Title: Preventing weeds through duck-rice cultivation

Abstract: Rice-duck cultivation is the essence of Chinese traditional agriculture. A scientific assessment of the mechanism and its capacity is of theoretical significance and practical value in improving modern agricultural technology. The duck's secretions, excreta and their treading, pecking and predation decrease the occurrence of plant diseases, pests and weeds, enrich the species diversity and improve the field environment. Rice-duck intergrowth system effectively prevents rice planthoppers and rice leafhoppers, the control effects can be up to 98.47% and 100% respectively; also has effects on the control of chilo suppressalis ,tryporyza incertulas, and the rice leafrollers. Notable control results are found on the sheath blight, while the effects on other diseases are about 50%. It puts the harm of weeds under primary control, the prevention on weeds is sequenced by broad-leaf weeds > sedge weeds > gramineae weeds. Contents of SOM, N, P and K are improved by the system, nutrients utilization is accelerated resulting in decreased fertilizer application. Greenhouse gas emissions are reduced by 1% to 2% and duck fodder is saved in this system. Besides, there is obvious economic benefit. Compared to conventional rice cultivation, rice-duck cultivation shows great benefits on ecologic cost and economic income. [Pan Long, Huang Huang, Xiaolan Liao, Zhiqiang Fu, Huabin Zheng, Aiwu Chen& Can Chen (2013). Mechanism and capacities of reducing ecological cost through rice-duck cultivation. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, online 22 May, DOI: 10.1002/jsfa.6223] Comment

Keywords: reduce; ecological cost; rice-duck cultivation; economic benefit

Original source



Article: WeedsNews4473 (permalink)
Categories: :WeedsNews:weed control, :WeedsNews:research alert, :WeedsNews:birds
Date: 2 June 2013; 8:18:35 pm Australian Eastern Standard Time

Author Name: Zheljana Peric
Author ID: zper12