 dell'estratto acquoso e di acido caffeico e clorogenico e artesunato, nonché di 50 ?g mL-1 di artemisinina. Le masse d'uova di M. incognita e le cisti di G. rostochiensis sono state invece esposte alle differenti concentrazioni dell'estratto per 24, 48, 96 ore ed 1 e 2 settimane. L'estratto acquoso è risultato attivo sulle larve di G. rostochiensis già a brevi tempi di esposizione, mentre la mortalità delle larve di M. incognita è stata elevata solo ai tempi di esposizione più lunghi. Viceversa, l'esposizione all'estratto di A. annua ha limitato notevolmente la schiusura delle uova di M. incognita e molto limitatamente quella delle uova di G. rostochiensis. Le soluzioni di acido caffeico e clorogenico non sono risultate attive sulle larve di M. incognita, mentre hanno determinato una elevata mortalità delle larve di G. rostochiensis già alle concentrazioni più basse. Analogamente, la tossicità dell'artesunato è stata pressochè a su M. incognita ed elevata su G. rostochiensis. L'esposizione alla soluzione di artemisinina è stata letale entro 24 ore per oltre il 50% delle larve di G. rostochiensis, mentre non ha avuto alcun effetto sulle larve di M. incognita. Gli esperimenti condotti sembrano evidenziare per l'estratto di A. annua ed i suoi componenti principali un buon potenziale di impiego nello sviluppo di nuovi formulati nematocidi a ridotto impatto ambientale.

Synthetic pesticides have played a major role in crop protection related to the intensification of agricultural systems. In the recent years, environmental side effects and health concerns raised by an indiscriminate use have led the EU to the ban of many synthetic pesticides. As a result of this drastic revision, currently there is a strong need for new and alternative pest control methods. An interesting source of biorational pesticides may be represented by the biocidal compounds naturally occurring in plants as products of the secondary metabolism. Groups of plant secondary metabolites most promising for the development of pesticidal formulations are glucosinolates, saponins, and more generally terpenoid phytoconstituents, such as essential oil and their constituents. Glucosinolates are thioglucosidic secondary metabolites occurring mainly in the Brassicaceae and, at a less extent, in Capparidaceae families. The incorporation of glucosinolate- containing plant material into the soil results in degradation products highly toxic to soilborne pest, pathogens and weeds. This practice, known as biofumigation, may be considered as an ecological alternative to soil toxic fumigants. Plant-derived saponins are triterpene glycosides present in top and root tissues of plant species of the families Leguminosae, Alliaceae, Asteraceae, Polygalaceae and Agavaceae. Saponins and saponin-rich plant materials have been also reported for a biocidal activity on phytoparasites and soilborne plant pathogens. Essential oils are volatile, natural, heterogeneous mixtures of single substances, mainly terpenes and phenolics, formed as secondary metabolites by aromatic plants belonging to several botanical families. Among terpenes, limonoid triterpenes have been demonstrated to possess interesting insecticidal, nematicidal and antifungal properties. Occurrence of these compounds is mainly limited to Meliaceae and Rutaceae. Alkaloids, phenolics, cyanogenic glucosides, polyacetylenes and polythienyls are further groups of secondary metabolites also known for their biocidal activity and susceptible for the production of natural pesticides. Alkaloids are derived from various botanical families, amongst which the Solacaneae, and include a number of molecules, such as nicotine, veratrine, cevatrine and ryanodine, used as insecticides. Phenolics were found also toxic to insects, fungi, bacteria, nematodes and weeds. Cyanogenic glucosides are amino acidderived secondary metabolites releasing, upon tissue disruption, hydrogen cyanide that suppress insects, fungus, nematodes and weeds. Finally, polyacetylenes and polythienyls, substances mainly present in Tagetes species, are also well known for their insecticidal and nematicidal properties.

La tutela e la gestione del suolo richiedono grande attenzione, viste le importanti funzioni ambientali, economiche, sociali eculturali che il suolo stesso svolge. I nematodi del suolo possono costituire degli utili bioindicatori dello stato di salute di unsuolo, in quanto sono in grado di rispondere prontamente ai cambiamenti ambientali (stress e inquinamento) e pertantol"analisi della loro distribuzione e attività può essere usata per stabilire lo stato di conservazione di un suolo. Ilbiomonitoraggio della nematofauna può essere condotto utilizzando diversi indici ecologici strettamente correlatiall"arricchimento di materia organica ed ai gruppi trofici dei nematodi presenti nel terreno (Maturity Index e EnrichmentIndex). Nel corso del presente studio sono stati campionati tre diversi siti della regione Puglia, localizzati uno in una riservanaturale, il secondo in prossimità di una centrale elettrica a carbone e il terzo in prossimità di una discarica, e per ciascunodi essi è stata condotta l"analisi della nematofauna presente utilizzando sia approcci morfologici che molecolari. Il DNAtotale della nematofauna presente in ciascun campione è stato estratto e sottoposto ad amplificazione mediante PCR. Il geneper il 18S rRNA è stato utilizzato come marcatore molecolare in quanto in banca dati esistono molte sequenze del 18S, talida coprire l"intero phylum dei nematodi. Sono state determinate circa 100 sequenze per ciascun sito. L"analisi dellesequenze mediante BLAST ha permesso di classificare le sequenze ottenute a livello di genere, alcune delle quali sono stateidentificate anche a livello di specie. Gli indici ecologici sono stati calcolati sia per i dati morfologici che per i datimolecolari rivelando che i risultati dei due approcci sono sovrapponibili. I siti analizzati si sono rivelati più disturbati incorrispondenza della centrale elettrica e della discarica rispetto al sito nella riserva naturale. Questi risultati preliminaridimostrano che i nematodi sono sicuramente dei buoni indicatori dello stato di conservazione di un suolo.

