SIMULAÇÃO COMPUTACIONAL DO CONTROLE BIOLÓGICO DE Meloidogyne javanica COM Purpureocillium lilacinum

Abstract

This study developed a mathematical model to simulate the biological control of Meloidogyne javanica, a major root-knot nematode, using the nematophagous fungus Purpureocillium lilacinum. The modeling was based on an adaptation of the Lotka-Volterra predator-prey system, extended to represent the tri-trophic interactions among host plant, nematode, and fungus. The system of ordinary differential equations was parameterized with data from the literature and numerically solved in Python using the Runge-Kutta fourth-order method. Simulations demonstrated that the introduction of the fungus significantly reduced populations of juveniles and adults of M. javanica, favoring plant biomass recovery and stabilizing the production system. Sensitivity analysis indicated that the fungal infection rate is a key factor for biocontrol success. These findings suggest that computational simulation is a promising tool for assessing sustainable nematode management strategies, highlighting its practical potential and the need for future experimental validation.