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| The biggest advantage of using pheromone traps is that they are not toxic to humans and protect natural enemies. |
According to the agricultural sector, the biggest advantage of using pheromone traps is that they are not toxic to humans, protect beneficial natural enemies and the ecological environment, but still effectively control the population of pests that arise and develop in the fields, helping to reduce the number of times pesticides are used during the season while still ensuring effective control.
With the goal of replacing toxic chemical compounds by developing and applying pheromone technology in rice fields, the Phero Rice Green Field project has been deployed in Vinh Long in the Summer-Autumn crop of 2024.
According to the agricultural industry, pheromones are biologically active chemical compounds similar to insect pheromones, which attract adults into traps to kill insects. Pheromones are the name of a mixture of sex hormones. This mixture creates a characteristic female scent of some insects.
Male insects are then attracted and trapped in the trap using a sticky mixture similar to that used in color traps. The Phero Rice Green Field Project is based on the use of pheromones to distract and disrupt the ability of pests to mate. This allows farmers to control the population and reduce the damage caused by these insects to their fields.
MSc. Manon Avignon - Technical Director of M2i Life Sciences Company, Republic of France, said: "For the project in Vietnam, we focus on 3 main pheromones: 2 species of stem borers and 1 species of small leaf roller. 85% is the damage reduction efficiency for other pheromones in other countries. For stem borers and rice leaf rollers, we expect to achieve the same results".
In Vinh Long, in this year's Summer-Autumn crop, the Phero Rice Green Field Project was implemented in Vung Liem and Tam Binh districts, with a total area of about 10 hectares including 10 demonstration sites. At each demonstration site, the project will train farmers and issue certificates on integrated pest management using pheromone technology, supporting farmers to reduce damage caused by stem borers and leaf rollers through the use of pheromones, helping to increase farmers' income.
Participating in the project, Mr. Duong Thanh Thoi (Hamlet 11, My Loc Commune, Tam Binh District) said: “I was introduced to pheromones, the principles of action and uses of pheromones in managing harmful insects, and instructions on how to hang pheromones in the fields. I see that the greatest benefit of pheromone traps is to protect natural enemies, protect the environment, and importantly, the product is safe. I also tested it on my field to limit pests and diseases, thereby saving costs.”
Mr. Tran Van Cuong - Vice Chairman of the Farmers' Association of My Loc Commune (Tam Binh District) said: The biggest benefit of pheromone traps is to protect beneficial insects, protect the environment, and ensure the health of farmers. The commune has 6 households participating in the demonstration of the model of controlling harmful pests using pheromone with an area of 1 ha/household. When implementing the model, farmers were very interested and enthusiastic in implementing it. The model will be evaluated for its effectiveness after the Summer-Autumn harvest, and the level of damage reduction caused by stem borers and leaf rollers will be evaluated.
Mr. Nguyen Van Liem - Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said: The implementation of the project is an effective solution in production towards safety, green agricultural circulation. Especially in the Project "Restructuring the agricultural sector of Vinh Long province towards increasing added value and sustainable development by 2025 and vision to 2030", by 2025, the province will have 1.5% of organic production area and by 2030 will have 3%. The successful project will contribute to increasing productivity, efficiency and protecting the environment, protecting health, making products cleaner, safer and increasing production value for farmers.
According to the agricultural sector, in recent times, farmers have mainly used chemical pesticides to prevent and control pests in their fields (including stem borers and leaf rollers). In addition to the effectiveness, this solution also causes the risk of pesticide resistance in insects, affecting the health of farmers and the field environment. Using pheromones to control pests in the fields is a safe solution for farmers and the environment, and also supports farmers in producing rice that meets safety and organic standards, thereby increasing profits for farmers.
Mr. Aru David - Director of ASSIST Mekong region, said: “The project will continue to be implemented in Dong Thap and Long An provinces. After this project, we expect to train farmers and select about 30 key farmers to guide other farmers. Specifically, farmers will be trained and certified in integrated pest management using pheromone technology through the field training course (FFS); reduce 85% of damage caused by pests through the use of pheromone technology and increase farmers' income by 10%... We also hope that farmers will increase their income by increasing selling prices, reducing costs in using chemical pesticides and moving towards a more sustainable agricultural development”. |
Article and photos: NGUYEN KHANG
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