Rat population in oil palm replants and crop loss assessment Malaysia

Liau Siau Suan, . (1990) Rat population in oil palm replants and crop loss assessment Malaysia. [Proceedings Paper]

Rats remain a major problem to oil palm of all ages although their damage may be less obvious as the palms become taller. Previous studies have shown rat populations in mature plantings build up to as high as 200-600 rats/ha for Rattus tiomanicus. Recent studies during palm-to-palm replanting have shown that rats remain at a high level especially when control measures were relaxed or neglected based on the rationale that damage were not obviously visible and therefore insignificant and on the belief that the rat population would be destroyed by the very act of replanting citing destruction and burning of palms as the important contributing factors. This paper will report on some recent studies which have shown that rat populations in fact survived rather well through the replanting period with much of the rats surviving the burning of the palm trunks in fields where palms were either shredded or traditionally poisoned and felled. Crops losses have been discussed in the past by various workers mainly based on the estimated population of rats coupled with the estimated consumption of mesocarp. It was well-accepted and acknowledged that these were underestimated as the losses from fruits taken away and not eaten were not included. At the same time losses through damage to bunches on the palms and losses of detached fruits are not quite mutually exclusive. It is difficult though not impossible to quantify these losses separately for any moment of time of the two the estimates of the loss of detached fruits alone have been made. This paper discussed these estimates which were as high as 4 to 6 detached fruits per day per palm palm with at least one ripening bunch in relation to the dependent factors such as the rat population level cropping cycle rat species. These losses of detached fruits were correlated with visible damage. The economic implications are discussed

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Abstract

Rats remain a major problem to oil palm of all ages although their damage may be less obvious as the palms become taller. Previous studies have shown rat populations in mature plantings build up to as high as 200-600 rats/ha for Rattus tiomanicus. Recent studies during palm-to-palm replanting have shown that rats remain at a high level especially when control measures were relaxed or neglected based on the rationale that damage were not obviously visible and therefore insignificant and on the belief that the rat population would be destroyed by the very act of replanting citing destruction and burning of palms as the important contributing factors. This paper will report on some recent studies which have shown that rat populations in fact survived rather well through the replanting period with much of the rats surviving the burning of the palm trunks in fields where palms were either shredded or traditionally poisoned and felled. Crops losses have been discussed in the past by various workers mainly based on the estimated population of rats coupled with the estimated consumption of mesocarp. It was well-accepted and acknowledged that these were underestimated as the losses from fruits taken away and not eaten were not included. At the same time losses through damage to bunches on the palms and losses of detached fruits are not quite mutually exclusive. It is difficult though not impossible to quantify these losses separately for any moment of time of the two the estimates of the loss of detached fruits alone have been made. This paper discussed these estimates which were as high as 4 to 6 detached fruits per day per palm palm with at least one ripening bunch in relation to the dependent factors such as the rat population level cropping cycle rat species. These losses of detached fruits were correlated with visible damage. The economic implications are discussed

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Item Type:	Proceedings Paper
Additional Information:	8 tables 6 graphs; 6 ref.
AGROVOC Term:	THEOBROMA CACAO
AGROVOC Term:	PERDIDAS DE LA COSECHA
AGROVOC Term:	MALASIA
AGROVOC Term:	RATA
Geographical Term:	MALAYSIA
Depositing User:	Ms. Norfaezah Khomsan
Last Modified:	24 Apr 2025 05:26
URI:	http://webagris.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/14881

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