Abiotic factors and anti-reproductive action of bait containing eugenol against Lymnaea acuminata.

Abstract

The effect of abiotic factor (temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, carbon dioxide) on the reproduction of snail L. acuminata fed to bait containing 40% and 80% of  24h LC50 eugenol have been reported in this paper. Feeding of baits containing sub-lethal concentration of eugenol caused a significant reduction in fecundity, hatchability and survival of young snails. Maximum (1644 egg/20 snails) and minimum (228 eggs/ 20 snails) fecundity was observed in month of May and December, respectively. There was a significant (P<0.05) change in the endogenous level of protein, amino acid, DNA and RNA in the ovotestis of L. acuminata. Treatment of 80 % of 24h LC50 with eugenol in bait caused maximum reduction in protein (52.12% of control), amino acid (11.89% of control), DNA (30.90% of control) and RNA (13.12% of control) level. Simultaneous, inhibition in acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity in nervous tissue was also noted. Maximum inhibition in AChE activity (36.19% of control) was observed in snail exposed to 80 % of 24h LC50 of eugenol.