An ambitious three-year £2.6M project aiming to revolutionise slug control in UK agriculture is entering its final phase this autumn, with farmers set to test targeted treatment strategies guided by predictive risk maps and AI.
The project, known as SLIMERS (Strategies Leading to Improved Management and Enhanced Resilience against Slugs), spans more than 100 farms and brings together seven partners under the leadership of the British On-Farm Innovation Network (BOFIN). It is funded by Defra’s Farming Innovation Programme, delivered by Innovate UK.
At its core, SLIMERS is developing a suite of tools designed to move growers away from blanket applications of slug pellets towards a more precise, data-driven approach.
Predicting where slugs strike
Researchers at Harper Adams University believe they have made a breakthrough: a model capable of predicting where slugs are most likely to cluster within fields.
Built using two years of farmer-generated monitoring data alongside detailed soil mapping and testing, the model identifies high-risk “patches” where slug activity is concentrated.
“We’ve known for some time that slugs gather in patches, but prior to SLIMERS we didn’t understand fully the specific factors that cause this and how the patches can be reliably located,” said Professor Keith Walters, who leads the work.
“We now have that understanding and are using our predictive model to produce detailed risk maps for their fields. In 2025-6 we are asking them to treat only the predicted slug hotspots to fine-tune the models and bring the vision of precision pest management closer to reality.”
The next stage will see the project’s network of “Slug Sleuth” farmers apply pellets selectively in these areas, generating further data to refine the system.
AI brings slugs into focus
Alongside predictive modelling, partners including the UK Agri-Tech Centre, Fotenix and Farmscan Ag are developing AI-enabled detection systems and biological control methods.
Fotenix is focusing on in-field slug identification using AI-powered multispectral imaging.
“Our role is to build AI-powered slug detection, right there in the field. But first, we’ve got to train the AI,” said CEO Charles Veys. “That means getting slugs firmly in the crosshairs.”
This has involved extensive data collection, often at night when slugs are active. UK Agri-Tech Centre researcher Dr Kerry McDonald-Howard has been gathering imagery both in lab conditions and on farms to build a reliable spectral signature for the pest.
“By harnessing AI and multi-spectral imaging, we are making significant progress towards in-field detection,” she said.
The aim is to integrate detection with precision application of biological controls, particularly nematodes, enabling highly targeted interventions.
Engineering ultra-targeted application
Farmscan Ag is developing the hardware to match this level of precision, working on an autonomous system capable of ultra-narrow spray widths.
“We are aiming for 25cm or less, which would mean four nozzles per metre,” said director Callum Chalmers.
Initial trials are planned for late 2025, with broader on-farm testing expected in early 2026, aligning with the project’s final season.
Farmers see value in data-led insights
For participating growers, the project has already highlighted the inefficiency of current slug control practices.
East Yorkshire farmer Adam Hayward said monitoring revealed significant variation in slug populations within small areas.
“I didn’t know where they were before,” he said. “There was huge variation within just a few metres and between different days. It’s illustrated to me how spreading pellets across the whole field really isn’t the way to go.”
Towards a new standard in pest management
With pressure mounting to reduce chemical inputs, SLIMERS’ backers see the project as a potential turning point for slug control.
BOFIN managing director Tom Allen-Stevens said the goal is to deliver a practical, widely accessible service for UK farmers.
“We will soon have a tool farmers can rely on to reduce both their reliance on pellets and the cost of controlling one of arable farming’s biggest pests,” he said.
“With increasing pressure on chemical control, sustainable solutions have never been more important.”
As the project enters its final phase, the emphasis is now on proving that these technologies can deliver in real-world conditions – and at scale.
