Citrus limon as A Natural Molluscicide against Eobania vermiculata and Monacha cartusiana Snails

Some exogenous compounds found in nature can control the agricultural pests which cause serious damages to the different crops. Specifically, this study established to assess the molluscicidal effects of crude juice of Citrus limon fruit and Citrus limon peel on the developmental stages of Eobania vermiculata (chocolate band snail) and Monacha cartusiana (glassy clover snail). These juices were used individually against the three, six and nine-month-old and adult of both snails in the laboratory and also applied against adult individuals of each snail species in the field for 21 days. Results showed that the juveniles three months old were more susceptible to C. limon fruit and C. limon peel juices than the other ages of both snails. Moreover, C. limon fruit juice was more effective on the two snail species at all ages than the juice of C. limon peel. The crude suspension of C. limon fruit and C. limon peel caused 73.33& 46.66% and 60 & 46.66% mortality of adult snails of E. vermiculata and M. cartusiana respectively after 14 days of the laboratory experiment. While in the field assay, they were recorded 70.39 & 62.30% and 62.08 & 55.79% reduction of both snail adult individuals consecutively after the same period of application (14 days). Therefore, E. vermiculata snails were more affected by the two suspensions than the snails of M. cartusiana under both laboratory and field conditions. C. limon is a promising potential organic substitute to chemical molluscicide with no harmful impacts on humans and the environment.