Tarbiat Modares University Journal of Crop Protection 2251-9041 7 2 2018 06 01 Influence of intrinsic factors of cowpea seed varieties on the cowpea weevil, Callosobruchus maculatus (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) بررسی عوامل ذاتی مؤثر در ارقام بذر لوبیا چشم‌بلبلی روی سوسک چهارنقطه‌ای حبوبات Callosobruchus maculatus (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) 219 229 1387 10.48311/jcp.2018.1387 EN Temitope E. Arotolu Department of Biology, School of Sciences, Federal University of Technology, P. M. B. 704, Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria. Joseph A. Adeyemi Department of Biology, School of Sciences, Federal University of Technology, P. M. B. 704, Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria. Chris O. Adedire Department of Biology, School of Sciences, Federal University of Technology, P. M. B. 704, Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria. Journal Article In this study, the roles of proximate composition, mineral profile and heavy metal contamination were investigated on selected biological activities of <em>Callosobruchus maculatus</em> (F.) that were maintained on six cowpea cultivars. The levels of heavy metals; cadmium, lead and arsenic in six cowpea cultivars; Ife Brown, Ife BPC, Oloyin, Drum, Sokoto Local, and Niger White were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry while those of nutrient elements; zinc, sodium, calcium and potassium were determined using flame photometry. The proximate analyses and physico-chemical characterization of the cowpea cultivars were also performed. <em>Callosobruchus maculatus</em> was maintained on the cowpea cultivars and biological activities such as oviposition, adult emergence, percentage seed damage, and weight loss were monitored. The levels of heavy metals, mineral elements and proximate composition differed significantly among the cultivars investigated, and the values were comparable to those reported for cowpea cultivars in other studies. Of the cowpea cultivars, the Ife Brown was the most susceptible to the bruchid <em>C. maculatus</em> infestation while the Drum cultivar was the least susceptible. In conclusion, the results from this study show that the cowpea cultivars differed in the levels of toxic and mineral elements. While there were significant relationships between physical parameters (e. g. seed hardness), proximate composition (moisture contents and crude fibre) and adult emergence and oviposition, there was no strong evidence that the levels of heavy metals and mineral elements play significant role on the biology of <em>C. maculatus.</em><br> https://jcp.modares.ac.ir/article_1387_4fa7c62536118cc404dec4a0ca88d4f6.pdf