Abstract Slugs such as Deroceras reticulatum (Muller) are among the most important pests of agricultural production throughout North America. Current control strategies are unreliable and this has resulted in increased interest and research on biological control options using nematodes in the genus Phasmarhabditis which have been recently discovered in the U.S. Herein, the lethality of U.S. strains of P. hermaphrodita (Schneider), P. californica Tandingan De Ley, Holovachov, Mc Donnell, Bert, Paine and De Ley, P. papillosa (Schneider) and an undescribed species of Phasmarhabditis at two inoculation rates were investigated for the first time, against D. reticulatum in laboratory infectivity trials. Our data shows that three of the nematode species (P. hermaphrodita, P. californica and P. papillosa) are lethal to D. reticulatum but the extent of and time to cause complete mortality varied. In terms of slug survival (LT 50) and median percentage slug mortality, P. papillosa demonstrated the most lethality in the trials, and the undescribed species the least. However, before an informed decision can be made on the use of these nematodes as effective and safe biological control agents, there are many additional knowledge gaps that need to be filled. Of particular importance will be comprehensive host range testing that incorporates native gastropod species.

中文翻译：

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在实验室感染性试验中，四种 Phasmarhabditis（线虫科：Rhabditidae）对侵入性蛞蝓 Deroceras reticulatum（Gastropoda：Agriolimacidae）的致死率

摘要 蛞蝓（Deroceras reticulatum (Muller)）是整个北美农业生产中最重要的害虫之一。当前的控制策略不可靠，这导致人们对使用最近在美国发现的 P. hermaphrodita (Schneider)、P. californica 属的线虫进行生物控制选择的兴趣和研究增加。 Tandingan De Ley、Holovachov、Mc Donnell、Bert、Paine 和 De Ley、P. papillosa (Schneider) 和一种未描述的 Phasmarhabditis 物种在两种接种率下首次在实验室感染性试验中针对 D. reticulatum 进行了研究。我们的数据显示三种线虫物种（P. hermaphrodita、P. californica 和 P. papillosa）对 D. 但导致完全死亡的程度和时间各不相同。就蛞蝓存活率 (LT 50) 和蛞蝓死亡率中位数百分比而言，P. papillosa 在试验中表现出最高的致死率，而未描述的物种最低。然而，在就使用这些线虫作为有效和安全的生物防治剂做出明智的决定之前，还有许多额外的知识空白需要填补。特别重要的是包含本地腹足动物物种的综合宿主范围测试。在就使用这些线虫作为有效和安全的生物防治剂做出明智的决定之前，还需要填补许多额外的知识空白。特别重要的是包含本地腹足动物物种的综合宿主范围测试。在就使用这些线虫作为有效和安全的生物防治剂做出明智的决定之前，还需要填补许多额外的知识空白。特别重要的是包含本地腹足动物物种的综合宿主范围测试。