Journal of Pest Science (2007) 80, 167-174

Shahram Kaboodvandpour and Luke K.-P. Leung (2007)
Does streptobacillary arthritis reduce house mouse population density, activity and damage to sorghum crops?
Journal of Pest Science 80 (3), 167-174
Abstract: An experiment to examine the effect of streptobacillary arthritis on mouse populations was conducted in maturing sorghum crops in mouse-proofed pens. There were three treatment pens and three control pens in which mice with and without clinical signs of streptobacillary arthritis were introduced, respectively. A constant mouse density (533 mice ha⁻¹) was introduced to the pens by releasing 12 mice in each pen. The sex ratio of introduced mice was also constant by releasing in each pen nine males and three females. Mean track index was lower in treatment pens than in control pens, indicating that streptobacillary arthritis reduced the activity of mice. However, this was not translated into a reduction in other population responses. Mean mouse density at harvest, percentage of female pregnant at harvest, yield loss caused by mice and a feeding index (oil card index) did not differ significantly between treatment and control groups. A plausible explanation for these findings was that mice with the clinical signs might be less active but were able to consume as much grains as mice without the clinical signs because food was in abundant supply.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Luke K.-P. Leung

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
damage/losses/economics
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
general biology - morphology - evolution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Mus musculus	Sorghum (crop)