Evaluation of two rodenticides in the paddy fields during Samba and Thaladi seasons.

The single dose anticoagulant rodenticide, bromadiolone (0.005%) and the acute rodenticide, zinc phosphide (2%) were evaluated in the paddy fields during Samba and Thaladi seasons for two crop stages, viz. 20 and 40 days after transplantation. Three baiting methods namely, burrow, station and burrow+station were adopted for both rodenticides. Both the rodenticides were exposed for one and two days in the partitioned plots. In the plots with 20 days after transplantation, the two day exposure of both rodenticides in burrow+station baitings during both seasons cleared cent percent rodent population. The cost-benefit ratio of the employed rodenticides favoured zinc phosphide than bromadiolone. Thus, zinc phosphide is deemed to be an economic rodenticide than bromadiolone and it can be suggested for the control of rodent population with two day exposure by burrow+station baiting methods preferably 20 days after transplanted paddy fields in both seasons.