Potential of triptolide in management of post control rodent population rebuildup in sugarcane crop fields

Sugarcane crop fields at village Palahi, District Kapurthala, Punjab, India were treated with 0.25% triptolide after 15 days of first treatment with 0.005% bromadiolone to record the affect on post control rodent population rebuildup. Bait census before treatment revealed similar level of rodent population in all the blocks. Post census after 15 and 30 days of first treatment with bromadiolone revealed a significant decrease in rodent population in treated blocks II and III as compared to untreated block I. Post census after 30 days of triptolide treatment revealed an increase in rodent population in block II as well as III which may be due to breeding of female rats already pregnant before triptolide treatment. Autopsy of mature male Bandicota Bengalensis trapped from fields of untreated block I and triptolide treated block III after 60 days of triptolide treatment revealed significantly (P?0.05) low weights of reproductive organs and decrease in sperm parameters in rats trapped from block III. Percent cut canes and yield loss due to rodents was found to be significantly (P? .05) less in treated fields as compared to untreated fields. Present studies suggest potential of triptolide treatment in management of rodent population in integration with chemical control.