Reproductive Biology and Population Dynamics of Indian Gerbil Rat Tatera indica in Wheat Crop

Tatera indica, the Indian gerbil rat trapped during different growth stages of wheat crop, revealed that maximum mature gerbils (80-100%) were trapped during later growth stages (panicle initiation preharvest + lean period). While, 25 and 50% pregnant ones as well as 100 and 75% cyclic gerbils were collected during dough and preharvest stages, respectively. The weight of ovaries (13.00-19.00 mg/100 gbw), number and diameter of various follicles such as primordial (13.00-16.75; 19.57-19.98 μm), primary (6.50-7.33; 93.12-96.07 μm), secondary (2.75-3.67; 204.42-216.95 μm), pre-antral (2.75-3.50; 277.63-332.57 μm), antral (3.25-3.67; 474.44-499.98 μm), atretic (3.00-3.50; 211.49-247.33 μm) and corpus luteum (3.50- 5.50; 622.24-629.76 μm) were significantly more during later growth stages i.e. dough, preharvest stages and lean period. The sperm motility (89.50-89.67%), viability (92.50-92.67%) and count (119.67-131.75 millions/ml) was significantly more during dough and preharvest stages. The diameter of seminiferous tubules (203.68- 229.44 μm), number of spermatogonia (16.67-17.50), elongating spermatids (85.67-88.50) and elongated spermatids (81.00- 89.50) were significantly more during panicle initiation, dough and preharvest stages. Thus, control operations of T. indica should be done during tillering/panicle initiation stage before the initiation of their peak breeding activity during dough/ preharvest stages