PALMOILMAGAZINE, JAKARTA – Implementing natural agents like owls to control rats can effectively mitigate potential decreases in palm oil productivity. This eco-friendly approach not only addresses environmental concerns but also reduces reliance on chemical applications within plantations.
Rats, being primary pests in palm oil plantations, pose significant threats to production by compromising both the quantity and quality of fresh fruit bunches (FFB). They can render plantations non-productive before maturity, as they feed on tree stalks in immature stages, leading to tree mortality. In mature trees, rats target male flowers and FFB, thereby reducing production and potentially increasing free fatty acid (FFA) content or diminishing the quality of crude palm oil (CPO) (Rajagukguk, B, 2014).
Traditionally, rat control has heavily relied on chemical methods like the ‘redontisida system campain,’ encompassing both first and second-generation anticoagulants. However, chemical control methods have proven unsatisfactory due to their limited effectiveness in reducing rat populations, high costs, and adverse environmental impacts.
Also Read: PTPN V Innovative Approach Utilizing Natural Enemies for Pest Control in Palm Oil Plantations
Biological control is the alternative one to use for it is sustainable and environmental. In the long term, the money will be much money to spend rather than it in chemical ways. Some methods in controlling the pest (rat) biologically have been done by some plantation companies, such as, using cobra. But it influenced the safety of the workers. So breeding owls (Tyto alba) is the alternative to control the rats environmentally and sustainably to decrease the numbers of rats in the plantation (Sipayung, A. 1990).
Owl (Tyto alba) is chosen for it is the predator to the rats in the palm oil plantation. It is noctural (active in the night) and 99% of its food are rats and 1% is bugs. Tyto Alba attacks well and could eat 2 to 7 rats in every single night. It could kill more than what it needs (Setiawan, 2014).
It needs to notice, breeding owls in palm oil plantation needs ‘gupon’ or cage, routine monitoring, managing the place of breeding, and the spread of owl should be based on its characteristic. Breeding owls in PT Salonok Ladang Mas (SLM) (USTP Group) has been running since in the end of 2013 until now within the goal is to control rats intensively and sustainably. The breeding of owls in PT SLM has good results. This success happens for the top management of PT SLM commits and it is supported by the workers within the cooperation from the plot workers and the Pest and Disease Team. (PDT).
Advantaging the Breeding Cage
The cage to breed used by PT Salonok Ladang Mas is 5 meter in width and 4 meter in length. Its inside cage is like a hen cage within 2,5 meter in width, 1 meter in length and 50 cm in height. The cage functions as the place to rest and home to owls. The outside cage functions as the media to breed the baby owl. The cage triggers others because owls like to gather in the afternoon before they hunt the rats. The baby owl will be in the cage and call the others in the afternoon to gather.
Breding owls using cage has many functions. It could be the media as the trigger to the local owls which might have lived or stayed in the area. It could be the place to gather in the afternoon. The location of the cage could be the center of breeding owls. Around it, the ‘gupon’ will be put within the ratio, 1 unit ‘gupon’ for 25 hectares.
In the first phase, it will be introduced to owls around the cage and they should be in the cage for about 2 weeks and feed by giving the rats whose feet have been cut off. Its goal is that the owls know the ‘gupon’. The owls will hunt around the cage. But before it, the owls will gather around the cage. Giving the living rats is that the owls’ instict will be stable though the man has interfered to breed the owls.
This method makes the positive result to make colony of owls in the plot. In less than 3 months, the owls live in 6 of 10 ‘gupon’ made. Two of them are productive. The next phase is the evacuation process of the baby owls within two months old (8 weeks) to be bred and trained until the baby owl could be introduced to the inactive gupon. It needs to notice the woof, flying training which the trainers do so that the baby owls could be qualified in the ‘gupon’. (*)
By: Salahuddin Adi Kelana, Avi Damayanthi, Ruben S, Marlon S/ Tim Agronomi at PT Union Sampoerna Triputra Persada