Studi epidemiologici hanno dimostrato che il consumo di Brassicaceae è inversamente proporzionale all'insorgenza di tumori al colon, al retto ed allo stomaco. Questa proprietà è legata alla presenza dei glucosinolati (GLS) che rappresentano i metaboliti secondari più studiati in questo gruppo di vegetali. I GLS e/o i loro prodotti di idrolisi, in particolare gli isotiocianati (ITC), oltre a possedere proprietà salutistiche, presentano anche interessanti attività biocide, tra cui quella nematocida contro fitoparassiti del terreno. In questo lavoro vengono presentati i risultati dello studio chimico-analitico di due cultivars di R. sativus, "Boss" e "Defender". In particolare è stato definito il profilo quali- quantitativo in glucosinolati delle parti aeree. Dall'analisi dei GLS (UV; HPLC; ESI/MS) purificati dall'estratto metanolico è emerso che le due cultivars rappresentano chemiotipi diversi. Da un punto di vista quantitativo non sono state riscontrate variazioni significative per quanto riguarda il contenuto totale di GLS: 30.27 ?mol/g dw nella cv Boss; 26.4 ?mol/g dw nella cv Defender. L'osservazione, invece, delle abbondanze dei singoli GLS ha messo in evidenza delle differenze rilevanti. Entrambe le cultivars sono risultate caratterizzate da glucorafanina, glucorafenina e glucorafasatina. Tuttavia nella cv Boss il GLS più abbondate è risultato la glucorafanina (22.6 ?mol/g dw) che nella cv Defender era presente solo in bassa concentrazione (4.38 ?mol/g dw). Nella cv Defender, invece, la glucorafasatina rappresentava il GLS predominante (16.15 ?mol/g dw), presente solo in tracce nella cv Boss (0.21 ?mol/g dw). Il contenuto di glucorafenina è risultato quasi simile nelle due cultivars, pari a 7.46 ?mol/g dw nella cv Boss e 5.87 ?mol/g dw nella cv Defender. Secondo quanto riportato in letteratura, la glucorafasatina è il principale GLS presente nelle parti aeree del Raphanus. Altri GLS caratteristici sono la glucorafenina e la glucoerucina. Al meglio della nostra conoscenza la cv Boss rappresenta un insolito chemiotipo di R. sativus caratterizzato dalla glucorafanina come GLS dominante.1 In questo studio è stata valutata anche l'azione nematocida della biomassa delle due cultivars nei confronti del nematode M. incognita. I risultati hanno dimostrato che la cv Defender è più attiva della cv Boss. L'uso della cv Defender come ammendante ha determinato infatti una riduzione del 64.5 % della formazione di galle ed una diminuzione del 41 % della densità di popolazione del nematode nel terreno. Questo risultato è consistente con l'alta bioattività del 4-metilsulfanil-3-butenil-ITC derivato dall'idrolisi enzimatica in vivo della glucorafasatina, abbondante nella biomassa della cv. Defender e presente in tracce nella cv. Boss.2

Soil amendments with dry top and root material from alfalfa (Medicagosativa) were evaluated for their nematicidal effect on the root-knot nematodeMeloidogyne incognita on tomato either in potting mixes or in field conditions. Allamendments in potting mixes suppressed root and soil population densities of rootknotnematodes compared to nontreated and chemical controls. Amendmentsuppressiveness on M. incognita differed between top and root material and amongrates. In field conditions, soil amendments with 20 or 40 t ha-1 of a pelleted M. sativameal increased tomato crop yield and reduced soil population densities and rootgalling of M. incognita. As saponins were hypothesized to be at least partlyresponsible for the nematicidal activity of Medicago materials, biomolecular aspectsof plant-nematode interaction were preliminarily investigated on M. incognitajuveniles treated with saponins from M. sativa.

