Conserving Floral and Faunal Diversity of Rice Paddies

Abstract

Rice paddies have complex trophic food webs of fl ora and fauna. Integrated biodiversity management of fl owering
forbs can help conserve the benefi cial insects of rice ecosystem, in turn enhancing natural biological control of
pests. A concept of habitat management through ecological engineering has been developed at the ICAR-Indian
Institute of Rice Research, tested, and validated in farmers’ fi elds over several seasons of crop. The strategies
are low cost, easy to adopt, ecological sound and environmentally friendly, while providing farmers with
monetary returns and nutritional benefi ts. One of the techniques advocated, is increasing fl oral diversity.