Rodents management strategies for rice field rats in Myanmar

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Rodents are the most populous kind of

mammal; approximately 42% of all
mammals are rodents. More than 2270
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Species of rodents are worldwide. Twothirds of living rodent species belong to
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just one family, the Muridae, and most of
the rodents found in Asia, both pests and
() non-pests, also belong to this family.
There are 17 species of rodent have been
collected in Myanmar.

All rodents possess one pair of upper and

one pair of lower incisors, which grow
throughout life. In order to keep the
incisors short they spend a considerable
amount of time gnawing hard objects. This
habit contributes to cutting of rice plants at
the vegetative stage. They do not have
premolars and the large gap between the
incisors and the molars is called the
diastema

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(Diastema)
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Rodent pests can cause losses both in

quantity and quality of crops in the field,
warehouse and human dwelling either
directly or indirectly. Rodent damage
includes the consumption of the crops,
stored grain, contamination from their
excrements and parasites, and damage to
infrastructure.

Rodent zoonoses are another factor that

gives rodents pest status. Rodents are
carrier of approximately 60 different
diseases to humans. The major infectious
diseases transmitted by rats in tropical
areas are bubonic plague (Yersinia pestis),
salmonellosis (Salmonella typhimurium),
leptospirosis (Leptospira spp), Rat-bite
fever,
scrub
typhus
(Rickettsia
tsutsugamishi), murine typhus (Rickettsia
typhi),
Angiostrongylus
cantonensis,
toxoplasmosis (Toxoplasma gondii), and
Oriental schistomiasis. Among them,
Leptospirosis is a major health concern in
rural communities of developing countries
in Asia, however, people in this area have
little knowledge about the impact of
Leptospirosis.

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(Leptospirosis)

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Under traditional rice farming systems in

Asia, rodents generally cause chronic
losses to production in the order of 5-10%
per annum. Preharvest losses due to
rodents can be equivalent to the amount
of food that could feed 450 million people
for 12 months.
Rodent has been taking food of small
holder
farmers
in
Myanmar.
Increasing cropping frequency and
changing
cropping
practices
associated with either national
demand or consequences of global
warming lead to high rodent
population around the world.
Farmers were reactive in their control
of rodents in their field; control
actions were only begun once they
saw high damage in their rice field.
Such actions were too late to
significantly limit the impact of high
population of rodents.


(Bandicota

sp.)

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(-)

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In Myanmar, Bandicota bengalensis is the

main rodent pest species in lowland rice
ecosystem. Their breeding size is (8-9)
and can breed throughout the season if
food is available. One female can
potentially produce 64 young when crops
grow asynchronously.
Rodent management should be started
before breeding season of rodents
where they live.
Ecologically-based rodent management
(EBRM) aims to reduce the adverse
effects of poisoned-based culling methods
on
non-target
species
and
the
environment, while concurrently providing
sustainable, safe and cost effective
management. Breeding ecology and
population dynamic of target rodent
species is need to be known for
developing effective EBRM in elsewhere.

(Bandicotabengalensis)

(Bandicota indica)

(Rattus rattus complex)

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(Mus musculus)

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(Mus cervicolor)

Rodents management system

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(1) Synchronus planting

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(2) Cleaning around field

(3) Coordinate community action by using
different control methods before the
breeding season of rodents
(4) Control methods
(a) Trapping
(b) Digging burrows

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(c) Driving or herding

(d) Using different barriers
(e) Trap Barrier System (See below for
detail methods)
(f) Encouraged predators
(g) Using chemicals

(Trap

Barrier

System)
Note- All rodent management activites
must be doing as in community action.

(Trap Barrier System)

Trap
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Barrier
)

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Trap Barrier System comprises the

plastic fence which enclosed a crop
planted 2-3 weeks earlier than the
System surrounding crops. Multiple-captured
lived traps are inserted into the plastic
fence.
The crop within TBS should be planted
three weeks prior to the surroundings.

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Barrier System

Rats will be attracted by the smell of the

early developing rice inside the fence.

Trap A single 66' 66' TBS can protect crop

areas of 25 acres.

Trap Barrier Six inches wide space should be left

between plastic fence and the crop
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outside TBS and water level should be
kept to protect plastic chewed by rats.

System

- TBS

Note- TBS is not recommended if the

(%) rodents damage is less than 10%.