Medicago sativa L., alfalfa, is the mostknown plant species within the Medicago genus. Theplant has been extensively studied for its content ofsaponins, mainly consisting of triterpene glycosidesof medicagenic acid, possessing several biologicalproperties including a biocidal activity on differentsoil microorganisms. Phytoparasitic nematodes areresponsible for heavy economic damages to numerousagricultural crops and, due to their large distribution,they are among the most difficult crop pests tocontrol. Attention on environmental safety andhuman and animal health has led to the progressivedismission of many synthetic formulations for thecontrol of those pests and to the search of alternativestrategies, including the use of natural metabolitesfrom plants. Saponins from M. sativa may be goodcandidates for natural nematicide formulations, as inour in vitro studies the saponin mixtures fromM. sativa tissues have been found effective in vitroagainst the virus-vector nematode Xiphinema index,the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita andthe potato cyst parasite, Globodera rostochiensis. Astructure–activity relationship among saponins andrelated prosapogenins and sapogenin, respectively,has also been analyzed. The nematicidal efficacydiffered among the three assayed nematode species,G. rostochiensis being the most susceptible to theactive compounds from alfalfa. The in vitro resultswere also confirmed by experiments in potting mixesinfested by M. incognita or G. rostochiensis andamended with dry top and root material fromM. sativa, and in field trials on M. incognita andcarrot cyst nematode Heterodera carotae withM. sativa pelleted meal. All amendments reducedroot and soil population densities of target nematodespecies compared to non-treated and chemical controls,with a general improvement of plant growth andyield performances.

Abamectin is a mixture of macrocyclic lactones produced by the actinomycete Streptomyces avermitilis especially known for its insecticidal and acaricidal activities. The effectiveness of an abamectin formulation (Vertimec® EC) for the control of the widespread and polyphagous root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita was investigated in a pot experiment on tomato (cv. Rutgers) in glasshouse. Different concentrations (0, 0.125, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75 and 1 mL/L) of an aqueous solution of the abamectin formulation were applied as a single treatment at transplant or at transplant plus 15 days later to a soil uniformly infested by M. incognita (7 eggs and juveniles/mL soil). Fenamiphos (62.5 c.p. L/Ha) and untreated soil were used as controls. Pots were arranged on benches in a glasshouse at 25 + 2°C, according to a randomized block design with five replications for each treatment. After two months tomato plants were uprooted and fresh and dry top weights were recorded. Severity of the nematode attack (root gall index - RGI) was assessed on each tomato root system according to a 0 - 10 scale. Final nematode population density was calculated summing nematodes extracted from tomato roots by sodium hypochlorite's method and those extracted from 500 mL soil with the Coolen's method. Reproduction rate (r=Pf/Pi) was calculated as ratio between final and initial population density. Data from the experiment were subjected to analysis of variance and means compared by the Least Significance Difference's test (LSD) using the PlotIT program. All abamectin solutions significantly increased fresh and dry top weight in comparison to the untreated control. Root gall index, eggs and juveniles/g root, soil nematode population density and reproduction rate were significantly reduced by all the abamectin treatments in comparison to the untreated control (P=0.05). Nematode population density and reproduction rate in the soil treated with the three highest concentrations of abamectin solution were not significantly different from those calculated in the fenamiphos treated soil.

Essential oils (EOs) have been largely investigated for their biocidal activity on root-knot nematodes, Meloidogyne species, the most economically relevant group of phytoparasitic nematodes. Adversely, experimental activity on the effect of EOs on cyst-forming nematode species is very poor, though sustainable management of these nematode species should need new control tools alternative to chemicals, such as EOs-based formulates. EOs of Eugenia caryophyllata (L.) Merr. & L.M. Perry and Schinus molle L. are reported for a wide spectre of biological activities, among which also a biological activity against plant insect pests and fungal pathogens. The major component of the EO of E. caryophyllata is usually considered to be eugenol, with ?-caryophyllene and lower amounts of other components such as benzyl alcohol. The major constituents in S. molle EO were ?-phellandrene and ?-phellandrene, with variable amounts of ?-pinene, p-cymene and ?-pinene.An experimental activity was carried out to assess the in vitro effect of treatments with EOs on egg hatch of different cyst nematodes. Results of a hatching test with cysts of the potato and carrot cyst nematodes, Globodera rostochiensis and Heterodera carotae, respectively, treated with EOs of E. caryophyllata and S. molle are reported in this work. Batches of 100 cysts of each nematode species were exposed to 125, 250 and 500 ?l L-1 solutions of each EO for 12, 24 and 48 hours. There were 4 replications for each concentration x exposure time. Non-treated cysts were used as control. After treatments, hatching test of G. rostochiensis and H. carotae continued over 7 weeks in sodium metavanadate (0.6 mM) or zinc chloride (10 mM) solutions, respectively, counting emerged juveniles at weekly intervals. At the end of the experiment, unhatched eggs were determined and final cumulative percentage hatch was calculated. The EO of E. caryophyllata significantly reduced hatch of eggs of G. rostochiensis only after a 24 or 48 hour exposure to the highest concentration, whereas cyst treatment with the 125 ?l L-1 solution resulted in a significant increase of hatched eggs compared to the non-treated control. Adversely, all treatments with the same EO significantly reduced the percentage hatch of H. carotae eggs, with the exception of the 12 hour exposure to the 125 ?l L-1 solution. Compared to non-treated cysts, all treatments with the EO of S. molle did not significantly affect the hatch of G. rostochiensis, whereas significantly reduced the percentage hatch of H. carotae.

