Rice-duck Farming Research Articles

Effects of duck activities on a weed community under a transplanted rice–duck farming system in southern China

Rice–duck farming is one of the traditional, but current and gradually popularized, ecological farming techniques for paddy rice production in China. In comparison to rice monoculture farming, we investigated a weed community and weed infestation in a transplanted rice–duck farming system and examined the effects of duck activities on the weeds. Three treatments were imposed in the experiment: a rice–duck coculture with duck grazing and disturbance effects, a rice–duck coculture with duck disturbance effects only, and a control (rice monoculture, no duck effects). Rice seedlings were nursed and transplanted in this experiment. The total number of weed species was significantly lower in the treatment with both duck grazing and disturbance and in the treatment with duck disturbance only than in the monoculture rice treatment (control). The Shannon‐Wiener Biodiversity Index of the weed species decreased but the Pielou Evenness Index increased in both treatments with ducks compared to the monoculture control. Sorensen's coefficient of similarity of the weed communities was low between the treatments with ducks and the monoculture control, implying that the weed communities diverged. The total density and biomass of the weed community in both the treatments with ducks were significantly lower compared to the monoculture control. However, compared to the rice monoculture control, the weed biomass was reduced by 98% in the treatment with duck grazing and disturbance and by 84% in the treatment with duck disturbance only, implying that only 14% of the weeds were controlled by duck grazing and that 84% of the weed biomass was inhibited by duck activities in the rice field with ducks. The rice grain yield increased in the treatments with ducks compared to the control. The results suggested that duck activities, like grazing weeds and disturbance of the soil and water, had a significant effect on the weed community structure and that weeds could be well controlled without herbicide application under a rice–duck farming system.

Effect of rice-duck farming ecosystem on zoobenthos biodiversity in paddy field

在水稻不同生育时期对稻鸭共作稻田和常规稻田的土壤取样，研究不同稻田生态系统水体底栖动物的生物多样性。结果表明：与常规稻田相比，稻鸭共作使水体底栖动物的种类数减少。水稻生育前期，稻鸭共作使底栖动物的个体总数减少较大，后期与常规稻田差异较小。水稻各生育时期常规稻田和稻鸭共作稻田底栖动物的Shannon-Wiener多样性指数、Simpson多样性指数和Pielou均匀度指数变化趋势相似，均为水稻生育前期稻鸭共作稻田的生物多样性指数和均匀度指数高于常规稻田，而后期低于常规稻田。研究结果为规范稻鸭共作稻田水分管理和稻鸭共作技术提供理论指导，促进稻鸭共作技术的推广和应用。

Characterization of Nitrous Oxide Emission from a Rice-Duck Farming System in South China

Agricultural activities are important contributors to the emissions of greenhouse gases. This study ascertained the dynamic emission of nitrous oxide (N(2)O) from a paddy field under a rice-duck farming system in South China. Two different cultivation and fertilizer treatments, namely, organic fertilizer + ducks (OF+D) and chemical fertilizer + ducks (CF+D) treatments, were employed in this study. Experimental data showed that diurnal variations of N(2)O emission were highly correlated with the activities of ducklings. The rates of N(2)O emission were normally increased in the early morning and late afternoon due to the frequent movement of ducklings at these time periods. Our study further revealed that the rates of N(2)O emission from the paddy field varied with the types of fertilizers used as well as with the stages of the rice growth. In general, the rates of N(2)O emission were higher for the CF+D treatment than for the OF+D treatment, whereas more N(2)O was emitted from the paddy field at the tillering stage than at the heading stage. The global warming potential with the use of the organic fertilizer was about 22% lower than with the use of the chemical fertilizer.

