Scientists propose to solve the problem of pecking grain by birds when sowing wheat, barley, rye, legumes, corn, rape and during their germination with shallow embedding using repellents.
Several drugs with the active ingredient methyl anthranilate have appeared on the market. For several years, they were tested on the farms of the Krasnodar Territory to protect gardens, vineyards and corn crops from birds. Birds did not visit the treated area for 2 weeks. After this period, the birds returned, but did not cause damage – the harvest was fully preserved. In areas untreated with a repellent, the crop was severely damaged in some places.
Scientists also noticed that birds try to fly around the places where containers from under repellents are stored. Therefore, it was decided to fill the container with water and place it in gardens and berry plantations. For 2 weeks, the birds did not damage these areas – the fruits and berries were saved.
Guide created by Bird-X
Manufacturers claim that after 3-4 weeks (depending on the weather) after use, the repellent on fruits and berries cannot be detected. Organoleptic analysis of fruits and berries from treated and untreated areas does not reveal any differences.
Abroad, chemical repellents are widely used in orchards, vineyards and berry fields – drugs that scare away birds, insects, ticks and rodents. To combat blood-sucking insects (mosquitoes, fleas) and ticks, repellents have been widely used for a long time. However, repellents based on the same active ingredients did not work to scare birds away.
Among bird repellents, the market offers gardeners, wine growers and berry growers patented by agrochemical companies of the USA, Japan, Germany, preparations with a variety of chemical compounds – quinone thioester, sulfinic acid amide, highly aromatic hydrocarbon fractions and others. Coal tar, dyes, varnishes, red lead, copper sulfate, crude carbolic acid, beta-naphthol, thiuram, anthraquinone and other substances are used for per-sowing treatment of seeds of corn and other cereals against birds. These preparations do not adversely affect seed germination. However, they are rejected due to their low efficiency and short-term impact.+
Damage to crops from birds is especially noticeable during the period of seasonal migrations of birds. Stopping to rest, numerous flocks of birds peck up the seeds, which leads to the formation of large areas of “bald spots”. Crop losses from such bird raids can be up to 20%.
Collaboration of many experts
For herbal extracts, KWS also collaborates with a number of vertebrate researchers from the Julius Kuhn Institute, experts from the University of Applied Sciences Bielefeld and the Heidelberg-based company Phytoplan, which specializes in the production of natural biologically active substances. Phytoplan is engaged in the production and supply of extracts and their constituents. The Julius Kuhn Institute is responsible for project coordination and feeding experiments in poultry houses. Experts from Bielefeld are working to optimize the treated formulation to increase its durability and effectiveness.
The project participants are in no hurry to talk about the principles of action and the degree of effectiveness of the extracts, so as not to create patent risks for their developments in this area. “We already have repellent extracts that work well even in the field and do not harm the seedlings. At this stage, we need to make sure that these preparations adhere as well as possible to the surface of the seeds and, even after being in the ground for three weeks, retain their effect in the bird’s beak.
Scarers don’t work
In turn, the researchers, as in previous years, will be closely watched by hundreds of bird’s eyes. In particular, smart crows have already figured out how to deal with people. They seem to understand that hunting them is prohibited.
