Economic Threshold, Injury Levels and Food Preference of Glassy Clover Snail, Monacha cartusiana (Muller) Infesting Strawberry Plants at Ismailia Governorate, Egypt.

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Plant Protection Research Institute: Agricultural Research Center Dokki, Giza, Egypt

Abstract

This study was carried out at Al Mahssama village, El Qassaseen district, and Ismailia Governorate during 2015 strawberry growing season. The paper aimed to assessment the economic damage threshold, economic injury levels and food preference of glassy clover snail, Monacha cartusiana (Muller) infested strawberry plants , Fragaria ananassa (Duchesne); festival cultivar using natural infestation (marking plants)  and poison baits   techniques. Also, two laboratory experiments were conducted to study food preference and consumption of M. cartusiana fed on three strawberry cultivars (Festival, Camarosa and Proprietary).
The obtained results cleared that the values of economic damage threshold ETLs were less than economic injury levels EJLs, where the control measurements must be under taken. Therefore, the economic threshold is essential to determine the proper application time of control trial which would covalent in successful integrated pest management. The economic damage threshold of M. cartusiana on strawberry plants ranged 2-2.5 snail/plant, while the economic injury level ranged 3-7.5 snail/ plant.
In addition, the results of laboratory experiments cleared that the food preference of  M. cartusiana was varied as plant part and cultivar, where M. cartusiana  snail preferred red fruits of  Festival (39.02 mg/snail/day), green fruit of   Proprietary  (28.35 mg/snail/day) and fresh leaves of Camarosa  (19.99 mg/snail/day) more than other tested food.

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