ZAGROŻENIE ROŚLIN PRZEZ ŚLIMAKI I OGRANICZANIE SZKÓD W UPRAWACH ROLNICZYCH ZA POMOCĄ GRANULOWANYCH MOLUSKOCYDÓW

Slugs (Gastropoda: Agriolimacidae, Arionidae) are a serious threat to a great number of cultivated plant species. The most common pests are the slug species Deroceras reticulatum, Arion vulgaris, A. rufus and A. distinctus which feed on and cause considerable damage to agricultural crops such as cereals, oilseed rape, sugar beet, potato, and some pasture and oil plants. Other species of slugs may occasionally infest agricultural crops, but cause only incidental damage. Because they require a high level of soil moisture the slugs prefer heavy loamy soils with large amounts of clods and plant debris. The protection of crops against pest slugs relies on the use of various agricultural measures, including granulated molluscicides as the most effective control method. Their use is subject to risk assessment of plant damage based on the number of slugs trapped and the extent of plant damage, including economic impact thresholds. Recently registered molluscicides contain metaldehyde or iron phosphate, which is safe to humans, animals and the environment. They demonstrate high efficacy against pest slugs, especially when appropriate conditions exist for their application, including slug feeding activity on molluscicides spread on the treated area.