The effectiveness of soil fumigation with 50, 100 and 200 ?L kg^-1 soil of essential oils (EOs) from the plant species Eucalyptus citriodora, Eucalyptus globulus, Mentha piperita, Pelargonium asperum and Ruta graveolens was assessed against the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita on potted tomato. Plant growth parameters and number of galls, nematode eggs and juveniles on tomato roots were evaluated after two months of maintenance of the treated plants at 25°C in greenhouse. EOs of E. globulus and P. asperum significantly reduced nematode multiplication and gall formation on tomato roots at all the tested rates, whereas the EOs of E. citriodora, M. piperita and R. graveolens were more suppressive at levels greater than 50 ?L kg^-1 soil. Biofumigation with EOs of E. globulus and P. asperum resulted also in the largest increase of tomato plant top and root biomass. The five samples of EOs had a different chemical composition as determined by GC and GC-MS. Structure-activity relationship based on the main constituents of the tested EOs and their nematicidal effect on M. incognita is discussed.

Biofumigation is a promising method used in organic agriculture to control plant parasitic nematodes (Kirkegaard et al., 1993). The use of Brassicacea green manures amendments is one of the potential biofumigation practices. However, efficacy of the green manures differs under Brassica species. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Raphanus sativus cv. Defender, R. sativus cv. Boss and Sinapis alba green manures on tomato plants infested by the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita, the most dangerous nematode pest in Tunisia as well as in all the Mediterranean countries. Experiment was carried in 12 L pots under controlled conditions with a randomized design. Pots were filled with sterilized soil and artificially infested with M. incognita (10 eggs ml-1 soil). The two R. sativus cultivars and S. alba were sown at densities normally used under field conditions, 30 and 15 Kg ha-1, respectively. At flowering, green biomass of each species was finely chopped and rapidly incorporated into the soil. Biomass incorporation rates ranged from 5 kg m-² for S. alba to 2,5 - 3,5 kg m-² for R. sativus cultivars. Three tomato (cv Roma) seedlings were transplanted in each pot 15 days after biomass incorporation. Tomato plants were uprooted 2 months later and plant growth and nematode parameters were evaluated. Plant height, fresh and dry top weight and root weight were recorded to evaluate the effect of each green manure on tomato plant growth. Roots were indexed for severity of root galling on a 0 to 5 scale (Taylor and Sasser, 1978). Eggs were extracted for counting from roots (Hussey and Barker, 1973) and soil (Coolen, 1979) to determine the total final population of Meloidogyne incognita. Results indicate that R. sativus green manure is more suppressive on M. incognita than S. alba and that cv. Defender is more effective than cv Boss. Compared to the nontreated control, green manure with R. sativus cv Defender resulted in a 62% increase of tomato plant growth and in a 64,5 and 41% suppression of M. incognita root galling and soil population density, respectively. In addition to the poor nematode-suppressiveness, S. alba green manure also caused phytotoxicity on tomato plants, probably related to the large biomass incorporated into the soil. This study demonstrated that R. sativus green manures could represent a valuable tool for a sustainable root-knot nematode management and that care should be taken to select the most effective cultivar. Further experiments are needed to determine the more appropriate time and rates for green biomass incorporation, in order to maximize the nematode suppression avoiding phytotoxicity problems.

Plant inoculation with formulations of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhiza (VAM) can be a sustainable technique for the improvement of tomato yield and plant resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses. Combination of artificial plant mycorrhization with water deficit irrigation could be an effective agronomical technique for the optimization of water use efficiency of tomato in the areas with a limited water availability. A 2-year research on field tomato was undertaken in Southern Italy (40°24'N; 16°48'E; 10. m a.s.l.) to evaluate the effects on crop growth, yield, and fruit quality of the combination of seedling inoculation with two VAM formulations, alone or integrated with plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), with different irrigation regimes (restoration of 0%, 50%, and 100% of maximum crop evapotranspiration). A split-plot experimental design with three reps was followed, with irrigation regimes in the main plots and mycorrhizal treatments in the subplots. Both VAM treatments, either with or without PGPR, demonstrated to be highly and rapidly effective on plant growth, as significantly increasing growth of tomato seedlings and plant biomass at mid and end of both crops compared to the non-inoculated control. Positive effects of mycorrhizal inoculation were extended also to marketable yield, mainly as a result of an increased number and weight of fruits. Both VAM inocula did not significantly affect fruit quality parameters, though increased water use efficiency of marketable yield. Both irrigation regimes positively affected tomato growth and marketable yield, whereas the fruit quality was better in less- and non-watered plants. Adversely to expectations, no synergism was found between artificial mycorrhization and irrigation regimes.

