RATS, BIRDS, MOLLUSK AND WEEDppt.docs.pptx

review material for board exam in Agriculture

1. RATS, BIRDS, MOLLUSK AND WEED CROP PROTECTION

2. What is Rodents? a gnawing mammal of an order that includes rats , mice , squirrels , hamsters , and their relatives, distinguished by strong constantly growing incisors and no canine teeth. They constitute the largest order of mammals . >42% of species of mammals are rodents (Order rodentia ) with 2,270 species . Muridae family (rats and mice) – the largest order of mammals with >700 species The name Muridae comes from the  Latin  mus (genitive  muris ), meaning "mouse,"  Inflect damage to rice in all stages of growth Yield loss ranges from 5-60% Consume and contaminate stored food Vectors of diseases

3. Rodents in the Philippines • > 73 species of muridae rodents in the Philippines • Many found within the diverse landscapes of Luzon • Introduced species, Rattus tanezumi , Rattus argentiventer and Rattus exulans , causes serious damage to upland and lowland rice crops

4. Different types of Rats Rattus tanezumi (Asian house rat ) • Occurs throughout the Philippines • Major pest Rattus exulans ( Pacific rat) • Occurs throughout the Philippines • Minor pest

5. Rattus argentiventer ( ricefield rat) • Does not occur in Luzon • Major pest

6. My Characteristics Single pair of chisel-like incisor teeth No canines – instead a gap or diastema Poor vision but sensitive to motion, touch and hearing Sensitive sense of smell, taste exhibits a temporary fear ( neophobia ) Nocturnal – active at night Good swimmers Good climbers Continually chew to sharpen their teeth Engages to cannibalism when food is scares Sexually active; few males can mate with almost all of the females in the area

7. My Life cycle A female rat can give birth 3-4 times a year and can produce litters up to 18 pups (average of 6-8 pups) Laboratory - 3-4 years average lifespan Field condition – 6 months to more than one year Pregnancy last for 3 weeks or 21 days Pups are born blind and helpless up to 21 days Pups grow rapidly and are ready to breed at 6 weeks of age or 42 days old . A pair of rats with their offspring can produce 500 rats in one year if food and other conditions are available

8. Symptoms and damages cause by Rats Missing hills Irregular cutting of stem Missing panicles Chopped young seedlings Tiller cut near base at 45 degree angle

9. Management of Rats Cultural methods Environmental manipulation Reduction of food sources and harbourage Keeping the field clean Reduction of bund size (6x8 inches) Maintain water depth at 3-5 cm Rat proofing Encourage predators (cats, snakes and humans) Synchronized planting of large areas Physical/Mechanical Method Trapping Digging Flame throwing TBS (trap barrier system Chemical control method Rodenticides Acute- quick acting poison Chronic- slow acting poison

10. Birds

11. Birds Ornithology The study of birds ,   Avian may refer to: Birds or Aves, the winged animals . Birds cause considerably damage shortly after seeding direct-seeded rice and from flowering time onward in any rice culture. Out of more than 70 species of bird found in rice fields, only five species in the Philippines (and about 14 in Southeast Asia) are known to feed on rice. 5 rice-eating birds include: Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus) Chestnut Munia (Lonchura malacca) Scaly-Breasted Munia (Lonchura punctulata) White-Bellied Munia (Lonchura leucogastra)  Java sparrow (Padda Oryzivora)

12. What it does Rice-eating birds chew rice grains, and can cause whitehead or unfilled panicles.  They either squeeze the grains during the milky phase, or eat the entire grain once mature. The damage shows a milky white substance covering the grains. Why and where it occurs Birds become a problem from ripening phase—when the rice plant is already developing and filling in grains—until harvest. Some species will feed off of the panicles by either landing upon them, by perching on nearby objects (such as fences or posts) or by eating the dropped grain on the ground when fields are harvested. Bird pest species are most abundant during this time.

13. How to identify Check for presence of milky substance on chewed grains, and for whiteheads with removed grains.  Whiteheads can also be caused by stem borer. To confirm the cause of damage: in bird damage, not all grains are chaffy in stem borer damage, all grains in a panicle are chaffy and the panicle can be pulled out easily Why is it important Birds chew seeds in the milky stage of the crop. The damage caused due to perching birds on the panicles results in some crop loss.

