Novel highly potent and environmentally benign molluscicides for Pomacea canaliculata control: Discovery, mechanism, and field validation

The Pomacea canaliculata is a globally invasive freshwater pest that poses significant threats to both agriculture and aquatic ecosystems; however, conventional molluscicides, such as niclosamide, exhibit high toxicity toward non-target organisms, leading to substantial ecological risks. To develop highly potent and environmentally benign molluscicides, we designed and synthesized a series of 15 novel compounds, among which D-1 emerged as the most promising candidate. In laboratory bioassays, compound D-1 at a concentration of 2 mg L -1 caused an 87.5% mortality rate of P . canaliculata within 72 h. After being formulated into a 20% aqueous suspension concentrate, this agent achieved a molluscicidal mortality of over 90% within seven days in field trials. Crucially, D-1 exhibited negligible acute toxicity to a broad spectrum of non-target species—including zebrafish, Daphnia magna , algae, and bees. Ecological risk assessments further revealed insignificant soil persistence and a minimal potential for bioaccumulation. Multi-omics analyses and molecular dynamics simulations revealed that D-1 disrupts glucose metabolism in snails, leading to systemic energy dysregulation, while inhibition of detoxification enzymes—such as UDP-glucuronosyltransferase and cytochrome P450—causes accumulation of toxic metabolites, resulting in severe hepatic damage and ultimately snail mortality. Collectively, compound D-1 exhibits remarkable molluscicidal activity coupled with favorable environmental compatibility, highlighting its potential as a next-generation green molluscicide of significant market value.