The Environmental Adaptability of Pomacea canaliculata used for Weed Control in Wet Rice Paddies and Crop Damage Caused by Overwintered Golden Apple Snails

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The golden apple snail(GAS, Pomacea canaliculata Lamarck) is an invasive freshwater snail. It has occurred 34 years since the introduction of the GAS to the Korea. The GASs have been used recently for weed control in wet rice cultivation. The GASs’adaptability to the environment of GAS has been improved and the GASs devour the young stage of the crops as well as weeds. METHODS AND RESULTS: We surveyed the survival area of the snails throughout the country during the winter seasons from 2000 to 2017 and crop damage due to GASs in 2017. Local maximum, minimum, and average air temperatures were monitored daily. The surveyed regions for the survival of the GASs in winters were Gangjin, Goheung, Shinan, Haenam, Gimhae, Haman, Busan, Jeju, and Seogwipo. The survival durations at low temperatures were 12 hours at-5℃, 1 day at-3℃, 2 days at-1℃, 10 days at 0℃, and over 30 days at 3℃. The eggs of GASs were not able to overwinter. The overwintering condition of the GAS needed a water depth of 10-20 cm with well formed mud. Crop damages caused by the overwintering GASs occurred in rice and water dropwort. CONCLUSION: The overwintering GAS was first identified in Haenam, South Korea 2000 after introduction of the GAS. The overwintering area of GAS expanded to the mid-southern parts of Korea. We propose that it has not yet become a pest to rice or any other crop.