Combination of plant inoculation with a commercial mycorrhizal formulation with half or full fertiliser application rates was evaluated for the effects on plant growth and yield and mycorrhization occurrence throughout two consecutive field tomato crops in southern Italy. Mycorrhizal formulation was inoculated on tomato seedling roots both in the nursery and after transplant. Inoculated tomato seedlings were significantly larger than non-inoculated seedlings less than 30 days after the first inoculation in the nursery. Above ground dry biomass and stem number of inoculated plants were found to be higher also at the end of each crop. Positive effects of mycorrhizal inoculation were extended also to marketable yield of both crops, mainly due to an increased number and weight of clusters and fruits. Mycorrhizal treatment also improved crop earliness, seen in terms of anticipating plant flowering, increasing first harvest yield, and reducing average harvesting time compared to non-inoculated plants. Both rates of mineral fertilisers positively affected tomato growth and marketable yield, but did not influence fruit quality parameters. No significant interaction was found between mineral fertilisation and plant mycorrhization. Crop inoculation with mycorrhizal formulations could reduce the amounts of fertilisers and pesticides being used, and could represent a sustainable technique to improve crop yield and profitability.

La drastica revisione dei pesticidi ammessi in agricoltura operata dalla CE ha lasciato spazio all'immisssione sul mercato di un gran numero di formulati biostimolanti e corroboranti della crescita della pianta in grado di contenere anche gli attacchi di nematodi fitoparassiti, in genere galligeni su colture ortoflorofrutticole. Tali formulati sono generalmente di origine vegetale ed il loro meccanismo d'azione è prevalentemente connesso ad una attività repellente o antifeedant sul nematode target e solo in minima parte alla presenza di principi attivi nematocidi. Il lavoro illustra, l' ampia attività sperimentale degli autori con formulati di varia provenienza ed efficacia.

Nematodes are widely recognised as bioindicators of the soil environment health. Analysis of soil nematode community is increasingly used to calculate various ecological indices related to enrichment and trophic status of nematofauna. The soil nematode community from three selected relatively undisturbed and disturbed sites in the Apulia region (Italy) was comparatively studied through both morpho-taxonomic and molecular analysis. Nematodes for both analyses were extracted from 100 g sub-samples from composite soil samples collected at each site. Nematodes were fixed in a 2.5% formaldehyde solution and thenidentified at family and genus level under an optical microscope. The maturity and trophic diversity indices were determined. For the molecular study, total DNA was extracted from the nematode community of each soil subsample and PCR amplification was performed by using the small subunit (18S) rDNA, as diagnostic marker, for nematode species discrimination. The 300 sequences available at this moment are still under characterisation. Sequencing of further 18S amplicons is also in progress.

Soil nematodes are organisms that quickly respond to changes (stress and pollutants) in the environment and can be useful ecological indicators of environmental disruption. Since they occur in any environment containing organic carbon, they do not quickly escape from stressful conditions, occupy key positions in soil food webs and can be classified in easily identifiable trophic groups (Bongers and Ferris, 1999). While there are many indices of biological diversity, specific tools have been developed for nematodes, such as the Maturity Index (MI) and the 3 Enrichment lndex (El). These indices are based on an ecological classification where to each taxonomic family is assigned an ecological value that ranges from l (typical families of polluted soils or sediments) to 5 (typical families of soils or sediments). The lower values (1 and 2) belong to colonizer nematodes (c), i.e. opportunists, characterized by a rapid biological cycle and able to quickly invade unstable or polluted habitats. High values (3 to 5) belong to persister nematodes (p), characterized by a slow reproduction rate. Persisters are more sensitive to pollutants and 1 other disturbances than colonizers, therefore MI also serve to measure the impact of mixtures of pollutants and the effect of their complex interactions with biotic and abiotic environment. The aim of this study was to identify the nematofauna, recovered from three different habitats, at morphological and molecular level to provide useful information on the soil features and any possible disturbances by calculating ecological indexes of soil biodiversity

