01 October 2025

Smart Insect and Snail Baiting in Canola

For years, Australian canola growers have had multiple options to control snails and slugs. Yet, when it comes to tackling other damaging pests such as Earwigs, Slaters, and Millipedes, the gap in effective solutions was obvious.

European Earwigs, Portuguese Millipedes, and several species of Slaters are now recognised as major threats to crops across the country. Unlike snails and slugs, these pests are highly mobile and regularly feed on traditional metaldehyde baits without suffering any impact. This not only leaves crops vulnerable but also reduces the available bait points for effective mollusc control.

Research That Led to Innovation

Imtrade National Broadacre Category Manager, John Barbetti, explains that years of dedicated research, product development, and field trials resulted in the creation of an ideal dual-baiting product: Imtrade Transcend®.

“We’ve been in the bait market for 20 years, starting with a bran-based low-concentration metaldehyde formulation,” Mr Barbetti said. “But we quickly discovered that true effectiveness required higher active concentration, more bait points per square metre, and much greater durability.”

In 2012, Imtrade launched Metakill, further advancing mollusc control options for growers. Since then, the company has remained at the forefront of mollusc research across Australia.

“Our findings led us to develop a unique solution—one bait that controls insects, snails, and slugs. That solution is registered as Imtrade Transcend Molluscicide and Insect Bait.”

A Dual-Purpose Solution for Growers

According to Mr Barbetti, grower response has been overwhelmingly positive:

“Customers are grateful for an economic, dual-purpose bait that delivers across all the key performance indicators of successful control,” he said.

“To achieve maximum effectiveness, growers need a bait with superior longevity in both wet and dry conditions, high palatability, and sufficient toxicity so that a single bait point can deliver multiple lethal doses. At the same time, the bait size and application rate must maximise the likelihood of pest encounter—particularly for snails and slugs.”

Proudly Australian, Proudly Leading

Backed by a 100% Australian-owned company, Imtrade Transcend represents another step forward in supporting growers with practical, innovative solutions. “We’re extremely proud to have developed a market-leading product for Australian growers,” Mr Barbetti said.

With a state-of-the-art, GLP-certified laboratory in Perth, Western Australia, Imtrade CropScience continues to invest heavily in research and development. This positions the company to deliver even more exciting innovations for the Australian market in the years ahead.

*DISCLAIMER:

The information provided in this article is intended as a guide only. Information contained in this article has been provided by the manufacturer/ You should not rely on the information in this article, and it should not be considered advice. You should seek professional advice regarding relevant factors specific to your situation. This article does not take into account variable conditions that may impact performance. Always read and follow label directions before using any product in this article. To the maximum extent permitted by law, Nutrien Ag Solutions Limited and its related associated entities will not be liable for any loss or damage suffered by any person arising out of any reliance on any information contained in this article.