NGN: Best practice molluscicide bait spreading

Investment

GRDC Code: BVW2412-001SAX
NGN: Best practice molluscicide bait spreading
This project aims to ensure Australian grain growers have access to best practice information resources, informing mollusc bait application practices.
Effective molluscicide baiting is crucial in broadacre cropping systems to control snails and slugs, which cause considerable crop damage and impose costs estimated at $43.6 million on the Australian grains industry annually.
Research has identified inefficiencies in current baiting practices, largely due to the uneven performance of both ground and aerial spreaders. Given that snails rely on random interception to encounter bait, uniform bait distribution is essential. Growers have expressed concerns over rising baiting costs and limited efficacy, emphasising the need for improved baiting strategies to reduce crop losses and avoid multiple applications.

Optimising bait timing, integrating cultural and mechanical control methods, and improving the precision of molluscicide bait spreading can enhance snail control, reduce input costs, and minimise grain contamination-helping growers meet market standards.

The project will produce accessible resources detailing the strengths and limitations of different spreader types, along with practical recommendations to improve bait placement and effectiveness for snails.

Project start date:
11/12/2024
Project end date:
11/04/2027
Crop type:
  • All Crops
Organisation
The Trustee for BM & VL White Family Trust
Region:
North, South, West
Project status
status icon Active

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