Current status and future goals


The BARI/DWRC vertebrate pest project existed for a total of 33 days
in 1978. Thus, most research activities are still in the planning
stage and are pending nomination of a permanent staff, completion of
project facilities, receipt of equipment, vehicles, etc. Among
planned research projects are the following:

1. Completion of vertebrate pest survey: this will include distribu-
tion of pest species; identification of problem areas, cropping
patterns, and season of damage; evaluation of traditional control
methods; economic evaluations of damage and control technology; and
evaluation of farmer attitudes toward control.

2. Damage assessments in rice and wheat: continuation of the current
evaluation of rodent damage during various growth stages of these
crops and development of accurate and sensitive vertebrate damage
assessment methods.

3. Rodent control in deep-water rice: one-third of Bangladesh floods
under 0.60-3.60 m of water during the monsoons (June-September), and
deep-water rice is becoming an increasingly important crop. Rodent
damage becomes more concentrated and significant during these periods.

4. Ecology of major rodent pest species: effective control of these
pests may be dependent on a knowledge of their burrowing and other
habits.

5. Toxicology: efficacy of different chemical control agents on
major rodent pests.

These and other research projects are currently being planned for
initiation in 1979, however, a definitive schedule has not been
established.