ACACIA SEED PREDATION BY BRUCHIDS IN AN AFRICAN SAVANNA ECOSYSTEM

1. Acacia tortilis, A. nilotica and A. mellifera seeds on the ground s uffered greater bruchid infestation than seeds within canopy held pods . 2. Seeds of indehiscent and dehiscent Acacia species showed no diffe rence in the rate of bruchid infestation. More bruchid species attacke d seeds of indehiscent (A. nilotica, A. tortilis, A. hebeclada and A. robusta) than dehiscent (A. karroo, A. mellifera and A. caffra) specie s. 3. Bruchid infestation differed between A, tortilis trees, and for A. tortilis and A. hebeclada, differed between years. There was no dif ference in bruchid attack on A. nilotica between years. 4. Stored Acac ia seeds were infested more than fresh seeds. 5. The results of this r esearch have important implications for re-afforestation programmes wi th Acacia trees in Africa. Pods should be collected from the canopies of Acacia exhibiting low bruchid infestation, the length of seed stora ge should be minimized and seeds susceptible to the same bruchid speci es should not be stored together.