14. How to manage It is important to consider the type of management to apply to your field. There are benefits and consequences of most devices. A number of options are available. These can be done all year or just seasonally : " Bird Boys" These are farm workers who  shoo away  birds. These can be effective if their techniques for catching or scaring birds are always changing, and if they know the specific  granivorous  bird species to target . Exclusion netting Using nets over rice fields can be effective, however, it could be expensive. It also tends to exclude all bird species, even the beneficial ones. When birds get trapped within the net, it could also cause fatality . Bird-trap Tapes are placed over the rice plants. This could be one of the best options for scaring birds.

15. Noisemakers Noisemakers can be used to produce random sounds and recordings that can scare the birds. However, both sounds can easily be remembered by birds, thus, it may be effective only for a short-term. Random sounds can scare all birds, while recordings are species-specific. There are also ultrasonic noise makers, but some birds cannot hear it. Chemical repellents These are usually chili extracts. Many are commercially available and require approximately one  liter is used for one hectare. Repellents should be continuously applied, every two weeks. They also need to be re-applied after rain. Decoy birds Using decoy birds are, relatively, an easy method of management; it can also be relatively cheap. Depending on the type of decoy bird, they can be used to attract or repel the birds in your farm.

16. Use of flags, scare crows, or bird kites These methods work similar to tape, and are also relatively cheap. Flags, scare crows, and bird kites move due to wind, thus acting as a deterrent to birds. However, birds become habituated to these devices quickly, therefore, only providing protection for a short period of time. Eco-engineering Eco-engineering in bird pest control means leaving the  bigger  birds to hunt naturally and without persecution. This should naturally manage and balance the  system  in the rice fields. This is the cheapest option available, but can have different results. Using large birds to scare away smaller birds is using the natural food web to a farmer’s advantage. Although dependent on a lot of variables, if the natural biodiversity is present, pest species could be managed. Eco-engineering is fully ‘natural’ and requires more education of people in the field than anything else. Reduced bird hunting or trapping for the pet trade could restore natural balance to a rice field.

17. GOLDEN APPLE SNAIL Apple snails are tropical and sub-tropical freshwater snails from the family Ampullariidae which is divided into several genera. Pomacea, the genus that is currently invading rice fields

18. There are more than 100 species of apple snail that exists. Two species,  Pomacea canaliculata   and   Pomacea maculata ,   commonly known as Golden Apple Snails , are highly invasive and cause damage to rice crops. They were introduced to Asia , from South America, in the 1980s as potential food for people, but it unfortunately became a major pest of rice. What it does Golden apple snails eat young and emerging rice plants. They cut the rice stem at the base, destroying the whole plant. A single GAS can eat 7-24 seedlings a day and can consume 1 lettuce in 1 night. Why and where it occurs Snails are able to spread through irrigation canals, natural water distribution pathways, and during flooding events .

19. When water is absent, apple snails are able to bury themselves in the mud and hibernate for up to six months . When water is re-applied to fields, snails may emerge. They damage direct wet-seeded rice and transplanted rice up to 30 days old. Once the rice plant reaches 30−40 days, it will become thick enough to resist the snail. How to identify To distinguish golden apple snails from native snails, check its color and size. Golden apple snails have muddy brown shell and golden pinkish or orange-yellow flesh . They are bigger and lighter in color compared to native snails. Its eggs are bright pink in color . To confirm snail damage, check for missing hills, cut leaves, and cut stems.

20. The golden apple snail is considered a major problem of rice. If no control measure is taken, they can completely destroy 1 m 2  of field overnight. This damage could lead to more than 50% yield loss. How to manage The critical time to manage golden apple snails is during land preparation and crop establishment or planting; specifically, first 10 days after transplanting (DAT), and during the first 21 days after direct wet-seeding. After this, the crop is generally resistant to snail damage and snails are actually beneficial by feeding on weeds.

21. Community-based snail management To best control the snail, communities should work together to reduce snail numbers in their area. Conduct mass snail and egg collection campaigns, involving the whole community, during land preparation and planting or crop establishment. Keep fields drained as much as possible during the vulnerable stages of the rice plant (below 30 days) or transplant 25−30 day old seedlings from low density nursery beds. Biological control Encourage natural predators. Red ants feed on the snail eggs while ducks (and sometimes rats) will eat young snails. Several wild bird species have also adapted to feed on golden apple snails and domestic ducks can be put into fields during final land preparation or after crop establishment when plants are big enough (e.g., 30−35 DAT). Snails can also be harvested, cooked and eaten or sold as animal feed. However, it is important to take extra care and cook the snails thoroughly, as they are known carriers of the rat lungworm.

