New ferric phosphate molluscicide launched

ADAMA has today announced the launch of a new ferric phosphate-based professional molluscicide aimed specifically at controlling slug populations in UK growing conditions.

Gusto IRON pellets provide long-lasting slug control even in persistently wet conditions.

Gusto IRON is a 3% ferric phosphate molluscicide for use in cereals, oilseed rape, potatoes and a wide range of horticultural crops. The new slug pellets offer several key advantages over other ferric-based molluscicides, in particular excellent palatability and extended durability during wet weather.

“ADAMA’s new ferric phosphate slug pellets have been developed using the same Desidro technology that made our outgoing Gusto 3 metaldehyde pellets the market-leader,” explains Melanie Wardle, Molluscicide Product Manager for ADAMA.

The Desidro manufacturing system uses a two-stage drying technique which microwaves the wet-processed pellets to dry them from the inside before using a convection heater to gently dry the exterior. This ensures an ideal balance between persistence and palatability, with ADAMA’s pellets proving hard enough to ensure good weather resistance, but also remaining palatable to slugs even when first applied.

The Desidro process also ensures excellent ballistic characteristics and minimal pellet shattering for an accurate spreading pattern and baiting point density, even when applying across wide working widths.

Melanie Wardle, Molluscicides Product Manager at ADAMA UK.

“According to the AHDB, slug damage costs UK farmers an estimated £100m per year,” Ms. Wardle continues. “Unfortunately, despite the recent dry conditions, the excessively wet start to the year is predicted to have intensified the challenge by significantly boosting slug populations. On top of this, the impending loss of metaldehyde means that, until new active ingredients are developed and approved for professional use, ferric phosphate will be the only molluscicide active ingredient available to UK growers.”

Chemicals Registration Division (CRD) registration for Gusto IRON was officially received on 21^st May 2020, with the first shipment of pellets expected to be available via UK distributors in July.

“ADAMA’s technical and regulatory teams worked tirelessly to ensure Gusto IRON was available ahead of the new cropping season so that UK growers have access to a molluscicide they know will provide long-lasting and effective levels of protection even in wet conditions, thereby allowing them to apply the right pellet at the right time and at the right dose,” Ms. Wardle continues.

Gusto IRON is supplied in 20kg bags. The maximum inclusion rate per dose is 7kg/ha. The maximum total dose is 28kg/ha/year. VIEW PRODUCT HERE.

Novel molluscicide in development

ADAMA has also started to develop a second new molluscicide which uses a novel active ingredient. This molluscicide will also use the Desidro process to produce palatable, long-lasting slug pellets. No further details are available at present, but more information will be made available as soon as possible.