Broad Bean Seed Beetle
Scientific group or name: Bruchus rufimanus
Overview
Broad bean seed beetle adults visit flowering beans, while larvae develop inside the forming seed.
Host plants
Broad bean.
Identification
Adults are small, dark, oval beetles. Infested dry beans develop neat circular adult-emergence holes.
Damage and symptoms
Larval feeding damages seed internally and reduces quality, germination and marketability.
Lifecycle and favourable conditions
Risk is associated with adult activity during flowering and pod development.
Monitoring
Inspect flowers for adults and retained seed for circular holes or larvae within beans.
Management
Use clean seed, manage crop residues and avoid retaining visibly infested beans for propagation.
Biological control and natural enemies
No widely used stand-alone commercial biological programme is available; prevention and seed hygiene are most important.
Biological control should be selected only after the pest has been identified and the crop, temperature, growing environment and pest pressure have been considered.
Related BioWiki pages
This page provides general integrated pest-management information. Identification and control decisions should be confirmed for the crop and local situation.