Emergency authorisation for chafer grub control

Damage on a golf course caused by predators searching for leatherjackets and chafer grubs

Following the submission of an application for emergency authorisation, a process that was supported by BIGGA, emergency authorisation has been granted for the use of the Syngenta insecticide, Acelepryn.

The product has been granted permission for limited use on golf course greens and tees, horse racing courses and airfields and is effective in suppressing leatherjackets and chafer grubs. The approcal was applied for by STRI, with support from the amenity industry, including BIGGA.

Chafer grubs and leatherjackets cause damage to turf through extensice feeding on roots, which can be severe in localised patches. Furthermore, extreme damage can occur when badgers, birds and other foragers root through turf in search of the grubs.

Jim Croxton, chief executive of BIGGA, said: "Leatherjackets represent a substantial threat to achieving satisfactory playing conditions and, by extension, represent a threat to greenkeepers' roles and economic value. The damage caused can be catastrophic in golfing terms, potentially rendering some parts of the courses, or entire courses, unplayable.

"We have actively supported the application for Acelepryn authorisation and welcome the decision to allow its usage."

The insecticide will only be allowed for use with the recommendation of a BASIS qualified agronomist and a limited amount is being made available for use within the UK greenkeeping industry.

The authorised label permits application at the rate of 0.6 litres per hectare, applied in 500-1000 l/ha water. Ideally Acelepryn should irrigated in after application. One application per year is permitted, with the latest time of treatment being 1 September.

STRI Head of Research, Dr Ruth Mann, said: “Since the withdrawal of effective insecticides, economic damage from chafer grubs and leatherjackets has been of major concern to many of us.

“Obtaining this emergency authorisation of Acelepryn enables us to manage the most damaging effects of these soil pests as part of an integrated turf management programme.”

With the loss of available control options, independent advisors ADAS have calculated the economic cost of chafer grubs alone to be up to £85 million a year for golf courses in the UK, from lost income and damage repair.

The UK Emergency Authorisation for Acelepryn has been granted from 7 June to 30 September 2018, to cover the key chafer grub and leatherjacket treatment timing.

BIGGA has produced a poster and leaflets that raise awareness of the impact of chafer grubs and leatherjackets on golf courses. These are available for download from the BIGGA website.