Essential oils and their components as promising approach for gastropod mollusc control: a review

Despite the great benefits of using synthetic molluscicides as mollusc control agents, they can destroy the entire ecosystems, causing detrimental effects on human health and non-target organisms. Essential oils and/or their constituents are gaining increasing interest for using as safe alternatives to pesticides for controlling various pests including gastropods. The present review was conceived to overview on essential oils and/or their components as novel mollusc control agents that can be used in sustainable agriculture and medical public health sectors. We also intended to find approaches for new essential oils based on pesticidal products as a promising alternative for mollusc control. Indeed, this review covers their molluscicidal, antifeedant and repellent properties and discusses their structure–activity relationships. Phytochemical analysis of aromatic plants using GC and GC–MS to elucidate the possible secondary metabolites present which could be responsible for their molluscicidal efficacy and to know of their mechanism of action is also addressed. Furthermore, the performance of component blends explored and efforts evolved for maximizing the molluscicidal activity of essential oil components by either synthesized new derivatives or mixing with synergists are also discussed. We also looked at additional assessment of various issues before adopting these products as general molluscicides. All the data in this review supported the promising uses of essential oils and/or their components in harmful gastropod pest control. Graphic abstract