Phytoparasitic nematodes can be strongly destructive and extremely difficult to manage due to their poliphagy and worldwide spread. Plant-derived compounds can represent an environmentally sustainable alternative to chemicals for the control of these plant pests, due to the presence of nematicidal secondary metabolites in many botanical families (1). The essential oils from a large variety of plants have been already demonstrated for their high toxicity on phytonematodes, mainly root-knot species (2, 3), though the nematicidal potential of many other plant essential oils is still to be investigated and commercially exploited. Lavender hybrids or lavandins (Lavandula hybrida Rev.; Lamiaceae family) rank among the most economically important crops within the worldwide flavor and fragrance market. Their essential oils, extracted from flowering tips of a huge number of cultivars are widely used in soaps, cosmetics, perfumes, but recent developments in research have suggested a higher applicative potential of lavandin essential oil as a consequence of proven in vivo and in vitro analgesic, anti-inflammatory, sedative and antibacterial properties. The aim of this work was a preliminary assessment of the biocide activity of essential oils from lavandin varieties RC, Sumiens, Abrialis and Alba against two economically relevant phytonematode species, i.e. the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita and the root-lesion nematode Pratylenchus vulnus. The four essential oils were obtained by a 2 h steam distillation of freshly collected apical flowering parts of each lavandin variety. Batches of about 100 specimens of infective stages of M. incognita and P. vulnus were exposed to 100, 50, 25 and 12.5 ?l ml-1 solutions of each essential oil for 4, 8 and 24 h, assessing their viability after each exposure time. All the tested oils resulted highly active on P. vulnus, as 45 - 62% mortality rates occurred even after a 4 h exposure to the lowest concentrations and up to 90% of nematode specimens died after a 24 h treatment with the 100 ?l ml-1 oil solutions. Juveniles of M. incognita were found less sensitive than P. vulnus, mainly at the shorter times of exposure to the lower oil rates. Biocidal effect of L. hybrida oils was strictly dose and time related for both nematode species. Among the four lavandin cultivars, oil of Alba and RC were the most toxic to P. vulnus and M. incognita, respectively, whereas the oil of Abrialis was the less effective on both nematode species. Essential oils of L. hybrida demonstrated a high potential for the formulation of new environmentally safer nematicides, as highly and promptly active also at very low application rates.

Nematotoxic effect of an aqueous extract of Artemisia annua and its components caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid (5-caffeoylquinic acid, 5-CQA), artemisinin and the related semi-synthetic artesunate, was investigated on the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita and the potato cyst nematode Globodera rostochiensis and on the virus-vector dagger nematode Xiphinema index. Juveniles of M. incognita and G. rostochiensis and females of X. index were exposed to 500, 250 and 125 mu l ml-1 solutions of the A. annua aqueous extract, caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid and artesunate and to 50 mu l ml-1 solution of artemisinin for 2, 4, 8 and 24 h. Egg masses of M. incognita and cysts of G. rostochiensis were exposed for 24, 48, 96 h and 1 or 2 weeks only to the extract solutions. Aqueous extract was highly effective on G. rostochiensis juveniles, whereas M. incognita juveniles were affected only at long exposure times. Adversely, egg hatch inhibition was strong on M. incognita and poor or minimal on G. rostochiensis. Females of X. index were sensitive only to long exposures to the highest extract concentration. Both caffeic and chlorogenic acid did not affect juveniles of M. incognita but were highly active on G. rostochiensis juveniles and X. index females even at the lowest concentration. Artesunate toxicity was almost zero on M. incognita and low on X. index females, but high on G. rostochiensis juveniles. Artemisinin solution was lethal to more than 50 % of G. rostochiensis juveniles within 24 h, but did not affect M. incognita juveniles and X. index females. Results suggest different roles of the tested compounds in the biocidal activity on each target nematode species. The extract of A. annua and its main phytochemicals seem to have a potential to be developed into new nematicidal formulates, though their activity should be validated in the soil.

Brassicaceae Burnett (syn. Cruciferae A. L. de Jussieu) include many important economic plants used as edibile or ornamental. They are commonly known as the "mustard" plant family due to the sharp, potent flavour of their main metabolites, the glucosinolates (GLSs) which contain sulfur. Glucosinolates coexist in vivo with glycosylated thioglucosidases, myrosinase(s), responsible of their hydrolysis with the production of bioactive cognate isothiocyanates (ITC). GLSs and ITCs function as defence bioactive metabolites against plant pathogens, insects and herbivores. The present review paper focus on GLSs role as bionematicides. The current knowledge on the efficacy of these phytochemicals against the most common phytoparasitic nematodes affecting crops of agriculture importance such as tomato, potato and grapevine is reported. Data from our ongoing research on the in vitro biocidal activity of glucosinolate extracts, and their main components, against the virus-vector nematode Xiphinema index Thorne & Allen and the carrot cyst nematode Heterodera carotae Jones are also described.

Root-knot nematodes, Meloidogyne species, are strongly destructive and extremely difficult to manage due to their poliphagy and worldwide spread. Control of these parasites has been effectively based on synthetic fumigants, but environmental concerns are imposing the adoption of safer management strategies. Plant essential oils may have a high potential of application as nematicidal soil biofumigants, due to their content of biocidal volatile compounds. Soil fumigation treatments with pure essential oils from five different species, Eucalyptus citriodora, Eucalyptus globulus, Mentha pulegium, Pelargonium asperum and Ruta graveolens were comparatively tested at the rates of 50, 100 and 200 ?l kg-1 soil against the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita on tomato in pot. Plant growth parameters, gall infestation and nematode multiplication on tomato roots were evaluated after a two-month permanence of plants in a greenhouse at 25 °C. Soil fumigation treatments with essential oils of E. citriodora, E. globulus and P. asperum significantly reduced the number of eggs and juveniles of M. incognita on tomato roots compared to the non-treated control at rates higher than 50 ?l kg-1 soil, whereas oils of M. pulegium and R. graveolens were suppressive only at the highest rate. All treatments, but 50 ?l kg-1 soil of E. citriodora, P. asperum and M. pulegium, significantly reduced also the gall formation on tomato roots. Tomato top and root biomass was significantly increased by all treatments with oils of P. asperum and E. globulus, whereas the highest rate of the oil of R. graveolens and all rates of the oill of M. plulegium resulted in some phytotoxicity. Soil biofumigation with the five essential oils may be an effective tool for a sustainable management of root-knot nematodes, though the essential oils of P. asperum and E. globulus may be preferable, in consideration of their overall higher suppressiveness and positive effects on plant growth.

