Commensal rodents as pests and methods for their control - a critical appraisal.

Strategies for the control of rodent pests (particularly rats and mice) in crop storage and handling environments are reviewed. Aspects considered include: species of major concern; crop damage and contamination; spread of disease; characteristics of field crop losses; losses in stored seeds and grains; control of rodent pests (improvement in environmental sanitation, use of rodent exclusion buildings, poison baiting, use of fumigants and traps); rodenticides available (acute rodenticides (zinc phosphide), anticoagulant rodenticides, repellents); use of ultrasound to prevent rodents from entering buildings; biological control (predators); and integrated pest management systems.