Seed Protectants on Greengram

It is more difficult to store the pulses than cereals as they suffer a great damage during storage due to pulse beetles (Callosobruchus spp) as they are the major pests of pulses that are responsible for causing serious losses in store and in field. The insect invasion causes reduction in weight, market value and germination. The introduction of safer insecticides like malathion provided the much needed stimulus for the management of pests in storage. However, the uninterrupted use of malathion resulted in the development of high degree of resistance. This necessitated the search for suitable alternative insecticide with low mammalian toxicity. Seed protectants such as physical toxicants, botanicals, chitin synthesis inhibitors and other novel classes of seed protectants not only inhibit insect infestation but also are free of residual hazards. Hence, seed protectants were evaluated for their relative and residual toxicity against this pest. This book provides information regarding the relative efficacy of newer insecticides on green gram and would be useful for evaluating the chemicals in warehouses, sheds, godowns and on the user's farm against the bruchids.