Institut für Pflanzenschutz in Gartenbau und Forst
In horticulture, birds cause considerable losses through feeding on main vegetable crops (e.g. peas) as well as special crops. Crows and pigeons damage the seeds, seedlings and parts of plants (e.g. corn cobs). In addition, bird droppings on vegetable crops (e.g. lettuce) pose a health risk due to a potential concomitant transfer of pathogens. There is no general strategy to avoid damage from birds in horticulture. The vegetable gardeners have individual experiences, but without a reliable basis of data. For example, covering plants by netting is a common method, but it is expensive and can promote fungal infestations. The project addresses the bird damages in horticulture for the first time by interviews of gardeners and tests of measures in field. The project is accompanied by the ‘Verbund Ökologische Praxisforschung’. At the end of the project, practical fact sheets will show bird species- and culture-dependent measures to avoid bird damage in main and special crops and approaches for further development.
Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture
