An investigation was carried out to find out the effect of botanicals viz., Carica papaya, Solanum khasianum, Ananas comosus, Moringa oleifera, Azadirachta indica on growth and reproduction of Bandicota bengalensis. The results indicated that the weight of the reproductive organs and accessory glands due to rearing on botanicals mixed diet were non-significant reduction of bandicoot male and female. The weight of the reproductive and accessory glands was found lowest in S.khasianum [0.38±0.020g/100 g body wt (BW) and 3.09±0.05 g/100g BW] followed by M. oleifera (0.38±0.021g/100g BW and 3.16±0.04g/100g BW). The body weight of the tested animals was significantly decreased in comparison to that of untreated animals. The consumption of botanicals treated bait (g/100g BW) at post treatment period was lower in case of all the botanicals over pre-treatment consumption. The female rat kept on S. khasianum, the lowest consumption of (2.78±0.13g/100g BW) was recorded at 2 weeks after treatment. In M. oleifera treated bait, the consumption of treated bait was (4.63±0.25 & 2.69±0.11 g/100g BW) at 1 and 2 weeks after treatment as compared to pre-treatment consumption of (8.87±0.93 g/100g BW). In control, consumption of plain bait by female rat was gradually increased over the time. The results revealed that in case of female rodent kept on C. papaya, the breeding success was 16.6% followed by A. comosus (33.3%). No successful breeding was observed in female kept on S. khasianum, M. oleifera and A. indica.
Bandicota bengalensis, Botanicals, Reproduction
