METAREX ALL WEATHER SLUG AND SNAIL BAIT

METAREX - More Power, More Persistence, More Palatable

Slugs and snails decimate broadacre and horticultural crops in South, Western and Eastern Australian regions every year. Seed "hollowing", chewing emerging seedlings, grazing on young foliage, contaminating produce and causing quarantine issues. Slug and snail pest pressure is increasing in broadacre situations through widespread adoption of minimum tillage techniques. Most current baits have either poor spreading, rain fastness or palatability characteristics until now - introducing; METAREX - All Weather Slug and Snail Bait. From the global leader of molluscides - De Sangosse comes a new European technology that provides FAST, HIGHLY COST EFFECTIVE, CONSISTENT control even under wet, difficult conditions.

BENEFITS

• Rainfast, very stable in WET conditions.
• FAST and EFFECTIVE.
• EASY to spread or drill.
• No DUST, no hassle formulation.
• COST EFFECTIVE.
• EASY to follow label.
• Low USE RATE.

FEATURES

• VERY RAINFAST - developed for European conditions, META REX performs long after others have collapsed.
• HIGH STRENGTH - Around 3 times the strength of most conventional baits.
• HIGH PALATABILITY - 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.
• EXCELLENT PEFORMANCE - consistently outperforms Australian standards, no matter what the weather.
• HIGH NUMBER OF BAIT POINTS - ensures pests feed fast.
• SAFETY - 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: 8 kg/ha
• 50 g/kg metaldehyde bait + Bitrex animal repellant
• Bait size: 2.5 mm x 2.7 mm
• 77,000 baits/kg
• Pack size 10 kg

METALDEHYDE FEATURES

Metaldehyde causes irreversible 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 5°C. 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. METAREX contains Bitrex to reduce the risk of ingestion by pets or livestock (follow label directions).

More Rainfast Bait integrity after 75 mm simulated rainfall over 5 days.
METAREX ................. Competitor C

More even spreading and distribution Mini Spreader trial - Average 30 passes demonstrating good spreading in 10 metre swaths.
Trial 2005 Vermeeren minispreader.

METAREX More Palatable Metarex is a very palatable bait highly attractive to slugs and snails which ingest a lethal dose quickly. Selective feeding study with carrots and lettuce (below).
Conditions: Caged trial/25 slugs per m²

More bait points With 77,000 baits per kg, there are a high number of bait points which
are easily accessible to slugs and snails.

METAREX Performs under Australian Conditions Trial Results

Mortality on White Snail in barley cv Schooner Snail Pop 30 per 20 m² Plot.
Source Trial S2003121

Mortality on Brown Garden Snail - Percentage of Dead Snails
Source Trial 52003124

Mortality on Brown Garden Snail grapevines cv. Dawn Seedless - Dead Snails Per Vine.
Source Teal S2003123

Leaf damage by caged Green or Burrowing Snails (Helix Aperta) - % Leaf Area Damaged.
Source Trial S2004128

Broadacre Crops and Pastures

Use an integrated approach of cultural, mechanical and baiting techniques. For snail management Refer `Bash em, Burn em, Bait em 'GRDC publication.

Actions:

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

Broadcast Baits:

• A. If pressure is high, apply baits prior to sowing;
• B. Time baiting prior to egg laying (generally starting 2-4 weeks after first heavy autumn rains and continuing through winter). Ideally apply baits when moist conditions forecast;
• C. Reapply if required;
• D. Bait fence lines to combat re invasion;
• E. Plan Pre and Post harvest strategies to clean grain.

Drill with Seed: Drill with seed to control slug activity. If snails also present a broadcast application will be required.

Grapes

Snails move up into the crop in spring, aestivate (shut down) over the heat of summer in the crop canopy and can cause serious problems at harvest. They migrate down to breed and over winter in the groundcover in autumn.

Actions:

1. Control weeds and plant litter to reduce alternative food sources and refuge;
2. Bait in autumn after rain and prior to egg laying to significantly reduce numbers. Treat all parts of the vineyard and perimeters;
3. Bait also in spring in the vine lines prior to snails moving up into the crop canopy.

Vegetable and Nursery

Slugs and Snails are active year round whenever temperature and moisture conditions are favourable, this varies by species but generally damp, mild, calm conditions favour activity.

Actions:

1. Monitor slug and snail 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 prior to buildup and especially in autumn prior to most species laying eggs;
4. Bait again under moist conditions if pressure continues.

Poppies

Actions:

Apply baits prior to or at crop emergence. Reapply if necessary. Consider perimeter baiting to reduce re invasion.

General principles

• Time bait application prior to breeding and egg laying (after first major autumn rains for most snails) to reduce population pressure
• Ideally spread baits when moist conditions are forecast and pests are most active.
• Monitor numbers by placing a sack or tile on the ground overnight.

Background: All pest slugs and snails have been introduced to Australia

• Slugs At least 8 different slug species have become established and feed on vegetables (eg lettuce, brassicas, onions, herbs etc), broadacre crops, particularly broadleaves, eg canola, and grain crops. 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; Black-Keeled Slug (Milax gagetes); Grey Field Slug (Deroceras reticulatum); Brown Field Slug (D. panormitanum).
• Snails Populations have developed rapidly since pest snails were first recorded 50-80 years ago. Snails can cause severe feeding damage and crop contamination. Significant pest include; Small Brown Snails (Microxeromagna armillata); Brown Garden Snail (Helix aspersa); White. Italian Snail (Theba pisana); Vineyard or Common White Snail (Cernuella virgata); Conical or Pointed Snail (Cochlicella acuta); Small Conical or Pointed Snail (Cochlicella barbara)