TY  - JOUR
N2  - 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.
AV  - restricted
A1  - Chauhan, Y S
A1  - Ghaffar, M A
TI  - Solar heating of seeds - a low cost method to control bruchid (Callosobruchus spp.) attack during storage of pigeonpea
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0022-474X(01)00005-4
JF  - Journal of Stored Products Research
SP  - 87
Y1  - 2002///
ID  - icrisat1552
EP  - 91
VL  - 38
PB  - Elsevier
IS  - 1
ER  -