Screening of Groundnut Cultivars against Seed Beetle, Caryedon serratus

摘要

In India, groundnut is stored as pods as well as kernels. Both forms are susceptible to Caryedon serratus Olivier (Coleoptera: Bruchidae), which is the only primary pest of stored groundnut causing both quantitative and qualitative losses. The larvaeof C. serratus bore into the seeds via small holes and feed on the embryo and the endosperm, and final instar grub comes out for pupation through exit holes. The losses in groundnut varied according to the storage period and may vary from 19 to 60 per cent, when the groundnut was stored for five months (Matokot et ah, 1987; Wightman et al, 1987). If the storage of groundnut pod is longer i.e., about 90 days, the damage in seven different groundnut varieties varied from 64 to 93 per cent (Ghorpade et al,1998). Kumari et al. (2002) reported that the extent of damage on cv. TMV2 by bruchid was 77.1% in pods, 67.8% in kernels and weight loss in pods and kernels was 55.1 and 52.3%, respectively. Though many workers had reported the biology and damage potential of seed beetle on groundnut, limited information is available regarding the resistance of groundnut cultivars to seed beetle. Hence, the present investigation was taken up to identify the resistant groundnut cultivars against seed beetle, C. serratus.