22. Cultural control Handpick snails Handpick snails and crush egg masses. This is best done in the morning and afternoon when snails are most active. Place bamboo stakes to provide sites for egg laying that allows easy collection of snail eggs for destruction. You can also use attractants or plants that attract snails, such as papaya and cassava leaves, to make hand picking easier. Manage water Apple snails have difficulty moving in less than 2 cm of water. Keep water level below 2 cm during the vulnerable stages of the rice plant. Construct small canals or canalettes (e.g., 15−25 cm wide and 5 cm deep) after the final land preparation. Pull a sack containing a heavy object around the edges of rice paddies or at 10−15 m intervals. Canalettes facilitate drainage and act as focal points for snails making manual collection or killing easier.

23. Use toxic plants Place toxic plants, such as tobacco leaves,  water hyacinth, and citrus leaves in strips across the field or in canalettes . Prevent field entry Know your water flow. Snails can invade fields from canals, rivers, and reservoirs. Place a barrier where water enters and exits the field. Place a wire or woven bamboo screen or mesh bag on the main irrigation water inlet and outlet to prevent snail entry. Transplant Transplanted rice is less vulnerable than direct seeded rice. Plant healthy and vigorous seedlings. Raise seedlings in low density nursery beds, i.e., less than 100 g seeds per m 2  and delay transplanting (e.g., transplant 25−30 day-old seedlings ). To reduce missing hills from snail damage, multiple seedlings per hill can be planted.

24. Chemical control Sometimes chemical control may be needed if other practices fail. Check locally available products that have low toxicity to humans and the environment.  Apply products only to low spots and canalettes rather than to the whole field. Always ensure safe application. If used, molluscicides should only be used immediately after transplanting or during the seedling establishment phase in direct seeded rice; and only for rice younger than 30 days old.  

25. What is WEEDS? A plant whose virtue is not yet discovered A plant that is not wanted and therefore to be destroyed. A plant growing where it is not desired

26. A plant that: colonizes disturbed habitats, is abundant locally, is noxious, destructive, and troublesome, and is economically of little value. A WEED IS!!!

27. Problems they cause Competition with rice cause yield losses Cost of control (ex. manual weeding) is expensive Reduction in quality (contamination) Attract other pests (rodents, diseases, and insects) What PROBLEMS DO THEY CAUSE?

28. Classification of weeds Morphological characteristics -Grasses -Sedges - Broadleaf Life cycle -Annual – Perenial Habitat -Aquatic -Semi-Aquatic -Terrestrial

29. Grasses Non-woody plants belonging to family Poaceae monocotyledonous flowering plants. 10,000 species of true grasses. Grasses include cereal grasses, bamboos and cultivated lawns and pasture. They can be annuals or perennials. Grass stems are hollow and cylindrical in the cross-section. prefer sunny locations with well-drained soils . Grasses provide forage for grazing animals. Some grasses are grown as ornamental grasses. They are also used as cover plants to control soil erosion.

30. Grass Annual grass 60cm tall Flowering can occur 35-45 days and flowers throughout the year Produce 3000 to 6000 seeds/plant Seeds have short dormancy period Present in the large numbers and very responsive to nutrients. Major problem in upland and rainfed lowland but not in flooded fields. It closely mimics rice in the vegetative growth stage and is a severe competitor of rice. It is the major host of diseases such as tungro and rice yellow dwarf. Management Cultural control : Flooding, hand weeding or use of hoe during land prep. Chemical control : Pre-emergence application of oxadiazon or pendimethalin or butachlor Post emergence application of cyhalofop butyl, bispyribac sodium and fenoxaprop can be effective.

31. Annual, erect, tufted or reclining at base; up to 200 cm tall. Propagated by seeds, flowering althroughout the year Can complete its life cycle in 42-64 days. Can produce 2,000-4,000 seeds per plant. A serious weed of lowland rice due to its rapid growth , competitive ability, and capacity to multiply rapidly. A contaminant of rice seeds Alternate Host of diseases, viruses, insect pest and nematodes. Management Control Cultural control: Thorough land preparation for rice under wet or dry conditions can reduce infestations. Difficult to distinguish the weed seedling at early stage. Biological control: Fungal pathogen Exserohilum monoceras shown to control this weeds Chemical control: Oxadiazon , pretilachlor , etc…

32. An erect or ascending perennial weed; up to 100cm tall Propagated by seeds, can produce 4,000 seed/plant Seeds do not germinate while submerged though, after emergence they can grow easily under flooded conditions. Abundant in direct-seeded rice fields Known as the vigorous and aggressive weed Can tolerate 30-45% of full sunlight Very competitive reduce rice yield up to 82% One of the commonest seed contaminants in rice seeds Management Cultural control : Hand weeding or rotary weeding Chemical control : any herbicides except mollinate .

