DETERMINATION OF EFFECTIVE DOSE OF CLOVE POWDER FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF PULSE BEETLE (Callosobruchus chinensis L.) INFESTING CHICKPEA AT LABORATORY CONDITION

Abstract

A study was conducted to determine the effective lower dose(s) of clove powder against the pulse beetle, Callosobruchus chinensis L. on chickpea seeds kept in Petri Dishes, Laboratory of Entomology, Sylhet Agricultural University, Sylhet during the period from April to August, 2016. The effectiveness of different doses of clove powder as seed protectant was assessed at 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 and 13 g kg-1 of chickpea seeds on the basis of adult mortality (%), total number of eggs laid (egg laying capacity), adult emergence (%) and seed weight loss (%) caused by the pulse beetle. Clove powder treated seeds did not host any egg on their surface and no adult was emerged when they were treated with 9, 11 and 13 g kg-1 of chickpea seeds. Seed weight loss was lowest (0.00%) at 11 and 13 g kg-1 of chickpea seeds, whereas the highest adult mortality (100%) was recorded at 9 and 13 g kg-1 of chickpea seeds. In contrast, control seeds had maximum number of eggs laid (229.67), adult emergence (77.86%) and seed weight loss (30.38%) with the minimum adult mortality of 6.7%. It was found that total number of eggs laid, adult emergence (%) and seed weight loss (%) were markedly reduced whereas adult mortality increased with increasing the doses of clove powder as seed protectant.