@article{icrisat1552,
           title = {Solar heating of seeds - a low cost method to control bruchid (Callosobruchus spp.) attack during storage of pigeonpea},
       publisher = {Elsevier},
          author = {Y S Chauhan and M A Ghaffar},
           pages = {87--91},
            year = {2002},
          volume = {38},
         journal = {Journal of Stored Products Research},
          number = {1},
             url = {http://oar.icrisat.org/1552/},
        abstract = {Bruchids (Callosobruchus spp.) are major storage pests of legume crops grown in the tropics and sub-tropics including pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.) and cause considerable economic losses. Solar heating of seeds in transparent polyethylene bags was found to effectively control bruchid damage in seeds of a medium-duration pigeonpea cultivar (ICPL 87119) during prolonged storage. During a week of observation, solar heating raised the temperature in seed bags to 658C each day. Solar heat-treated seeds remained free from bruchid damage even after 41 weeks of storage. No reduction in seed germination was observed in the solar-heated seeds. The control treatment had up to 91\% of bruchid damaged seeds and their germination was reduced to 42\%. Farmers in semi-arid tropical and humid tropical regions may consider using solar heating as a safe and relatively inexpensive method for disinfesting seeds of pigeonpea.}
}