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Rodent Control (Non-Chemical)
in Lowland Irrigated Rice
trap barrier system
Which rodents are pests in rice?
Many rodents cause problems in rice. The main pests are the "Rice field rat" (Rattus argentiventer), the Black rat (Rattus rattus) and the lesser bandicoot rat (Bandicota bengalensis). Various mice can also cause problems.
The presence of rats is usually associated with tracks in mud and rat holes in bunds and levees.
of cover alongedges of ricefields, especially along major irrigation canals and Why control rodents?
Rodents cause significant losses both in the field and in • clean spilled grain at harvest, keep village gardens and around houses clear of rubbish, food scraps • strategic use of TBS - use during the rice season Keys to effective rodent control - Community
action and Understanding rodent biology -
Typical field symptoms include seed eaten at planting,
Building and maintaining a Trap Barrier System
plant sheaths or tillers cut at 45 degrees near the base, or missing grains or panicles. Droppings and half eaten A TBS will have an effect over an area of 200m radius from grain are typical symptoms of rodents in grain stores.
the TBS (10 ha). A TBS is simple to erect, but to work Different rat species differ in their breeding patterns and properly, needs to meet these specifications: places where they live and thrive. Therefore different What you need
control strategies are required for different rodents.
• plastic for barrier fence (stronger material will resist damage, withstand high winds and be reusable for Ricefield rats: The breeding of the ricefield rat is linked to
the development of the rice crop and they give birth to • bamboo stakes to support the barrier and traps; 10-14 young. They begin breeding before panicle initiation and stop when the crop ripens. If crops are planted more • stapler and staples to fix plastic to string or wire; than two weeks apart then the rats will move to the late- • multiple capture live-traps; kill traps for use within planted crops and continue breeding. The rats live along channel banks and in village gardens during land How to build a TBS
preparation. These are target habitats for short, intensive, • select an existing 20 to 50 meter square plot within community control campaigns. The ricefield rats are very sensitive to human disturbance and so are rarely found in • use stakes and string to erect fence, bury plastic 10cm into ground and have fence 60 cm above ground; Black rats: Black rats only give birth to 6-10 young but
rice fact sheets
• dig or widen existing channels to construct an some females breed for most of the year. They therefore encircling moat at least half a meter wide; require low level but continual community control actions.
• install one or two multiple capture traps along each The Black rat thrives around houses and is a major post- side (these must be held tightly against the fence, with no holes or gaps that might allow rats to live trap
Control for both
• construct earth mounds partway across the moat, species requires:
• place kill traps along the inside of the fence to catch • plant the lure crop 2 to 3 weeks before the TBS maintenance
• empty the traps early each morning (dead rats left in the traps will discourage other rats from entering); For more information on rice and rodents, visit the Rice
• check the plastic barrier for holes each day and Knowledge Bank http://www.knowledgebank.irri.org/ either repair these or install extra traps; Also see: Aplin et al., 2003. Field Methods from Rodent • keep the moat free of grass; cover traps with straw Studies in Asia and the Indo-Pacific. ACIAR Monograph and provide food to keep rats from dying; and No. 100.223 p. available at http://www.cse.csiro.au/ • if unable to check the CTBS for a few days, place the rodents. To diagnose problems in the field, visit Rice Doctor at: http://www.knowledgebank.irri.org/ Developed with input from Grant Singleton (CSIRO; [email protected]) and MA Bell
Produced by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) • 2004, IRRI, All rights reserved •May 12, 2004

Source: http://www.shuidao.cn/factSheets/Pest_Management/fs_rodentControl.pdf