Latest Research - Snail Management

Radio Transcript

Welcome to Agritalk

This week we are going to be talking about how getting rid of snails might be easier in the future.

Four species of exotic pest snails which wreck havoc across the southern cropping belt now have a new worst enemy – a tiny nematode endemic to Australia.

New research supported by growers and the Australian Government through the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) has discovered a species of nematode in the Rhabditids group which kills pest snails with their bacterial ally.

Associate Professor Gavin Ash, scientist at Charles Sturt University, said the nematodes and bacteria go hand in hand to deliver the kill.

“The nematodes swim into the snail’s orifices and penetrate the gut wall,” Professor Ash said. “They then release the bacteria which kills the snail. The nematode benefits by feeding on the decomposing snail, so in effect, the nematode is the delivery system for the kill.”

“We are achieving 100% mortality in four to eight days, on each of the four pest snails – common white snails, white Italian snails, conical snails and small conical snails.”

Professor Ash said early results from this latest research had been promising.

“In our laboratory trials we are seeing good mortality with small numbers of nematodes,” he said. “We are currently doing laboratory trials using nematodes collected from soils near Wagga Wagga.” 

Professor Ash said he would like to expand the research.

“We would like to conduct field trials in areas with high densities of pest snails,” he said. “In addition to this study, we are also working on molecular identification of the nematodes, to find a way to rapidly and easily select the right nematode for the job..”

Although the nematodes provide a new weapon for killing pest snails, Professor Ash said commercial products containing the nematode are still a little way off.

In the meantime there is an excellent publication available through the Roseworthy Information Centre, called Bash em, Burn em, Bait em.

For more information on this or any other edition of Agritalk Radio, please go to www.ruralsolutions.sa.gov.au, click on news then radio for a transcript of the program and lots of handy links

Information kindly supplied by GRDC