The in vitro paralysis of second-stage juveniles of Meloidogyne incognita, M. javanica and M. mayaguensis by aqueous extracts of 15 West African Crotalaria species was analysed. A multivariate analysis distinguished four groups, based on their nematostatic activity: i) C. glaucoides extracts were not active; ii) the root extracts from C. goreensis, C. lathyroides and C. perrottetii were more active than the shoot extracts; iii) the shoot extracts from C. comosa and C. cylindrocarpa were more active than the root extracts; iv) both shoot and root extracts of C. atrorubens, C. barkae, C. grantiana, C. hyssopifolia, C. pallida, C. podocarpa, C. retusa, C. senegalensis and C. sphaerocarpa have nematostatic effects depending on either the Crotalaria species or plant tissue from which the extracts were derived. However, considering the greater biomass contribution of the leaves and stems compared to the roots when the plants are used as green manure, C. barkae, C. grantiana, C. pallida and C. podocarpa are the most efficient Crotalaria species, whatever the Meloidogyne species targeted