Evaluation of the effect of herbicides on African giant snails: Case of glyphosate on Achatina achatina

Abstract

The study carried out on the snail Achatina achatina at the achatinicole farm of the Université Jean Lorougnon guédé aimed to evaluate the effect of glyphosate on the weight and shell growth of this snail. After acclimatization in the breeding tanks for four (4) weeks, 210 snails were divided into seven (7) batches of 30 snails each. These snails are regularly watered and fed every other day with fresh lettuce leaves soaked or not in a diluted solution of glyphosate at different doses: D0, D4, D6, D8, D10, D12 and D14. The weight and shell measurement is done every two weeks. The results obtained show that the weight and linear growth of snails are inhibited according to the dose of glyphosate. All snails exposed to the product are directly impacted. The use of this product by farmers could reduce the availability of snails in orchards and consequently lead to a shortage of snail meat on the markets. In order to anticipate this ecological and environmental problem, this study must be extended to all giant snails consumed in Côte d'Ivoire.