Impact of Artemisia absinthium hydrolate extracts with nematicidal activity on non-target soil organisms of different trophic levels

Abstract Natural pesticides are considered a good alternative to synthetic pesticides to reduce environmental impacts. However, biopesticides may have unknown effects on the environment, and can affect non-target organisms. In this study, the ecotoxicological effects of an aqueous extract (hydrolate) from Spanish populations of Artemisia absinthium (var. Candial) showing a promising biopesticide activity, were evaluated on non-target soil organisms from different trophic levels (natural microbial communities characterized through 16S rRNA gene sequencing, the earthworm Eisenia fetida and the plant Allium cepa ). The hydrolate usually was considered as a by-product of the distillation to obtain essential oils. However, recently has been found to have nematicide properties. The hydrolate caused acute toxicity at values of LC 50 of 3.87% v/v for A. cepa and 0.07 mL/g for E. fetida . All the concentrations except for the most diluted (1% v/v) reduced the bacterial physiological activity compared to controls (LC 50  = 25.72% v/v after 24 h of exposure). The hydrolate also slightly altered the ability of the microbial community to degrade carbon substrates. These results indicate that the hydrolate from A. absinthium may affect the survival and metabolic abilities of key soil organisms.