1Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture, Junagadh Agricultural University, Junagadh-362001, Gujarat
Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, Junagadh Agricultural University, Junagadh-362001, Gujarat
*Corresponding Author Email: chudasamajalpa@gmail.com
Online published on 21 November, 2016.
Lifetable of pulse beetle Callosobruchus maculatus (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Bruchidae) worked out on cowpea, chickpea and soybean revealed that the intrinsic rate of natural increase (rm) on cowpea was 1.99x higher than on chickpea and 2.79x higher than on soybean. The shorter generation time and higher intrinsic rate of increase shortened the population doubling time to 5.93 days on cowpea as compared to 11.72 days on chickpea and 16.50 days on soybean. Based on the rm values and doubling time, the most suitable host was found to be cowpea followed by chickpea and soybean. On all the three hosts studied, the maximum contribution towards stable age distribution was made by the immature stages. The computation of lifetable expectancy data clearly indicated that the life expectancy of C. maculatus declined gradually with the advancement of age.
Callosobruchus maculatus, cowpea, chickpea, soybean, intrinsic rate of increase, generation, population doubling, age distribution, life expectancy
