Pesticide Research Journal

Slugs not only cause damage to vegetable and ornamental plants at places where damp conditions prevail by their rasping feeding but also act as intermediate host of nematode parasites. For reducing bait rejection in the presence of alternative natural food from crop fields/plant nurseries by the slug Filicaulis alte, laboratory feeding behaviour studies were carried out using casein powder, apple juice, mango flavour and beer as additives. The results revealed that different additives in wheat bran were accepted in the order 3% apple juice > 3% mango flavour > 4% casein powder > 3% beer > 3% coffee powder. Both 3% apple juice and 3% mango flavour enhanced but 4% casein powder reduced the effectiveness of 10% carbaryl and 10% nuvan poison baits. Coffee powder was found to act as both a repellent and toxicant against the slug.