The UK scientists behind a £4.7m study to understand the scent signals used by rodents hope their work will play an important role in safeguarding food security.
The team, based at the University of Liverpool and Rothamsted Research, in Hertfordshire, is investigating the trails rats and mice use to navigate around their habitat, communicate with each other and reproduce. The scientists aim to use these signals to monitor and manipulate rodent behaviour.
They also hope to design new approaches to control which reduce the risks associated with poisons through improved targeting, or negate the use of such chemicals.
Research suggests that even a 5% reduction in the damage that rats and mice cause to cereal harvests could feed one third of all undernourished people worldwide.
Prof Jane Hurst, of the University of Liverpool, said: "Rodents cause problems in countries all over the world due to the food they destroy, the disease they spread to livestock and humans, and the damage they cause to the built and rural environment.
“Rats and mice reproduce very rapidly and prove difficult to track, particularly as they learn quickly how to evade current control strategies.
"Our research is helping us to understand the complexity of mammalian scents and their meaning, and the role of learning in modifying behavioural responses."
Several types of scent signals will be key to the work, including those involved in sexual attraction and predator avoidance.
The £4.7M research programme has received funding from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC).
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- Alun Williams - 18/11/2011
My Name is Alun Williams I own a pest control company AAW Pest control,I limit the use of rodenticides on farms, by first inspecting with night vision I also shoot rats in this manner by inspecting during the hours of darkness it gives you a better understanding of the habitats and trails of rodents, also I can bring an infestation down a lot quicker by first inspecting/shooting at night then with the use of traps take out the biggest part of the infestation, limiting the my rodenticide useage to a minimum.