Can Steinernema feltiae be a biocontrol agent of pestiferous snails, Cornu aspersum?

Rae, R ORCID: 0000-0001-5843-4029 and Mullin, K Can Steinernema feltiae be a biocontrol agent of pestiferous snails, Cornu aspersum? Nematology. ISSN 1388-5545 (Accepted)

Text Can Steinernema feltiae be a biocontrol agent of pestiferous snails, Cornu aspersum.pdf - Accepted Version Access Restricted Available under License Creative Commons Attribution. Download (261kB)

Abstract

It has been suggested recently that entomopathogenic nematodes of the genera Steinernema and Heterorhabditis could be used as biological control agents to kill pestiferous gastropods, though there are a lack of studies supporting this claim, particularly for terrestrial snails. Therefore, we exposed the common garden snail, Cornu aspersum, to 0, 50 and 150 Steinernema feltiae per cm2 for 28 days and recorded survival, weight, feeding and the numbers of nematodes encapsulated in the lip of the snails (a common snail immune response towards nematodes). Steinernema feltiae had no effect on snail survival with not one snail dying when exposed to the nematodes. The nematodes did not affect the weight gained by snails over time and there was no significant effect on the snails’ feeding when exposed to the highest dose of 150 S. feltiae per cm2. Nematodes were found encapsulated in the lip of the snail shell but numbers of nematodes did not differ significantly from the non-treated snails. Therefore, S. feltiae do not negatively affect the health of these pestiferous snails and would not be a control method.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	0608 Zoology; Zoology; 3109 Zoology
Subjects:	Q Science > QL Zoology
Divisions:	Biological and Environmental Sciences (from Sep 19)
Publisher:	Brill Academic Publishers
Date of acceptance:	2 July 2026
Date Deposited:	03 Jul 2026 13:06
Last Modified:	03 Jul 2026 13:06
URI:	https://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/28944

View Item