Biology of Callosobruchus maculatus (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) on two commercial beans in Makassar, Indonesia

Callosobruchus maculatus (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) is a significant pest of legumes, exhibiting oligophagous feeding behavior. Infestation by this pest during storage can result in substantial economic losses, as its larvae consume the seed endosperm, leaving the seeds hollow and thereby reducing both their quantity and quality. The aim of this study was to investigate the biology of C. maculatus and the extent of its damage to commercial mung bean and cowpea in Makassar, Indonesia. The results showed that the population growth of C. maculatus was significantly higher in mung bean (228.22 adults) compared to cowpea (190.22 adults). This population growth also affected the average weight of the adults. For females, not significant difference was observed, with an average weight of 1.66 mg/adult in mung bean and 1.73 mg/adult in cowpea. In contrast, a significant difference was observed in males, with an average weight of 1.12 mg/adult in mung bean and 1.06 mg/adult in cowpea. The percentage of damaged beans was significantly higher in cowpea (95.16%) compared to mung bean (78.95%). Similarly, the percentage of weight loss was significantly greater in cowpea (31.69%) than in mung bean (22.65%). This damage and weight loss pose a serious storage problem, reducing both the quality and quantity of beans.