Non chemical strategies to reduce golden snail damage to rice
1991
Guzman, E.D. | Enriquez, F.B. (Philippines. Department of Agriculture, Minanga Norte, Iguig, Cagayan. Agricultural Pilot Center)
Golden snail is now considered as the most serious rice pest in Cagayan Province, Philippines. Almost all wetland ricefields are now snail-infested. This has prompted farmers to resort to chemical control. However, farmers with small landholdings usually control snails by handpicking and subsistence farmers use delayed transplanting and field draining. Several nonchemical strategies have been evaluated to minimize or reduce damage to rice seedlings during the critical period of infestation. These include altering farming practices and/or providing alternative feeds and attractants to snails to divert them. Keeping ricefields drained continuously for three weeks starting from transplanting has reduced snail damage by 75%. Transplanting older seedlings has also reduced damage by 80%. However, the draining method is not applicable in waterlogged areas or when there is heavy rain. Providing the snails with alternative feeds to rice seedlings - such as papaya leaves, cassava leaves, taro leaves, and other succulent plant materials - works best during the first five days after transplanting. This can reduce damage by 75% over the five-day period.
Show more [+] Less [-]AGROVOC Keywords
Bibliographic information
This bibliographic record has been provided by University of the Philippines at Los Baños