Bruchid a Serious Pest on Pulse Crops: Its Control Measures and Breeding Advancements: A Review

Bruchid (Callosobruchus spp.) are the most destructive, notorious storage pest of pulses in the tropical and sub-tropical region. The yield losses are higher than half of the expected yield with in the short period of time. Bruchid initial infestation started in the field and shortly builds up during storage time and cause severe seed damage up to 100 per cent. Bruchid infestation ranges from 60 to 100% within two to three months of storage period. Among the different bruchid species, cowpea weevils (C. maculatus F.) and azuki bean weevils (Callosobruchus chinensis L.) are the most destructive storage pest of pulses. Though several options are now available to identify the elite genotypes against bruchid infestation, still the development of genotypes with sufficient level of host plant resistance is not achieved. In this pursuit, the present article has given a detailed review of the major species of bruchid, insect life style, management practices, screening technique, sources of resistance, novel breeding strategies and recent advancements including use of molecular markers in marker aided selection and QTL studies for bruchid resistance.

Evaluating the Potential of Liquid Smoke in Protecting Cocoa Beans against Storage Pest

Cocoabeans damage by storage pest is a major challenge in postharvest handling and also a contributor to food waste and loss. Attempts to use synthetic chemicals to control this have generated other health and environmental problems.Meanwhile, the improper disposal of cocoapod waste has also led to phytophthora disease infection on cocoa farms. This study therefore aimed to investigate the potential of using pyrolysed cocoa pod husk as biopesticide (liquid Smoke (LS)) to protect cocoa beans against storage pests. The study was set up in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with five treatments (10%; 20%; 50%; 100 % concentrations of LS and 0 %as control). These were applied to the outer surface of mini jute sacks containing cocoa beans. A GCMS analysis of the LS detected 20 compounds. A repellence test of LS showed very strong repellence effect, repelling almost 90% of insect population. The feeding deterrence index also caused a reduction in bean damage from 22% in control to 7.65% for 100% LS-treated beans. Weight loss reduced from 2.13% in control to 0.11 % in 100% LS. LS treatment did not cause any significant change in the FFA and pH content of the beans. From the organoleptic test, LS treatment did not cause any significant change in the flavour and overall taste, and aroma acceptance. The liquid smoke, therefore, has the potential to be used for protecting cocoa beans by spraying on the outer part of jute sacks containing beans.

Screening and Biochemical Analysis on Blackgram Genotypes for Resistance against Storage Pest Bruchine [Callosobruchus maculatus (F.)]

Background: Blackgram [Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper] is a rich source of protein. It is one of the major crops essentially involved in daily human diets. However, storage pest bruchine [Callosobruchus maculatus (F.)] is a major production constraint for legumes. A research was formulated to assess the bruchine resistance in 20 blackgram genotypes along with the biochemical analysis to find out the active biochemical components responsible for the resistance activity.Methods: The experiment was carried out during August- October, 2019 at Entomology Laboratory, National Pulses Research Center, Vamban, India. The experimental material comprised of 20 blackgram genotypes which were screened for bruchine resistance. Further, confirmatory trial was conducted with selected resistant entries and highly susceptible entries during October- December, 2019. Both experiments were carried out in completely randomized design and replicated three times. GC-MS analysis on the resistant and susceptible entries were performed to ascertain the active biochemical components conferring resistance.Result: Among the genotypes, TU 68 had comparatively late developmental time (days), less number of adult emergence, higher mean developmental period (days), less susceptibility index, less seed damage (%) and less seed weight loss (%). Genotype TU 68 was found to be resistant in the confirmatory trial also. Less number of adult emergence and higher mean developmental period indicated the delayed developmental period which is a mechanism of bruchine resistance. GC-MS analysis on resistant (TU 68) and susceptible (MDU 1) genotypes indicated the presence of active biochemical compounds with insectifuge activity in TU 68. Hence, TU 68 could be utilized in the hybridization programmeas donor for bruchine resistance.

