Snails may be tiny, but an invasive species in Australia is causing huge issues for farmers and gardeners.
Luckily, a team of scientists at the University of the Sunshine Coast took a closer look at the snails' slime and was able to figure out what's going on, according to a school release.
Theba pisana, a common type of land snail, reproduces quickly and finds its way into crops like wheat, where it can spoil a harvest. The release noted the Australian grain industry loses about $170 million each year to this problem.
As the outlet described, Australian crops are typically treated with special pesticides that target mollusks. Yet those have become less and less effective, and the researchers know why.
During a study of the snails' biology, the team discovered an enzyme in the snail slime that resisted the toxic pesticides. By sending out this enzyme in its slime, the species could gain the upper hand over the plants and crops.
This natural shielding mechanism of the "super snail" suggests that the enzyme mutated in response to such heavy pesticide use. The exact same chemical resistance has been cited in other pesticide targets, such as ticks and flies, the release explained.
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"It's an exciting result because we weren't expecting this in a land snail species," said Ph.D. researcher Inali Lutschini in the release.
Now, the team is looking to apply the findings. For example, venom from snail-preying spiders could be used in place of the toxic chemicals, which would limit the evolution of the snails' slimy defense and help out the food system.
Efforts to manage other invasive snails could also benefit from this research.
Plus, not adding more pesticides into the environment is a good idea for the health of every species involved — including humans. There are plenty of cheaper, more effective methods that leverage nature to fight off invasive species and pests instead.
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The researchers' full findings are published in PLOS One.
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