Molluscicidal activity of vulgarone B from Artemisia douglasiana (Besser) against the invasive, alien, mollusc pest, Pomacea canaliculata (Lamarck)

Abstract

Golden apple snail (GAS), Pomacea canaliculata (Lamarck) is a pest in rice fields in Southeast Asia. Vulgarone B, a sesquiterpene from Artemisia douglasiana Besser, has been shown to have molluscicidal activity against ram's horn snail (Planorbella trivolvis), and, in this study, it was tested against GAS. Laboratory bioassays indicated that vulgarone B had activity comparable to that of the commercial synthetic molluscicide metaldehyde, both with an LC50 at 24 h of about 30 μM. Sprayed vulgarone B is not toxic to rice seedlings at concentrations that caused 100% mortality of GAS. Vulgarone B, however, caused chlorosis when incorporated into agar on which rice seedlings were grown. At concentrations from 1 to 400 μM, there was no ovicidal activity on egg masses of various ages (1, 3, 5, 7, and 10 days). These data indicate that vulgarone B could be an effective molluscicide against GAS.