Comments on: Prospects for ecological engineering against rice pests

By: How to communicate ecological engineering to farmers «

How to communicate ecological engineering to farmers « — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 09:14:15 +0000

[...] current buzzwords, biodiversity and ecological engineering, to farmers? Ecological engineering principles mean modifying the environment, both in space and time, to enhance ecosystem services. In our [...]

By: 2010 International Year of Biodiversity (IYB) – A theme of the Rice Planthopper Project «

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 05:46:54 +0000

[...] predator and parasitoid biodiversity and their services through rationalizing insecticide use and ecological engineering approaches. The Project has also conducted sociological studies to understand farmers’ knowledge, attitudes [...]

By: r – K pests of rice and ecological engineering «

r – K pests of rice and ecological engineering « — Mon, 18 May 2009 11:13:13 +0000

[...] Comments K.L. Heong on Neonicotinoids – Silent Summer…Chitra Shanker on Prospects for ecological engin…Judy Wu on Neonicotinoids – Silent Summer…Hybrid rice grown pe… on Ricehopper [...]

By: Chitra Shanker

Chitra Shanker — Tue, 05 May 2009 09:51:17 +0000

I agree that outbreaks are symptoms of ecosystem breakdown. But ecological pronciples sound so vague to the farmer who thinks insecticides are the only resort. How will you change this mind set? Have you practiced ecological; engineering for hopper management? What is your experience?

By: K.L. Heong

K.L. Heong — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 07:17:23 +0000

Chitra Shanker, I am afraid to say that you are right. It is not just pest managers, but agriculturalists in general tend to focus on maximizing production and adopt the easiest, but necessarily sustainable, means to “kill” (not manage) pests. Outbreaks are symptoms of ecosystem breakdown. And you are absolutely right that the long term and sustainable solution is the maintenance of ecosystem health. See the latest post on 24 Dec 2008.

By: Chitra Shanker

Chitra Shanker — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 06:33:57 +0000

It is very true that pest managers have a very compartmentalised approach towards pests . They miss out on the ecosystem perspective,which leads to outbreaks. The long term solution can only be through sustainable maintenance of the health of the ecosystem