Meriones shawi isis (Thomas) in Some Field Crops at Bustan Area.

Journal of Applied Scienes Research, 5(1): 40-45, 2009
© 2009, INSInet Publication
Survey of Rodent Species and Damage Assessment Caused by Meriones shawi isis
(Thomas) in Some Field Crops at Bustan Area.
A.M. Mmetwaly, S.A. Montasser and A.A.R. Al-Gendy
Agric. Zool. and Nematol. Dept., Fac. of Agric., Al-Azhar University, Egypt.
Abstract: This work proved the presence of seven rodent species belonging to 6 genera and 2 families
at Beheria governorate. Firstly, concerning family Muridae, four genera were found namely Rattus,
Arvicanthis, Acomys and Mus. Rattus rattus (Linn.), in addition to Rattus norvegicus Berk., and Mus
musculus Linn., as well as Acomys cahirinus (Des.,) Arivcanthis niloticus (Des.,). Secondly, regarding
family Cricetidae, two genera were found, namely Meriones [M. shawi isis (Thomas)] and Gerbillus, [G.
gerbillus (Olivier)]. R. rattus (Linn.) and addition R. norvegicus Berk., as well as Mus musculus Linn.,
were recorded in buildings while Meriones shawi isis (Thomas) and Gerbillus gerbillus (Olivier) were
found in field crops. The total numbers of R. rattus (Linn.) were 128 and 89 individuals during 1 st and
2n d years, respectively. The total numbers of M. shawi isis (Thomas) individuals were 60 and 42
individuals during the 1st and 2n d years, respectively. The total numbers of Acomys cahirinus (Des.,)
individuals were 69 and 49 individuals during the 1st and 2n d years. Number of rodents at Ali Moubark
village were 256 and 179 individuals during the 1st and 2nd years respectively. The total number of Roof
rat, of mature and immature individuals, were 93 and 35; 63 and 26 for the 1 st and 2 n d years respectively.
The total numbers mature and immature large jird were 50 and 10; 35 and 7 individuals during the 1 st
and the 2n d year. The total number of R. rattus (Linn.) individuals were 128 (54 males and 74 females)
for 1st year and 89 (45 males and 44 females) for 2 n d year. The total number of large jirds (males and
females) were 60 individuals (31 males and 29 females) for the 1st year and 42 individuals (21 individuals
for males or females) for the 2 n d year. Live traps had decreased the infested tillers. No infested tillers
when use crashing burrows during 2002 agriculture season. Losses to wheat crops were about 2.46
Ardab/Fad., and decreased to 1.03 Ardab/Fad., during 2001& 2002 agriculture seasons, respectively, using
live trap method while their was no damage with the used of crashing burrows method. Maize crops were
about 2 Ardab/Fad., and decreased to 0.9 Ardab/Fad., during 2001& 2002 agriculture seasons, respectively.
Key words:
INTRODUCTION
Rodent, rat, mouse, Meriones, burrows, losses,
infested crops, crashing, trap. Rodentia is one of the
most important mammalian orders, which has a great
effect on the environment. Directly, through their
destructive feeding habits and indirectly as a stable
food items for many predators in the food chains [4 ].
Rodent pests are a major constraint on agricultural
production in Egypt as well as in many countries of
the world. Among other important attributes of a pest
species is their ability to live under varied conditions
of environment and utilize a wide variety of foods,
Azhar- Beg and Hussain[3 ] . Rodents make burrows in
canal sides, ditches and embankments that often allow
breaching and escape of valuable irrigation water,
Khokhar [9 ].
