Agricultural Pests Other Than Insects and Their Management
Agricultural pests other than insects include nematodes, rodents, birds and molluscs; the exam tests recognition, damage and safe integrated management.
Core rules
- Nematodes: Meloidogyne incognita causes root-knot galls; Heterodera spp. form cysts; Pratylenchus lesions roots. Symptoms include stunting, yellowing and poor root growth. Manage with resistant varieties, crop rotation, clean planting material, organic amendments and nematicides where label-approved.
- Rodents: Bandicota bengalensis (lesser bandicoot rat), Rattus rattus and Mus musculus damage stored grain and field crops. Use sanitation, rat-proof stores, snap traps, glue boards and anticoagulant baits; zinc phosphide requires pre-baiting.
- Birds: rose-ringed parakeet, house crow and baya weaver damage cereals and fruits. Use netting, reflective tape, scarers, habitat management and trapping where legal.
- Molluscs: giant African snail Achatina fulica and slugs rasp foliage; hand-pick, remove shelter, use barriers and molluscicides carefully.
Worked example
A vegetable plot shows seedlings cut at night and slime trails. That points to slugs/snails, not rodents. Remove debris and damp shelters, hand-pick after rain, and use iron phosphate or metaldehyde bait away from pets and children.
Traps
Nematodes are not insects; root galls are not nitrogen nodules. Rodenticides are hazardous to children and predators-never scatter bait. Bird control should not target protected species.