Slugs and snails are economically important pests in agriculture. Favorable weather conditions have recently caused their number to increase sharply, as well as economic damage to cultivated plants. There are several types of mollusk species in Slovenia that cause economic damage. Among them, the Spanish slug (Arion vulgaris), the grey field slug (Deroceras reticulatum) and white-lipped snail (Cepaea hortensis) are particularly noteworthy. Control of mollusks is mainly based on the use of chemical pesticides. Pesticides have been found to be toxic to the environment and researchers are therefore looking for alternative solutions in plant protection. In this paper, we present different ways of controlling mollusks. These include biological control with the use slug parasitic nematodes such as Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita and Phasmarhabditis papillosa. The paper presents their importance in biological control.
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