Metaldehyde is a molluscicide used in a variety of vegetable and ornamental crops in the field or greenhouse, on fruit trees, small-fruit plants, or in avocado or citrus orchards, berry plants, and banana plants.
Metaldehyde is a molluscicide used in a variety of vegetable and ornamental crops in the field or greenhouse, on fruit trees, small-fruit plants, or in avocado or citrus orchards, berry plants, and banana plants. It is used to attract and kill slugs and snails. Metaldehyde is effective on pests by contact or ingestion and works by limiting the production of mucus in mollusks making them susceptible to dehydration. Metaldehyde is of low persistence in the soil environment, with a half-life on the order of several days. It is weakly sorbed by soil organic matter and clay particles, and is soluble in water. Due to its low persistence, it is not a significant risk to groundwater. Metaldehyde undergoes rapid hydrolysis to acetaldehyde, and should be of low perstistence in the aquatic environment. Metaldehyde was originally developed as a solid fuel. It is still used as a camping fuel, also for military purposes, or solid fuel in lamps.