The Role of Seed Coat and Its Pigmentation on the Acceptance of Bambara Groundnut (Vigna subterranea L. Verdc.) Cultivars by the Cowpea Beetle, Callosobruchus maculatus (F.)

P. K. Baidoo^*, N. A. Kwansa, C. P. Annin

Department of Theoretical and Applied Biology, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.

DOI: 10.4236/ae.2015.34015                

Abstract

Bambara groundnut, Vigna subterranea is an important legume crop that is adaptable to the dry regions of Africa. It is a major source of protein to people in many parts of Africa. One major constraint to increased production of the crop is the incidence of the storage pest Callosobruchus maculatus which causes significant weight loss to seeds in storage. The preference of the cowpea beetle C. maculatus for a particular seed coat colour was determined using four different colour types of bambara groundnut in an arena. The olfactory attractiveness of testa against cotyledon and cotyledon against whole grain was carried out in an olfactometer. Oviposition preference of C. maculatus on the different seed colours was determined. In the arena experiment significantly more of the beetles showed preference for cream and mottled seeds than red and black seeds. Significantly more beetles chose seeds with testa over decorticated seeds as well as whole grain over decorticated seeds. Colour significantly affected the seeds as oviposition sites. Significantly fewer eggs were laid on red and black seeds than cream seeds in both the choice and no choice tests (P < 0.0001). Thus for the purpose of reducing losses of seeds in storage it is advisable to cultivate red- and black-coloured seeds which showed lower acceptability to C. maculatus as oviposition site.

Keywords

Callosobruchus maculatus, Cotyledon, Oviposition, Vigna subterranea

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

[1]	Messiaen, C.M. (1992) The Vegetable Garden. Macmillan Press Limited, 318 p.
[2]	Tweneboah, C.K. (2000) Modern Agriculture in the Tropics. Co-Wood Publishers.
[3]	Ocran, V.K., Delimini, L.L., Asuboah, R.A. and Asiedu, E.A. (1998) Seed Management for Ghana. MOFA, Accra.
[4]	Linnermann, A.R. (1990) Cultivation of Bambara Groundnut (Vigna subterranean (L.) Verdc) in Western Province, Zambia. Report of a Field Study, Tropical Crops Communication, 15, 14p.
[5]	Doku, E.V. (1996) Problems and Prospects for the Improvement of Bambara Groundnut. In: Proceedings of the International Bambara Groundnut Symposium. University of Nottingham, UK.
[6]	Brooker, R.H. (1967) Observations on Three Bruchids Associated with Cowpea in Northern Nigeria. Journal of Stored Products Research, 3, 1-15. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0022-474X(67)90082-3
[7]	Talekar, N.S. and Lee, Y.H. (1988) Biology of Ophiomyia (Diptera : Agromyzidae), a Pest of Soybean. Annals of the Entomological Society of America, 81, 938-942. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/aesa/81.6.938
[8]	Werker, E. (1997) Encyclopaedia of Plant Anatomy: Seed Anatomy. The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem.
[9]	Beninger, C.W., Hosfield, G.L. and Nair, M.G. (1998) Flavonol Glycocides from the Seed Coats of a New Manteca- Type D Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). Journal of Agricultural Food Chemistry, 46, 2906-2910. http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/jf9801522
[10]	Nicholson, R.L. and Hammerschmidt, R. (1992) Phenolic Compounds and Their Role in Disease Resistance. Annual Review of Phytopathology, 30, 369-389. http://dx.doi.org/10.1146/annurev.py.30.090192.002101
[11]	Huigera, A. and Murphy, B.R. (1987) Response to Selection for Resistance to Macrophomina and Xanthomonas and Its Association with Seed Colour in Cowpea. Plant Breeding, 99, 128-133. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0523.1987.tb01161.x
[12]	Pakela, Y.P. (2003) Patterns of Polyphenolic Compounds in Cowpea Cultivars Resistant to and Susceptible to Colletotrichum dermatium. PhD Thesis, University of Pretoria, Pretoria.
[13]	SAS Institute Inc. (2005) SAS/STAT User’s Guide. Version 6, 4th Edition, Vol. 1, SAS Institute, Cary, 943.
[14]	Goli, A.E. (1995) Bibliographical Review. In: Begemann, F. and Mushonga, J.N., Eds., Proceedings of the Workshop on Conservation and Improvement of Bambara Groundnut (Vigna subterranean (L.) Verdc), International Plant Genetic Resources Institute, Harare, 4-10.
[15]	Brough, S.H., Azam-Ali, S.N. and Taylor, A.J. (1993) The Potential of Bambara Groundnut in Vegetable Milk Production and Basic Protein Functionality System. Journal of Food Chemistry, 47, 227-283. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0308-8146(93)90161-8
[16]	Baudoin, J.P. and Mergeai, G. (2001) Grain Legumes. In: Raemaeker, R., Ed., Crop Production in Tropical Africa, Directorate Generale for International Cooperation, Brussels, 313-317.
[17]	Poulter, N.H. and Caygill, J.C. (1980) Vegetable Milk Processing and Rehydration Characteristic of Bambara Groundnut (Voandzeia subterranean (L.) Thouars). Journal of Science and Food Agriculture, 31, 1158-1163. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.2740311106
[18]	Birch, A.N.E., Fellows, L.E., Evans, S.V. and Doherty, K. (1986) Para-Aminophenylalanine in Vigna: Possible Taxonomic and Ecological Significance as a Seed Defence against Bruchids. Phytochemistry, 25, 2745-2749. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)83733-4
[19]	Bressan, R.A. (1990) Contributions of Para-Aminophenylananine (PAPA) to Vigna vexillata Resistances: Another Opportunity for Biotechnology? Joint Cowpeas Biotechnology Workshop, Purdue University, Lafayette.
[20]	Chapman, R.F. (2007) Foraging and Food Choice of Phytophagous Insect. Chemical Ecology, University of Arizona, Phoenix.
[21]	Blumer, L.S. and Beck, C.W. (2008) Oviposition Substrate Choice by Bean Beetles, Callosobruchus maculatus. In: Clase, K.L., Ed., Tested Studies for Laboratory Teaching, Vol. 29, Proceedings of the 29th Workshop/Conference of the Association for Biology Laboratory Education (ABLE), 433.
[22]	Ojimelukwe, P.C. and Ayernor, G.S. (1992) Oligosaccharide Composite and Functional Properties of Flour and Starch Isolates from Four Cultivars of Bambara Groundnut Seeds. Journal of Food Science and Technology, 29, 319-321.
[23]	Schaefer, H. and Rolshausen, G. (2005) Plants on Red Alert: Do Insects Pay Attention? BioEssays, 27, 1-7.
[24]	Kirchner, S.M., Doring, T.F. and Saucke, H. (2005) Evidence for Trichromacy in the Green Peach Aphid Mycus persicae (Homoptera: Aphididae). Journal of Insect Physiology, 51, 1255-1260. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jinsphys.2005.07.002
[25]	Fujui, K., Ishimoto, M. and Kitamura, K. (1989) Patterns of Resistance in Bean Weevils (Brichidae) in Vigna radiata-mungosublobata Complex Informs the Breeding of Resistant Variety. Applied Entomology and Zoology, 24, 126- 132.