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Rodents present a major problem for food security in Asia where smallholder farming families are particularly vulnerable. We review here recent developments in the biology and management of rodent pests in cereal cropping systems in Asia. The past decade has seen a strong focus on ecologically‐based rodent management (EBRM), its adoption in field studies significantly increased rice yields (6–15%) and income (>15%) in seven Asian countries. EBRM principles have also been successfully applied to maize in China. We provide case studies on EBRM in Cambodia, on interactions between rodent pests and weeds, and on the importance of modified wetlands for biodiversity and rodent pest management. Knowledge on post‐harvest impacts of rodents is increasing. One research gap is the assessment of human health impacts from a reduction of rodent densities in and around houses. We identify 10 challenges for the next decade. For example, the need for population modelling, a valuable tool missing from our toolbox to manage rodent pests in cereal systems. We also need to understand better the interactive effects of cropping intensification, conservation agriculture and climate change. Finally, new management approaches such as fertility control are on the horizon and need to be considered in the context of smallholder cereal farming systems and mitigating health risks from zoonotic diseases associated with rodents. © 2021 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We examined the diet of two rice field amphibians across two separate rainy seasons. • We identified prey items and tested for differences in diet composition. • The native Luzon wart frog consumed more rice pests (54.1%) than the cane toad. • The invasive cane toad consumed a disproportionate amount (89.4%) of predators. • The Luzon wart frog may provide pest control in rice agro-ecosystems. Lowland irrigated rice fields serve the dual purpose of providing an essential food crop to the world's most populous regions and functioning as man-made wetlands that harbor a diversity of organisms. Amphibians occupy rice fields throughout Asia and South America, but little is known about their functional role in the rice ecosystem. We conducted field surveys in Los Baños, Philippines over two separate rainy seasons (2015 and 2017) to determine whether native Luzon wart frogs and invasive cane toads consume rice pests, and if so, which species was more effective in doing so. We also examined diet composition to test whether the two species compete for food resources in rice fields. We found that despite smaller body sizes, the Luzon wart frog consumed the same total mass of prey as the cane toad (although it consumed fewer total prey items), and that pests made up the largest proportion (54.1%) of its total diet. In contrast, the majority (89.4%) of the cane toad's diet consisted of beneficial arthropod predators. Taxonomic analyses of diet composition and breadth revealed that the diet of Luzon wart frog was distinct from that of the cane toad, although there was overlap, and that both species consumed diverse array of prey. Taken together, these data suggest adult Luzon wart frogs may provide effective pest control services, and that they may not be in direct competition over food resources with adult cane toads in rice fields. We also present the first evidence suggesting that cane toads may indirectly damage rice crops by consuming beneficial predators integral to the function of lowland rice ecosystems. We suggest that rice agro-ecosystems should be managed to promote species such as the native Luzon wart frog, and to reduce populations of the introduced cane toad in order to safeguard native biodiversity while simultaneously improving yields and reducing insecticide input. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]