The present invention relates to nematicides, which are compositions that kill nematodes when placed in physical contact with nematodes. Nematodes do not decompose organic matter, but, instead, are parasitic and free-living organisms that feed on living material. M. incognita is a root knot nematode that has the ability to cause infection in more than 2,000 species of plants. Specifically, the present invention relates to CED-4 peptides that effectively kill nematodes. These CED-4 peptides are segments of the CED-4 protein. This invention is directed to a nematicide composition comprising an effective amount of a CED-4 peptide consisting of no more than 50 amino acids. In one aspect of the invention, the nematicide composition consists of no more than 30 amino acids. In another aspect of the invention, the nematicide consists of no more than 20 amino acids.