M ATERIALS AND M ETHODS
Field studies were survey of rodent species,
population characteristics and large jirds damage
Corresponding Author:
appraisal in wheat and maize crops in the new reclaimed
lands in Ali Moubark and Gaber Ibn Hayan villages at
Bustan area, Beheira governorate. These villages
occupied about 10000 feddans and located about 30km
of wadi-El-Natroun. Most agricultural areas were
cultivated 3-10 years ago. There were, various type of
buildings in the villages including (houses and
mechanical power buildings, with fields and vegetable
crops. Buildings and fields were surrounded by
Myrtaceae and Casuarina trees. Houses are typical
Egyptian farmer houses style. They are surrounded from
all directions by cultivated lands. In these houses,
domestic animals including cattle, cows, sheep and
donkeys were existed in separate rooms. Mechanical
power buildings usually located in the periphery of the
cultivated lands. Field and vegetable crops including
were wheat, cabbage and cow pea in the winter and
maize, peanut and tomato in the summer. Agriculture
research station in Ali Moubark village, at Bustan area,
were chosen for this study. The area of the station is
about 80 feddans which include 20 feddans cultivated
with fruit trees (3 years old), 8 feddans cultivated with
A.M. Mmetwaly, Agric. Zool. and Nematol. Dept., Fac. of Agric., Al-Azhar University, Egypt.
E-mail:[email protected]
40
J. Appl. Sci. Res., 5(1): 40-45, 2009
vegetables, 50 feddans cultivated with field crops and
2 feddans includes buildings of mechanical power,
offices and houses located in the periphery of the
cultivated lands.
A-Survey of Rodent Species: Survey of rodent species
in the two previously mentioned locations were carried
out during the period from November 2000 to October
2002 A.D. at Beheira governorate. Twenty five wirebox live traps with spring doors were used for three
consecutive nights/month and daily supplied with baits
of tomato (in fields) and taameia (in buildings). Traps
were distributed at 10 meters distance beside rodents
run-ways (in buildings) and active burrows (in fields).
Every morning, traps were checked to collect trapped
rodents, animals were counted and classified according
to Osborn and Helmy[1 1] . The collected rodents were
divided as regard to rodent genera, species, then as
regard to the number, age and sex. The relative
abundance of each rodent species was estimated as
follows:Number of rodents caught
% Population = ))))))))))))))))))))) x 100
Total trap/nights
The number of active burrows were counted for 9
months intervals (November 2001 to July 2002) by
using sand to close all burrows then count the opened
ones next day for three consecutive days every month
in an area of 720m2 (plots) in the wheat crops, number
of plots were 7. The number of rodents was recorded
through active burrows method as follows:Number of active entrance
% Population = ))))))))))))))))))))) x 100
Total number of entrance
Area of active burrows entrance was estimated
according to Geck [5 ] ,as follows-:
A =J a b / 4
W here: A = area of the ellipse. a = The major axis.
b = The shorter axis.
J = 3.14
B- Large Jirds Damage: Damage appraisal to wheat
and maize crops. were conducted as follows:
i-W heat Crops: In wheat fields, 8 plots (each 720m 2 )
were selected. In each plot 25 samples were collected
diagonally using wooden frame (40x40cm). The
numbers of damaged and undamaged tillers inside the
frame were counted in each sample. The percentage of
damage was calculated according to Poch, et al[1 2 ] ., as
follows:Number of damaged tillers
% Damage tillers = ))))))))))))))))))))) x 100
Total tillers counted
ii-M aize Crops: Four maize plots each of 2 feddans
were selected. In each plots, ten samples (each
containing 30 maize plants) were randomly chosen and
checked to estimate the degree of damage in their ears
according to Hamelink[7 ] ,as follows:iIxS 1 +i IIxS 2 + … ir xS
% Damage ears = ))))))))))))))))))) x 100
N
I = damage incidence expressed by the number of
damage ears per severity class (I= 0%, II = 25% , III =
50%, IV = 75% and V= 100% grain missing). S =
Damage severity for each class (i = 1, 2, 3, etc.).N =
Total number of sampled ears. R= repetition. Data were
analyzed according standard procedures for analysis of
variance Steel and Torrie [1 3 ].
