Screening of legumes against pulse beetle [Callosobruchus chinensis (L.), coleoptera: bruchidae] under storage condition in Chitwan, Nepal

The study was carried out to find out the host preference of pulse beetles against different legumes at the entomology laboratory. It is found that the major cause of heavy loss of grain legumes in the storage condition is the pulse beetles (Callosobruchus chinensis L.). Farmers grow large scale of legumes, however, due to the pest especially Callosobruchus chinensis, the productivity of grain legumes is low, so the study focused on finding the susceptible and resistant legumes. Study carried out at the entomology laboratory of Institute of Agriculture and Animal Sciences, Rampur, Chitwan. The experiment was carried out in Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with three replications. Seven different legumes were used as treatment in the experiment. After 20 days of treatment chickpea seems most susceptible legumes than other as the average number of beetles were highest in chickpea (35.666) and least number of beetles was found in kidney bean (3.333) which denotes the most resistant legumes against pulse beetle after 20 days after treatment. Later, the average number of pulse beetles increased rapidly in lentils till last recording and the pulse beetle number in kidney beans seems to be null. After 100 DAT (Days After Treatment), the total number of damaged grains per 100 seeds is found maximum in Pea (10.68) and Cowpea (10.68) minimum in Soybean (0.00) and Kidney bean (0.00). Based on host preferences lentil was best host and was most susceptible to pulse beetle and kidney bean as least susceptible to the pulse beetle.