http://oar.icrisat.org/id/eprint/1552 2011-09-21T09:17:25Z info:eu-repo/semantics/descriptiveMetadata http://oar.icrisat.org/1552/ Solar heating of seeds - a low cost method to control bruchid (Callosobruchus spp.) attack during storage of pigeonpea Chauhan, Y S Ghaffar, M A Pigeonpea 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. Elsevier 2002 Article PeerReviewed application/pdf en http://oar.icrisat.org/1552/1/JStorProdRes38_1_87-91_2002.pdf Chauhan, Y S and Ghaffar, M A (2002) Solar heating of seeds - a low cost method to control bruchid (Callosobruchus spp.) attack during storage of pigeonpea. Journal of Stored Products Research, 38 (1). pp. 87-91. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0022-474X(01)00005-4 info:eu-repo/semantics/objectFile info:eu-repo/semantics/humanStartPage