Abstract
The damage potential, growth and development of Callosobmchus maculatus (F.) on eight different tropical legumes was investigated under laboratory conditions in Akure, Nigeria. One or more larvae of C. maculatus caused significant weight loss in single seeds of pigeon pea(> 14%), cowpea (> 10%), soya bean (> 5%) and African yam bean(> 3%), whereas two or more larvae caused significant weight loss in a Bambara groundnut seed (> 4%). C. maculatus did not grow and develop on the seeds of winged bean and mucuna bean and only a few adults could be reared from lima bean. Developmental period was longer in soya bean and African yam bean than in Bambara groundnut, pigeon pea and cowpea. The heaviest females were reared from seeds of Bambara groundnut and the lightest from soya bean. Females reared from Bambara groundnut were most fecund and lived longest.