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
A- Rodent Classification and Distribution: This work
proved the presence of seven rodent species belonging
to 6 genera and 2 families in Ali Moubark and Gaber
Ibn Hayan villages in Bustan area, at Beheria
governorate. Firstly, concerning family Muridae, four
genera were found namely Rattus [Rattus rattus (Linn.)
and Rattus norvegicus (Berk)]. Arvicanthis ( Arivcanthis
niloticus (Des.), Acomys (Acomys cahirinus (Des.), and
Mus (Mus musculus Linn.). Secondly, regarding family
Cricetidae, two genera were found, namely M eriones
[M. shawi isis (Thomas)] and Gerbillus, [G. gerbillus
(Olivier)]. The distribution of different rodent species in
two locations at Beheria (Ali Moubark and Gaber Ibn
Hayan villages at Bustan area) were presented in
Table (1). All sub species of R. rattus (Linn.) in
addition R. norvegicus (Berk), as well as Mus musculus
Linn., were recorded in buildings of village and farm
while Meriones shawi isis (Thomas) and Gerbillus
gerbillus (Olivier) were found in field crops. Acomys
cahirinus (Des.) was coughed from buildings and field
at farm. Data in these work suggested that, all sub
species of Rattus rattus (Linn.) lives in buildings of
village and farm while R. norvegicus Berk., live in
buildings and poultry farm because these buildings
provide food, water, shelter and protect breeding
partners and young's. Results showed that, M. shawi isis
(Thomas) and G. gerbillus (Olivier) preferred to live in
cultivated desert (field crops) away from buildings and
vegetable fields. Generally, it was noticed that, R. rattus
(Linn.) and R. norvegicus (Berk), visit and move in
vegetable fields beside buildings because they become
active by night and retire to their burrows during the
day. It was found
41
J. Appl. Sci. Res., 5(1): 40-45, 2009
Table 1: Survey of rodents by live traps in two villages for three consecutive night during N ovem ber 2000 to O ctober 2002.
Genera
Com m on nam e Scientific nam e
Building
Field crops Field vegetable Total
----------------------------------------------------------------------Village
Farm
M echanical power
1 st
2nd
Rattus
Black rat
R. rattus.( Linn)
*N .
*N .
*N .
128
89
Fischer
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------N orway rat
Rattus norvegicus
*N .
*N .
*N .
15
13
Berkenhout
Arvicanthis N ile grassrat
A. niloticus (Desm .)
*
13
11
Lesson.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Acom ys
Spiny m ouse
Acom ys cahirinus
*N .
*N .
*N .
*D .N .
*D .N .
69
49
Geoffeoy
(D esm .)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------M us
H ouse m ouse
M us m usculus Linn.
*N .
*N .
*N .
11
9
Linnaeus
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------M eriones
large jird
M . shawi isis(Thom as) *N .
60
42
Illger
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------G erbillus
Lesser gerbil
G . gerbillus (O livier) *N .
12
Desm .
* Present. (Sight seen through day / Trapping through night).
- N on present. D . D iurnal:
activity through day. N . N octurnal: activity through night.
that, M. shawi isis
(Thomas), and G. gerbilus
(Olivier), moved and visited beside burrows through
night in field crops, while Acomys cahirinus (Des.)
was active by night and day in fields, and by night in
buildings, and M. musculus Linn. was active by night
in buildings. This agree with the findings of Howard
and Marsh[8 ] and Osborn and Helmy [1 1 ].
B-3- Sex Distribution: The presented data in Table
(2) show that, the total number of rats from R. rattus
(Linn.)
individuals were 128 (54 males and 74
females) for 1st year and 89 (45 males and 44 females)
for 2nd year. Pregnant females of R. rattus (Linn.) were
recorded during November and April for the first year
and the average number of embryos was 9 for 5
females. From the aforementioned results, it could be
concluded that no differences were found between the
numbers of male and female individuals in buildings
during the months of the 2n d year because food, water
and shelter (protection from predators) were available.
Although data showed that females out numbered
males in building during the 1st year this was probable
because female restrict themselves in nests to avoid
certain inconvenient climatic condition. The presented
data showed that, the total numbers of large jirds M.
shawi isis (males and females) were 60 individuals (31
males and 29 females) for the 1 st year and 42
individuals (21 individuals for males or females) for
the 2n d year. Pregnant females large jird were recorded
during March and August for 1 st years and found that,
number of embryos were 9 for two females’
examination.
