Slugs in spring

Slugs can be a major barrier to successful crop establishment in the spring, especially in direct drilling or minimum tillage situations. In pasture, slug densities as low as 5/m2 have been shown to reduce ryegrass and white clover seedling numbers by 27% and 39% respectively within 21 days of sowing. Low slug numbers can cause similar damage to maize crops.

Crops and pasture are most vulnerable to slug damage during establishment. Slugs will either completely eat the seeds or hollow into them, destroying the embryo or allowing in pathogens that cause the seed to rot. New shoots can be damaged or eaten, before or after emerging.

Slugs favour warm, moist conditions and are most active at around 15-18°C. For this reason slug numbers are highest in spring, decline over summer and begin to rise again after autumn rains. Highest numbers are found on heavier, wetter soils and in summer-wet districts. The amount of damage that occurs is dependent on both slug numbers and activity. A low number of slugs that are very active because of the spring conditions can do a large amount of damage.

There are some simple steps farmers can take to ensure that slugs don't get the better of their new crops this spring. It is important to check the slug population in each paddock before sowing. This can be done by randomly placing 10 or more objects (damp sacks, boards, fibrolite, etc) out in the paddock over several nights and checking under them in the morning.

If 3-4 slugs are found under most objects, it is probably economic to control them by applying slug baits.

Nufarm SlugOut® is made locally, designed specifically to perform in the challenging New Zealand conditions. SlugOut is highly palatable to slugs, easily applied, has good weatherability and several weeks residual activity. The main advantage it has over other slug baits is coverage - 130 baits/m2 for SlugOut (at 10kg/ha) compared to 20 to 70 baits/m2 for most other products at their recommended application rates.

Coverage is important because slugs find their food mainly by chance since they can only detect food at close range, typically only a few centimetres. For SlugOut there is a far greater chance slugs will find baits and feed on them than most other options. SlugOut also provides good control of slugs at crop establishment.

Get a handle on slugs early this spring with Nufarm SlugOut. For more information, talk to the team at your local RD1 store.

®SlugOut is a registered trademark of Nufarm Technologies USA Pty Ltd. Registered pursuant to the ACVM Act 1997, No. P4161.