Growth and development of pulse beetle, Callosobruchus chinensis [l] on pulses

Laboratory experiments were conducted to study the comparative growth and developmental biology of Callosobruchus chinensis in the laboratory at RVS Agricultural College, Thanjavur on different pulses. i.e., Five pulses [green gram (Vigna radiata), black gram (Vigna mungo), chickpea (Desi) (Cicer arietinum), cowpea (Vigna sinensis) and red gram (Cajanas cajan). Red gram received the highest number of eggs (71.20 ± 3.56 no. of eggs/ female) while minimum number of eggs laid on chick pea (27.80±2.33 no. of eggs/ female). Oviposition period and incubation period of eggs on different pulses shows non-significant. Hatchability per cent of egg were high (91.20 ± 1.32%) on black gram (91.20 ± 1.32%) and low on chickpea (79.20 ± 5.03%). The duration of larval - pupal was the highest on chick pea (27.80 ± 0.58 days) and the lowest on red gram (21.60 ± 0.40 days). Total life cycle of pulse beetle, Callosobruchus chinesis was less on red gram (25 .80 ± 0.20 days) and prolonged on chickpea (32.00 ± 0.89 days). Maximum adult longevity was observed on red gram (9.80 ± 0.58 days) least on black gram (7.60 ± 0.40 days) . No significant differences in sex ratio of pulse beetle among the different pulses were observed. The highest survival per cent was recorded in red gram (88.4 ± 5.37%) followed black gram (83.6 ± 5.52%) and low in chickpea (62.8 ± 5.26%). Green gram had minimum per cent of grain weight loss (24.61 ±6.27). The highest per cent grain weight loss was observed in red gram (32.37 ±4.59%).