522 アイガモ農法支援システムに関する研究 : アイガモの行動観察に基づくカモ型ロボットの試作(OS9-4 ロボティクス・メカトロニクスの技術(4),オーガナイズドセッション:9 ロボティクス・メカトロニクスの技術)

522 アイガモ農法支援システムに関する研究 : アイガモの行動観察に基づくカモ型ロボットの試作(OS9-4 ロボティクス・メカトロニクスの技術(4),オーガナイズドセッション:9 ロボティクス・メカトロニクスの技術)

4231 アイガモ農法支援システムに関する研究 : カモ型ロボットの遠隔操作(S68 農業ロボット,S68 農業ロボット)

The rice-duck fanning is known as one of the environmental friendly fanning methods. Ducks can effectively control weed and insects population, and farmers get two products, chemical free rice and duck, from the same rice field at a time. However, demerits, the time and patience to deal with ducks, disturb the spread of the rice-duck fanning. This paper proposes a new rice-duck fanning support system which can reduce complicated tasks of the rice-duck farming. The proposed rice-duck fanning support system consists of an automated duck house, and a rice-field monitoring system with cameras, robotic duck. We experimented remote controlling of the robotic duck in both indoor and outdoor experiment. From the experimental results, we clarified several subjects for the practical use of the robotic duck.

Effect of Integrated Rice-Duck Farming on Rice Yield, Farm Productivity, and Rice-Provisioning Ability of Farmers

The feasibility of the rice-duck system of rice production, practiced in some East Asian countries, is studied in Bangladesh as a sub-project of the Poverty Elimination Through Rice Research Assistance (PETRRA). The Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) implements the sub-project in collaboration with two NGOs, FIVDB and BDS, in the northeastern (greater Sylhet) and southern (Barisal) regions of the country. Each demonstration trial, conducted in the field of the farmers, is treated as a replication. In these trials, the rice-duck system is compared with the methods of growing rice solely, as traditionally practiced by the farmers in Bangladesh. Evaluation of the activities carried out under the PETRRA sub-project shows that the rice-duck system is not only feasible, but also economically rewarding for the farmers. The yield of rice is, on average, 20% higher in the rice-duck system than the traditional rice system (sole rice), thereby ensuring about 50% higher net return and rice-provisioning ability. The ducks in the rice-duck fields control weeds and insects very effectively; as a consequence, labor and pesticide costs for controlling weeds and insects are minimized and the soil health is improved. The ducks provide another source of added income for the farmers. In view of the favorable results obtained in the study, it might be suggested that the rice-duck system be spread throughout the country as an income-generating activity for the resource-poor farmers.

Rice-duck farming reduces weeding and insecticide requirement and increases grain yield and income of farmers

Rice-duck farming reduces weeding and insecticide requirement and increases grain yield and income of farmers

Comparison of aquatic organisms communities between paddy fields under rice-duck (aigamo) farming and paddy fields under conventional farming

Farming using “aigamo” (rice-duck; crossbred of wild and domestic duck) is one of the popular organic farming methods for paddy rice in Japan. The diversity and community structure of aquatic organisms under rice-duck farming were investigated and compared with those under conventional farming. Adjacent paddy fields with these different farming methods were selected at two sites. The taxonomical groups and the number of aquatic organisms ranging in size from 30 µm to 2 cm in the floodwater of three collection areas in the respective fields were surveyed every 10 d during the growth period of rice plants. The number of taxonomical groups of aquatic organisms and the frequency of the presence of Stichotrichia were significantly higher in the paddy fields under conventional farming, while the population density of Volvocida was significantly higher in the paddy fields under rice-duck farming (p < 0.05). The number of taxonomical groups during the late flooding period (over 50 d after the onset of flooding) increased more significantly in the fields under conventional farming than in those under rice-duck farming. Principal component analysis showed that Lemnaceae and Chlorococcales mainly composed the communities of aquatic organisms in the fields under conventional farming, while such communities were not observed in the fields under rice-duck farming. The authors could not find any specific community structure of aquatic organisms in the latter farming system.

Effect of Physical Stimulation by Free-ranging Aigamo Ducks on Rice Growth and Yield under a Rice-Duck Farming System

Effect of Physical Stimulation by Free-ranging Aigamo Ducks on Rice Growth and Yield under a Rice-Duck Farming System