Host suitability, respiration rate and the outcome of larval competition in strains of the cowpea weevil, Callosobruchus maculatus

Abstract

Variation between strains of Callosobruchus maculatus in several life‐history traits is well known. Differences in functional anatomy of egg pores and larval respiration rates have also been reported in strains from Brazil and Yemen. The response of five strains of C. maculatus to seeds of two host species, cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) and mung bean (Vigna radiata), was measured along with the larval respiration rates of the same strains on both hosts. There was significant variability of response to the two hosts. Strains with higher larval respiration rate (µL O2/insect/day) showed higher seed consumption, which significantly affected adult emergence per seed on both hosts. This finding provides support for the hypothesis that differential feeding rate is an important mechanistic component of the larval competition outcome observed in strains of C. maculatus.