Abstract

Biosystematics and Biocontrol of Bruchidius flavovirens Arora (Coleoptera: Bruchidae)

Author(s): Vinay Katoch and D. R. Thakur

Order Coleoptera of class Insecta has the largest number of described species worldwide and fami-ly Bruchidae (Coleoptera: Chrysomeloidea) is a small but economically important possessing about 2000 known species worldwide. Bruchids are seed borers and attack on wild leguminous hosts in field and the edible legumes in stores. All the known beetles of family Bruchidae feed on seeds of 34 families of kingdom Plantae and about 80% of them feed on the seeds belongingto family Fabaceae. Bruchids attacking green pods of wild legumes are usually univoltine, has specific but long developmental period and life span. These are generally referred as field bruchids and their larvae grew and molted inside the host seeds. Adult bruchids emerged out after cutting a circu-lar window in the testa of seeds and rendering them nonviable. Under the present investigation Bruchidius flavovirensArora has been found associated with Albizzia proceraRoxb. indifferent parts of Himachal Pradesh, India.

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