Application of Clostridium Botulinum Toxin Type D to Control Plateau Zokors in Qinghai–Tibet Plateau Pastoral Areas

The feasibility of Clostridium botulinum toxin type D as a novel biological rodenticide to control plateau zokors was explored. In this study, Horn’s method was used to determine the gavage LD 50 of C. botulinum toxin type D to plateau zokors. Modified Karber metho was employed to determine the oral LD 50 of granular and wheat baits. Results showed that the gavage LD 50 was 5840 MLD/kg (the reliable line is 3430–9950 MLD/kg) and the oral LD 50 values of granular and wheat baits were 0.8339 and 1.319 g/kg, respectively, which indicated that plateau zokors are sensitive to this toxin. The palatability of wheat and homemade granular baits to plateau zokors was measured. Selective feeding coefficients were 1.33 and 1.10, whereas nonselective feeding coefficients were 0.81 and 0.60, respectively. A plot experiment of different toxin concentrations to kill zokors showed that homemade granular bait (10000 MLD/g) had the best effect. The average efficiency rate was 89.83%. This study showed the feasibility of controlling plateau zokors by using botulinum toxin type D