UK producers facing continued slug pressure have a new management option following the launch of a molluscicide built around a novel active ingredient designed to quickly stop feeding and deliver faster results in the field.
ADAMA UK has launched Ferrabate, a new slug pellet with the elemental iron active ingredient Ferara, approved for use across cereals, vegetables, grass ley and high-value broadfield crops.
Designed to promote rapid feeding while maintaining performance in humid conditions, Ferrabate contains 1% w/w Ferrara along with flour and humic acid to improve palatability and promote early feeding.
Catherine Whaley, ADAMA product development area manager for Central and Northern Europe, said Ferrabate is built on proven technology. “Following the success of our Gusto IRON (2.94% w/w anhydrous ferric phosphate) slag pellets, Ferrabait is manufactured using ADAMA’s Desidro® wet processing and two-stage drying technology,” she said.
She added that this process provides durability without sacrificing appeal. “This proven manufacturing system produces pellets with the ideal balance of wet-weather durability and long-term good taste,” she said, adding that the pellets “stay mold-free and delicious longer than other slug baits.”
Once ingested, elemental iron is solubilized within the slug’s digestive system, causing rapid physiological changes that reduce motility and almost immediately stop feeding.
“As soon as a lethal dose is ingested, the mortality rate is high,” Ms Whaley said, adding that field trials showed that Ferrabate produced “a significantly faster kill rate compared to other commercially available molluscicides.”
Application accuracy and bait longevity are central to the product design. Ferrabate pellets are manufactured to uniform specifications and measure 2.5 mm x 2.1 mm, allowing for precise dispersion over a wide operating width and providing 40 to 50 bait points per square meter at typical application rates. Pellets are certified for use in a wide range of commonly used applicators.
Ms Whaley said pellet size was important for effective control. Smaller pellets break down faster in wet conditions and reduce dispersal accuracy, while larger pellets reduce feeding points.
Testing has shown that less than one Ferrabate pellet is required for slugs to ingest a lethal dose, and that leftover material is available for further feeding, extending control with a single application.
For growers, the aim is to achieve reliable slug control across a wide range of crops and conditions through a combination of rapid feeding stops, consistent application and increased pellet longevity.
