Vegetables in addition to arable crops and ornamentals are also at high risk from slug and snail attack at all growth stages. The no-choice tests were conducted under laboratory conditions to assess the harmfulness of the slug Arion rufus (Linnaeus) and the snail Cepaea hortensis (Müller) to young vegetable plants. Ten species representing leaf and root vegetables, allium, brassica, cucurbit and edible pulse plants were chosen to compare their susceptibilities to feeding of these pests (agrotechnical classification – Polish National List of Varieties of Agricultural and Vegetable Plants 2005). The evaluation of the growth of the tested vegetables included a percentage of the damaged plant area and changes in aboveground plant mass. The trend toward increase of mass was defined by the means of regression analysis. Losses of aboveground plant mass resulting from pest feeding and plant growth restraint caused by the slug or the snail damage were assessed. Variance analysis of the general linear model and orthogonal contrasts were calculated to compare the vegetable groups included in the research. The highest losses of aboveground plant mass, by both pest species A. rufus and C. hortensis, were on common bean plants and the smallest on plants of leaf vegetables (lettuce, dill), brassica plants (cauliflower, white cabbage) and allium plants (garden onion).

Studies on food preference of herbivores include no-choice test and test with choice or multiple choice. Conclusions from statistic analyses of these tests are compared descriptively. The definition of compatibility index and consumption growth index has enabled us to use nonparametric test for verification of hypotheses about homogeneity of the consumption growths of selected plant species under no-choice and multiple choice conditions. The studies were conducted on food preference of the slug Deroceras reticulatum. It has been found that Chamaenerion angustifolium, Geraniumpusillum and Potentilla anserina can be used to reduce this slug feeding on cultivated plants. It has been also found that seedlings of Polygonum aviculare can be used as alternative food for slugs.