Metarex

More Power- More Persistence- More Palatable

Slugs and Snails decimate arable and horticultural crops every year. Damage includes seed ‘hollowing’, chewing emerging seedlings, grazing on young foliage and contaminating produce. Slug pest pressure is increasing in arable situations through adoption of minimum tillage techniques.

Current baits have either poor spreading, rainfastness or palatability characteristics or harm beneficial insects.

Now NZ farmers have an excellent new technology - introducing METAREX - All Weather Slug Bait. From the global leader of molluscisides - De Sangosse, comes a new European technology that provides FAST, HIGHLY COST EFFECTIVE, CONSISTENT pest control even under wet, difficult conditions and irrigation.

Benefits

• RAINFAST and VERY STABLE IN WET CONDITIONS
• FAST and EFFECTIVE
• EASY to spread or drill
• SOFT on Beneficial Insects
• NO DUST, no hassle formulation
• COST EFFECTIVE
• SLUGS FEED on the BAIT RATHER THAN the CROP

Features

• VERY RAINFAST - originally developed for Northern European conditions, METAREX performs long after others have collapsed.
• HIGH STRENGTH - around 3 times the strength of other metaldehyde baits.
• HIGH PALATABILITY - attract and kill action ensures pests ingest a lethal dose quickly, rather than feed on the crop.
• EXCELLENT SPREADING - the very even robust bait flows and spreads evenly to give optimum coverage.
• FLEXIBLE - able to be spread, drilled with seed or applied by air.
• HIGH NUMBER OF BAIT POINTS - ensures pests feed fast.
• IPM Compatible - Good safety to earthworms and non-target organisms such as carabid beetles

Specifications

Manufactured by a wet process using high grade palatable ingredients. METAREX is an outstanding homogenous product with excellent weathering characteristics and high active strength.

• Use rate: 4-8 kg/ha
• 50 g/kg metaldehyde bait + Bitrex* animal repellent
• Bait size: 2.5 mm x 2.7 mm (60,000 baits/kg)
• Pack size 10 kg and 150 kg

Metaldehyde Features

Metaldehyde causes irreversable damage to the mucus cells that are essential for movement of slugs and snails. It is highly effective in wet conditions and performs at temperatures as low as 5oC. Once a lethal dose is ingested it is not possible for the pest to recover even under wet conditions. Metaldehyde has an active life of some three weeks thereafter degrading to water and carbon dioxide and leaving negligible soil residues. It has minimal impact on earthworms and a range of non-target beneficial organisms.

More Rainfast

METAREX does not collapse in the first rain. Bait integrity after 75 mm simulated rainfall over 5 days.

More Palatable

METAREX is a highly palatable bait that is very attractive to slugs and snails which ingest a lethal dose quickly. The selective feeding study with carrots and lettuce below demonstrates slugs preferred METAREX to the crop options.

More bait points

With 60,000 baits per kg, there is a high number of bait points which are easily accessible to slugs and snails.

More IPM Safety - Integrated Slug Management

Carabid beetles are significant predators of slugs. Three species of slug eating carabid beetles were commonly found during monitoring of cropping farms in Canterbury. Unlike certain other slug baits, METAREX is gentle on these beneficial beetles and allows them to contribute to keeping slug numbers down.

Getting the Best out of Metarex

Arable Crops and Pasture

Use rate:

4-8 kg/ha. Slug pressure is highest in Spring and Autumn.

Actions:

1. Monitor slug and snail numbers and plan a strategy
2. Control weeds to reduce alternate food sources and refuge
3. Manage stubble by burning, rolling or slashing
4. Use timely bait applications

Broadcast Baits:

1. If pressure is high, apply bait prior to sowing
2. Apply baits to protect germinating seedlings

Drill with Seed:

4 kg/ha. Drill with seed to control slug activity.

Vegetable and Nursery

Use rate:

4-8 kg/ha. Slugs are active year round whenever temperature and moisture conditions are favourable. This varies by species however generally damp, mild, calm conditions favour activity.

Actions:

1. Monitor slug numbers (place a sack or tile on ground overnight) reduce weeds, crop litter and materials that harbour and/or provide a food source
2. Cultivate a fine seed bed (vegetables)
3. Bait again under moist conditions if pressure continues

DO NOT apply to edible parts of crops. Please refer to label before use.

Background

All pest slugs and snails have been introduced to NZ from Europe

Slugs

At least 3 major slug species have become established and feed on vegetables (eg. lettuce, brassicas, onions, herbs, etc), arable crops and pastures. Slugs feed vigorously above and below the ground on seeds, roots and shoots doing most of the damage at night and hiding during the day. Significant pests include Grey Field Slug (Deroceras reticulatum) and Brown Field Slug (D. panormitanum) and Arion spp.

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