Golden snail

The

golden

apple

snail,

popularly

known

as

"golden

kuhol", Pomacea

canaliculata (Lamarck, 1822), belongs to the Ampullariidae family. This species is native to the South America. Its introduction to several Asian countires during the 1980s has recently and unexpectedly developed into a major pest of rice (Matthias Halwartab (13th Nov 2008) ). The golden apple snail eats young and emerging rice plants and can completely destroy a crop during crop establishment.The critical time to control golden apple snail is during the first 10 days for the transplanted crops and the first 21 days for direct wet-seeded crops. After this, the crop growth is typically greater than the rate of snail damage. Both biological and chemical control have been implemented over the pass years . The biological control methods includes the use of fish, duck and red ants (which feed on eggs) as natural predators. However, these methods have not been effective in managing the snail. Hence, most farmers have resorted to chemical control, with implications for human health and the environment ((Matthias Halwartab 2008 ). Of the 3 million (M) hectares of rice lands in the Philippines, 1.2-1.6M hectares are infested with golden apple snail. In 1989, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations estimated that yield tosses owing to this pest ranged from 1% to 40% of the planted area in the Philippines, resulting in huge production loss. In 1990, P212M was spent to control this pest. The first account that it had become a major pest was recorded in 1986 when about 300 hectares of irrigated rice farms in Region 2 (Cagayan Valley) were heavily damaged. Since then, rice area infested with this pest has been increasing until it became a national menace (Philippine Rice Research Institute 2001). Two of the most effective molluscicide, perceive by farmers, available in the market today are niclosamide and metaldehyde. Niclosamide is effective against the Pomacea spps but relatively non-toxic to humans (Amin, 1983). Niclosamide is also recommended by the Philippines Department of Health for schistosomiasis vector control (Palis et al., 1996). However, niclosamide has sewrious impact on the non-target organisms such as fish. (Joshi et al 2002, in press).

Metaldehyde is relatively non-toxic to fish but effective against GAS and the brackish water snail Metaldehyde is toxic on the GAS nervous system and possesses anaesthetic properties (Mills et al., 1989). (A. G. Cagauana/ and R. C. Joshib 2002) *In Indonesia, attempts of the application of lime (CaO) at the rate of 50 kg h was -1 moderately effective in controlling the snail population. According to Jerry R. Tjoe-Awie (YEAR) on an on-going research for the control of golden snail with Caragoal 400 FC (ai metaldehyde), Caragoal 400 FC (active ingredient metaldehyde) is an effective molluscicide against the control of snails in rice production. Previous trials(Luxan 1998/99) in Suriname gave good results. However, the emphasis was place mainly on the mortality rate of the snail. Interest are now placed at what dosage the product can cause the snails to be inactive (no feeding activity on young rice plants) during the time that the young rice plants are susceptible for grazing by the snails. This time isestablished under laboratory conditions at 20 days after sowing.

In an experiment done in japan on Strategies for Controlling the Apple Snail P. canaliculatain Japanese Direct-Sown Paddy Fields, it was noted that P. canaliculatabecomes a much more serious pest in direct-sown rice fields than in transplanted fields. Metaldehyde showed effectiveness against the damage cause by the P. canaliculata. The molluscicide was applied after sowing followed by 10-day drainage 3 or 18-day drainage 23 successfully suppressed rice damage in spite of heavy rains during drainage periods. Thus, the application of metaldehyde in combination with drainage after sowing has sufficient control effects on the apple snail in direct-sown fields even under conditions of heavyrain. (Takashi WADA 2004).