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Summary
In the southeast of Buenos Aires Province (Argentina), slugs cause reductions in crop yield by killing seeds and seedlings, by destroying stems and growing points, and by reducing leaf area. Deroceras reticulatum (Müller, 1774) was introduced into Argentina a long time ago, but the biology and ecology of this species in this country are still unknown. The aim of this study was to determine how temperature affects growth rate, reproduction and survival of D. reticulatum and also to assess the seasonal phenology of this species. The life cycle of D. reticulatum was investigated at 12°C, 20°C and at a temperature which alternated between 12°C for 16 h and 20°C for 8 h. The light/dark regime during the experiment was LD: 8/16 h. Slug populations were sampled from grassland located at the Experimental Station of INTA Balcarce. Eggs hatched after 16.3 to 39.8 days and fertility varied between 83.9% and 91.1%. The mean time from hatching to oviposition was longer and fecundity lower at 20°C than 12°C and 12/20°C (p <0.05). The net reproductive rate was 1.49 to 70.53 and the mean generation time varied between the 27 and 30 weeks. In natural conditions, eggs of D. reticulatum were found from early winter until the end of the spring, when soil temperature was 8–15°C and humidity was above 15%. These results indicate that D. reticulatum has one generation per year, univoltine phenology, with peak densities of slugs from the beginning of winter to the end of spring, which coincides with the sowing and emergence of winter and summer crops.
