Deng QiangHui;Pan XiaoHua

Jiangxi Agricultural University; China.; Nanchang 330045

cost benefit analysis;crop yield;economic analysis;insect pests;mutualism;plant diseases;plant pathogenic fungi;plant pathogens;plant pests;poultry;rice;weeds;Chilo suppressalis;Cnaphalocrocis medinalis;ducks;fungi;insects;Oryza;Oryza sativa;Rhizoctonia solani;China;Jiangxi

A study on the effects of rice-duck mutualism on weeds and insects pests and economic benefits of paddy field was conducted. The incidence of weeds, sheath blight and insects pest under rice-duck mutualism, conventional cultivation and control treatment were compared, and the yield and economic benefits were analysed under the 3 treatments. The results showed the average occurrence of weeds in rice-duck mutualism group decreased by 2.33 and 52.08 ind/m2 compared with that in conventional cultivation and control treatments. The control rate of mutualism was up to 75% against rice hopper, but just between 25% and 60% against rice leaf roller and Chilo suppressalis. The rates of diseased plant and diseased holl against rice sheath blight were higher and disease indices were lower compared with the control group. The yield of mutualism group was identical with that of conventional cultivation, which was greatly higher than that of the control group. The results suggested higher economic benefits and lower cost:benefit ratio for rice-duck mutualism treatment. It is concluded that rice-duck mutualism gives rise to a positive effect in controlling diseases, insect pests and weeds, as well as to economic benefits, providing basis on extension of rice-duck mutualism system.