Molluscicides, also known as
snail baits and
snail pellets, are
pesticideA pesticide is a substance or mixture of substances used to kill a pest.A pesticide is any substance or mixture of substance intended for:- preventing, destroying, repelling or mitigating any pest....
s against molluscs, which are usually used in
agricultureAgriculture is the production of food and goods through farming and forestry. Agriculture was the key development that led to the rise of human civilization, with the husbandry of domesticated animals and plants creating food surpluses that enabled the development of more densely populated and...
or
gardeningGardening is the practice of growing ornamental or useful plants. Ornamental plants are normally grown for their flowers, foliage, or overall appearance. Useful plants may be grown for consumption or for a variety of other purposes, such as medicines or dyes...
to control
slugSlug is a common word, normally applied to any gastropod mollusc that lacks a shell, has a very reduced shell, or has a small internal shell, in contrast to snails, which are gastropods with coiled shells that are big enough to retract into. All slugs are descended from snails that gradually lost...
s and
snailThe word snail is a common name for almost all members of the molluscan class Gastropoda that have coiled shells in the adult stage. When the word snail is used in a general sense, it includes sea snails, land snails and freshwater snails. Snails lacking a shell or having only a very small one are...
s that can damage crops by feeding on them.
Molluscicide are usually belonging to three main classes:
- Metal
A metal is a chemical element that is a good conductor of both electricity and heat, forms cations and ionic bonds with non-metals. In chemistry, a metal is an element, compound, or alloy characterized by high electrical conductivity. In a metal, atoms readily lose electrons to form positive ions...
salts such as iron(III) phosphateIron phosphate, also ferric orthophosphate, or ferric phosphate, FePO4, is a phosphate of iron. It is one of the few molluscicides approved for use in the practice of organic farming....
and aluminium sulfateAluminium sulfate or Aluminium Sulphate, written as Al23 or Al2O12S3 Aluminium sulfate is an industrial chemical used as a flocculating agent in the purification of drinking water and waste water treatment plants, and also in paper...
, relatively non-toxic, also used in organic gardening
- Metaldehyde
Metaldehyde is a chemical that is commonly used as a pesticide against slugs, snails, and other gastropods. Metaldehyde is a cyclic tetramer of acetaldehyde.-As a pesticide:...
- Acetylcholinesterase inhibitor
An acetylcholinesterase inhibitor or anti-cholinesterase is a chemical that inhibits the cholinesterase enzyme from breaking down acetylcholine, increasing both the level and duration of action of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine.- Uses :Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors:* Occur naturally as...
s, highly toxic to other animals and humans, acts also as a contact poison
Metal salt-based molluscicides are not toxic to higher animals while metaldehyde-based and especially acetylcholinesterase inhibitor-based products are highly toxic and have resulted in many deaths of pets and humans.
Discussion
Ask a question about 'Molluscicide' Start a new discussion about 'Molluscicide' Answer questions from other users |
Molluscicides, also known as
snail baits and
snail pellets, are
pesticideA pesticide is a substance or mixture of substances used to kill a pest.A pesticide is any substance or mixture of substance intended for:- preventing, destroying, repelling or mitigating any pest....
s against molluscs, which are usually used in
agricultureAgriculture is the production of food and goods through farming and forestry. Agriculture was the key development that led to the rise of human civilization, with the husbandry of domesticated animals and plants creating food surpluses that enabled the development of more densely populated and...
or
gardeningGardening is the practice of growing ornamental or useful plants. Ornamental plants are normally grown for their flowers, foliage, or overall appearance. Useful plants may be grown for consumption or for a variety of other purposes, such as medicines or dyes...
to control
slugSlug is a common word, normally applied to any gastropod mollusc that lacks a shell, has a very reduced shell, or has a small internal shell, in contrast to snails, which are gastropods with coiled shells that are big enough to retract into. All slugs are descended from snails that gradually lost...
s and
snailThe word snail is a common name for almost all members of the molluscan class Gastropoda that have coiled shells in the adult stage. When the word snail is used in a general sense, it includes sea snails, land snails and freshwater snails. Snails lacking a shell or having only a very small one are...
s that can damage crops by feeding on them.
Molluscicide are usually belonging to three main classes:
- Metal
A metal is a chemical element that is a good conductor of both electricity and heat, forms cations and ionic bonds with non-metals. In chemistry, a metal is an element, compound, or alloy characterized by high electrical conductivity. In a metal, atoms readily lose electrons to form positive ions...
salts such as iron(III) phosphateIron phosphate, also ferric orthophosphate, or ferric phosphate, FePO4, is a phosphate of iron. It is one of the few molluscicides approved for use in the practice of organic farming....
and aluminium sulfateAluminium sulfate or Aluminium Sulphate, written as Al23 or Al2O12S3 Aluminium sulfate is an industrial chemical used as a flocculating agent in the purification of drinking water and waste water treatment plants, and also in paper...
, relatively non-toxic, also used in organic gardening
- Metaldehyde
Metaldehyde is a chemical that is commonly used as a pesticide against slugs, snails, and other gastropods. Metaldehyde is a cyclic tetramer of acetaldehyde.-As a pesticide:...
- Acetylcholinesterase inhibitor
An acetylcholinesterase inhibitor or anti-cholinesterase is a chemical that inhibits the cholinesterase enzyme from breaking down acetylcholine, increasing both the level and duration of action of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine.- Uses :Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors:* Occur naturally as...
s, highly toxic to other animals and humans, acts also as a contact poison
Accidental poisonings
Metal salt-based molluscicides are not toxic to higher animals while metaldehyde-based and especially acetylcholinesterase inhibitor-based products are highly toxic and have resulted in many deaths of pets and humans. Some products contain a bittering agent that reduces but does not eliminate the risk of accidental poisoning. Anticholinergic drugs such as
atropineAtropine is a tropane alkaloid extracted from deadly nightshade , jimsonweed , mandrake and other plants of the family Solanaceae. It is a secondary metabolite of these plants and serves as a drug with a wide variety of effects. It is a competitive antagonist for the muscarinic acetylcholine...
can be used as an
antidoteAn antidote is a substance which can counteract a form of poisoning. The term ultimately derives from the Greek αντιδιδοναι antididonai, "given against"....
for acetylcholinesterase inhibitor poisoning. There is no antidote for metaldehyde, the treatment is symptomatic.
External links