How to control Snails in Paddy

We all know that Paddy is the staple crop for majority of the people living. Paddy is the crop that is cultivated mostly twice a year and rarely thrice a year. However, the yield of Paddy is high during Rainy/ Kharif season. Paddy is the crop that is susceptible to majority of diseases and infected by many of the insect pests. There are some diseases and insect pests that attack Paddy throughout the year. Eventhough, in some regions, Paddy plants are affected by pests like Snails. Snails cause major problem to Paddy plants especially during rainy season.

Snails in Paddy crop

            Snails attack Paddy crop when the water levels are high that is during rainy season. The infestation of Snails in Paddy crop is more during rainy season as the Snails are spread by rain water. Snails cause a great damge to Paddy plants.

Snails damage to Rice plants

• There are two important Snail species that attack Rice plants. They are Pomacea maculate as well as Pomacea canaliculata also known as Golden Apple Snail that is highly invasive and cause great damage to Paddy plants than the former one.
• These Snails feed on the young emerging Paddy plants.
• Snails cut the base of the Panicles and destroy the whole Plant.
• Snails are spread to the fields mostly during the flooding of rain water, irrigation canals and other running water pathways.

Signs & Symptoms of Snail damage in Paddy crop

• Check for the missing hills of the Rice plants.
• Farmer can see cut leaves and cut stems at the Snails infested portion.
• Snails’ damage may lead to 50% yield loss.

How to control Snails in Paddy

• Cultural control include the mass removal of Snails and their eggs from the Paddy crop. Maintain the fields drained as much as possible. Keep the water level in the Paddy crop less than 2 cm.
• Biological control of Snails includes encouraging natural enemies of snails such as red ants, ducks and some predatory birds that feed on adult snails.
• Natural control of Snails includes addition of tobacco leaves, citrus leaves and heartleaf false picklerweed leaves in the Rice field.
• Chemical control of Snails includes use of Molluscicides such as Metaldehyde and Niclosamide only to the 30 days old seedlings.

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Therefore, this is all about how to control Snails in Paddy crop. If you have any queries, comment below.