Preferences of the Golden Apple Snail (Pomacea Canaliculata) for Several Rice Varieties

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FORMOSA NEWS - Kupang - Tiny Snail, Big Appetite: Inpari Rice Protects Crops Against Devastating Golden Apple Snail. A pervasive aquatic pest is threatening rice fields across Southeast Asia, but a resilient crop variety might offer farmers a critical window of defense. Isack Jacob Amos Pah, Don H. Kadja, dan Yasinta L. Kleden from Nusa Cendana University investigated the feeding preferences of the highly destructive golden apple snail (Pomacea canaliculata). The study, published in May 2026, reveals that while the invasive snail possesses a voracious appetite for most staple crops, the Inpari rice variety demonstrates significant natural resistance during the critical early stages of plant growth.

The Growing Threat to Regional Food Security
Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is the foundational staple food for millions of people across Indonesia and the broader Asia-Pacific region, making sustainable cultivation vital for national food security. However, smallholder farmers face severe economic risks from agricultural pests. Among these, the golden apple snail is one of the most ecologically and financially damaging threats, especially during the first four weeks of a rice plant's life cycle. Originally introduced to Southeast Asia from South America in the 1980s, this highly adaptable species reproduces rapidly; a single snail can lay thousands of eggs in one breeding cycle. In favorable flooded environments, these pests can destroy up to 60% of a rice field within 24 hours and wipe out an entire crop in less than a week. In Tarus Village, located in the Central Kupang Regency of East Nusa Tenggara, persistent snail infestations continue to undermine local livelihoods despite the introduction of high-yielding rice varieties. Finding a way to minimize crop loss without relying heavily on toxic chemical pesticides has become a top priority for agricultural scientists.

Testing Snail Appetites in the Lab
To address this challenge, researchers Isack Jacob Amos Pah, Don H. Kadja, and Yasinta L. Kleden conducted controlled experiments at the Plant Pest Laboratory of Nusa Cendana University between March and April 2025. The team selected four widely cultivated rice varieties in Indonesia for a comparative analysis:

• Ciherang.
• Inpari 42.
• Inpari 24 Red.
• Standard Inpari.

Using a randomized block design, the scientists evaluated 21-day-old seedlings across two distinct experimental phases: a preference test and an infestation test. In the preference test, all four rice varieties were placed in a single container with a group of hungry, adult snails to observe which plant variety was targeted first. In the infestation test, each rice variety was isolated in separate containers to measure the precise rate and severity of tissue damage over a continuous 21-day period.

Key Findings: Inpari Stands Firm as Ciherang Falls
The experimental data revealed stark contrasts in how the golden apple snail interacts with different crop varieties.

• The Ciherang Vulnerability: Within the first 24 hours of the preference test, the Ciherang variety suffered a 100% infestation rate, confirming it as the snails' highly preferred food source due to its soft tissue and high nutritional appeal.
• Moderate Resistance: Inpari 42 and Inpari 24 Red recorded moderate preference scores of 75% and 50%, respectively.
• The Inpari Shield: The standard Inpari variety demonstrated the highest natural resistance, logging a low preference score of only 25% after the first day.

The isolated infestation trials mirrored these results. By the seventh day of exposure, the Ciherang crop was entirely overwhelmed, while the Inpari variety maintained a low 25% damage rate. Even by day 14, while other varieties approached total destruction, Inpari held its ground with a significantly lower infestation rate of 75%. However, the study also revealed a critical limitation: by day 21, the snails eventually consumed all available plants across all varieties, indicating that host-plant resistance alone cannot completely stop prolonged infestations.

Real-World Impact and Integrated Pest Management
The findings from Nusa Cendana University offer immediate, practical applications for ecological farming practices. Because the standard Inpari variety features tougher plant stalks and higher silica content, it acts as a natural deterrent that slows down the snails' feeding frenzy. This physical resistance provides smallholders with a vital tactical window to implement secondary defense measures before devastating economic losses occur. For agricultural policymakers and local farmers, these results underscore the importance of moving away from expensive, environmentally damaging chemical treatments. Instead, the researchers recommend utilizing Inpari as a defensive frontline crop, paired with an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategy. This includes mechanical snail removal, controlled field drainage, and the deployment of biological predators during the first two to three weeks of planting when the seedlings are most vulnerable.

Author Profile
Isack Jacob Amos Pah holds an academic degree in agriculture from Universitas Nusa Cendana. He is a researcher specializing in plant pest management, agricultural ecology, and sustainable crop protection, with a focus on developing eco-friendly farming strategies for smallholders in East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia.

Source
Isack Jacob Amos Pah, Don H. Kadja, dan Yasinta L. Kleden (2026). Preferences of the Golden Apple Snail (Pomacea Canaliculata) for Several Rice Varieties. Formosa Journal of Applied Sciences (FJAS). Vol. 5, No. 5, Hal. 1235-1246 2026.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.55927/fjas.v5i5.59
URL: https://journalfjas.my.id/index.php/fjas