Dr. Gobinda Chandra Biswas
Principal Scientific Officer
Vertebrate Pest Division, BARI, Gazipur-1701
Md. Shah alam
Senior Scientific Officer
Vertebrate Pest Division, BARI, Gazipur-1701
Survey and collection of vertebrate pests from different areas of the country were conducted at the Vertebrate Pest Division, BARI, Gazipur to know the pest species, population, incidence, nature and extent of damage and other research activities. A considerable number of rats were found in the poultry farms of Kapasia and Sreepur, Gazipur. A total of 50 rats were collected from the 10 poultry farms by trapping with live traps. Among these, 42 were identified as Bandicota bengalensis and the rests 8 were Rattus rattus species. The sex ratio of the collected rats was 15: 35 for male and female, respectively. Brown squirrels (Callosciurus pygerythrus G) and rats (Rattus rattus) were found to damage in coconuts, jackfruits, litchi, guava, mango and others citrus fruits grown in the Regional Agricultural Research Station, Moulvibazar, Sylhet, while a considerable number of stripped squirrels (Funambulus pennanti) were observed to damage the above mentioned crops in the Fruit Research Station, Rajshahi. Bird like parakeet, crow, bulbul etc. were found to damage mango, jackfruits, papaya, litchi, guava and citrus fruits in those locations.
Survey, collection, vertebrate pests, different areas, country, rodent species.
Gazipur, sylhet, Rajshahi,
Pest Management
i)To find out the species composition of rodent in the country.
ii) to know the crop damage pattern caused by rodent in the country
The survey work was conducted in the different Regional Agricultural Research Stations and other Substations named Regional Wheat Research Station Shyampur, Rajshahi, Fruit Research Station, Rajshahi, RARS, Akbarpur, Moulvibazar, Sylhet under Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), Gazipur and other parts of the country like, BADC farm, Kashimpur, Sreepur, Kapasia, Gazipur, during October 2012 to June 2013 to know different vertebrate pests’ species their incidence and extent of damage. The survey work was conducted among the farmers in different location through in interview schedule. For collection of different species of rodent, different types of traps were set in the research farms, farmer’s crops fields, poultry farms and stores. The collected rats were brought to the laboratory of vertebrate pest division, BARI and put in cages separately for identification, rodenticide test and other investigation. We collected the rat from the traps in every alternate day. Squirrel and birds pests damage of different crops were observed visually and recorded. Incidence, nature of damage and extent or amount of damage by the different vertebrate pests were also observed carefully and recorded.
Annual report, Vertebrate Pest Division
Thirty thousand
A total of 50 rats were collected from the 10 poultry farms of Kapasia and Sreepur Upazilla, Gazipur by trapping with the live traps. Of these, the most of the rats (42 no.) were identified as Bandicota bengalensis and the rests (8 no.) were of Rattus rattus species. The sex ratios of the collected rats were 15: 35 for male and female, respectively. We observed bed planting wheat field suffered lower rat infestation (2-4%) compared with traditional sowing wheat fields(5-8%) in Durgapur and Charghat Upazila of Rajshahi. In Regional Wheat Research Station Shyampur, Rajshahi it was found that there were many stripped squirrel (Funambulus pennanti) roaming on in the coconut trees. About 3-7 squirrels were observed per coconut tree and recorded the squirrel damaged young coconut. They cause damage to the coconut by boring and feeding up the pulp. The damaged coconuts were dropped under the tree on the ground. The squirrels also built their nest on the tree by cutting leaf and other parts of the coconut trees.
In RARS, Akbarpur, Moulvibazar, Sylhet it was found a huge number of brown squirrels (Callosciurus pygerythrus G) damaged the young green off season jackfruit and young shoots of mango, litchi and jackfruits trees. When the litchi, mango and guava fruits mature the squirrel damage the fruit by eating voraciously. We observed some of the coconut trees where green young fruits were damaged by rats as well as brown squirrels. Some birds like parakeet damaged the ripen maize cob and bulbul damaged the cauliflowers, cabbage, binjal, papaya and other green fruits. We counted the number of squirrel per Jackfruit, mango and litchi trees. The numbers of brown squirrels (C. piggerythrus) were observed 10, 8, 6, 3 and 2 per tree of mango, litchi, jackfruit, coconut and guava plants, respectively. We also visited Fruit Research Station, Binodpur, Rajshahi and observed that a lot of stripped squirrels damage the litchi, mango and guava. During April 2013 at early fruiting stage, 10-15, 8-10, and 2-3 number of squirrels were found in mango, litchi and guava trees, respectively.
In BADC farm, Kashimpur, Gazipur, it was observed that a good number of brown squirrel (Callosciurus pygerythrus G.) damaged the young green coconut, off season jackfruits and young shoots of mango, litchi and jackfruits and other vegetables.
Report/Proceedings