What are Golden Apple Snails?

The golden apple snail came to Asia during the 1980’s from South America as a potential food for people. Unfortunately, the golden apple snail has become a major pest of rice having spread to the Philippines, Cambodia, Thailand,

and Vietnam.

 

Why control Golden Apple Snails?

The golden apple snail eats young and emerging rice plants and can completely destroy a crop during crop establishment.

 

Critical times for control:

The critical time to control golden apple snail is during the first 10 days for the transplanted crops and the first 21 days for direct wet-seeded crops. After this, the crop growth

is typically greater than the rate of snail damage.

 

How to manage Golden Apple Snails?

See fact sheet below.

Birds can be controlled by:

1. Birdboys: If used, birdboys need to be present at critical times of 6-10am and 2pm-6pm.

2. Birdnets: For isolated areas of less than 0.25 ha.

3. For direct seeded fields:

• Cover seed with soil upon planting.

• Increase seed rate.

• Place bird scaring devices - e.g., tape, models of hawks, kites, models of snakes.(For best effects, bird scaring devices need to be rotated.)

• Plant in season - avoid planting or harvesting out of season, thus becoming focal points for attack.

Which rodents are pests in rice?

Many rodents cause problems in rice. The main pests are the "Rice field rat", the Black rat and the lesser bandicoot rat. Mice can also cause problems. The presence of rats is usually associated with tracks

in mud and rat holes in bunds and levees.

 

Why control rodents?

Rodents cause significant losses both in the field and in post-harvest rice management. (see also Module VI:Storage)

 

What are the field symptoms?

Seed eaten at planting, plant sheaths or tillers cut at 45 degrees near the base, or missing grains or panicles.

 

Keys to effective rodent control - Different control strategies are required for different rodents. See fact sheet below for more.