Raising weaver ants to protect fruit trees!

Instead of using chemicals, many farmers in Vu Quang (Ha Tinh) have applied the model of raising weaver ants to protect and care for citrus orchards.

The model of raising yellow ants to protect citrus fruit trees has been deployed in Vu Quang area since May 2023.

Deployed since May 2023, up to now, the model of raising weaver ants to protect citrus fruit trees in Vu Quang area has shown clear effectiveness, such as: controlling and completely destroying insects that are harmful to trees; limiting fruit drop and helping the fruit to be bigger, juicier, and sweeter.

It is known that this model was piloted by the Plant Protection Center (PPC) of Region IV (under the Plant Protection Department) in orange and grapefruit gardens in Quang Tho, Tho Dien, and Duc Linh communes with a scale of nearly 3 hectares/commune.

Mr. Vo Quoc Hoi - Director of the Center for Application of Science and Technology and Protection of Plants and Livestock in Vu Quang district said: "After selecting an orange garden over 3 years old to pilot the model, the center's technical staff organized training and instructed gardeners to remove old weaver ants and stinking ants before introducing weaver ants to avoid competition for food between ant species. Thanks to its systematic implementation, the model has brought double benefits to farmers, both helping the fruit increase its sweetness due to not being attacked by insects and helping the trees grow well."

Mr. Le Quang Toai in Dang village, Tho Dien commune is excited about the benefits that weaver ants bring to his orange garden.

Mr. Le Quang Toai's family in Dang village, Tho Dien commune has more than 2 hectares of 7-year-old oranges. Before 2022, the yield was about 7 tons/ha and the price of oranges was only 15,000 VND/kg due to low fruit quality, so the profit was not high. However, since applying the weaver ant farming model, the family's orange garden has improved in quality and productivity.

Mr. Toai said: "Since the beginning of the season, my family has only sprayed biological products 3 times instead of having to spray 10 times and using chemicals like before to kill insects; the weaver ant colony has increased from 20 nests to more than 40 nests and is continuing to increase. In particular, the orange yield is higher than before because it is not attacked by insects. It is estimated that by the end of the season, my family will harvest about 18 tons, 3 tons higher than before. Income will also increase thanks to the improved fruit quality."

Raising weaver ants brings double benefits to Vu Quang orange growers.

Instead of using chemicals, Mr. Phan Anh Toan's family in village 6 (Tho Dien commune) raised yellow ants in their orange and grapefruit garden of more than 2 hectares to catch insects and pests that are harmful to the trees.

Mr. Toan said: "After 5 months of experimental breeding, I realized that yellow ants can destroy harmful insects in fruit orchards such as: stink bugs, aphids, leafminers, mealybugs, stink ants... Orange and grapefruit trees with yellow ants living are almost 100% free of pests like before. Thanks to that, the family does not have to use pesticides and does not waste time spraying pesticides.

This brings many benefits such as: balancing the ecosystem, protecting the environment, not affecting health, especially reducing investment costs. Because, normally, each orange crop my family spends nearly 30 million VND to buy insecticides and hire workers to do it."

Raising yellow ants helps oranges grow bigger and juicier because they are not attacked by insects.

Mr. Toan also realized that by growing naturally, without using chemicals, and without being harmed by pests, citrus trees protected by weaver ants will produce large, juicy fruit. The economic value is also increased, and although the family's orange garden has not yet reached harvest time, it has received many orders from traders.

Talking about the technique of raising yellow ants, Mr. Vo Quoc Hoi shared that yellow ants are very easy to raise, do not require much time, effort, or cost to care for. However, if you do not know how to care for them, the ants will leave or die. If you decide to raise ants to protect crops, you must not use pesticides anymore. Because if you do, the ants will die or leave, this is the challenge for farmers who want to apply the yellow ants raising model to protect citrus orchards.

According to Vu Quang agriculture, yellow ants are very easy to raise, do not require much time, effort, or care costs.

Ant nests selected for breeding in the garden must have green leaf covers, an average diameter of 20 cm or more, and a structure of 2 or more layers of leaves. In addition, it is necessary to string ropes between tree canopies to facilitate the ants' movement from one tree to another to hunt and build nests. Supplement food for the yellow ants in the garden once a week so that the ants can multiply in large numbers.

"In the coming time, the Plant Protection Center of Region IV will actively promote and mobilize citrus growers to learn and replicate. From there, we will gradually improve the quality and brand of Vu Quang oranges, helping people improve their income as well as the longevity of the trees, towards a sustainable agriculture, saying no to chemicals" - Mr. Hoi said.

Van Chung

Source: https://baohatinh.vn/nong-nghiep/doc-la-vu-quang-nuoi-kien-vang-bao-ve-cay-an-qua-nbsp/256178.htm