Studies were made on the identification, damage and chemical methods of control of rodent pests in irrigated and nonirrigated fields of peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) at Ludhiana, India. Peanut fields were infested with Bandicota bengalensis, Tatera indica, Rattus meltada and Mus spp., except that B. bengalensis was absent in nonirrigated fields. These rodents reduced peanut yield by an average 3.86%, a loss of 190.18 rupees/ha ($15.12 US). Severe rodent damage was sporadic with a maximum of 18.97% reduction in peanut yield. Rodents inflicted more damage between 80 to 120 days after planting, i. e. during the pod fill stage of crop growth. A single treatment with poison bait at 80 to 90 days after planting with 2.4% zinc phosphide, 0.005% brodifacoum and 0.005% bromadiolone in cereal baits at the rate of 1 kg/ha resulted in 58.07%, 42.26% and 40.88% rodent control, respectively, in nonirrigated fields. In irrigated fields, 58.70% and 67.02% rodent control was achieved with zinc phosphide and brodifacoum baits respectively. Significantly higher rodent control was obtained with 2 treatments of either brodifacoum or bromadiolone than with a single treatment of any rodenticide. Wax blocks containing 0.005% brodifacoum were less effective than cereal baits containing the same rodenticide. Two applications at 10 day interval of either 0.005% brodifacoum or bromadiolone between 80–100 days after planting is suggested for rodent control in peanut fields.

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The sugar cane fields located near river Sutlej at Ladhowal (Lat. 30°56'N, Long. 75°52'E) were found infested with 4 rodent species namely, Bandicota hengalensis. Rattus meltada. Tatera indica and Mus spp. Of these, B. benqalensis was most predominant. Compared to the adjoining wheat. paddy and mung crops the sugar cane fields at growth and maturity stages harboured high rodent population due to frequent waves of rodent immigration as a result of heavy rainfall and flooding of paddy fields in August and September and agronomic operations related to paddy-wheat rotation in most of the fields. Multiple poison baiting of rodents with brodifacoum«(}()()5%) and zinc phosphide (2'4%) in ditTerent fields of sugar cane resulted in significant ditTerences in their performance within and between the fields. With these poisons the rodent control success ranged from 23-0-45'6% in the months of August and September and 6&-1-93'4% in October to December. Overall reduction in post-control activity of rodents ranged from 47,2-96,1% in ditTerent fields with ditTerent poison combinations. The rodent control success seemed to be related to the ditTerences in rodent populations, post-control reinfestation rates, timings of poison baiting, stage of crop development, weather conditions and sowing and harvesting operations in the adjoining crop fields. The environmental factors particularly affected the post-control reinfestation of rodents which as compared to the reference fields «(}35 rodents/ 100 traps/day) was significantly higher in the treated fields «(}56-2:33 rodents/lOO traps/ day).

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