REPELLENT EFFECT OF CAPTAN 50% WP AND BAYFIDAN 25% EC FUNGICIDES AGAINST HOUSE SPARROW BIRD, PASSER DOMESTICUS NILOTICUS (L.) UNDER LABORATORY AND FIELD CONDITIONS

Abstract

The present study evaluated the repellent and toxic effects of two fungicides: Captan 50% WP and Bayfidan 25% EC, on the house sparrow, Passer domesticus niloticus, a major agricultural pest in Egypt. Laboratory and field experiments were conducted to determine the efficacy of these compounds in protecting wheat and broad bean crops from sparrow attacks. In laboratory trials, the repellency effect was assessed using non-choice and free-choice feeding methods, while toxicity was measured through LD50 values. The results demonstrated that both fungicides had a significant repellent effect, with Bayfidan outperforming Captan. Field trials confirmed the laboratory findings, demonstrating that Bayfidan offered better crop protection, with a protection index of 67.5% for wheat and 63.1% for broad beans. Captan was also effective but slightly less than Bayfidan. The study highlights the potential of using fungicidal compounds as eco-friendly bird repellents to minimize crop losses, reducing reliance on traditional avicides. It also emphasizes the importance of deciding hazard factors to ensure safe field application and risk minimization to non-target organisms. The findings provide a promising solution for bird management in agricultural fields and contribute to enhancing crop yield and sustainability