Getting slug management right now to lower numbers for next year

Favourable autumn conditions saw slugs, a key pest of grain crops, in particular canola, emerge in problem numbers in areas such as the Liverpool Plains in northern NSW and the Mallee in Victoria where they are not traditionally a problem.

Along with that farmers in higher rainfall regions such as Victoria's Western District, the eastern Riverina in NSW and the lower south east of South Australia, where the gastropods have been a long-term problem have reported very numbers which caused problems at sowing and crop emergence.

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While crops have generally outgrown slug pressures with increased growth as days lengthen the GRDC is looking to ensure growers are better equipped to handle the problem next autumn, including management strategies over coming months to drive down numbers.

To help growers manage issues in coming seasons the GRDC has updated its Slug Control Factsheet to assist with identifying, monitoring and controlling pest numbers to reduce crop losses.

Independent slug expert Michael Nash said wet conditions last spring had extended the slug breeding period resulting in higher numbers this season.

"Growers have been caught off guard in some areas," Dr Nash said, who added some growers had been forced to resow crops due to slug damage in extreme cases, an expensive exercise with high value canola seed.

GRDC will also be delivering a series of slug management workshops through August and September.

"Crops are at their most vulnerable to slugs as seedlings, so growers need to protect the crop until it establishes, usually in the first four to eight weeks depending on ground temperatures," he said.

He said while slug bait was regarded as expensive farmers could not afford to scrimp to achieve proper control.

"Slugs emerge from the ground over an extended period of time, so growers need to have bait protecting seedlings during establishment, which means they may need multiple applications of bait."

Over the long term Dr Nash said an integrated pest management approach was the most effective way to protect crops from slugs.

"No single method provides complete control, so growers need to use an integrated approach.

"This needs to include paddock monitoring, weather monitoring to identify risk, maintaining natural enemies and implementing cultural practices, such as establishing crops quickly to avoid emerging slugs, rolling immediately after sowing, then baiting as needed," he said.

To help growers understand how to better predict slug issues and implement integrated management strategies on-farm, GRDC is hosting its slug workshops across the key states impacted by slug damage, in South Australia, Victoria, with locations also accessible for Riverina growers, and Tasmania through August and September.

The workshops still to come will be held at:

For further information, vist the GRDC Events website, https://grdc.com.au/events