Syngenta gel baits are powerful tools and have been rigorously tested to provide effective, targeted pest control for your customers. In this Q&A, Catherine Long, Ph.D., R&D group leader at Syngenta, discusses the science behind gel baits, the importance of continuous research and the work that goes into maintaining bait effectiveness. What do you find most important when working with gel baits? We spend a lot of time looking at the load rate, or how much of an active ingredient is included in the bait. It’s important, especially with social insects like ants, because you want them to live long enough to take the active ingredient back to the nest and share it with their nestmates. If the rate is too high, the insect might die too quickly, and you won’t impact the maximum number of pests with one treatment. We try to thread that needle, so it works fast, but not too fast, allowing the active ingredient to kill the target pest and all the pests they share it with. Do you have the same focus when working with cockroaches? The principle still holds true, but without the social angle. Instead, we focus on the size difference of the two main types of cockroaches. We aim for a load rate that can kill both German and American cockroaches without sacrificing efficacy against the bigger insect. We’re not too concerned about load rates being too high because we want to kill the cockroach regardless. However, if there’s too much of the active ingredient, palatability can be affected, making cockroaches uninterested in consuming the bait. Why does Syngenta continue research on gel baits long after a product has been released? We continue research because food-grade commodities are ingredients in our baits, and those commodities are always moving targets. Say we’ve used chicken liver for years from one source, and suddenly that changes. We need to make sure the new source of chicken liver is as palatable as the old source, driving a lot of work in the lab. Syngenta is committed to providing gel baits specially formulated to offer palatability, broad-spectrum activity, resistance management and more. To learn more, visit SyngentaPMP.com/GelBaits.  © 2024 Syngenta. Important: Always read and follow label instructions. Some products may not be registered for sale or use in all states or counties and/or may have state-specific use requirements. Please check with your local extension service to ensure registration and proper use. For Life Uninterrupted™ and the Syngenta logo are trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. All other trademarks are property of their respective third-party owners. Syngenta Customer Center: 1-866-SYNGENT(A) (796-4368). |