author(s)
Neenu Augustine and RA Balikai

abstract
Pulses are the second most important group of crops all over the world next to cereals. Among these, cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) assumes greater importance which is grown as vegetable, fodder and also used for seed purpose. The full yield potential of cowpea is hardly ever realized due to the attack of several pests, of which bruchid infestation takes the lion share of the total seed loss after harvest. Hence, the study of biology of Callosobruchus chinensis (Linnaeus) was undertaken during August-September 2017. The incubation period of the eggs under laboratory conditions ranged from 4 to 6 days with a mean of 4.6 ± 0.70 days. The total development period occupied 26 to 40 days with a mean of 30.90 ± 4.28 days. The females lived for a period of 8-12 days with a mean of 9.50 ± 1.58 days whereas the males lived for 7 to 11 days with a mean of 8.30 ± 1.25 days.