Comparison between species-selective rodenticides to determine superior performance in rat control, absence of nontarget risk, and ...

The ubiquitous rat (Rattus sp.) is considered to be the most destructive mammalian species in the world. The economic impact directly associated with rats includes damage to agricultural crops and stored grains estimated at 20 billion annually in the United States alone (Danoff-Burg 2002). Rats also carry a variety of serious diseases that cause health problems for the entire community, especially rural or disadvantaged areas. The applicant, Staron LLC, has developed a unique approach to rat control that focuses on species selectivity. Accordingly, the Companys approach diminishes the risk of non-target impact and of cumulative environmental harm occasioned by usage of other rodenticides. Staron LLC now seeks to compare two potential species-selective rodenticide products to assess their scientific merit as well as their target efficacy and their non-target safety. Further, we intend to verify the economic validity of commercialization, both from the perspective of the product producer and from that of the small to medium-sized, agricultural product user. The superior of the two products will be commercialized as a rat-selective toxicant for usage in domestic agriculture and in other markets.