Role of Golden Apple Snail in Organic Rice Cultivation and Weed Management

Summary in the original language of the document

The Golden Apple Snail (GAS), Pomacea canaliculata (Lamarck), is a major pest of rice and other aquatic crops in many Asian farms. Farmers’ first line of defense is to use non-specific chemicals for “instant” kill of GAS, without considering its effect on their health, the environment, and non-target organisms. However, some organic rice farmers in Japan, Korea, and the Philippines do not kill GAS but manage them as bio-weeders in rice fields. We evaluated organic farmers’ innovation at the PhilRice Central Experimental Station (CES) using large fields. Then we demonstrated GAS paddy-weeding effects in several farmers’ fields in the Philippines, during the 2003 and 2004 dry (DS) and wet seasons (WS). Our own experiences and that of the farmers’ in the Philippines and Japan on the role of GAS in weed management, promotion of organic rice farming, and lessons learned are discussed.