RICE FIELD RATS PEST CONTROL WITH THE KB PROGRAM

                                                                                              RICE FIELD RATS PEST CONTROL WITH THE KB PROGRAM

                                                                                                                                             By

                                                                                                                           Gusti Ngurah Sutapa

                                                                                                            FMIPA Physics, Udayana University

                The Family Planning Program (KB) in Indonesia is known as one of the successful programs. The Family Planning Program began in 1970 after the Family Planning Program was implemented there was a change in people's perception of the ideal number of children, which has led to a dramatic decline in birth rates. Family planning is an attempt to spell out or plan the number of children and the distance of pregnancy or sterilize one of the partners using contraception. Family planning limits the number of children where one family is only allowed to have two or three children. With the main goal of families with ideal children, healthy families, educated families, prosperous families, resilient families, families whose reproductive rights are fulfilled, and the achievement of a balanced population. The family planning program has an important contribution to improving the quality of life of the community. The family planning program has even become the direction of policies and strategies of various government sectors.

                In line with this, the KB program can be implemented in integrated rats pest control (IPC) in Indonesia. The KB program intended in this IPC is the Sterile Male Technique (SMT) in rice field rats. Male rats were made to be infertile by providing Co-60 gamma radiation. According to Sutapa (2019) in the publication entitled "Effect of Radiation Gamma Co-60 on Sterile Male Technique Competitiveness in Inhibiting Population of Rattus argentiventer", sterility of rice field rats permanently occurs at 3Gy radiation doses. It was further conveyed in the publication that barren field infertility had been tested from the reproductive appearance and biological tests of cubs born. Infertile male rats mated with female rats at a dose of 3Gy radiation, female rats did not give birth to cubs. Thus the rice field rats have undergone a family planning program. To ensure that the KB program is implemented, the male rats are released in the field, so that the field female rats that are infertile by infertile male rats will not give birth to cubs. The release of sterile male rats will gradually be able to effectively reduce the field rat population. Population decline will succeed if the ratio of infertile male rats to field male rats is applied properly.

                The advantage of this rat KB is that it does not cause rats to be destroyed (dead), but rats can be suppressed/controlled by the population so that the ecosystem can be maintained. Another advantage of KB rats is more focused on the creation of ecosystem balance. Ecosystem balance on pest control that pests should not be destroyed but pests must be managed or suppressed from the main pests into potential pests. Potential pests are pests that must remain in nature as long as it is not economically harmful and these pests can maintain the balance of the ecosystem. The results of this study are inseparable from the role of Udayana University Professor including Prof. Dr. Ir. I Wayan Supartha, M.S, Prof. Dr. Ir. I Nyoman Wijaya, M.S, and Prof. Dr. drh. I Ketut Puja, M. Kes who has provided much guidance so that this research can be completed.