Ecology, biology and control of black rat Rattus rattus in Minicoy Island
| dc.contributor.author | Ranjan Advani | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2014-06-05T08:49:08Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2014-06-05T08:49:08Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 1984-06 | |
| dc.description.abstract | Ecological and biological studies on the predominant rodent pest of coconut in Minicoy Island, the black rat, Rattus rattus, revealed a high level of infestation. Rats belonging to age class 111-140 g predominated the free living populations. The male: female sex ratio was 43 3: 56.8 with the more pronounced predominance of female sex in higher age groups (140 - 200+g). The average prevalence of pregnancy was 21.3 per cent, the maximum being in case of females over 171 g. Number of embryos per pregnant female and per female were S.92 and 0.93 respectively. Wooden traps and sherman metal traps were found effective in capturing adult and sub-adult rats respectively, while wire cages were comparatively less successful. With the increase in palm density/ha, a rise in rodent infestation levels and relative damages were observed. Ten times more rodents were trapped on the crowns of coconuts than at ground level, suggesting to undertake poison and trapping operations on the crowns of coconut palms rather than at ground level. Copra followed by insects and other vegetation were the preferred food items of R. rattus as revealed from analysis of stomach content. Rats infesting coconut crop in residential habitat were found to feed on paddy in storage also. Results of present studies have been compared with R. rattus populations infesing coconut fields in Pacific Islands | en_US |
| dc.identifier.citation | Journal of Plantation Crops 12(1) : 11-16 June, 1984 | en_US |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/2420 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | en_US |
| dc.title | Ecology, biology and control of black rat Rattus rattus in Minicoy Island | en_US |
| dc.type | Article | en_US |