A crop protection expert based at the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) has urged farmers to plant vegetables along rice bund to help manage pests.
Gertrudo S. Arida, division head of PhilRice Crop Protection Division, said planting vegetables such as okra (lady’s finger), kalabasa (squash) and talong (eggplant) provides food for egg parasitoids and shelter for predators.
“Palayamanan® or diversified farming can provide a diverse habitat for beneficial organisms or natural enemies to rice pests. Flowering vegetables in Palayamanan® are sources of pollen and nectars and home of predators,” Arida said during the recent Ecological Engineering in Pest Management seminar held here.
Arida promoted “ecological engineering,” a strategy that lessens pesticide use by improving the beneficial insects’ habitat. Beneficial insects in the rice field include spiders, coccinelid bettles, long legged flies, and yellowish-brown ants.
“Farmers apply pesticides about six times in a season. Pesticides must only be used as a corrective measure during pest outbreaks. To prevent outbreaks, we recommend the conservation of natural enemies to lessen the unnecessary and costly use of pesticides,” he said. [PNA]
