Soil health is vital for profitable and healthy vegetable production. And, as growers know, many elements are involved in maintaining soil health.

Some nematodes can be beneficial, helping break down organic matter, fertilising the soil, and benefiting soil structure. However, in the case of root knot nematode, root lesion nematode, and potato cyst nematodes, the damage they cause results in vegetable crops being stunted or forked, reducing yield and marketability.

Doug Speers, Adama NZ Commercial Manager, says growers are quickly getting to grips with Nimitz®, a novel nematicide released last season.

He says Nimitz protects potato, carrot, parsnip and kumara crops, and is backed by international trial work¹ since 2007 and local trials² since 2013, showing its effectiveness against pest nematodes and suitability for integrated pest management programmes.

“Nimitz isn’t a fumigant and it’s highly specific, which is a significant advance on older products containing organophosphates or carbamates. Nimitz delivers an equal or better control of the target nematodes without the unintended consequences that harm beneficial organisms in the soil, or the health risks and user safety issues you get, particularly with organophosphates.”

Doug says recent feedback from growers is they’ve been pleased with results from the most recent harvest. “Despite tricky spring growing conditions and significant wet weather events at planting time in October and November like, one grower in Ohakune who reported having 20 mm of rain halfway through planting one paddock.”

Nimitz is designed to take out an entire lifecycle of the target pest nematodes. “This means eggs as well and if juveniles do hatch after treatment, they likely to die.”

Season-long treatment can be achieved even if there has been heavy rainfall after planting. “With traditional chemistries, there used to be substantial degradation with rainfall after planting essentially meaning the product got washed away, but that’s not the case with Nimitz.”

Fluensulfone, the active in Nimitz, belongs to a unique chemical class with a new mode of action. Nimitz contains 480 g/L fluensulfone in an emulsified concentrate (EC) formulation. Studies³ have shown that fluensulfone is a true nematicide that kills the target nematode by contact, rather than using a temporary nematostatic (paralysis) activity as with organophosphate and carbamate chemistry.

Nimitz has rapid and fatal activity against target nematodes. Within one hour of contact, nematodes cease feeding, dying within three days.

Nematodes are always in the soil, and are difficult to detect and identify, so Doug suggests a proactive approach. “You don’t want to be caught out.”

A recent independent trial⁴ conducted by Ranui Field Research evaluated the impact of Nimitz on the marketable yield of Nadine potatoes in Tangiwai, Ohakune. In this trial, 4 L/ha Nimitz was
broadcast and incorporated prior to planting tubers. At harvest, tubers were graded based on the level of nematode damage. Results showed marketable yield in untreated areas was 81.1 percent, and the yield of the Nimitz-treated crop was 88.1 percent.

“Potato prices aren’t as good as they were, but these results demonstrate the value of controlling nematodes with Nimitz.”

For more information on improving marketable yield with Nimitz contact your local Fruitfed Technical Horticulture Representative.

¹Iberkleid, I., Fluensulfone 480 EC. Nimitz toolkit.

²Five years of NZ trials by Eurofins, Fieldtek, Peak and Peracto on behalf of Adama.

³Kearn, J. et al. Fluensulfone is a nematicide with a mode of action distinct from anticholinesterases and macrocyclic lactones. Pesticide Biochemistry and Physiology 2014: 109: 44 – 57.

⁴Ranui Field Research, evaluation of Nimitz for the control of nematodes in potatoes, Ohakune, 2023.