DAMAGE INFLICTED BY BROWN SLUG, FILICAULIS ALTE FERUSSAC, TO SOME VEGETABLE CROPS AT BHADALWAD, SANGHERA AND DASAUNDA SINGH WALA, PUNJAB

Three villages of Punjab viz. Bhadalwad, Sanghera and Dasaunda Singh Wala were surveyed to assess the damage caused by Filicaulis alte Ferussac. The slug caused damage to the vegetable saplings and leaves however, no fruit damage was observed in any field of three villages. The study revealed Spinach as the most affected crop in Bhadalwad, Sanghera at 6- leaf stage and Dasaunda Singh Wala at 4- leaf stage with mean percent of damage 29.05, 22.47 and 26.93 respectively in July. In Bhadalwad and Dasaunda Singh Wala, lowest damage was observed in Wanga at 4-leaf stage (12.50%) and at 2-leaf stage (20.71%) respectively whereas in Sanghera field Beans were the least affected crop at 2-leaf stage (15.52%) during the month of June. Also, maximum leaf damage was observed in Spinach during August in all the three fields. The results also suggested that the extent of damage to vegetable crops dependent on availability of shade and shelter to slugs in crop canopy. Hence gastropod control measures should be adopted in July-August.