Ovipositional preference of bruchid (Callosobruchus Maculatus Fabricius) on pod character and pod maturity

The ovipositional preference of bruchid, Callosobruchus chinensis on different pulse crops with their varying maturity was conducted through free-choice test to investigate its oviposition behaviour and progeny development under ambient laboratory condition. Pods at different maturity stages, based on color and morphological characters were used to study the egg laying potential of pulse beetle. Yellow coloured registered maximum (32.7 eggs/5 pods) followed by half shattered pod (18.7 eggs). In greengram, yellow pods recorded maximum oviposition (37.3). There was 53.6 per cent more oviposition in yellow pods than the half shattered greengram pods. In redgram, yellow colour pods were the most preferred pods by pulse beetle and the maximum number (36.3 eggs) was laid per 5 pods in yellow pods followed by green pods, striped pods and half shattered pods for egg laying and do not differ significantly. The lowest 3.3 eggs was recorded in immature pods followed by matured pods (8.7 eggs). Blackgram, greengram and redgram recorded as high as 32.7, 32.7 and 36.3 eggs/5 pods, respectively. Pod characters, however, revealed insignificance differences on maximum egg hatching. Undoubtedly, maximum adult emergence was recorded in half shattered pods of green gram (77.9%), red gram (75.6%) and black gram (73.6%).