Efficacy of acute and anticoagulant rodenticide baiting in sugarcane fields of Punjab, India

Abstract

The aim of this study was to recommend locality-specific rodent pest management techniques for sugarcane using acute and anticoagulant rodenticides during the months when maximum damage is inflicted on the crop in Punjab, India. Sugarcane crops were found to be infested with four rodent species namely: Bandicota bengalensis (Gray and Hardwicke); Mus booduga (Gray); Millardia meltada (Gray) and Golunda ellioti (Gray), with B. bengalensis being the most prevalent species (accounting for 69.45–83.36% of the total catch). Surveys in 11 villages of three districts of Punjab (India) revealed 19.12 ± 12.22% rodent damage to the sugarcane crop during the months of December–January. Rodenticide treatments were conducted in farmer's fields in two districts of Punjab from December 2003 to January 2007. The results revealed that, to protect the sugarcane crop from rodent damage during the months of December–January, the rodenticide treatment may be applied either: (1) by double-baiting with 2% zinc phosphide followed by 0.005% bromadiolone after 15d at 1 kg/ha each, or (2) by single-baiting with 0.005% bromadiolone at 2 kg/ha. The impact of rodenticide treatment in canefields was also evident in the adjoining wheat crop fields where the incidence of rodent damage was less (0.97–3.24%) than in the fields surrounding untreated canefields (3.53–6.22%).

Keywords:

• acute rodenticide
• anticoagulant rodenticide
• rodents
• rodent damage
• sugarcane
• wheat
• Bandicota bengalensis

Acknowledgements

We wish to thank the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), New Delhi, India for financial support and the Professor and Head, Department of Zoology, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, India for the facilities provided.