Nyangwire, BettyOcimati, WalterTazuba, Anthony FredrickBlomme, GuyAlumai, AlfredOnyilo, Francis2026-03-312026-03-312024-10-25Nyangwire, B., Ocimati, W., Tazuba, A. F., Blomme, G., Alumai, A., & Onyilo, F. (2024). Pleurotus ostreatus is a potential biological control agent of root-knot nematodes in eggplant (Solanum melongena). Frontiers in Agronomy, 6, 1464111.2673-3218https://dir.muni.ac.ug/handle/20.500.12260/948The study on the use of Pleurotus ostreatus as a biological control agent against root-knot nematodes in eggplant demonstrates an environmentally friendly approach to managing crop pests while improving plant growth and productivity. By promoting sustainable pest management that reduces reliance on chemical pesticides, the research contributes to SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) through improved agricultural productivity and food security, SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) by encouraging eco-friendly farming practices, SDG 13 (Climate Action) through reduced environmental pollution, and SDG 15 (Life on Land) by protecting soil biodiversity and ecosystem health. The findings align with the priorities of Uganda National Development Plan IV, particularly those focused on agro-industrialisation, sustainable agricultural production, and promotion of climate-smart technologies that enhance farmer resilience and national food security.Introduction: The management of root-knot nematodes has predominantly been based on use of chemicals, which are detrimental to the environment and human health. Biological control provides alternative management. This study evaluated the potential of using Pleurotus ostreatus, an edible mushroom species to control Meloidogyne spp. in eggplants. Methods: In vitro, the mortality of juveniles (J2) of Meloidogyne spp. were assessed i) P. ostreatus - water suspension with actively growing mycelia, and ii) different dilutions of P. ostreatus PDB broth culture filtrates. In the screen house nematicidal potential of P. ostreatus was tested on eggplants using artificially inoculated soils in a screen house. To attain this, juveniles (J2) of Meloidogyne spp. were inoculated at the base of plants in pots containing P. ostreatus colonized millet grains mixed in 3 kg of soil. The galling index (GI) (scale of 0 to 5), root growth and nematode populations in the different treatments were assessed. Results and discussion: Mortality of nematodes in the P. ostreatus - water suspension significantly increased with time, reaching over 88% at 48 h and 95% at 72 h. Mortality in undiluted filtrate was consistently significantly higher than the diluted filtrates and control without P. ostreatus. Mortality in the undiluted filtrate increased to 95% at 48 h. When 50 g of P. ostreatus-millet culture was mixed with 3 kg autoclaved pot soil, a GI of 0.95 was observed, dropping to 0.70 when the inoculum was doubled to 100 g. For the treatment without P. ostreatus, a high GI of 2.4 was scored. A significant difference in eggplant root growth and nematode population at (p = 0.02) was found across the treatments. The findings from this study for both in-vitro and pot assay suggest that P. ostreatus and its substrate are potential biological control agents for plant parasitic nematodes in eggplants.enBiologicalMeloidogyne spp.Pleurotus ostreatusEggplantsMushroom substrateArticle