Odorants of Capsicum spp. Dried Fruits as Candidate Attractants for Lasioderma serricorne F. (Coleoptera: Anobiidae)

The cigarette beetle, Lasioderma serricorne F. (Coleoptera: Anobiidae) is an important food storage pest affecting the tobacco industry and is increasingly impacting museums and herbaria. Monitoring methods make use of pheromone traps which can be implemented using chili fruit powder. The objective of this study was to assess the response of L. serricorne to the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from different chili powders in order to identify the main semiochemicals involved in this attraction. Volatiles emitted by Capsicum annuum, C. frutescens, and C. chinense dried fruit powders were tested in an olfactometer and collected and analyzed using SPME and GC-MS. Results indicated that C. annuum and C. frutescens VOCs elicit attraction toward L. serricorne adults in olfactometer, while C. chinense VOCs elicit no attraction. Chemicals analysis showed a higher presence of polar compounds in the VOCs of C. annuum and C. frutescens compared to C. chinense, with α-ionone and β-ionone being more abundant in the attractive species. Further olfactometer bioassays indicated that both α-ionone and β-ionone elicit attraction, suggesting that these compounds are candidates as synergistic attractants in pheromone monitoring traps for L. serricorne.

Constraints faced by beneficiary and non-beneficiary red gram farmers

The research was conducted in Vijayapura district of Karnataka during the year 2019-20 with the sample size of 120 respondents. The findings revealed that, in case of beneficiary farmers were majority (73.33 %) of the farmers expressed non-availability of labour, followed by lower price of produce at the time of harvesting (68.33 %), storage pest problem (63.33 %) and lack of storage facilities and non-availability of credit in time (61.67 %) as problems faced by them. It was also found that, 58.33 per cent of the farmers expressed non-availability of fertilizers at the peak time as the constraint, followed by lack of transportation facilities (48.33 %), high cost of fertilizers (43.33 %), lack of marketing facilities (41.67 %) and knowledge about use of weedicides (28.33 %). In order of priority in case of nonbeneficiary farmers were majority (71.67 %) of the farmers expressed lack of storage facilities, followed by lower price of produce at the time of harvesting (66.67 %), non-availability of labour and nonavailability of credit in time (61.67 %) and storage pest problem (60.00 %) as problems faced by them. It was also found that, 56.67 per cent of the farmers expressed high cost of fertilizers and lack of transportation facilities, followed by lack of marketing facilities (51.67 %) and knowledge about use of weedicides (40.00 %).

Screening of Mungbean [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek] Genotypes against Bruchid (Callosobruchus maculatus) Attack to Reduce Postharvest Losses

Background: Mungbean is an important pulse crop due to its high protein content. Bruchid is a major storage pest which causes deterioration of seed quality as well as quantity. The grain losses directly affect the agricultural economy and also the human health. Therefore, this issue has to be addressed with high priority. Methods: To address this issue, we have initiated a study to screen the fifty-two mungbean genotypes against the bruchid attack. The initial phase of the experiment was carried out from 2015 to 2017 in the Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, University of Calcutta to the laboratory condition through the no choice test. Result: Using the parameter bruchid susceptibility index according to Dobie, four resistant, ten susceptible, seventeen moderately resistant and twenty-one moderately susceptible mungbean genotypes were identified. The host resistance genotype HUM-8, PM-11-51, APDM-84, VC-639 are identified as the most promising resistant genotype.

KEEFEKTIFAN BEBERAPA DOSIS INSEKTISIDA NABATI BABADOTAN (Ageratum conyzoides L.) TERHADAP KUMBANG BUBUK BIJI JAGUNG (Sitophilus zeamais M.) DI PENYIMPANAN

ABSTRACT Sitophilus zeamais M. is a storage pest that attacks corn kernels in the storage. Pest control strategies in storage which are often carried out are chemicals, namely insecticides in the form of fumigants. One of them is using plant-based insecticides. Babadotan is a plant that can be used as a botanical insecticide. This research aimed to obtain an effective dose of babadotan flour towards the mortality of S. zeamais pest. This research was conducted at the Plant Pest Laboratory, Faculty of Agriculture, Riau University from March to May 2019. The research was conducted experimentally using a completely randomized design (CRD) with 6 treatments and 4 replications. Treatment given was babadotan flour with the following dosage: Babadotan flour dose 0 g.100 g-1 corn kernels, 2 g.100 g-1 corn kernels, 4 g.100 g-1 corn kernels, 6 g.100 g-1 corn kernels, 8 g.100 g-1 corn kernels, and 10 g.100 g-1 corn kernels. Dose 10 g.100 g-1 babadotan flour corn kernels is an effective dose to control Sitophilus zeamais which can cause total mortality of 82.5% with an initial death of 79,75 hours after application and Lethal time 50 254 hours after application. Application of babadotan flour with a dose of 10 g.100 g-1 corn kernels produced the lowest percentage of corn seed shrinking at 9,55% and resulted in the least individual increase of 4,75 tails. Keywords: Ageratum conyzoides L., Sitophilus zeamais M., Corn