Artificial Seed System for Bioassay of Cowpea Weevil (Coleoptera: Bruchidae) Growth and Development

Abstract

An artificial seed system has been developed to evaluate putative allelochemicals and plant fractions for effects on growth and development of the bruchid, Callosobruchus maculatus (F.). The artificial seeds, which are prepared using flour from a bruchid-susceptible cowpea cultivar, permit rates of larva growth and development and survivorship comparable with those obtained with the intact parent cowpea seed. Experiments with artificial seeds containing various inhibitors of mammalian digestive proteinases demonstrated the applicability of the technique to evaluation of chemicals for effects on bruchid growth and development. Certain inhibitors (e.g., Bowman—Birk inhibitor from soybeans) have adverse effects on bruchid growth and development; others (e.g., lima bean trypsin inhibitor) have little or no effect.