New molluscicide with novel active ingredient launched in UK

Approved for use on all cereal, vegetable, grass ley and high value broad-field crops, Ferrabait® slug pellets contain a complex proprietary formulation of 12 ingredients including 1% w/w Feralla (elemental iron) which is toxic to slugs and causes rapid cessation of feeding. Ferrabait pellets also contain a blend of high-quality wheat flours which ensure optimum pellet palatability, and humic acids which stimulates rapid feeding. The pellets also boast class-leading levels of longevity thanks to ADAMA’s unique manufacturing process.

“Following on from the success of our Gusto IRON (2.94% w/w anhydrous ferric phosphate) slug pellets, Ferrabait is manufactured using ADAMA’s Desidro® wet processing and two-stage drying technology,” explains Catherine Whaley, Product Development Area Manager for ADAMA in Central and North Europe.

“This proven manufacturing system produces pellets with the ideal balance of persistence in wet weather and palatability over a longer duration. As such, Ferrabait pellets remain mould-free and palatable for longer than other slug baits. Meanwhile, the inclusion of humic acids improves the taste appeal of the new pellets encouraging slugs to feed quickly and fully, thereby increasing consumption rates.”

As soon as a Ferrabait pellet is ingested, the elemental iron is solubilized in the slug’s stomach and in the lobes of the hepatopancreas digestive gland. This causes rapid pathological changes within the slug’s digestive system which makes the slug less mobile and causes feeding to stop almost immediately. “As soon as a lethal dose has been ingested, mortality quickly follows, with field trials showing Ferrabait to have a considerably faster speed of kill compared to other commercially available molluscicides,” Catherine adds.

Proven spreading accuracy

“Like our previous slug baits, Ferrabait is manufactured to tight processing specifications to ensure each pellet is of a uniform size, shape, weight, consistency and colour,” Catherine continues. “At a size of 2.5mm by 2.1mm, Ferrabait pellets spread accurately to wide operating widths and provide the optimal number of baiting points (40-50 pellets per m2) when applied at typical field rates. Ferrabait pellets are also certified for use with a wide range of the most commonly used applicators.

“In contrast, smaller ‘mini’ pellets, which have a larger comparative surface area and therefore tend to degrade more rapidly in wet conditions, don’t spread as accurately at wider spreading widths, while larger pellets provide too few baiting points.

“Similarly, smaller pellets can be less effective due to the requirement for slugs to ingest more than one pellet to receive a lethal dose. Conversely, trials have shown that slugs need to eat less than one pellet of Ferrabait to receive a lethal dose, leaving the remainder of the pellet available for the next slug to feed on and giving greater longevity of control from one application.”

"Ferrabait^® pellets quickly cause slugs to stop feeding, thereby providing rapid crop protection", explains Catherine Whaley, Product Development Area Manager for ADAMA in Central and North Europe.

Ferrabait^® pellets remain mould-free, palatable and effective for longer than other slug pellets, resulting in better rates of slug mortality and improved crop protection.

Ferrabait^® slug pellets contain 1% w/w of the novel molluscicide active ingredient, Feralla^®, to provide rapid control of all slug species.

Notes to editors:

• ADAMA is a leading supplier of crop protection products including a full range of herbicides, fungicides, insecticides, growth regulators and molluscicides.
• ADAMA supplies efficient solutions to farmers across the full farming value chain, including crop protection, novel agricultural technologies and complementary non-crop businesses.
• ADAMA is characterised by its innovation, its approach to product development, and strict standards of environmental protection and quality control.
• ADAMA products are available in the UK through leading distributors and agronomy companies.

For further information, please contact:

Catherine Whaley, Product Development Area Manager for ADAMA in Central and North Europe.

Mobile: 07708 290229                Email: catherine.whaley@adama.com

Issued by:

Paul Jennings, Client Director, ABC Limited.

Mobile: 07515 260331                Email: paul@abccomms.co.uk

This news release can be downloaded directly from the ABC Press Centre at www.abccomms.co.uk