Control of rodent pests in maize cultivation: the case of Africa

Description

Rodents cause significant damage to maize at sowing, seedling and maturity stages . The major rodent pest species of maize in Africa are Mastomys and Arvicanthis spp. Rodent management programmes in this continent have been reactive but have not considered the population ecology of the target species. The strategies used to manage rodents are probably most suited to managing low-density rodent populations and are selected to solve localized rodent problems in certain areas. Therefore, rodent management programmes should aim to reduce the damage to maize by applying a range of available control methods and must focus on ecological rodent management strategies.

Table of contents

1 Introduction 2 The impact of rodents on maize crops in Africa 3 Rodent pests affecting maize 4 Managing rodent pests in maize crops 5 Summary 6 Future trends in rodent research 7 Where to look for further information 8 References