MECHANICAL AND CULTURAL CONTROL METHODS FOR LAND SNAIL Monacha cartusiana (Müller) INHABITING SOME ORCHARDS AT SHARKIA GOVERNORATE

The effect of some mechanical and cultural control methods were evaluated against Monacha cartusiana (Müller) snails under field conditions. Results revealed that ploughing and flattening process gave the highest reduction percentages compared with ploughing only where recorded 68.3% and 41.3% reduction, respectively. The effect of certain barriers such as attractive baits, circles lime and netting wire was investigated under field conditions in lemon and mango orchards. The netting wire was more effective in reducing population density where gave general mean 87.8% compared with 55.4 for circles lime and 40.5% for attractive bait, respectively. Moreover, hand collection was determined as mechanical control methods against such land snails in some orchards. Results show that hand collection gave reduction percentage in the end of the five weeks 22% while general mean was 43.1%. Generally it could be recommended that ploughing and flattening process as cultural control methods gave high reduction in population density of injurious land snail pests. The netting wire and hand collection were the best mechanical control methods in reducing population density M. cartusiana snail in some orchards cultivated with lemon and mango trees.