A NOVEL METHOD FOR CONSERVING COWPEA GERMPLASM AND BREEDING STOCKS USING SOLAR DISINFESTATION

Experiments conducted in Maroua, Cameroon, demonstrated that a large 5 0-kg-capacity solar heater can be used to successfully eradicate infes tations of Callosobruchus maculatus from cowpea seeds kept in small, t ransparent Minigrip(R) ziplock plastic bags. Differences in temperatur e sere noted in ziplock bags from different locations within the solar heater, but these were slight and not significant. Temperatures produ ced inside the heater were sufficient to kill all developing insects l iving within infested cowpea seeds. Small, transparent ziplock plastic bags are useful seed storage containers for short-term cowpea germpla sm collections and are easily inspected during storage following solar disinfestation. Published reports indicate that temperatures of up to 85 degrees C do not adversely affect seed germination, germination ra tes, or seeding viability. These temperature and biological experiment s provide evidence that the solar heater technique can serve as an eff ective and practical means to improve the short-term storage of cowpea seeds in developing country national agricultural research programs. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.