Bio-thermal seed treatment device– an innovative technology of heat treatment for the management of bruchids, Callosobruchus maculatus Fab on black gram

An investigation was carried out to study the effect of different heat treatments on management of bruchids, a stored product pest of black gram. Seed of 10 kg of black gram was artificially infested with bruchids, Callosobruchus maculatus Fab and the heat treatment was given with a novel biothermal device developed with technical guidance of the scientists of Department of Entomology and Department of Bio-energy, TNAU, Coimbatore. Of the various ranges of temperature from 55 to 65°C for 30 min tested, black gram seeds exposed to 65°C for 30 min were free from bruchid infestation with lesser number of eggs (3 eggs/week/seed) as compared to 55 and 60°C with higher number of 4.9 and 3.6 eggs/week/seed respectively besides possessing desirable level of germination (91 per cent) without any depletion of protein content.