Five composts (C1: fresh olive pomace, straw, chicken manure, urea; C2: fresh olive pomace, lettuce residues, cow manure, straw, sawdust; C3: sewage sludge, municipal green residues; C4: grass, leaves, tree branches, soil; C5: by-product from penicillin production (mycelium), straw and sawdust) were tested in a pot experiment to investigate their short-term effect on the nematode community of a grassland soil. Composts were mixed with soil at the rates of 10, 25, 50 and 100 g (kg soil)-1 and barley was sown in each potting mixture after a 2-month decomposition period. Nematodes were extracted from each pot 5 months after barleysowing, identified at genus level and grouped into bacterial, fungal and root fungal feeders, predators, omnivores and plant parasites. Bacterial feeders, predators and omnivores were favoured by amendments with composted penicillin substrate and partly by compost from olive pomace, whereas composts from green wastes and sewage sludge suppressed these trophic groups except for predators. All compost treatments suppressed fungal feeders as well as significantly reducing the density of plant-parasitic nematodes compared with non-amended soil. The highest suppressiveness on plant-parasitic nematodes was found for the composts from urban green residues, penicillin substrate and olive pomace plus cow manure. Suppressive effect was hypothesised to be related to ammoniacal nitrogen content of the composts. Composts from fungal mycelium or olive pomace seem to be the most suitable for application in nematode management strategies due to their low impact on beneficial trophic groups.

Al genere Meloidogyne spp. appartengono i più comuni e diffusi fitoparassiti che infestano le piante di interesse agronomico di tutto il mondo.Questi nematodi galligeni sono endoparassiti sedentari che vivono e si alimentano nei tessuti dell'apparato radicale della pianta ospite, causandone la perdita di efficienza e finanche la marcescenza. Caratteristica infatti è la presenza su di esso delle galle, e ad infestazione in stadio avanzato, l'ingiallimento fogliare e lo sviluppo stentato della pianta.La attuale legislazione europea ha fortemente limitato l'uso di pesticidi, al fine di limitarne i danni all'uomo e all'ambiente, rafforzando l'esigenza dello sudio e dell'applicazione di strategie di lotta alternative, il più possibile ecosostenibili e compatibili con la tutela ambientale. La conoscenza dei meccanismi di azione degli oli essenziali sulla interazione nematode - pianta risulta di fondamentale importanza ai fini di un loro efficace utilizzo. Le attuali tecniche di biologia molecolare, sono in grado di chiarire i suddetti meccanismi tramite studi di espressione di geni target di pathway metabolici implicati nella interazione pianta - parassita.

Al genere Meloidogyne spp. appartengono i più comuni e diffusi fitoparassiti cheinfestano le piante di interesse agronomico di tutto il mondo. Questi nematodi galligenisono endoparassiti sedentari che vivono e si alimentano nei tessuti dell'apparato radicaledella pianta ospite, causandone la perdita di efficienza e finanche la marcescenza.Caratteristica infatti è la presenza su di esso delle galle, e ad infestazione in stadio avanzato,l'ingiallimento fogliare e lo sviluppo stentato della pianta. La attuale legislazione europeaha fortemente limitato l'uso di pesticidi, al fine di limitarne i danni all'uomo e all'ambiente,rafforzando l'esigenza dello studio e dell'applicazione di strategie di lotta alternative, il piùpossibile ecosostenibili e compatibili con la tutela ambientale. La conoscenza deimeccanismi di azione degli oli essenziali sulla interazione nematode - pianta risulta difondamentale importanza ai fini di un loro efficace utilizzo. Le attuali tecniche di biologiamolecolare, sono in grado di chiarire i suddetti meccanismi tramite studi di espressione digeni target implicati nella interazione pianta - parassita.

