Potential bird repellents to reduce bird damage to lettuce seed and seedlings

• Published in: Proceedings of the Vertebrate Pest Conference
• Main Authors: Cummings, John L., Pochop, Patricia A., Yoder, Christi A., Davis , James E. Jr.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: eScholarship, University of California 1998
• Subjects: repellent; agriculture; bird repellent; lettuce; California; horned lark; Eremophila alpestris; bird damage; ReJeX-iT; AG-145; Mesurol; fipronil; activated charcoal; lime; efficacy; Life Sciences
• Online Access: http://www.escholarship.org/uc/item/5z8511dh

The authors evaluated the effectiveness of ReJeX-iT® AG-145, Mesurol®, activated charcoal, lime, and fipronil to reduce homed lark damage to lettuce seeds and seedlings. In Experiment 1, homed larks consumed significantly more feed mixture (50:50 grains and lettuce seed) than untreated clay-coated lettuce seed in a three-day choice-test. In Experiment 2, where clay-coated lettuce seed was treated with ReJeX-iT® AG-145, Mesurol®, activated charcoal, or lime, there was no significant difference in consumption of untreated clay-coated lettuce seed and treated clay-coated lettuce seed. Homed larks consumed insignificant amounts of all seed treatments including untreated coated lettuce seed. In this experiment homed larks lost an average of 28% of their body weight over the three-day test period. It was concluded that the clay seed coating alone reduced damage significantly. In the aviary test, flats of sprouting lettuce seedlings were sprayed with Mesurol® (4 kg/ha), ReJeX-iT® AG-145 (64 kg/ha), lime (32 kg/ha), activated charcoal (32 kg/ha), and fipronil (4 kg/ha). Mesurol®, ReJeX-iT® AG-145, and lime significantly reduced consumption of lettuce seedlings over a four-day test period. Even though lime significantly reduced consumption, homed larks still consumed over 50% of the available lettuce seedlings. Field evaluations are warranted with Mesurol® and ReJeX-iT® AG-145.