B- Population Characteristics by Live Traps: A
population has a number of characteristics unique to it
self, density, age distribution, sex distribution and
number of embryos in pregnant females.
B-1- Population Density: Results in Table (2) showed
that, the total numbers of R. rattus (Linn.) were 128
and 89
individuals during 1 st and 2 n d years,
respectively. The recorded data showed that, the total
numbers of M.shawi isis (Thomas) individuals were 60
and 42 individuals during the 1 st and 2 n d years,
respectively. Number of rodent species at Ali Moubark
village were 256 and 179 individuals during the 1 st and
2n d years respectively. Statistical analyses of data
indicated a highly significant difference between the
population numbers of rodent species in buildings and
fields, and also between two years of the study.
C- Burrows in Field Crops: To determine the
population density and surface activity of rodents, traps
were usually applied. Sometimes, traps are not enough
and in such cases alternative methods should be
applied e.g. estimation of consumption of food, number
of droplets… etc.
B-2- Age Distribution: It is important to know if the
population contains a good proportion of young
breeding or if it is headed towards senescent, with a
predominance of adults. The former indicates an
increasing population while the latter would indicate
one in decline. The recorded data in Table (2) cleared
that the total number of Roof rat, R. rattus (Linn.) of
mature and immature individuals were 93 and 35; 63
and 26 for the 1st and 2 n d years respectively. Data
showed that the total numbers of mature and immature
large jird M. shawi isis were 50 and 10 ; 35 and 7
individuals during the 1 st and the 2 nd year.
C-i- Number of Large Jirds Burrows: Data in Table
(3) showed that, the total number of burrows was 478
entrances through the whole period from November
2001 to July 2002 in 720m 2 . The total numbers of
large jirds burrows through three days per
42
J. Appl. Sci. Res., 5(1): 40-45, 2009
Table 2: Population characteristic of rodents by live traps in Ali Moubarak village for three consecutive night during November 2000 to October 2002.
Type
R.rattus (Linn.)
M.shawi (Thomas)
A. cahirinus (Desm.)
Total
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------- No. of
Months
No.
Age
Sex
No.
Age
Sex
No.
Age
Sex
rodent
---------- --------------------------- ------------------------- ----------- ------------------------- ----------------------- ----------- ------------------------ ---------------------- ------------1st 2nd 1st
2n d
1st
2n d
1st 2n d 1st
2n d
1st
2n d
1st 2n d 1st
2n d
1st
2n d
1st 2nd
----------- ------------- ---------- -------------------- ----------- ---------- -------------------- ------------ ----------- ---------1
2
M Im M
Im %
&
%
&
1
2
M Im M Im %
&
%
&
1
2
M Im M Im %
&
%
&
November 13 7
13 0
6
1
6
7
4
3
10 4
9
1
4
0
5
5
2
2
9
7
9
0
7
0
4
5
7
0 32 18
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------December 19 12 16 3
11
1
10 9
7
5
6
6
6
0
6
0
3
3
3
3
9
6
9
0
6
0
5
4
5
1 34 24
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------January
22 10 18 4
10
0
5
17 5
5
2
2
2
0
2
0
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
0
2
0
2
0
1
1 26 14
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Winter
54 29 47 7
27
2
21 33 16 13
18 12 17 1
12 0
9
9
6
6
20 15 20 0
15 0
11 9
13 2 92 56
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------February
7
8
4
3
4
4
2
5
5
3
10 3
9
1
3
0
5
5
2
1
2
2
2
0
2
0
1
1
1
1 19 13
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------March
8
7
6
2
7
0
5
3
4
3
5
2
5
0
2
0
1
4
1
1
6
2
6
0
2
0
3
3
1
1 19 11
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------April
7
4
6
1
4
0
2
5
3
1
5
3
4
1
3
0
4
1
1
2
6
4
6
0
4
0
3
3
2
2 18 11
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Spring
