The leaves of Alstonia boonei (de Wild) and Bridelia ferruginea (Benth) were air dried at ambient temperature (27 ºC) and subjected to successive cold extraction using n-Hexane, Ethyl acetate and Ethanol. Thirty grams from the resulting crude extracts were further subjected to open column chromatography on silica gel (100-120 mesh grades) using glass column. The chromatographic fractions were tested in vitro along with their crudes and carbofuran on Meloidogyne incognita juveniles and eggs. The fractions were significantly effective in causing juvenile mortality. 75% concentrations of fraction being more active and showed significant differences from other concentrations. Fractions from A. boonei were significantly (p<0.05) effective in the first hour of exposure to M. incognita juveniles with a percentage mortality of 48.62% which was not significantly different from carbofuran. At 4^th and 6^th hour of juvenile exposure to treatment, fractions from A. boonei were significantly (p<0.05) more effective than carbofuran with a percentage mortality of 67.87 and 72.57% against carbofuran with 63.77 and 69.31% mortality, respectively. Mortality increased with increase in exposure time. The fractions were also as effective as carbofuran in inhibiting egg hatch, but there was minimum inhibition among the crude extracts. Spectroscopic analyses revealed that the fractions contain organic compounds that are nematicidal in nature which include phenols, carboxylic acids, aliphatic hydrocarbons, aldehydes, anhydrides, amides, mono and di substituted aromatics and long chain carbon fatty acid esters.

2012, Vol. 30(2): 189-198