COMPARATIVE TOXICITY OF FLOCOUMAFEN, BROMADIOLONE AND CHOLECALCIFEROLAGAINST RODENTS IN CAPTIVITY AND OPEN-FIELD

Laboratory one day no-choice feeding test was conducted to evaluate th e comparative efficacy of three rodenticides viz. flocoumafen, bromadi olone and cholecalciferol against Meriones hurrianae. Both the anticoa gulant rodenticide flocoumafen and bromadiolone scored complete contro l success and required a low lethal dose. Contrarily cholecalciferol a non-anticoagulant Vit. D3 based redenticide shows low toxicity and re quires a higher lethal dose. Baiting trials in open field performed in live burrows revealed 94.11 per cent and 90.27 per cent control succe ss on seventh day after treatment with flocoumafen and bromadiolone ba it respectively. Cholecalciferol trials scored 88.46 control success f ourth day after the bait exposure. The rodent species identified in th e field were Tatera indica, Meriones hurrianae and Rattus meltada.