Biological Risks in Litchi Production System and Farmers’ Management in Phayao Province

Abstract

Pests and narrow genetic base are two important biological risks in litchi production. The study aimed to assess the extent of biological risks, with emphasis on pests, and farmers’ management practices to overcome or reduce the risks. The field research was conducted at major litchi production areas in four sub-districts of Mae Chai district and one sub-district of Mueang district of Phayao province with a total of 113 farm samples. The study covered one season of fruit production from November 2006 to July 2007. The methods consisted of farm survey, and semi-structured interview. Each sampled farm was located with GPS. Biological risks from pests were assessed by farmers. The study showed that almost all litchi varieties planted by farmers was Honghuai variety, distributed on rainfed uplands with varying topography from flat to undulating and sloping uplands. The production constraints as identified by farmers were pests (28.7 percent), followed by price fluctuation, climatic variation, water shortage, and increasing production cost, respectively. Among the biological pests, plant diseases, such as sun burn and fruit rot, constituted the highest risk with 10.4 percent. This was then followed by insects, weeds, and animal pests with severity index of 2.9, 2.6, and 2.3 percent, respectively. About 79.3 percent of farmers used chemicals to control plant diseases, insects, and animal pests. Farmers used cultural methods as weed management practice. A few farmers had adopted integrated pest management (11.7 percent), and cultural practices (9.0) to reduce agro-chemical use. Almost all farmers (99.1 percent) carried out tree pruning practice after fruit harvest.