Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

ASSESSMENT OF LOSSES DUE TO PULSE BEETLE CALLOSOBRUCHUS CHINENSIS L. IN CHICKPEA

V. Venkatesham, R.S. Meena and M.A. Laichattiwar

Abstract

The losses caused by pulse beetle, Callosobruchus chinensis L. were determined by releasing five pairs of adults in a glass jars each containing 500g chickpea grains. The mean seed damage, weight loss was 7.87 per cent, 4.19 per cent, respectively after 30 days of release which increased with the storage duration resulting in 99.33 and 48.73 per cent, respectively after 120 days. The population buildup of pulse beetle increases with incresing period of storage. The per cent germination loss was positively correlated with increasing storage period.