Rigby Taylor has been appointed as the exclusive distributor in the UK turf and amenity sector for Bionema’s NemaTrident nematode solutions for the control of chafer grubs and leatherjackets larvae.

NemaTrident is a tri-component solution incorporating a range of highly virulent insect-parasitic nematodes within the Heterorhabditis and Steinernema genera. The nematodes attack and destroy the larvae of the insect pests thus preventing future pests from developing.

Rigby Taylor say the product is safe, non-toxic to users and consumers, decomposes rapidly and can be targeted at specific pests to avoid harming beneficial insects – providing 70-100% success rates in combating the pests.

Environmental consultancy ADAS recently calculated that the economic cost of chafer grubs alone is up to £85 million a year for UK golf courses from lost income and damage repair. It also highlighted that, on the 40% of racecourses affected by the pest’s damage, lost income could amount to up to £605,000 per course.

Dr Minshad Ansari, Bionema CEO, said, “In a market with significant potential, there is a clear opportunity for Rigby Taylor to continue helping greenkeepers, sports club groundsmen, racecourse managers and landscapers in the control of chafer grubs and leatherjackets larvae, when chemicals such as Chlorpyrifos (also known by the trademark Dursban, Equity) and Imidacloprid (Merit Turf) are banned across Europe.”

Rigby Taylor’s Peter Corbett added, “Our role at Rigby Taylor is to combine all the potential solutions for our customers throughout the UK. Our staff have all been briefed on the most effective way to use the NemaTrident range of nematodes as part of an integrated pest management programme.”