EVALUATION OF EUCALYPTUS AND CITRONELLA OILS AS REPELLENTS AGAINST HOUSE RAT, Rattus rattus (Linnaeus)
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Date
2012
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PAU Ludhiana
Abstract
Experiments were conducted in laboratory pens, maze and store houses using two essential
oils namely eucalyptus and citronella oils to study their repellency against house rat, Rattus
rattus. In laboratory pens, both oils were applied as paint, as encapsulated wax blocks and as
spray each further with three modes of application i.e. daily, once a week, and alternatively in
a week at three concentrations 5, 10 and 20%. Repellent effect of the two oils was observed at
all the concentrations tested but significantly (P ≤ 0.05) higher effect of eucalyptus oil was in
female rats at 20% concentration and of citronella oil in male rats at 10% concentration when
applied as spray alternatively. Multichoice experiment conducted in T-maze using 5%
eucalyptus and citronella oils as encapsulated wax blocks in choice with no treatment
revealed significantly (P ≤ 0.05) higher repellent effect of eucalyptus oil compared to
citronella oil in female rats. Bichoice experiment conducted in I-maze using 5% eucalyptus
oil as encapsulated wax blocks in choice with no treatment showed significantly (P ≤ 0.05)
reduced movements and activities of both male and female rats in treated zone compared to
untreated zone. In store house experiments conducted using 5% eucalyptus and citronella oils
as encapsulated wax blocks and as spray revealed more percent repellency and control
success with eucalyptus oil as encapsulated wax blocks. Present studies thus reveal the
efficacy of 5% eucalyptus oil encapsulated in wax blocks as repellent against R. rattus of both
sexes.
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