Food Preference and Growth Potential of Slug Pest, Laevicaulis alte (Ferussac)

摘要

Twenty four host plants were screened to find out damage caused by the slug pest, Laevicaulis alte (Ferussac). Among all the foods provided, Luffa cylindrica, Brassica oleracea var capitata L., B. oleracea var. L botrytis L, Cucumis sativus were observed as most preferred host plants while slug pest did not show feeding response on Memordia charantia and Allium sativum. Laevicaulis alte caused more damage to seedling stage (29.2%) of Solanum melongena followed by flowering (11.6%) and fruiting stage(4.9%) might be due to soft texture of plants at seedling stage. Mean weight (5.8 g) and length (3.8 cm) was recorded maximum on Luffa cylindrica and minimum (4.8 g and 3.2 cm, respectively) on Trichosanthes dioica cignificant impact of food on body weight and length of L. alte was observed.