Estimation of damage caused by rodents on orange and mandarin orchards at Sohag governorate, Egypt

This study was aimed to determine the damage caused by rodents in three different distracts (Shandaweel, Tahta and Gerga) at Sohag governorate, Egypt during November 2018 until February 2019. Many hundred feddans was cultivated with orange and mandarin orchards in these distracts. Rodent damage assayed in orange and mandarin trees in different distracts at Sohag governorate, (The Shandaweel Research Station, Tahta, and Gerga). where it spreads the white-bellied rat, Rattus rattus frugivorous (Linnaeus), the grey-bellied rat, Rattus rattus alexandrinus (Linnaeus), the Nile grass rat, Arvicanthis niloticus (Desmarest), and house mouse, Mus musculus are commonly found in and around the citrus farms (orange and mandarin) at Sohag governorate. Results showed the damage percentages were in (orange and mandarin) (25.5 and 19.7%), for (19.5 and 12.00%) and 15.70 and 9.3 %) in Shandaweel Research Station, Tahta and Gerga farms. Where the average rate of infestation in the fruits of orange and mandarin trees in the three different distracts (Shandaweel Research Station, Tahta and Gerga farms) reached a rate of (20.2%) and (13.6 %) respectively. Also showed the damage in of fruit and branches on orange and mandarin trees caused by rodents in the same places mentioned above that the damage percentage on orange and mandarin were high in the Shandaweel Research Station, the percentage was (29.05 and 21.07%) for orange and mandarin fruits. While the percentage of damage in orange and mandarin branches reached (21.16 and 39.44%). respectively. Followed by the infestation rate is the Tahta distracts where the percentage was lower. The percentages were (21.89 and 14.80 %) for orange and mandarin fruits. While the percentages of damage in orange and mandarin branches reached (14.97 and 30.26%), respectively. As for Gerga distracts, it was the least in terms of the rate of infestation, where the percentage was lower. The percentages were (16.98 and 10.52 %) for orange and mandarin fruits, respectively. While the percentages of damage in orange and mandarin branches reached (11.50 and 22.29%), respectively during the period of the study at Sohag governorate. This study was aimed to determine the damage caused by rodents in three different distracts (Shandaweel, Tahta and Gerga) at Sohag governorate, Egypt during November 2018 until February 2019.