Growers are being urged to put in orders for slug pellets early this autumn, as the summer’s damp weather means that bumper numbers of the mollusks are likely to hatch.

According to David Glen of Styloma Research, the summer’s warm, moist soil could leave growers with up to 300 young slugs per square metre - meaning that demand for pellets is set to be unprecedented.

Although distributors believe there is sufficient product available to meet demand, growers must ensure they plan ahead so they have enough to treat their whole crop area

Frontier technical manager Bob Mills recommended that growers use quality pellets. “You need to ensure the product you use has longevity and evenness of application - don’t waste money on dusty pellets that won’t go the distance. Providing sufficient baiting points is critical for good control - 40 to 50 per square metre should be the aim.”

Trials carried out for pellet manufacturer Certis have shown that the company’s Trigger 5 and Red 5 deliver 50 and 45 pellets per square metre when used at 7.5kg/ha.

Certis’ Peter Shakespeare said: “Getting sufficient beiting points of a palatable pellet will always be a compromise between pellet size and density.

“A very small and therefore light pellet cannot be spread effectively. Equally, a pellet that is too big and heavy may not be palatable and will not provide sufficient baiting points per square metre at a practical application rate.”