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Behaviour and Damage of the Lesser Bandicoot Rat (bandicota Bengalensis Gray) in an Enclosed Mature Wheat Field

M. E. Haque
Division of Entomology, (Vertebrate Pest Section), Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute, Gazipur, Bangladesh

L. A. Fiedler
Denver Wildlife Research Center (DWRC), NCPC, UPLB, College. Philippines

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

The behaviour and damage of the lesser bandicoot rat, Bandicota bengalensis Gray, were studied in an enclosure of mature wheat. The rats started digging burrows immediately after their release. They started stem cutting within six hours of release. Intense intraspecific conflict among four rats in one compartment resulted in the death of one rat and less stem cutting activity (40.2%) than by two rats in another compartment (86.6%). Similarly the number of cut panicles stored in burrows by two rats were about 3 times higher than that done by four rats.

Keywords: Behaviour, Damage, Rat, Wheat

Location: Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute Farm.

Start Date:

End Date:

Program Area: Pest Management

Commodity: Wheat, Rats

Objectives:

To determine the number of mature wheat stems damaged and the panicles stored in burrows within an enclosure by a known number of rats over a 15 day period.

Methodology:

The study was conducted at the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute Farm. A wheat field at mature stage was enclosed by means of 1.5 m wide galvanized tin sheet. The enclosure measured 6 x 3 m and was divided into two compartments of 3 x 3 m. The enclosure walls stood I m high above the ground and 0.5 m below the ground level. A pair of male and female B. bengalensis was released into one compartment (Compartment 1) and two pairs of males and females were placed in the other (Compartment 2). All rats were similar in size and weight. Rats were replaced whenever any were dead or missing. Live traps were used to remove the rats from the compartments at the end of the study. The observations were taken on intraspecific rat competition every night for 30 min over a 15 day period, standing by the side of the enclosure wall silently. The total loss of wheat grains were determined by multiplying the number of panicles cut by rats and the mean seed weight of wheat panicles. The stored wheat panicles were recovered from the burrows by digging and then counted. The amount of wheat grain stored in burrows and destroyed by eating and mixing with soil were also determined. For determining the average seed weight of each panicle, 25 panicles were collected randomly from the wheat field before harvest. Kernels were removed from panicles, counted, dried and weighed. The average number or wheat kernels per panicle was 38.4 and the weight per kernel was 28.1 mg. The mean seed weight of each panicle was 1.08g.

Source of Information: Bangladesh Journal of Agriculture. Vol: 10 (No-4), pp: 57-60, Oct-Dec 1985

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

This study showed that only two rats of compartment 1 caused about 3 times more damage than four rats of compartment 2 in terms of damaged stems, and number of panicles and quantity of grains stored in burrows. Grain spillage by two rats was even much greater-more than 30 times greater than that done by four rats. Lower damage by four rats was the effect of intraspecific competition in compartment 2 for food and space, allowing less time for than to do as much damage as done by two rats in compartment 1. Findings of this study suggest that higher damage in an open wheat field may not be positively related with higher rat population.

Knowledge Management: Journal