Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-hc48f Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-24T08:35:57.442Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Effects of free-range chickens and geese on insect pests and weeds in an agroecosystem

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 October 2009

M. Sean Clark  and
Stuart H. Gage
M. Sean Clark
Affiliation:
Graduate assistant, Department of Entomology and the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824-1115.
Stuart H. Gage
Affiliation:
Professor, Department of Entomology and the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824-1115.
Get access

Abstract

We evaluated the effects of free-range chickens and geese on insect pests and weeds in an experimental, nonchemical agroecosystem consisting of an apple orchard with intercropped potatoes. The objective was to assess the potential of these domestic bird species as biological control agents. Four insect pests were studied: plum curculio, apple maggot, Japanese beetle, and Colorado potato beetle. Chickens fed on several potential crop pests, including Japanese beetle. Although Japanese beetles were less abundant on apple trees when chickens were present, the proportion of damaged fruit was not reduced. Furthermore, chickens did not affect weed abundance or crop productivity. In contrast, geese were effective weeders. Their activities reduced weed abundance and increased potato plant growth and yields compared with a minimally weeded control. In addition, the activities of geese indirectly reduced apple fruit damage by plum curculio and increased the proportion of pest-free fruit, possibly because removal of vegetation by the geese reduced humidity at the soil surface and therefore reduced the activity of plum curculio.

Keywords

chickensgeesebiological controlinsect managementweed management
Type
Articles
Information
American Journal of Alternative Agriculture , Volume 11 , Issue 1 , March 1996 , pp. 39 - 47
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1996

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1.Bachmann, J. 1993. Weeder geese: A practical alternative to herbicides. Kerr Center for Sustainable Agriculture. Newsletter 19:1–2.Google Scholar
2.Bender, J. 1994. Future Harvest: Pesticide-Free Farming. University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln.Google Scholar
3.Casagrande, R.A. 1987. The Colorado potato beetle: 125 years of mismanagement. Bull. Entomological Soc. Amer. 33:142–150.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
4.Chouinard, G., Hill, S.B., and Vincent, C.. 1993. Spring behavior of the plum curculio (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) within caged dwarf apple trees. Annals Entomological Soc. Amer. 86:333–340.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
5.Clark, M.S., Gage, S.H., DeLind, L.B., and Lennington, M.. 1995. Compatibility of domestic birds with a nonchemical agroecosystem. Amer. J. Alternative Agric. 10:114–121.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
6.Cramer, C. 1992. Weeder geese boost berry profits $222. The New Farm 14(4):38–40.Google Scholar
7.Gillen, R.L., and Scifres, C.J.. 1991. Selective grazing as a weed control method. In Pimentel, D. and Hanson, A.A. (eds). CRC Handbook of Pest Management in Agriculture. CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida, pp. 369–376.Google Scholar
8.Glofcheskie, B.D., and Surgeoner, G.A.. 1990. Muscovy ducks as an adjunct for the control of the house fly (Diptera: Muscidae). J. Economic Entomology 83:788–791.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
9.Glofcheskie, B.D., and Surgeoner, G.A.. 1993. Efficacy of muscovy ducks as an adjunct for house fly (Diptera: Muscidae) control in swine and dairy operations. J. Economic Entomology 86:1686–1692.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
10.Hare, J.D. 1990. Ecology and management of Colorado potato beetle. Annual Review of Entomology 35:81–100.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
11.Hoare, A.H. 1928. The English Grass Orchard and the Principles of Fruit Growing. The Riverside Press, Great Britain.Google Scholar
12.Horton, D.R., and Capinera, J.L.. 1987. Effects of plant diversity, host density, and host size on population ecology of the Colorado potato beetle. Environmental Entomology 16:1019–1026.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
13.Hough-Goldstein, J.A., Greiger, J., Chang, D., and Saylor, W.. 1993. Palatability and toxicity of the Colorado potato beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) to domestic chickens. Annals Entomological Soc. Amer. 86:158–164.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
14.Johnson, C. 1960. Management of weeder geese in commercial fields. California Agric. 14(8):5.Google Scholar
15.King, L.D. 1990. ´. In Edwards, C.A., Lai, R., Madden, P., Miller, R.H., and House, G. (eds). Sustainable Agricultural Systems. Soil and Water Conservation Society, Ankeny, Iowa, pp. 89–106.Google Scholar
16.Loomis, R.S., and Connor, D.J.. 1992. Crop Ecology: Productivity and Management in Agricultural Systems. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, Great Britain.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
17.Mayton, E.L., Smith, E.V., and King, D.. 1945. Nutgrass eradication studies: IV Use of chickens and geese in the control of nutgrass, Cyperus rotundas L. J. Amer. Soc. Agronomy 37:785–791.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
18.Olkowski, W., Daar, S., and Olkowski, H.. 1991. Common-Sense Pest Control. Taunton Press, Newtown, Connecticut.Google Scholar
19.Parker, C.F. 1990. Role of animals in sustainable agriculture. In Edwards, C.A., Lai, R., Madden, P., Miller, R.H., and House, G. (eds). Sustainable Agricultural Systems. Soil and Water Conservation Society, Ankeny, Iowa. pp. 238–245.Google Scholar
20.Quaintance, A.L., and Jenne, E.L.. 1912. The plum curculio. Bull. No. 103. Bureau of Entomology, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Washington, D.C.Google Scholar
21.Racette, G., Chouinard, G., Vincent, C., and Hill, S.B.. 1992. Ecology and management of the plum curculio, Conotrachelus nenuphar (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), in apple orchards. Phytoprotection 73:85–100.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
22.Salatin, J. 1991. Profit by appointment only. The New Farm 13(6):8–12.Google Scholar
23.Shirley, C. 1992. Put stock in orchards and woodlots. The New Farm 14(4): 35–37.Google Scholar
24.VABF. 1993. Proceedings of the Virginia Association of Biological Farming, New River Chapter Farmer to Farmer Conference. Floyd, Virginia.Google Scholar
25.Ware, A. 1995. Geese in the strawberry patch. Small Farm Today 12(3):34–36.Google Scholar
26.Wurtz, T.L. 1995. Domestic geese: Biological weed control in an agricultural setting. Ecological Applications 5:570–578.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
27.Zehnder, G.W., and Evanylo, G.K.. 1989. Influence of extent and timing of Colorado potato beetle defoliation on potato tuber production in eastern Virginia. J. Economic Entomology 82:948–953.CrossRefGoogle Scholar