Preference of Bandicota bengalensis Rats for Seeds and Seedlings, Consumption of Different Varieties and Gaucho-Treated Seeds of Different Crops under Simulated Laboratory and Field Conditions Singla Neena*, Kaur Navdeep Department of Zoology, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana-141 004, India *Corresponding author: neenasingla@pau.edu
Online Published on 19 April, 2024. Abstract Rodent damage to crops cultivated under different agronomic practices during sowing and germination stages differ substantially. Bandicota bengalensis is the predominant rodent pest species of crops. The present study was conducted to know the preference of B. bengalensis rats for seeds and seedlings of paddy, maize, and cotton under simulated field conditions. Bandicoot rats consumed seeds and seedlings of both maize and paddy with significantly higher consumption of direct-seeded paddy seeds and seedlings than transplanted rice. The cotton (Bt and non-Bt) seeds and seedlings were not consumed by rats both under laboratory and field conditions. Rats showed 100% consumption of seeds of all the varieties of conventional (PR121, PR 128, and PR129) and basmati (PB1121, PB1509, and PB1718) rice showing no inter-varietal preference for seeds. Gaucho 70 WS (Imidacloprid) treatment of maize and paddy seeds did not provide any protection from rodent damage. The study, thus suggests that more emphasis be given to protecting direct seeded rice crops from rodent depredations. Top Keywords Bandicota bengalensis, Cotton, Maize, Paddy, Seeds, Seedlings. Top |