Females of adzuki bean beetle (ABB), Callosobruchus chinensis (L.), a cosmopolitan field-to-storage pest of legumes, release sex pheromone consisting of two isomeric components, 2Z-homofarnesal and 2E-homofarnesal. Two day old virgin ABB adults were exposed to sub-lethal fumigation doses (LC25=0.0056 and LC50=0.0076 mgL-1) of phosphine (PH3) to evaluate the effects on adult longevity, fertility and sex pheromone production. Longevity (female; P < 0.001, male; P < 0.001), fecundity (P < 0.001) and sterility (P < 0.001) were significantly affected. The GC-MS for solid phase micro extraction exhibited the significant reduction of release of both of the pheromone components; 2Z-homofarnesal (P < 0.0038) and 2E-homofarnesal (P = 0.0009) when the females were exposed to LC25 dose of PH3. This study unveils the detrimental effects of PH3 fumigation on some of the biological parameters of ABB.

• Kashinath Chiluwal(Division of Applied Life Science, Institute of Agriculture and Life Science, Gyeongsang National University)
• Byung Ho Lee(Division of Applied Life Science)
• Tae Hyung Kwon(Division of Applied Life Science)
• Junheon Kim(Forest Insect Pests and Disease Division, National Institute of Forest Science)
• Chung Gyoo Park(Division of Applied Life Science)