Slugs are becoming an increasingly larger problem within the ornamental horticulture sector. To address the growing demand for slug control, Bioline Agrosciences has now made Exhibitline PH available to the Dutch market. Exhibitline PH contains Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita, a type of nematode that actively seeks out slugs and kills them. The nematodes penetrate the slugs through natural openings, after which symbiotic bacteria are released.The slug often dies within a week after infection.
Slug control is also actively pursued at Dukker Chrysanthemums in Bleiswijk, the Netherlands. The use of conventional slug pellets alone was not sufficient partly due to limitations on the label. For several months now, Sjaak van Duijn (the farm manage at Dukker Chrysanthemums) has opted to work with nematodes against the slugs. Exhibitline PH from Bioline Agrosciences has no label restrictions, allowing for frequent application. The current strategy is a one-time application (75000m2) in the second cultivation week of each growing cycle.
Exhibitline PH comes in packages of 100 million nematodes. Sjaak van Duijn finds this a convenient packaging to work with. The nematodes are packaged in a sachet, making it easy to mix and apply. The contents of the sachet can be directly added to the Dosatron and dissolves very easily compared to competing products. The nematodes are applied to the crop through spraying, followed by an additional watering.
The experiences and results with Exhibitline PH are positive, Sjaak has not encountered any slug damage so far. The first plots treated with Exhibitline PH have already been harvested, without any visible slug damage. At Dukker Chrysanthemums they hope that slug control can henceforth be carried out by using this environmentally conscious manner.
For more information:
Bioline Agrosciences
www.biolineagrosciences.com