Optimization of Automatic Repellent tool in combination with extract pesticides to prevent rice-eating bird pests in Takalar, South Sulawesi Muhammad Yusril Hardiansyah (a,b*), Arif Fikri Al Ridho (b), Nurhidayat (c), Akhmad Zamroni (d), Novaty Eny Dungga (b)
a) Global Agriculture Technology and Genomic Science, International College, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Republic of China, Taiwan
*yusrilhardiansyah1[at]gmail.com
b) Department of Agronomy, Agrotechnology Study Program, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Hasanuddin, Makassar 90245, Indonesia
c) Department of Soil Science, Agrotechnology Study Program, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Hasanuddin, Makassar 90245, Indonesia
d) School of Environmental Science and Management, University of the Philippines Los Banos, Laguna 4031, The Philippines
Abstract
Bird pests are one of the main enemies of farmers that can reduce rice production. Increasing bird populations lead to reduced yields and a lack of ways to overcome it, which causes unrest among farmers. This is a significant problem that causes the stability of rice production, particularly in Takalar, South Sulawesi, which has been the impact of bird pest attacks. One method that can be used to repel bird pests is an automatic bird pest-repellent tool to overcome this issue. This study aims to determine the impact of using automatic repellent to prevent the attack of rice-eating birds in Takalar. This research affects a better rice cultivation process, especially in reducing bird pest attacks. This research was conducted in Tonasa Village, Takalar Regency, South Sulawesi. The research method includes designing a pest-repellent method using an automatic air freshener machine and manufacturing and testing jengkol extract as a pesticide liquid for a spraying agent that emits a scent that bird pests avoid. The application of the tool lasted for three days, divided into testing the tool on the first day and the main tool application was carried out for two days on the day after. Parameter observations used the comparison method of initial observations and final observations that were observed in the morning, afternoon, and evening. The results obtained, on average, show quite a lot of attacks in a day, especially in the morning. After using an automatic repellent tool, the attacks of bird groups tended to decrease slightly in the morning, with the ratio of 22-32 decreasing approximately to 6-14 attacks. Meanwhile, the afternoon ratio of 7-14 around reduced to 3-7 attacks, and the evening ratio of 20-29 decreased to around 8-12 group attacks of birds. In addition, the main obstacle in the application of this tool is wind pressure which causes a non-significant difference on the second day of tool application. In conclusion, the automatic repellent tool has a significant and influential impact in reducing bird pest attacks and has difficulties in reducing bird pest attacks under high wind pressure.
