Effects of different cowpea cultivars on some biological parameters of the cowpea seed beetle, Callosobruchus maculatus (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

Document Type : Novel Research Articles

Authors

1 Zoology and Entomology Department, Faculty of Science, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt.

2 Zoology and Entomology,faculty of science,assiut university,assiut,Egypt

3 Plant protection research institute, Agriculture Research Center, Dokki, Gizza, Egypt.

4 Plant Pathology Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Assiut University

5 Department of Zoology and Entomology. Faculty of Science, Assiut University, Assiut 71516, Egypt

Abstract

The cowpea seed beetle, Callosobruchus maculatus (F.) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) is an economically serious pest of stored legume seeds, particularly cowpea seeds. Choice and a no-choice test carried out to assess the resistance of five common cowpea cultivars; Cream7, Kaha1, Sakha1, Tiba, and Kafr El-Sheikh1, against c. maculatus. The cowpea seed beetle laid more eggs on Kafr El-Sheikh1 and Kaha1 seeds in the choice test and there was no preference for the pest in the no-choice test. The development time was longest on Tiba and shortest on Kafr El-Sheikh1 cultivars in both choice and no-choice tests. The total number of emerged adults was significantly reduced when the insects were kept on Sakha1, Kaha1, and Tiba cultivars in the no-choice test. However in the choice test, the smallest number of emerged adults was found in the insects kept on Cream7, Sakha1, and Tiba seeds. The smallest percentage of seed weight loss was found in Sakha1 in both choice (14.19%) and no choice (19.58%) tests. There was a reduction in seed weight loss, fecundity and adult emergence rates, and prolonged larval developmental time in C. maculatus that were grown in the Sakha1 cultivar. Consequently, our results suggest that Sakha 1 cultivar is the most resistant against cowpea beetle, among the tested ones and can thus be recommended to farmers and used in IPM programs to mitigate the spread and viability of the cowpea beetle.

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