Organic Rice Ducks / Itik, Tips on How to Grow Them

Описание: We are refering to Rice Ducks whenever goose or geese are mentioned in this vlog. We are sorry for the inconvenience.

Brief Description By Dr. Rafael D. Guerrero III

The integrated farming of rice and ducks in irrigated fields has long been practiced in China, Japan, and Korea. In the Philippines, Muscovy ducks (“itik”) are usually released into the rice fields before land preparation to feed on snails like the “golden apple snail,” a pest of rice. It is a common belief–or more accurately, misconception– that ducks can damage the rice plants.

Studies done by researchers of the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) Regional Field Office in the Cagayan Valley (Region 2) with project coordinator Lovelyn Gaspar showed that the ducks not only controlled the golden apple snail (up to 95%) and weeds in irrigated paddies, but also helped increase the yield of rice up to 36%.

The DA researchers say that there is a “symbiotic relationship” between the rice and ducks in the integrated farming system. The ducks provide organic fertilizer (through their manure and urine) to the rice for its growth, while the snails, insects, and weeds in the rice field serve as natural feeds for the ducks. There is less labor needed for removing weeds in paddies with ducks, and no need for the application of chemical fertilizers and herbicides. There is also a reduced emission of methane (a greenhouse gas contributing to global warming) because of the stirring action of the ducks on the paddy bottom.
For more information, read the whole article here: https://www.agriculture.com.ph/2018/1...
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