Grazing Behaviour of Slugs (Gastropoda: Arionidae, Agriolimacidae) on the Aboveground and Underground Organs of Potato Plants

Abstract

The extent of damage caused by slugs depends on factors such as the slug species, the plant cultivar and the organ on which the slugs feed. Three experiments were performed in laboratory conditions on leaves and wounded and unwounded potato tubers of three potato cultivars exposed to the slugs A. vulgaris, A. rufus and D. reticulatum. We calculated the rate and extent of plant damage caused by the species studied and identified differences in the susceptibility of potato cultivars to slug grazing and the effect of mechanical injury to tubers on the grazing activity and the extent of damage.