Bruchid Resistance in Pulses: A Review

Abstract

The pulse crops are crucial for human nutrition not only because of their rich source of proteins but also for their dietary fibres, complex carbohydrates, resistant starch, vitamin complex and minerals. Pulse crops include mungbean, urdbean, redgram, bengalgram, adzuki bean and cowpea which are agriculturally and economically important crops in tropical and subtropical regions. Bruchid beetles, [Callosobruchus chinensis (L.)] and [C. maculatus (F.)] are the most serious insect pests of Vigna crops especially during storage. Infestation starts in the field and carried to storage godowns, where sometimes it causes total destruction of the seeds within six months. The damage is caused by the grubs, which feed on the entire grain contents leaving only the shell behind. The seeds thus loss its viability and they are rendered unfit for human consumption. Use of resistant cultivars is the best way to manage the bruchids. Hence, the resistant accessions can be effectively used as promising donors for developing bruchid resistant varieties which would ensure food security by reducing postharvest losses under storage conditions.