33. A tufted and smooth perennial; up to 120cm tall Propagated by seeds ( 27,000 seeds/plant) Germination does not occur when seeds are submerged in water Seeds germinate well when fields are drained of flood water for longer period. Its ability to withstand waterlogged conditions as well as drained, moist conditions makes it a problem weed in rice. Not controlled by nominee which is commonly used in rice. Major contaminants in rice Management Used of uncontaminated seeds Continuous flooding Pre-emergence application of herbicides

34. Weedy rice is variable in height, panicle form, grain size, awn length, flag leaf, and growth duration. Thought to originate from outcrosses to wild species (O. nivara and O. rufipogon) Very competitive with cultivated rice, its seeds have dormancy, and its grains shatter easily. Management Cultural control : the used of crop seeds free from wild rice -crop rotation, soil puddling -hand weeding Chemical control : - The application of glyphosate befere land preparation or seeding reported to be effective.

35. Broadleaf Broadleaf plants (also called "broad-leaved") leaves have a flat, relatively broad surface with network veins . 

36. Amaranthus spinosus L. Amaranthaceae SPINY AMARANTH, dicot Found in: upland Establishment method: DS Growth habit: erect, much-branched; sharp axillary spines; up to 1 m Moisture : moist Competitiveness : moderate to high Cultural control: early hand weeding (before thorns grow) or cultivation; flooding suppresses growth Notes: one of the world’s worst weeds; C4 plant; prefers fertile soils and higher temperatures; sometimes consumed by humans; young plants poisonous to livestock

37. Ludwigia adscendens (L .) Hara Onagraceae CREEPING WATER PRIMROSE, Found in: lowland Growth habit: herb; floating or rooted and creeping; up to 0.5 m Moisture: aquatic—flooded or wet Cultural control: hand weeding Notes: restricts waterways; reduces oxygen content in water; dangerous to cattle

38. Monochoria vaginalis Pontederiaceae (Burm. f.) Found in: lowland Growth habit: herb; erect, hairless and fleshy ; up to 0.5 m Moisture : aquatic—wet to flooded Competitiveness : moderate with great densities early Seed Cultural control: stale seedbed with wet tillage, hand weeding Notes: germinates best in full light; often an annual in rice; consumed by humans

39. Broadleaf Herbaceous annual weed 7-150cm tall Reproducing by seeds, seeds usually dormant and germination is initiated by light. Flowers throughout the year and sets fruits Reported to cause yield loss of 25-50% in rice Management Cultural control : Closed crop canopy limits germination and growth with the weed. Chemical control : Anilofos , bensulfuron , cinosulfuron , chlorimuron , metsulfuron , and propanil are reported to be effective.

40. Sedges Sedges are grass-like non-woody plants belonging to family Cyperaceous. There are about 5500 known sedge species. These plants have solid stems which are triangular in cross-section. Their leaves are spirally arranged, and they are in three ranks . Sedges are perennial plants and prefer shady, moist locations. Sedge stems do not have swollen nodes or joints.

41. Sedge Annual weed Up to 100 cm tall Propagated by seeds Grows well in flooded or moist fertile soils but can also survive in poorer sandy or clay soils, but cannot tolerate flooding, and very common in lowland rice.

42. A dominant weed in direct-seeded rice when it occurs in high plants densities, forms a dense mats of vegetation in the young crop and can cause rice yield losses of 12-50%. Management Cultural control : hand and mechanical weeding in row planted rice plants can provide effective control. Chemical control : Bentazon , butachlor , 2,4-D, pretilachlor , propanil , and thiobencarb reported to be effective.

43. Sedge Annual perennial weed 10-70cm tall Multiplies rapidly Can produce 3,000-5,000 seeds per plant Seedlings emerge immediately after rice is sown Ovipositional host of all insects Host of diseases and nematodes Management Cultural control : Hand weeding at earlier stage of growth to prevent flowering and seed production. Chemical control : Butachlor or oxadiazon after harrowing

44. Sedge Prennial up to 50 cm high, with wiry rhizomes and tubers. Can produce up to 40t/ha of subterranean plant materials Found in dry land Very competitive at the early growth stage of rice Shade sensitive Management Cultural control Flooding is no longer an option to control C. rotundus . Sensitive to shading thus narrow spacing and high plant density to provide rapid shading can reduce growth Dry tillage during dry season – will expose tubers to sunlight and tubers are killed through desiccation. Chemical control- glyphosate application

45. References: Home - IRRI Rice Knowledge Bank

46. THE END…