Santa Fe.- In a wide area of Fields Dedicated to agriculture At the northern end of Santa Fe and Southern Chaco, Producers confirm that the accelerated growth of Wood pigeons and parrots He threatens to ruin an agricultural campaign. In recent days, images of attacks on sunflower and soybean crops in their early stages have spread widely.
In fact, these costs are already assumed because everyone agrees that there are sunflower or soybean fields likely to be affected by this pest.
In the case of Santa Fe, damages are recognized in the general districts of Obligado, Vera and 9 de Julio. The first is where you were planted earlier in the current campaign. In the remaining tasks, the tasks started weeks later, so the plants are in the flowering stage.
“But in the southern Chaco, there was a greater impact. It was in those fields where pigeons and parrots appeared and were destroyed, although cardinals were added later, which eat the seeds as soon as they are placed on the ground. This has been happening for several years, but what we are assessing is that this issue is becoming more serious year after year,” he admitted in an interview with Nation Agronomist Ricardo Mercao, based in North Santa Fe.
Everyone agrees that the damage is increasing. “It’s not a new problem, but we all know that everything becomes more complicated every year. The damage varies depending on crops and regions. So, it’s not just a problem in northern Santa Fe. It’s spreading because there’s an increasing number of pigeons and parrots,” he added. Augusto Gasaldo, Producer and former president of the Rural Association of Reconquista, who provided explanations for this medium.
The damage is visible to the naked eye. Juan Capozzolo, a producer in the area, told the newspaper: “There are so many animals that predation prevents them from being harvested. In the group of producers in the southern Chaco, it was commented that even with permanent human guards, control has not been achieved, given the evil caused by the number of pigeons currently there.”
According to producers and experts, what is happening in the Chaco fields approaching the crossing to Santa Fe is complex. “In my line of work, the decision was made not to plant because it is uneconomical and to switch to another crop and not waste time.” Recognized martin gougeon, One of the producers from Villa Elisa came out to comment on what is happening in the area.
“It’s a problem I’ve seen since I was a child, when my father owned a field. There was a time when it disappeared, but in the last four seasons it has come back much stronger. This year is terrible, worse than previous years. I have a field where I planted spring soybeans. There are 15 people in the area making noises and we can’t scare them away. Before, two or three were enough, but now it has become impossible. He explained to the media in that governorate: “They are like ‘locked’ in seedlings, and they do not leave.”
When asked why pigeons attack certain fields but not all, Gougeon noted: “Unlike tortoise pigeons or parrot pigeons, which usually destroy crops when they reproduce by eating grains, pigeons attack directly at the initial stage, especially soybeans. I tried putting ground sorghum to distract them, but they don’t touch it. They are obsessed with soybeans.” They also cause damage to sunflowers, but are more manageable. On the other hand, in soybeans, even if we scare them, they fly a few meters and come back down.
The aforementioned producer expanded the description of the problem by pointing out that in his area not only the wood pigeon is causing damage, but also the species known as the wood pigeon. “They are two different species. The dove eats everything, while the leroti dove, which is similar to a medium-sized dove but is native to the mountains, attacks water sources. If you don’t take care of it, it will leave you in a mess a few meters away.” He was warned in his story.
Later, Gojon noted, in radio statements, that “the problem goes far beyond the local or even regional level, as these birds can travel up to 100 kilometers per day.” Measures taken on one estate or one province are not enough. If Chaco controls but Formosa does not, we are still in the same situation. He warned that this must be dealt with at the regional level.
On this topic, Maria Elena Zaccagnini, in 2011, Coordinator of the Strategic Area for Environmental Management at INTA Paraná, continued the work that “There is a general perception that pigeon losses are very important. Zaccagnini explained that this is not what was measured by INTA with scientifically designed sampling, with the result that although the proportion of affected crops can reach 20 or 30 percent, losses in crop production do not exceed 2 percent in most fields and in a few 5 to 8 percent.
In the last four years, pigeons have witnessed tremendous growth due to the expansion of agricultural land, the presence of mountains close to crops – the ideal place for pigeons to breed – and the availability of food and water.
“As long as the pigeons have food, they will have the resources to continue growing,” the coordinator said.