DIVERSITY OF PESTS, NATURAL ENEMIES AND WEEDS IN TRADITIONAL AND ORGANIC PADDY FIELDS

Abstract

The objective of this research article were to compare and survey           the diversity of the types of pests, natural enemies and weeds found in traditional and organic paddy fields. It was an exploratory research using mix methods of document study and interview about the process of rice production with two key informants, namely the staff responsible for producing rice in         the sample fields and survey of pests and natural enemies and weeds diversities in the paddy field samples by using swing to catch insects from the fields and count insects in the rice fields.They were surveyed in traditional paddy fields, using chemical, at the Rice Research Center, Pathum Thani province and organic paddy fields at Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy (CRMA) Nakhon Nayok province. The results showed that the processes of rice production were similar, in that planting seedlings in planting trays by machine, transplanting, harvesting, and threshing. Regarding insects and natural pest diversities in organic paddy fields, their amounts were higher than in traditional paddy fields. In terms of crop pests diversity, stem borers were found in organic paddy fields while white-backed planthoppers, zigzag leafhoppers, brown planthoppers, rice ear - cutting caterpillars, rice leaffolders and golden apple snails were found in traditional paddy fields. In case of natural enemies diversity, dragonflies, spiders, beetles, grasshoppers, egg-sucking moths were found in organic paddy fields while rice black bugs, stink bugs, dragonflies, grasshoppers and spiders were found in traditional paddy fields. Regarding weeds diversity, weeds were not found in organic paddy fields but small flower umbrella sedge, giant bur rush, barnyard grass, bamboo grasses, bermuda grasses, goose grasses, snake's breads, false daisy, water primroses, goose weeds and pickerel weeds were found in traditional paddy fields