PULSE BEETLE

• P.H.L.U.De Silva• J.A.C.M.Jayakody• T.A.Maduwage

Introduction

•Kingdom: Animalia•Phylum : Arthropoda•Class: Insecta•Order: Coleoptera•Family: Bruchidae•Genus: Callosobruchus•Species: C. chinensis, C. maculatusBinominal name: Callosobruchus chinensis

Life Cycle

Life Cycle of Pulse Beetle

Eggs

Adult

Pupa

Larva

• Egg - Laid singly, stick in to seed, Fresh eggs are translucent, White in colour• Larva - Fleshy, Curved, Creamy white in colour, Black mouth parts.• Pupa - Pupation takes place in a pupal cell prepared beneath the seed coat.

Adult beetle

• 3- 4 mm long• oval shaped• Brownish grey beetle with dark spots• body is pointed towards front.•Adults are short lived, it is harmless and do not feed on storage produce at all.

• Short serrate or filiform antenna.• Elytra pubescent & do not cover the

abdomen completely.• Eyes are emarginated.

Damage

• The adult and larva feed on the grain by making a small hole.

• Infested recognitions - by white eggs - round exit holes • Host range: All whole pulses, beans and grams

Cultural Control

• Exposure of the grain to sun light . • Dry the pods to optimum kernel moisture

level of about 7 %.• Store the pods in polythene-lined gunny bags with a layer of sand.

•Avoid seed breakage.•Broken seeds should not be stored for long periods.•Dust an inert substance such as ABCD (attapulgite-based clay dust) Bags should not be stitched or closed.•Bags should not be stitched or closed.

Chemical Control

• Dip the gunny bags in 10% malathion solution.• Apply E.D.B. ampulses at 3 ml/q of seed in air

tight storage structure.• Fumigation with aluminum phosphide

protects the seed without affecting the viability.

Mechanical Control•Dip the old gunny bags in boiled water for 15 minutes.

Biological Control•Coat the seed with small quantities of vegetable oil or mix neem leaves in the stored grain.

Thank You