22 19 16 6
15
4
9
13 12 7
20 8
18 2
8
0
10 10 4
4
14 8
14 0
8
0
7
7
4
4 56 35
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------May
8
6
8
0
6
0
4
4
3
3
2
3
2
0
2
1
1
1
2
1
6
5
6
0
5
0
3
3
3
2 16 14
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------June
12 11 3
9
2
9
5
7
3
8
10 9
5
5
5
4
6
4
4
5
6
3
6
0
3
0
3
3
2
1 28 23
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------July
7
8
3
4
2
6
3
4
4
4
3
4
1
2
2
2
1
2
2
2
6
5
6
0
5
0
3
3
4
1 16 16
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Summer
27 25 14 13 10
15 12 15 10 15
15 16 8
7
9
7
8
7
8
8
18 13 18 0
13 0
9
9
9
4 60 53
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------August
7
4
6
1
4
0
3
4
2
2
3
2
3
0
2
0
2
1
1
1
3
2
3
0
2
0
3
0
2
0 13 8
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------September 12 5
6
6
3
2
6
6
2
3
2
2
2
0
2
0
1
1
1
1
7
5
7
0
5
0
7
0
5
0 21 12
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------October
6
7
4
2
4
3
3
3
3
4
2
2
2
0
2
0
1
1
1
1
7
6
7
0
6
0
7
0
6
0 15 15
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Autumn
25 16 16 9
11
5
12 13 7
9
7
6
7
0
6
0
4
3
3
3
17 13 17 0
13 0
17 0
13 0 49 35
Total
128 89 93 35 63
26 54 74 45 44
60 42 50 10 35 7
31 29 21 21 69 49 69 0
49 0
44 25 39 10 256 179
1st: Firest year.
nd
2 : Second year.M: Mature, Im: Immature.
Table 3:N um ber of large jirds burrows for three consecutive night during Novem ber 2001 to July2002.
Type
N o. of days
Total
Av.
-M ean
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------M onths
1 st
2nd
3rd
1 st
2nd
3 rd
N ovem ber
34
27
24
85
28
+6
-1
-4
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------D ecem ber
71
37
30
138
46
+25
-9
-15
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------January
58
11
11
80
26.66
+32
-17
-15
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------February
34
11
2
47
15.66
+18
-5
-14
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------M arch
11
7
3
21
7
+4
0
-4
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------April
15
5
6
26
8.66
6
-4
-3
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------M ay
6
6
6
18
6
0
0
0
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------June
19
6
4
29
9.66
+9
-4
-6
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------July
18
8
8
34
11.33
+7
-3
-3
Total
144
118
94
478
159
+107
-43
-64
month (for the study period) were arranged in
descending order as follows December (138),
November (85), January (80), February (47), July (34),
June (29), April (26), March (21)and May (18). The
decrements in burrows number during May and
November was apparently due to the mechanical
agricultural process for land preparation in the
preceding months namely October and April. The
obtained results agreed with the findings of Geroves [6 ],
who reported that, breeding season of jird’s (M.
libycus, M. shawi and M. hurriance) seems to be
determined to a large extent by climate and
environmental conditions.
C-2- Loss of Active Burrows Number by Crashing:
Number of large jirds active burrows decreased by
crashing (in three consecutive days) through all study
period except April. The observed loss in active
burrows numbers during all months studied were
probably due to changing
nests, transmitting
individuals to other burrows into colonies or some
predators fed on individuals ,though large jirds dig and
made new burrows.
C-3- Population Density of Large Jirds by Active
Burrows: The fluctuation in numbers of rodents active
burrows in field crops (wheat and peanut crops) was
shown in Table (4). The population density of large
43
J. Appl. Sci. Res., 5(1): 40-45, 2009
Table 4: Com bartive between live trap and active burrow s m ethod of large jirds burrows in Ali M oubarak village for three consecutive night
during N ovem ber 2001 to April 2002.
