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20201
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Subject: Zoology × Author: Ali, Shahid × End date: 2020 × Start date: 2000 × Thesis Type: M.Sc ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Prevalence of Indian flying fox, Pteropus giganteus Brunnich (Chiroptera: Pteropodidae) and its damage in ber crop
    (Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana-, 2020) Ali, Shahid; Rajwinder Singh
    he present study was conducted with the motive of collecting information about roosting preference, population fluctuation of P. giganteus from three different sites; Panjab University Campus, Chandigarh; Company Bagh, District Jalandhar and village Ayali Khurd, District Ludhiana and observe damage done by fruit bat in ber fruits along with their management using LED bulbs of different wattages which was conducted at “New Orchard” of Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, during 2017-18 and 2018-19. In Panjab University Campus Chandigarh, during 2017-19, the mean bat population varies from 2809 to 2953 with 5.1% increase in P. giganteus bat population during 2018-19 as compared to 2017-18. Interestingly, for both years, during winter season, bats preferred to roost on pinus and eucalyptus, whereas during summer and rainy seasons more bat population was recorded on mango, sterculia, jamun and silver oak. Per cent population of bats roosted on tree species was highest on pinus (35.40%), silver oak (19.63%), sterculia (13.73%) and mango (13.21%). In Company Bagh, Jalandhar Cantonment, mean bat population varies from 1754 to 1861 with 6.07% increase in bat population during 2018-19 as compared to 2017-18. Interestingly, during winter season, bats preferred to roost on pinus and eucalyptus, whereas during summer and rainy seasons more bat population was recorded on mango, sterculia, jamun, ficus and silver oak. Per cent population of bats roosted on tree species was highest on silver oak (20.09%), eucalyptus (19.95%), pilkhan (16.95), pinus (10.70%) and ficus (10.70%). In village Ayali Khurd, mean bat population varies from 346 to 252 with 27.20% decrease in bat population during 2018-19 as compared to 201718. Per cent population of bats roosted on tree species was highest on eucalyptus (97.52%) as compared to banyan tree (2.48%). During May when there is highest atmospheric temperature (31.6 to 32.4°C) and lowest relative humidity (42.0 to 44.0%), bats migrate from their roosting site to a long distance and come back again during October-November months, due to less availability of tree species surrounding the roosting site, unlike other selected roosting sites along with human settlement. Depending upon the temperature and relative humidity (%) of the environment bats shows their seasonal shifting pattern on different tree species. Mean damaged ber fruit recorded was 10.94 kg/tree, per cent yield loss 10.49% and ber fruit loss of Rs. 383.25/tree. Interestingly, a minimum damage (0.51%) to ber fruits was recorded when LED bulbs of 30 watts were used in ber orchards. So, it is concluded that by using 16 LED bulbs of 30 watt/acre at a distance of 50×50 feet and 6 feet above tree canopy, farmers can get profit of Rs. 9386.0/acre which will help them to keep the fruit bats away from ber orchards thus reduce damage and increase farm income.