Efficacy of rodenticide bait application for rodent pest management in potato crop

Abstract

The experiment was conducted in four blocks of potato crop with each block consisting of three replications of 0.4 ha. The rodent control was carried out in block I (paper baiting of 2% Zinc phosphide @ 1 kg/ha at tuber maturation stage after application of last irrigation), block II (paper baiting of 0.005% Bromodialone @ 1 kg/ha at tuber maturation stage after application of last irrigation) and block III(paper baiting of 2% Zinc phosphide @ 1 kg/ha at tuber maturation stage after application of last irrigation followed by paper baiting of 0.005% Bromodialone @ 1 kg/ha at pre-harvesting stage). Block IV was kept as control. The percent control success of 57.56 ± 4.13 and 59.67±3.92 with respect to same and control fields, respectively; the minimum percent damage to potatoes (4.00±2.31); yield loss (11.60±6.94 kg/ha) and post-harvest burrow count (13.33±0.83/ha) was recorded in block III thus indicating that two treatments first with zinc phosphide at tuber maturation stage followed by bromadiolone after an interval of 15 days were maximum effective in controlling rodent population in potato crop.