Type
Live trap m ethod
Active burrows m ethod
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------M onths
N o. of jirds caught Total traps/night % population
Total burrows Active burrows
% population
N ovem ber
4
25
5
34
27
79
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------D ecem ber
6
8
71
37
52
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------January
2
3
58
9
16
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------February
3
4
34
11
32
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------M arch
2
3
11
7
67
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------April
3
4
15
5
33
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------M ay
3
4
6
6
100
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------June
9
12
19
6
32
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------July
4
5
18
8
44
jirds in wheat crops were 79 % during November as
follows 67,52,33,32 and 16% encountered during
March, December, April, February and January while
for peanut crops was 100% during May followed July
44% and June 32%. From the foregoing results, it
might be observed that low temperature of soil and air,
high relative humidity and scarcity of available food
during winter and spring were among the limiting
factors for jird’s population. On the other hand
comparison between traps and active burrows methods
in field crops from population density assessment
during November 2001 to April 2002 at Ali Moubark
village, showed that, the population density of large
jirds was cleared by active burrows method, this
method showed the true density of large jirds
population while trap method was not enough to
determine the population density.
axis respectively, while it was 5 and 4 cm for spiny
mice. On the other hand, the area of large jirds and
spiny mice burrows entrance were 49 and 16 cm 2 ,
respectively. The percentage of the entrance area was
7.5 % and 2.2% for large jirds and spiny mice in
720m2 . M ourad[1 0] found that burrows entrance
diameters of M. shawi were ranged between 8.75cm to
11.20 cm.
D- Large Jirds Damage Appraisal in Field Crops:
Data in Table (6) showed that, live traps had decreased
the infested tillers, it was found that, mean number of
wheat tillers in 40 x 40 cm 2 were 72 tillers divided to
58 whole tillers and 14 infested tillers (19% damage )
during 2001 agriculture season while were 66 tillers
divided to 60 whole tillers and 6 infested tillers ( 9%
damage) during 2002 agriculture season. On the other
hand, results cleared that no infested tillers when use
crashing burrows during 2002 agriculture season.
G reaves [ 6 ] reported that gerbils species have
occasionally been observed to do significant damage to
new plantings by digging up newly germinating seeds.
Results in Table (6) cleared that, mean number of ears
in sample maize crops were 30 ears, divided to 25
whole ears and 5 infested ears (17% damage ) during
2001 agriculture season while were 28 whole ears and
2 infested ears (7% damage ) during 2002 agriculture
season. Crashing burrows had the highest result in
decreasing crops damage; this may be due to
immigration of large jird secondly distribution of their
habitat, or due to exposure of the large jirds to
predators Azhar Beg [2 ] . Results in Table (6) showed
that losses to wheat crops were about 2.46 Ardab/Fad.,
during 2001 agriculture season and decreased to 1.03
Ardab/Fad., during 2002 agriculture season when use
live trap method while their was no damage with the
C-4- Burrows Distribution: Results cleared that, field
crops were infested by large jirds burrows during the
study period while vegetables fields were spared.
Mechanical and chemical analysis of soil in crops and
vegetables fields cleared that no differences between
particle sizes distribution and physical and chemical
properties of soil. This difference might be due to low
agricultural process of field crops by man and stand
crops stay longer period in fields than that of
vegetables.
C-5- Burrows Area: The entrance diameter of the
burrows were measured through April and May 2002
for large jirds and spiny mice respectively. Data in
Table (5) showed that the area of burrow entrances
examined for large jirds and spiny mice were 54 and
16 entrances, respectively. Burrows entrance diameter
of large jirds was 9 and 7cm for the major and shorter
44
J. Appl. Sci. Res., 5(1): 40-45, 2009
Table 5: The entrance diam eter of the burrows were m easured through April and M ay2002 for large jirds burrows and spiny m ice.
Species
M ean num ber of entrance
D iam eter of the entrance cm
Area of the entrance cm 2
%
------------------------------------A
B
M .shawi (Thom as)
54
9
7
49
7.5
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------A. cahirinus (D esm .)
16
5
4
16
2.2
Table 6: D am age caused by large on wheat and m aize crops during two agriculture seasons .
