CINNAMAMIDE, AN AVIAN REPELLENT, REDUCES WOODPIGEON DAMAGE TO OILSEEDRAPE

Woodpigeons Columba palumbus cause significant damage to oilseed rape Brassica napus. (Cruciferae) in Britain, especially between January an d March. The potential of cinnamamide, a non-lethal chemical repellent , to protect growing oilseed rape from woodpigeon damage was assessed in 20 x 20 m plots laid out in a 9-ha held frequented by >500 woodpige ons. Despite a low initial loading of cinnamamide and low persistence of the compound after spraying, the inner leaves of treated plants rec eived less damage than the inner leaves of untreated plants (P < 0.05) . This was reflected later in the trial in a decline in damage to the outer leaves of treated plants (P < 0.05). No signs of phytotoxicity w ere seen on treated leaves during the trial. Cinnamamide did not compl etely protect the rape, and some plants in treated plots received cons iderable damage. This was probably due to the compound's poor persiste nce on the leaf and because it was applied late in the growing season (late February) when birds had already made inroads into the crop. (C) 1998 SCI.