Reproductive Biology and Population Dynamics of Indian Gerbil Rat Tatera indica in Wheat Crop

Authors

  • Gursimran Kaur Dhillon Department of Zoology, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana 141004, Punjab
  • Navdeep Kaur Department of Zoology, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana 141004, Punjab

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.55446/IJE.2021.128

Keywords:

Wheat crop, growth stages, Tatera indica, population dynamics, reproductive biology, male, female, ovaries, follicles, sperm, motility, viability, seminiferous tubules, spermatogonia, spermatids

Abstract

Tatera indica, the Indian gerbil rat trapped during different growth stages of wheat crop, revealed that maximum mature gerbils (80-100%) were trapped during later growth stages (panicle initiationpreharvest+ lean period). While, 25 and 50% pregnant ones as well as 100 and 75% cyclic gerbils were collected during dough and preharvest stages, respectively. The weight of ovaries (13.00-19.00 mg/ 100 gbw), number and diameter of various follicles such as primordial (13.00-16.75; 19.57-19.98 μm), primary (6.50-7.33; 93.12-96.07 μm), secondary (2.75-3.67; 204.42-216.95 μm), pre-antral (2.75-3.50; 277.63-332.57 μm), antral (3.25-3.67; 474.44-499.98 μm), atretic (3.00-3.50; 211.49-247.33 μm) and corpus luteum (3.50- 5.50; 622.24-629.76 μm) were significantly more during later growth stages i.e. dough, preharvest stages and lean period. The sperm motility (89.50-89.67%), viability (92.50-92.67%) and count (119.67-131.75 millions/ ml) was significantly more during dough and preharvest stages. The diameter of seminiferous tubules (203.68- 229.44 μm), number of spermatogonia (16.67-17.50), elongating spermatids (85.67-88.50) and elongated spermatids (81.00- 89.50) were significantly more during panicle initiation, dough and preharvest stages. Thus, control operations of T. indica should be done during tillering/ panicle initiation stage before the initiation of their peak breeding activity during dough/preharvest stages.

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Published

2022-02-17

How to Cite

Dhillon, G. K., & Kaur, N. (2022). Reproductive Biology and Population Dynamics of Indian Gerbil Rat <i>Tatera indica</i> in Wheat Crop. Indian Journal of Entomology, 84(4), 788–792. https://doi.org/10.55446/IJE.2021.128

Issue

Section

Research Articles

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