Retrospective analysis of Arion lusitanicus Mabille control in ornamental plant nurseries

Abstract

Arion lusitanicus Mabille causes the highest damage in nurseries of ornamental plants after humid springs and autumns. It is a serious threat to plant production and a dominant pest compared to other autochthonous species. Due to the invasive character of Lusitanian slug, we analysed methods of its control in our region based on products with different modes of activity. The products that we investigated over a period of several years included chemical products based on methiocarb (4 %) and metaldehyde (5 %), and the environ- mentally friendly iron pyrophosphate hydrate (0.4 %). Different mechanisms of activity of the active ingredients were not found to determine the products speed of action. Immediately after uptake, slugs stopped feeding, dehydrated and died. The products breaking down to Fe and phosphates, analogous to natural products, plant constituents, soil microorganisms and animals, were found to be especially friendly to the environment. The metaldehyde-based product Carakol achieved a high efficacy of 84.4 % soon after application and retained its toxic properties in each subsequent control period (96.9 %, 97.2 % and 98.4 %). Several years of investigation have shown that all tested products were highly effective and can be recommended to growers of in protected environments and open fields, but control should be conducted at the first sighting of slugs regardless of their current population size.

Lusitanski puž golać, Arion lusitanicus Mabille, prouzrokuje velika oštećenja u radasnicima ukrasnih biljaka nakon vlažnog proleća i u jesen. Zbog invazivnog delovanja i dominacije u odnosu na autohtone vrste, značajno ugrožava biljnu proizvodnju. Ova istraživanja predstavljaju analizu kontrole lusitanskog golaća preparatima različitog porekla i mehanizma delovanja na našim prostorima. Preparati čija je efikasnost ispitivana u višegodišnjim istraživanjima su hemijskog porekla, na bazi metiokarba (4 %) i metaldehida (5 %) i ekološki prihvatljiv preparat na bazi Fe pirofosfat hidrata (0,4 %). Razlika u mehanizmu delovanja aktivnih supstanci se nije značajno odrazila na brzinu delovanja preparata. Po unošenju ovih preparata puževi ubrzo prestaju sa uzimanjem hrane, dolazi do njihovog sušenja i uginjavanja. Posebno povoljni za očuvanje životne sredine su ekološki prihvatljivi preparati, biodegradabilni do Fe i fosfata, analoga prirodnih produkata i konstituenata biljaka, zemljišnih mikroorganizama i životinja. Preparat Carakol, na bazi metaldehida, postigao je visoku efikasnost odmah po primeni (84,4 %) i zadržao toksičnost u svakom narednom kontrolnom periodu (96,9 %, 97,2 % i 98,4 %). Naša višegodišnja istraživanja ukazuju da svi testirani preparati ispoljavaju visoku efikasnost u kontroli brojnosti lusitanskog puža i mogu se preporučiti proizvođačima ukrasnih biljaka u zaštićenom i otvorenom prostoru, sa napomenom da je suzbijanje ove štetočine potrebno vršiti pri prvoj pojavi bez obzira na trenutnu gustinu populacije.