Published on 01/11/2022
UPL NZ Otago Southland regional manager Tom McDonald says those using the bait say it has very low odour even in a confined space such as a tractor cab or ute. A welcome improvement to workplace safety.
Ironmax Pro is a major addition to an industry looking out for ‘softer’ crop protection options that still deliver on efficacy. Ironmax Pro does this in spades.
Building on the success of UPLNZ’s Metarex Micro, which is applied at drilling with the seed, and Metarex Inov slug baits, Iron-max Pro adds impeccable green credentials.
The Metarex products were breakthroughs when launched, and they have been used in New Zealand for many years. Ironmax Pro, Metarex Inov and Metarex Micro are manufactured by French company De Sangosse, a global leader in slug and snailbait technology.
Grey field slugs and their close relation brown field slugs are significant pests in New Zealand. They thrive in this country’s temperate climate. Particularly damaging to seedlings, they are active year-round. Damage peaks in autumn and spring.
Tom says slugs’ ability to reproduce rapidly (they can lay 300 eggs in their 13-month lifespan) combined with their efficiency as a pest makes them a force to be reckoned with.
While slugs are a threat in forage brassicas, Tom says he’s seen them destroy 200 hectares of young plantain. The destruction seemingly came out of nowhere.
“Slugs can cover a lot more ground than people think they do. We put out a slug mat and there were 180 slugs under it the next morning.”
The rule of thumb is that three or four slugs signal a problem ,and Tom says with slugs there is absolutely no room for complacency.
“Control should be factored in with all direct drill and low tillage situations. No question.”
For all other tillage systems, close monitoring is strongly recommended. And not, as Tom puts it, a ‘4/70 check’ – driving past, with the windows down, at 70 kph.
“To see if there is an issue, put a slug mat out. Or go out at night with a torch.”
Ironmax Pro is manufactured with the finest durum wheat using a unique wet manufacturing process. This makes it very rainfast. Importantly for contractors, there is no dust and it is much easier on gear.
The spreading properties of Ironmax Pro are also excellent. Thanks to the manufacturing process, pellet size and uniformity of the bait allow it to be spread consistently at widths up to 24m, saving passes, time and fuel.
Ironmax Pro’s breakthrough Colzactive technology is responsible for the bait’s exceptional palatability. Colzactive is made up of specially selected oil seed rape extracts.
De Sangosse’s R&D team evaluated 20 different plant species and identified 50 potential molecules for their attractiveness to slugs before selecting just two. They enhance the Ironmax Pro bait attractiveness, its taste and, importantly, the speed at which the bait works.
Research shows slugs prefer feeding on Ironmax Pro to feeding on seedlings. That enjoyment is short lived.
Ironmax Pro contains the optimized active ingredient IPMax, which is 24.2 g/kg ferric phosphate anhydrous. Iron phosphate is a natural component of soil.
It works as a stomach poison on slugs and snails and is fatal once ingested. The digestive gland becomes overloaded with iron impairing digestion and the ability to process food. Feeding stops almost immediately.
Ironmax Pro is IPM friendly and does not impact beneficials including earthworms and the slug predator carabid beetle.
With 60,000 baits per kilo-gram, Ironmax Pro has a recommended application rate range of 5-7 kg/ha.
Talk to your local technical representative for more details on Ironmax Pro.