Abstract

Cultivated Vigna radiata accessions, wild Vigna umbellata accessions and non-edible leguminous seeds were evaluated for their resistance to the bruchid, Callosobruchus maculatus and the possibility of using them as resistant donors. All the seeds except Leucaena leucocephala were susceptible to oviposition by bruchids. But V. radiata accessions supported normal emergence of bruchids while V. umbellata accessions terminated their development at different larval instars. The tannin content of V. umbellata accessions was also significantly higher (2.48 to 4.24 mg/g) when compared to V. radiata accessions (1.66 to 2.14 mg/g). In the case of non-edible legumes, development of bruchids was arrested at the seed coat itself while the first instar grubs were about to penetrate seed coat. Hence seed coat tannin content of non-edible legumes was estimated which was the highest (4.13 to 13.02 mg/g) compared to other groups of legumes.

Keywords: Vigna radiata, Vigna umbellata, non-edible legumes, tannins, bruchid resistance