Effects of Packaging Material and Moisture Contents on Pulse Beetle Infestation under Different Storage Conditions in Chickpea

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is an important pulse crop grown globally for its nutritional richness and versatility which offers a significant source for both carbohydrates and protein. Chickpea seeds face a significant threat from various insect pests among these pulse beetles or bruchids (Callosobruchus spp.) stand out as the most destructive, inflicting damage ranging from 50% to 60% during storage. Bruchids are considered minor pests in the field, but they pose a serious threat during storage, leading to both quantitative and qualitative losses. The present investigation was carried out with the objective of studying the influence of ambient and cold storage conditions on storability and to assess the pest infestation (pulse beetle) under ambient and cold storage conditions in two chickpea varieties viz., JG-11 (desi) and NBeG-119 (kabuli).  The seed was thoroughly sun dried to two moisture levels of seven and nine percent and stored in gunny and grain pro bags (hermetic bags). Gunny bags were kept at ambient storage as well as in the cold storage, while grain pro bags were stored at ambient storage conditions only as these are the hermetic bags and the dry chain technology concept holds good for storage at ambient conditions only. Highest % seed damage (12.11 % in JG-11 and 13.00 % in NBeG-119) was noticed in seeds stored with nine per cent moisture content while, the lowest % seed damage (9.50 % in JG-11 and 9.83 % in NBeG 119) was recorded in seeds with seven per cent moisture content. After 8 months of storage highest per cent fecundity (151.66 and 144.66 in JG-11 and 145.00 and 138.50 in NBeG-119) was recorded in seeds stored in gunny bags kept at ambient storage with nine and seven per cent moisture respectively, followed by the seed stored in grain pro bags at ambient storage with nine percent seed moisture (9.667 in JG-11 and 7.833 in NBeG-119) and no fecundity was recorded in seeds stored in gunny bag at cold storage. At the end of storage period highest adult emergence was recorded in seeds stored in gunny bag at ambient storage with nine (196.83 in JG-11 and 217.17 in NBeG-119) and seven (187.83 in JG-11 and 207.83 in NBeG-119) per cent seed moisture followed by the seed stored in grain pro bags at ambient storage with nine percent seed moisture (11.67 in JG-11 and 13.00 in NBeG-119) and no adult emergence was recorded in seeds stored in gunny bag at cold storage (0.00 in JG-11 and 0.00 in NBeG-119 ) with seven and nine percent moisture at the end of the storage. Highest weight loss % (2.019% in JG-11 and 1.866% in NBeG-119) was recorded in seeds stored with nine per cent moisture content. While, the lowest weight loss % (1.679% in JG-11 and 1.772% in NBeG-119) was noticed in seeds stored with seven per cent moisture at the end of storage period.