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Slug Maps Slash Pesticide Use by Half
21 Jun
Summary
- Farmers halved slug pellet use with new prediction maps.
- Project funded by Defra aims to reduce environmental harm.
- Research explores slug-resistant wheat varieties.
Farmers now possess a technological advantage in combating destructive slugs, thanks to innovative prediction maps. Developed under the £2.6 million Slimers project, funded by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, these maps utilize computer modeling to guide pesticide application.
The Slimers project, which began in 2023 and concludes in late August, involved 28 farmers who acted as 'slug sleuths.' They collected data on slug populations, which computer models then analyzed to predict pest locations within fields.
Testing over the past autumn and winter by 16 farmers demonstrated the maps' efficacy, leading to a halving of slug pellet usage. Charles Paynter, a participating farmer, noted increased confidence in risk assessment due to the technology.
With the ban on metaldehyde in 2022, ferric phosphate pellets are more common, increasing the demand for alternative solutions. Research from Harper Adams University confirmed that slug distribution is not random but occurs in patches influenced by soil type and climate.
Further research within the Slimers project is focused on developing slug-resistant wheat varieties. Scientists have identified key genetic areas in wheat that confer resistance to the grey field slug, potentially leading to future crop protection advancements.
