Merit Turf Update

12 Aug 2013

Good news for Merit Turf & bad news for Chafer Grubs!

This summer has provided a mixture of long hot days and at times heavy rainfall for sustained periods, providing the ideal environmental conditions for chafer grubs and leather jackets to survive.

Chafer grubs and leather jackets are lawn turf pests which feed on the roots of turf grass plants causing the plants to die back and have a straw coloured appearance.

The effective control treatment for these lawn turf pests is Merit turf which contains Imidacloprid.

Recently the EU issued a revised regulation that restricts the use of neonicotinoides for at least two years which impacts on Imidacloprid - containing products.

As a consequence there has been much speculation in the press and media about potential bee harming substances and which products cause harm and should be removed from sale.

The restriction on use for Imidacloprid- containing products is where there is a risk to bees form consumption of nectar or pollen. The amendments however make no mention of Imidacloprid products used on managed amenity turf or grass species as bees do not feed on managed amenity turf as it does not contain flowering species.

Whereas the use of other products in certain areas such as some seed treatments, have already had withdrawal notices issued against them.

Therefore the chemicals regulation Directorate (CRD), the UK regulator for this legislation, has confirmed that Merit turf is unaffected by the revised regulations and no withdrawal or amendment is necessary.

UK customers can continue to purchase and apply merit turf with confidence, to ensure that the can control population of chafer grubs and leather jackets in sports and amenity turf.

UK customers can be assured that the complete Bayer turf grass product range is unaffected by the revised EU regulations, enabling them to maintain effective protection of their turf grass from weeds, pests, and diseases without comprising the quality of their turf.