GUWAHATI: A recent study conducted in Assam has unveiled the beneficial role of bats in rice ecosystems, shedding light on how these nocturnal creatures can aid in preserving rice crops by suppressing pests and safeguarding yields.
The study, which took place during the Sali (winter) rice season of 2019, has highlighted the significance of insectivorous bats in supporting agricultural landscapes.
The research, published in the journal "Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment," suggests that bats play a vital role in mitigating damage to rice crops by curbing pest populations. While their exact economic value in Indian agriculture is still being determined, the study's findings underscore the crucial role of bats in enhancing agricultural sustainability.
Iqbal Bhalla, one of the researchers involved in the study, emphasised the importance of bats in agricultural settings.
The study's findings align with the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program introduced in India in 1992. This program aims to reduce reliance on pesticides in agriculture by integrating biological, cultural, and chemical practices to control insect pests. Over the years, natural predators such as fish, frogs, parasitoids, and ducks have been employed to manage agricultural pests.
Bats have gained prominence in the past decade as valuable contributors to pest management. Insectivorous bats, known for their generalist diet, consume various pests, including those that pose threats to crops. Their mobility allows them to adapt to different prey sources when crop pests are scarce, making them a versatile resource for pest control. Additionally, bats contribute to limiting the spread of diseases by reducing the populations of disease vectors like mosquitoes and flies.
Bhalla also noted that many farmers possess an intuitive understanding of the value of birds and bats as natural pest control agents. In some regions of Assam, innovative techniques such as placing thin branches in rice fields to provide resting spots for insectivorous birds have been employed to encourage their presence and pest control efforts.
The study was conducted in Puthimari, a village located in the Sonitpur district of Assam. Rice is a major crop in the state, cultivated on a vast expanse of 2.54 million hectares of land.
While the research was primarily focused on the collective contribution of insectivorous bats to pest control, specific bat species were not identified due to the study's reliance on acoustic analyses and the absence of a species-specific library. Nonetheless, researchers confirmed the presence of bat species such as the greater false vampire bat, greater Asiatic yellow bat, and lesser Asiatic yellow bat.
The study employed six sets of experimental and control plots to evaluate the impact of bat presence on rice crops. Results revealed that excluding insectivorous bats led to increased defoliation in rice crops, strongly indicating that bats play a significant role in suppressing pest activity in rice fields.
The findings from this study carry implications for agricultural practices beyond rice cultivation. As bats' contributions to pest management become increasingly evident, further research and conservation efforts may help protect these vital yet threatened creatures and promote their role in maintaining ecological balance in various crop types.