Palayamanan: Diversification as Rice Pest Management Strategy

In recent years, ecological engineering has emerged as a platform for pest management approaches in agriculture. Rather than rely on inputs such as pesticides, ecological engineering banks on ecological services and diversity as sustainable and economically-sound pest management strategies.

In recent years, ecological engineering has emerged as a platform for pest management approaches in agriculture. Rather than rely on inputs such as pesticides, ecological engineering banks on ecological services and diversity as sustainable and economically-sound pest management strategies.

The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development regards diversification as an important element in agricultural risk management. If farmers are informed of the possible choices they could select from, diversifying on or off farm is a promising risk management strategy they could consider.

As the main agency concerned in the quality nd state of rice production in the country, the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) is mandated to develop and package technologies that will boost the country’s rice self-sufficiency level and rice farmers’ livelihood

One of its banner programs, Palayamanan, is a rice-based farming system composed of synergistically compatible farming ventures such as crop, animal production, aquaculture, and biomass processing. The system maximizes the utilization of resources, enhances sustainability, productivity and profitability, improves economic stability, and reduces farming risks.

Shifting Approach to Pest Management

Most farming systems today use pest management strategies that are considered volatile. The use of pesticides has long overshadowed the importance of natural and practical management practices. Due to their easy accessibility, high efficacy, and quick action, majority of farmers turned to these chemical inputs and made it their all-in-one solution for all pest and insect problems.

However, this practice has also caused risky consequences for its users. Pesticide misuse, which pertains to wrong timing, wrong dosage, and wrong pesticide applied to a certain pest, resulted to more frequent occurrences of pest outbreaks and pests with resistance to some chemicals. The use of pesticides also raised concerns on health and safety, environment and ecological stability and sustainability, and destruction of naturally-occurring beneficial organisms. Moreover, farmers’ reliance on pesticides has made farming more expensive, resulting in price surges of major grain and vegetable crops.

The promotion of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) technologies in the country in the 70’s and 80’s began to stir conventional pest management practices local farmers have come to adopt. Through Memo Order No. 126 signed by former President Fidel Ramos in 1993, the National Pest Management Program KASAGANAAN NG SAKAHAN AT KALIKASAN (KASAKALIKASAN), whose long term goal is to make IPM the standard approach to crop husbandry and pest management in rice, corn, and vegetable production, was implemented. The intensive promotion spearheaded by the government soon delivered a strong impact on crop producers.

As a result, stakeholders understood and valued the benefits of using practical yet sustainable pest management methods and dangers of relying too much on pesticides. Gertrudo Arida, pest management expert from the Crop protection Division of PhilRice, echoes these claims asserting most of our rice farmers are not heavily dependent on insecticides anymore.

For the past few years, very few outbreaks of pests have occurred with relatively small geographical coverage.  Brown planthoppers, which have been ravaging rice fields in other Asian rice-producing Asian countries, are not considered threats in the rice fields anymore. 

Preserving the Natural Ecosystem

Farmers’ improved attitude toward pesticide use has prompted PhilRice researchers to delve on the preservation of the natural ecosystem through farm diversification.

The study called “Impact of Palayamanan Field in Conservation Biocontrol in Rice and Rice-based System” looked into the effectiveness of applying Palayamanan principles in facilitating pest management and conservation of natural enemies and other organisms in local rice and rice-based ecosystem.

The methodology of the study included sampling of present organisms during the vegetative, tillering, booting, and milking stages.  Five primary sampling devices were used to collect samples from the Palayamanan site: the sweep net, sticky traps, yellow pan traps, blow/vac suction machine, and prey enrichment method or egg bait method, which is used to determine the level of parasitism of insect pests.

The collected insect pests and natural enemies were then identified, counted, and recorded in the laboratory.  Data recorded the presence of several kinds of common pests, predators, and parasitoids. Common pests were the brown planthopper, white-backed planthopper, and green leafhoppers. Meanwhile, common predators gathered were several species of spiders, coccinilid beetles, crickets, mired bugs, and damselfly. On the other hand, egg parasitoids named were Gonatocerous sp., and Anagrus sp.which attack the eggs of planthoppers, and Telenomus, Tetratichus, and Trichogramma, which attack the eggs of stemborers, among others.

Studies in the past comparing rice-only and Palayamanan ecosystems complements the findings of this study suggesting that the latter contains higher populations of beneficial organisms.

According to Arida, Palayamanan is a pest management strategy that follows the ecological engineering philosophy. By planting several crops such as egg plants, red pepper, bitter gourd, kangkong near or around the rice ecosystem, beneficial organisms find refuge and thrive. Providing source of food for parasitoids and refugia/shelter for predators, Palayamanan facilitates ecosystem services (like biological control) and diversity in the ecosystem, and thereby regulates pest activities.

For more information, please visit the www.philrice.gov.ph.