As part of the series of scientific activities held by the Department of Life Sciences, a seminar was held for graduate student Mustafa Jaafar Kazim, under the supervision of Prof. Ashwaq Kazim Obaid, entitled “The Histological Effects of Some Plant Extracts on Land Snails.” This seminar aimed to evaluate the toxicological and histological effectiveness of these extracts in their alcoholic and aqueous forms, at three different concentrations. The results showed that the extracts, particularly the alcoholic ones, achieved the highest percentage of snail mortality, surpassing the chemical pesticide metaldehyde. Severe histological changes were also recorded in the lungs, reproductive glands, and feet. The study also examined the effects of some plant extracts on a species of land snails common in agricultural lands, which are considered serious pests that cause economic losses for farmers. The study aimed to demonstrate their effective biological effects. The study recommended adopting these extracts as safe natural alternatives to chemical pesticides within integrated pest management programs, with the need to conduct additional studies to examine their impact on other types of molluscs and in different agricultural environments.
