ABSTRACT
Latex extract of the medicinal euphorbious plants, Jatropha gossypifolia, Euphorbia pulcherima, and Croton tiglium were tested as molluscicides in natural ponds against the freshwater snail Lymnaea acuminata. The molluscicidal activity of latex extracts of all the three plants was time and dose dependent at all the exposure periods. A significant negative correlation between LC values of latex extracts and exposure periods existed, thus LC50 values decreased from 17.32 mg/L (24 h) to 5.66 mg/L (96 h) in case of Jatropha gossypifolia, 3.79 mg/L (24 h) to 1.56 mg/L (96 h) in case of Euphorbia pulcherima and 12.32 mg/L (24 h) to 4.85 mg/L (96 h) in case of Croton tiglium against Lymnaea acuminata. The latex of all the three euphorbiales may probably be used as potent eco-friendly molluscicides in natural ponds for managing the harmful snail population.