Suppressiveness of soil amendments with different rates of composted biowaste materials, olive pomace, municipal green wastes, sewage sludge and spent mushroom substrate, was evaluated against the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita on tomato in potting mixtures. Soil amendments were applied at 0, 10, 25, 50 and 100 g kg-1 soil, according to a randomized block design with five replications for each treatment. Sixty days after tomato transplanting, nematode population density on plant roots and in soil and root gall infestation were assessed on each root system, and plant top and root weight were also recorded. Soil pH, dry and organic matter content, total and ammoniacal nitrogen were analyzed at the same time. Olive pomace-based composts resulted in the highest nematode suppression (73 – 97 %, according to the rate) and significantly reduced gall formation on tomato roots. Olive-waste compost affected positively tomato growth only in combination with sheep wool wastes, but it caused phytotoxicity when mixed with chicken manure and urea. Soil amendments with composted mushroom substrate also provided a consistent nematode suppression and a significant increase of plant growth, whereas composted municipal green wastes were more suppressive and positively affected tomato growth when combined with sewage sludge. Soil chemical parameters were scarcely affected by compost amendments, as organic matter was significantly increased only by the olive pomacederived composts and nitrogen content only at the highest rate of the five composts. Data from the experiment confirmed the potential of compost amendments for sustainable management of root-knot nematodes both in field and greenhouse container media, though their technical effectiveness and economic convenience are strictly dependent on a correct proportion and local availability of raw materials used in the composting process

Incorporation into the soil of olive mill wastes after an appropriate composting process (composted - OMW) can represent a possible solution to the problem of their disposal and in addition can improve plant resistance to nematode attack by stimulating root development and plant growth because of their large content of nutritive elements. Therefore, a field experiment was undertaken in southern Italy to investigate the suppressive effect of incorporation into the soil of olive composted pomace, both fresh and exhausted, on the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita. Composted olive pomace obtained by mixing fresh solid cake with farmyard manure and another compost obtained by mixing exhausted solid cake with poultry manure and wheat straw at doses of 10, 20 and 40 t ha-1, were compared with two controls: i) untreated control; ii) treatment with fenamiphos (traditional nematicide) at 0.3 t ha-1 . All treatments were applied before transplanting tomato plants on a sandy soil infested by the nematode. Tomato crop yield, soil nematode population and root gall index were recorded in all plots. The results obtained showed that crop yield in amended plots was enhanced and that both composted - OMW were suppressive on M. incognita.

Root-knot nematodes, Meloidogyne species, are strongly destructive and extremely difficult to manage due to their poliphagy and worldwide spread (1). Control of these parasites has been prevalently based on chemical treatments, but environmental concerns are imposing the adoption of safer management strategies. Plant-derived compounds can represent a concrete alternative to chemicals, as nematicidal secundary metabolites are present in many plant families (2). Plant essential oils and their constituents have a great potential for nematode control since they can be developed for the use as nematicides themselves or can be used as model compounds for the development of more active derivatives (3, 4). Soil drench treatments with 50, 100 and 200 ml kg-1 soil solutions of the essential oils from five different species, i.e. Schinus molle, Cinnamomum camphora, Eugenia caryophillata, Cinnamomum zeylanicum and Citrus aurantium were comparatively tested against the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita on tomato in pot. Plant growth parameters, gall infestation and nematode multiplication on tomato roots were evaluated after a two-month permanence of plants in a greenhouse at 25 °C. All the treatments with the five essential oils but the 50 and 100 and 200 ml kg-1 soil rates of C. zeylanicum significantly suppressed the number of eggs and juveniles of M. incognita on tomato roots compared to the non-treated control. Effect of treatments was less evident on gall formation on tomato roots. Essential oils of S. molle and E. caryophillata were overall more suppressive than the other three oils and generally as nematotoxic as fenamiphos chemical control. Tomato top and root biomass was not affected by all the tested treatments. Soil treatments with essential oils formulations were confirmed to be an effective tool for a sustainable management of root-knot nematode infestations.

Phase out of most chemicals available for weed management renewed the interest in soil solarization as a technically effective and environmentally safe practice for lettuce weed control in hot summer areas. Properties of solarizing films and lettuce crop system may considerably affect weed control and yield response of soil solarization. Different solarizing films, including low-density polyethylene, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, low-density polyethylene–ethylene-vinyl acetate coextruded and a biodegradable corn starch-based film, were evaluated in 2003 and 2004 for weed control and lettuce yield response under field and greenhouse conditions in Southern Italy. Soil solarization strongly reduced weed density and biomass in both greenhouse and in the field, with no significant differences among the tested plastic films. Most annual weeds were completely controlled by soil solarization, except amaranth, Amaranthus spp., in soil solarized with biodegradablefilmin the field. Emergence of mediterranean sweetclover, Melilotus sulcatus, was stimulated by soil solarization in greenhouse. In the field, Cyprus vetch, Lathyrus ochrus, was found in solarized plots though absent in untreated soil. Perennial weeds were not affected by soil solarization, except a strong control of canadian thistle, Cirsium arvense, in the field. Lettuce yield resulted significantly higher in solarized soil than in control plots, with no significant differences among the solarizing materials. All tested materials proved to be technically effective for soil solarization in lettuce, though low resistance and short durability of biodegradable film may suggest its application mainly to soil solarization in greenhouse or in organic systems.