Division of Entomology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi-110 012 (India).
Bromodiolone cake baits are obvious choice due to their easy application, long durability even in humid conditions, and higher acceptance. Field tests with smaller sized baits were conducted at the farm of Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi. Cake baits of three sizes, i.e., full cake, half cake and one-fourth cake were tested on active burrows of Nisokia indica. Observations revealed 48 to 96% acceptance with 114th cake, 60 to 100% acceptance with 1/2 cake, and 10 to 90% acceptance with full cake. With 1/4th cake, burrow activity showed a decreasing trend from baiting day onwards and ranged from 68 to 4%. With 1/2 cake, it ranged from 10 to 3% and with full ckae It was from 2 to 9%. Mortality with 1/4th cake, 1/2 cake and full cake ranged from 4 to 48%, 10 to 70% and 10 to 88.9%, respectively. On comparative basis, 1/2 bromadiolone cake gave optimum results on Nisokia indica. It is suggested that in practical usage, it can reduce the contamination of environment with unconsumed baits.
