But this autumn they’ve met their match with Metarex Inov, the new introduction from Arysta LifeScience.
 

The company says Metarex Inov is an innovative slug bait to help New Zealand farmers and growers manage this challenging pest.
 

“Farmers overseas have already been successfully using Metarex Inov for several seasons.
 

“After rigorous trialling of the product under NZ conditions for the past two years, we’re delighted to have registration approval from the ACVM, and to now be delivering this improved slug bait technology to the NZ market,” says Darren Faire, sales and marketing lead at Arysta LifeScience.
 

Metarex Inov is manufactured by DeSangosse of France, which is the the global leader in slug and snail bait formulation technology.
 

“The quality and performance of DeSangosse’s slugbait Metarex is well known and has already been enjoyed for many years by NZ farmers,” Faire points out.
 

“Metarex Inov lifts the performance of the bait to a new level compared to current Metarex and competitor baits.”
 

The key distinguishing feature is that only Metarex Inov contains the breakthrough Colzactive technology, which differentiates the new brand by elevating it beyond other slug baits.
 

Colzactive – comprising specially selected oil seed rape extracts – is a science and research innovation from the DeSangosse research and development team.
 

Faire says within its extensive R&D programme, DeSangosse evaluated 20 different plant species and identified 50 potential molecules for their attractiveness to slugs.
 

“Finally, two molecules from oil seed rape were selected for their extraordinarily attractive and palatable characteristics to slugs.These are the basis of the ‘Colzactive’ technology.”
 

Now formulated as an integral part of the bait, Colzactive enhances the bait attractiveness, its taste and importantly, the speed at which metaldehyde works compared to the previous Metarex product.
 

Hence the science plus nature angle, he says – formulation science combined with oil seed rape extracts.
 

The technology behind the new product delivers a bait with an ‘attract and kill’ mode of action.
 

Produced by using unique wet process manufacturing, Metarex Inov is very rainfast; it does not disintegrate under the first shower of rain.
 

“It’s important to note that the active ingredient in Metarex Inov is metaldehyde so users have all the strengths of this trusted and proven active with the further benefit of applying a product that is Integrated Pest Management (IPM) friendly,” Darren Faire says.
 

This new product has a recommended rate range of three to five kg per hectare delivering advantages such as ease of storage, handling and application.
 

With 60,000 baits per kilogram, Metarex Inov also has excellent ballistic properties, Faire adds.
 

“After manufacturing method, pellet size becomes a key feature determining ballistic profile and spreading distance.
 

“The unique Metarex Inov manufacturing process and pellet size means the bait can be spread at widths of up to 24 metres.”
 

Metarex Inov is available in a 10 kg bag along with a 400 kg bulk bag.
 

“This is new technology for slug and snail control and Arysta LifeScience is excited about bringing this innovation to the New

Zealand market, both for resellers and for end users.”
 

For more detail, contact your Arysta LifeScience regional sales manager.