author(s)
Dr. Mousumi Phukon and Dr. Ratul Kr Borah

abstract
A study on population density of field rodents in rice-vegetable cropping system at Upper Brahmaputra Valley Zone, Assam during 2015-16 and 2016-17 revealed that population density of field rodents was recorded the highest (64.0 + 3.0 and 36.0 + 22.0) in the month of September when the rice crop was at milky stage and lowest (9 + 2.0 and 4.33 + 3.05) at an early tillering stage in both the years. The rodent infestation in vegetable crops was initiated at seedling stage and increased gradually with maximum infestation at harvesting stage of the crops. The mean LBC per ha in rabi vegetables was recorded the highest (57.67 + 6.11 and 21.33 + 9.50) at harvesting stage and the lowest (9.0 + 2.64 and 2.67 + 2.51) at seedling stage of vegetable crops during 2015-16 and 2016-17, respectively. The distribution pattern of rodent burrows in the field revealed that the burrow position differs with the crop stage. The burrowing activity in terms of mean LBC/ha was found higher in kharif rice than that observed in rabi vegetables (harvesting stage) during both the years, 2015-16 and 2016-17, respectively.