SylbV01-00-00. pmd

I. Course Title
: Vertebrate Pest Management
II. Course Code
: ENT 514
III. Credit Hours
: 2 (1+1)
IV. Aim of the course
To impart knowledge on vertebrate pests like birds, rodents, mammals and others
of different crops, their biology, damage they cause and management strategies.

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Plant Protection–Entomology
185
V. Theory
Unit I
Introduction to vertebrate pests of different crops; biology of vertebrate pests such
as rodents, birds and other mammals.
Unit II
Bio-ecology of birds of agricultural importance, patterns of pest damage and
assessment, roosting and nesting systems in birds; management of pestiferous
birds; conservation of predatory birds.
Unit III
Bio-ecology of rodents of agricultural importance, patterns of pest damage and
assessment, burrowing pattern and habitat of rodents; management of pestiferous
rodents.
Unit IV
Bio-ecology of higher vertebrates of agricultural importance, patterns of damage
and assessment, their habitat; management of pestiferous vertebrates.
Unit V
Management strategies- physical (trapping, acoustics and visual), chemical (poisons,
repellents, fumigants and anticoagulants), biological (predators, parasites), cropping
practices, alteration of habitats, diversion baiting and other eco-friendly methods –
Operational practices- baiting, equipments and educative programmes.
VI. Practical
• Identification of important rodents, birds and other vertebrate pests of agriculture,
food preference and hoarding;
• Social behaviour, damage assessment, field survey, population estimation,
management strategies: preventive and curative methods.
VII. Learning outcome
• Students are expected to be well versed with vertebrate pest diversity, their nature
of damage, life history traits, behaviour and effective management.