ABSTRACT
The management of snail and slug pests throughout the world relies heavily on the use of molluscicides, which are underpinned by only four active ingredients (metaldehyde, iron phosphate, sodium ferric EDTA, and methiocarb). However, there is an urgent need to develop new molluscicidal products that are more reliable and have less impact on nontarget organisms. One such option is the development of biorational products that have plant extracts as their active ingredients. Essential oils and/or their constituents are known to have a broad spectrum of activity against insect and mite pests, fungi, and nematodes. Research involving the use of essential oils and their constituent compounds as novel products in managing terrestrial gastropods is still in its infancy. Research on essential oils as novel molluscicides has also focused on the activity of crude oil blends. Research with insects indicates that substances are generally active against a range of pests, but interspecific toxicity of oils and their constituents may be highly idiosyncratic.
