ALTERNATIVE PROTECTION OF COWPEA SEEDS AGAINST CALLOSOBRUCHUS-MACULATUS (F) (COLEOPTERA, BRUCHIDAE) USING HERMETIC STORAGE ALONE OR IN COMBINATION WITH BOSCIA-SENEGALENSIS (PERS) LAM-EX-POIR

The effect of hermetic storage alone or in combination with Boscia sen egalensis has been evaluated against Callosobruchus maculatus. Analysi s of gas concentrations within a 7-day period indicated that O-2 decli ned from 19.2 to 2.3% and CO2 rose from 1.2 to 22.8%. Prolonged storag e durations increased adult mortality, significantly increased the dev elopmental time and induced 60-80% reduction in the F1 progeny. The us e of hermetic storage in combination with B. senegalensis fruits, at 1 .2 g/l (flask volume) reduced the emergence of the cowpea beetle, whil e 2.4-4.8 g/l completely inhibited the production of a new generation of C. maculatus. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd