The reproductive activity and the offspring development of the bruchid Callosobruchus maculatus (Coleoptera: Bruchidae) were monitored in the seeds of seven cultivars of Cicer arietinum and three cultivars of Vigna unguiculata. The number of eggs laid by the C. maculatus was higher on the V. unguiculata cultivars than on those of C. arietinum. The survival rate during the embryonic development was higher than 90% regardless of the plant species and cultivars while the post-embryonic development rates did not differ significantly between the cultivars. However, the duration of the embryonic and post-embryonic development and the weight of the emerging females varied with seed species. V. unguiculata seeds allow a higher reproduction and a better development than C. arietinum. In this study, no cultivar had been found to be resistant. In Algeria, C. maculatus can develop in stored grains of both chickpea and cowpea, and it is a major stored grain insect pest.
