• Fn3Pt
  • Arvalis
  • innoplant
  • semae

Control measures

 

Slugs need to be controlled throughout the rotation, mainly by intercropping management but also with a series of preventive measures required once the potato crop is established. These methods are summarised as follows:

 

Intercropping soil management

  • destroy the straw after the harvest of the grain crops; an initial and superficial soil operation as soon as possible after the grain harvest, ideally prior to a dry period;
  • incorporate harvest residues in order to prevent “hollow” soils;
  • limit the green manure period to a minimum and facilitate its decomposition by a soil incorporation prior to ploughing. In general terms, limit all food sources for the slugs during winter (groundkeepers, inadequately incorporated green manure, etc.).

 

Planting and monitoring the potato crop

  • avoid planting potatoes in heavy soils, these are favourable to slugs; avoid the proximity of compost heaps or piles of organic waste, as all of these provide a base from which the slugs will carry out their midnight raids;
  • carefully prepare the soil before planting, in order to bring eggs to the surface so they will be eaten by birds and later to limit the slug movement. In a high risk situation, select potato cultivars showing resistance or low attraction for the slugs and avoid late maturing cultivars; 
  • adapt chemical control to the presence of the slugs by monitoring “slug activity” with the use of traps especially at the high risk period of tuber enlargement stage;
  • keep irrigation to a minimum;
  • reduce the delay between haulm destruction and harvest.
Last change : 07/10/18