2024, Vol. 7, Issue 4, Part E

Terrestrial gastropods, snails and slugs belong to the phylum Mollusca, which is the secondlargest phylum in terms of species composition after Arthropoda. Snails are identified by having shells in their outer body surface for protection, while slugs do not have, but are similar in nature. Many gastropods serve a significant role in ecological process, while some result in major risks and annoyances in crop production leads to economic losses to the farmers. This nation is home to around 1500 different kinds of gastropods, of these snails like Achatina fulica (Bowdich), Pomacea canaliculata (Lamarck), Opeas gracile (Hutton), Macrochlamys indica (Blanford) etc. and slugs like Laevicaulis alte (Ferrussac), Mariella dussumieri (Gray) etc. are identified as notorious pests of various agricultural, horticultural and plantation crops in different parts of the world due to their rasping feeding behaviour. They feed on the leaves, steams, bud, flowers, roots, corns, bulbs, tubers etc. and create holes. Even their slimy product can also found on the parts of the invaded crops making them unsuitable for marketing. Mollusk management is therefore becoming increasingly crucial while keeping an eye on the threshold. But little is known about these emerging threats in agriculture, limiting their proper management. Thus, the present article lightens up about these major pestiferous snails and slugs threatening Indian crop cultivation with focusing their distribution, morphological feature, damage symptoms as well as suitable management practices.