Eels wreak havoc on Ecija rice fields

SCIENCE CITY OF MUÑOZ, Nueva Ecija, Philippines  – Eels are wreaking havoc on rice paddies in this city, affecting farmers’ productivity due to water seepage.

The Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) reported that farmers here have been complaining about eels burrowing in their fields, depleting their supply of irrigation water due to seepage and affecting nutrient and weed management.

The rice paddy eel, known scientifically as Monopretus albus and locally as igat, palos or kiwit, is a nocturnal fish that feeds on fish, crustaceans, and other invertebrates and can be found in rivers, lakes, ponds, marshes, swamps, and drains.

PhilRice crop specialists Leonardo Marquez and Fe de la Peña said the eel has evolved as the latest pest on palay, as it bores holes near dikes, in the process letting the water seep out.

Farmer Adriano Comilang Sr. said eels, to survive dry conditions, burrow holes as deep as 1.5 meters in his farm during the dry season.

But PhilRice said eels not only attack during the dry season, as there have been reports of eel infestation in Isabela and Negros this wet season.

Comilang said irrigating his field had been less effective, as the water collected in his field spills over to the neighboring farm. “With the holes made by eels, my field gets drained, while my adjacent farm is filled with water,” he said.

PhilRice researchers said fields should not be drained or flooded as water is critical in the nutrient uptake of plants and weed control.

The right amount of water supply ensures good crop establishment, seedling vigor, normal crop growth, development, and yield, they said.

Comilang said he uses electric traps or covers holes to cushion the presence of eels in his farms. 

Another farmer, Gregorio Gaspuz, rebuilds dikes in another area or pours molluscides into holes to force the eels out. He also tried continuous irrigation to prevent his field from drying.

The two farmers, however, said the practices are tedious as eels burrow and reproduce so fast.

Marquez and De la Peña said they plan to conduct a study on the management of rice paddy eels as a long-term solution to the eel infestation.

PhilRice is a government-owned and controlled corporation that aims to develop high-yielding, cost-reducing, and environment-friendly technologies so farmers can produce enough rice for the country.