Crops
Y ear
Type
M ean num ber of sam ple
Grain yield Ardab/ Fedan
D am age%
---------------------------------------------------------------------------W hole
Infested
Total
W hole
Infested
Total
W heat
2001
A
58
14
72
10.12
2.46
12.58
19
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2002
B
60
6
66
10.48
1.03
11.51
9
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------C
59
0.1
59
10.30
0.0
10.30
0.17
M aize
2001
25
5
30
22
2
24
17
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2002
28
2
30
23.3
0.9
24
7
A &B infested fields wheat crops, C infested fields wheat crops crashing burrows.
used of crashing burrows method. M aize crops were
about 2 Ardab/Fad., during 2001agriculture season and
decreased to 0.9 Ardab/Fad., during 2002 agriculture
season. Al-fonso [1 ] mentioned that, as wheat heads
mature rats feed on the base of the young pencil shoot
and completely bite off stem and feed on the grain.
Also, Poche et al[1 2] ., found that, lesser bandicoot rat,
Bandicota bengalensis caused damage in mature wheat
reached 77.000 tons /year of grain destroyed before
harvest.
ACKNOW LEDGM ENT
4.
El-Sherbiny, A.H., 1987. Cyclic fluctuations in
rodent populations: Review of current researches.
Egypt. J. W ildl. and Nat. Resources, 9. pp.17.5.
Geck, K., 1982. Engineering L Formulas. McgrowHill Book Company New York, pp. B3.
5. Greaves, J.H., 1989. Rodent pests and their control
in the Near East. FAO plant production and
protection teeh, 95, Rome.
6. Hamelink, J., 1981. Assessing rat damage and
yield losses in sugar cane, rice and maize. Book of
rodent pests and their control. G.T.Z., A.I-III B/5.
7. Howard, W .E. and R.E. Marsh, 1974. Rat control
manual. Pest Control, Agri. Develop. And
Advisory service, London.
8. Khokhar, A.R., 1990. Mammal pests of Pakistan:
classification. A' Training Manual on Vertebrate
Pest Management, 23-26.
9. Mourad, A.A.M., 1997. Ecological, Biological and
Toxicological studies on rodents in species at
Newly Reclaimed lands. M.Sc. Thesis. Institute of
Environmental studies and researches Ain Shams
Univ., 103.
10. Osborn, D.J. and I. Helmy, 1980. The
contemporaryland mammals of Egypt (including
Sinai). Publishing by Field Museum of National
History, London.
11. Poche, R.M., M.Y. Main, M.E. Haque and P.
Sultana, 1982. rodent damage and burrowing
characteristics in Bangladesh wheat fields. J. W ildl.
Manage., 46: 139-147.
12. Steel, R.D.D. and J.D. Torrie, 1980. Principle and
procedures of statistics. Mcgrow-Hill Book, Co.,
New York, 481.
Special thanks are extended to Prof. Dr, Ali H. A.
El-Sherbiny professor of Vertebrate Ecology, Harmful
Animals Department of plant protection Research
Institute, Agricultural Research Center, for his help
suggesting the point of research, guidance, ideal
criticism, discussing the results and presenting the
thesis in its final form. I would like to acknowledge
with great thanks and gratitude Prof. Dr. Abd ElMonsef, A. Abd El-Hafez professor of Olericulture
vegetables Research Department, Horticulture Research
Institute for his help and solve all field problems of
this work.
REFERANCES
1.
2.
3.
Al-Fonso, P.J., 1968. Rice damage by rats in the
Philippines (Asia- pacific interchange proc.),
Rodents as factors in disease and economic loss.
Honolulu, Hawaii, June, 17-27. pp. 53-54.
Azhar-Beg, M., 1990. General principles of
vertebrate pest management. A' Training Manual
on Vertebrate Pest Management, pp: 5-8.
Azhar-Beg, M. and I. Hussain, 1990. Important
rodent pests of Pakistan: Ecology and Distribution.
A ' T raining M an u a l o n V e rteb rate P est
Management, pp. 5-8.
45