Investment
Investment
GRDC Code: BVW2412-001SAX
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.
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.
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
-
Active
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Snail and slug baiting methods put to...
1743339600000
A research project is underway to aid Australian grain growers to manage snail and slug...