Chinese Journal of Entomology (1995) 15, 321-332

Wei-Ting Hu, Yenn-Chiou Lan and Shwu-Bin Horng (1995)
[Effects of bean size on larval competition and oviposition preference of Callosobruchus maculatus]
Chinese Journal of Entomology 15 (4), 321-332
Abstract: Deposition of the bean weevil Callosobruchus maculatus (Fab.) on beans was found to be always in a nearly uniform distribution which reduced larval competition and increased larval fitness. To understand the competition between larvae, the survivorship of the 4C6-4 strain of bean weevil was investigated under differen treatments, such as different bean sizes and number of larvae per bean. The results showed that the greater the number of larvae in a bean, the lower the survivorship.of the larvae. This was especially true in smaller beans where resources are limited, and therefore the survival curve of larvae in smaller beans decline distinctly. Provided with various ratios of large and small beans, the female preferred to lay her eggs on larger ones. This preference decreased with decreasing ratios of large beans. Comparison between predicted and observed values of mean crowding showed that the oviposition behavior of the female was influenced by the relative encounter rate and the quality of beans; therefore, the female seemed to lay her eggs by a relative rule.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
(original language: Chinese)
Database assignments for author(s): Shwu-Bin Horng

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
general biology - morphology - evolution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Callosobruchus maculatus	Stored legumes