A garlic extract product has been authorised by the Health and Safety Executive to help sugar beet growers control free-living nematodes.
NEMguard DE has been given the green light by the safety watchdog for use in sugar beet following work by the British Beet Research Organisation (BBRO).
The product is a granule formulation containing 450g/kg garlic extract, which is applied at drilling via a granule applicator.
It controls Docking disorder, which is the name given to the symptoms of free-living nematode (FLN) damage characterised by stunted plants, root fanging and reduction in root size.
Docking disorder is named after a village in the north-west of Norfolk where the condition was first recorded.
FLN damage is usually more common on light sandy soils and is more severe in years with heavy rainfall in the spring.
In fields with a history of Docking disorder, yield losses were minimised by the use of nematicides, such as Vydate (oxamyl), but this is no longer available.
"BBRO has sought alternative options for protection," a BRRO spokesperson explained.
"In conjunction with manufacturer Ecospray, we established three in-field strip trials in 2021 to test NEMguard DE against Vydate, and untreated controls, on FLN vulnerable sites.
"Following these trials in 2021, a year with perfect conditions for FLN, we are confident that NEMguard DE worked as well as Vydate for FLN management."
