EFFECT OF INFESTATION OF CULTIVARS OF BAMBARRA GROUNDNUTS (VIGNA-SUBTERRANEA (L) VERDE) BY CALLOSOBRUCHUS-SUBINNOTATUS (PIC) (COLEOPTERA, BRUCHIDAE) ON BIOCHEMICAL DETERIORATION AND GERMINATION OF THE SEEDS

An earlier work which involved the screening of the cultivars of bamba rra groundnuts to Callosobruchus subinnotatus (Pic.) revealed that the cultivars had different susceptibilities to the bruchid. Germination was affected by the infestation of the seeds by the bruchids. The viab ility of infested seeds decreased as the number of emergence holes inc reased and as more time elapsed after infestation. There were differen ces in the viability of infested seeds of the various cultivars up to 1 month after infestation. Two or 3 months following infestation, germ ination was poor in all the cultivars. In the few seeds, which germina ted among seeds having two or three emergence holes, emergence of the radicle was earlier than in seeds having one or no emergence holes. Th e infestation of the seeds caused increases in free fatty acids (FFA) and peroxides which are indices used in the measuring of biochemical d eterioration. The most susceptible cultivars recorded highest level of FFA and peroxide increases.