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Intercropping as a component in insect pest management for grain cowpea, Vigna unguiculata Walp production in Nigeria

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 September 2011

Aliyageen M. Alghali
Aliyageen M. Alghali
Affiliation:
ICIPE/IITA Project, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), PMB 5320, Ibadan, Nigeria
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Abstract

A series of experiments involving plots of sole cowpea and sorghum/cowpea intercrops were carried out, on-farm, in Minjibirr village, northern Nigeria between 1986 and 1988. The objectives were to:

(1) elucidate the relationships between sorghum/cowpea Intercropping, insect pest numbers and grain yield reductions in cowpea.

(2) examine the role of sorghum/cowpea intercropping alone or together with reduced Insecticide usage in the management of cowpea insect pests. Different cowpea varieties were grown under both cropping systems in sprayed and unsprayed plots.

The insecticides used were Sherpa Plus and/or Cymbush Super ED. Intercropping reduced the numbers of flower thrips and pod sucking bugs, but made no difference to the numbers of pod borers. Unprotected sole crop and Intercropped cowpea had yields reduced by 55 and 48% respectively, compared to sprayed subplots. The best results were obtained with three Insecticldal sprays, which increased grain yields 4.5-fold. Intercropping with two sprays produced lower, but comparable yields. Thus, it is suggested that intercropping can be used with reduced insecticide levels for the effective management of cowpea insect pests.

Résumé

Des séries d'expérlmentation comportant des parcelles de niébé en monoculture et des associations de culture de sorgho/niébé ont été conduites en milieu paysan, dans le village de Minjibirr, situé dans le nord du Nigeria, entre 1986 et 1988 avec les objectifs suivants:

(1) établlr les relations entre l'association culturale sorgho/niébé, le nombre d'espèces d' Insectes ravageurs et la reduction en rendentent du niébé.

(2) examiner le rôle de l'association culturale sorgho/niébé seuleou avec usage réduit d'Insecticides dans la lutte contre les Insectes ravageurs du niébé. Différentes varlétés de niébé ont été utllisées dans les deux systèmes de culture aussi bien en parcelles traitées que non traitées. Cymbush Super ED et Sherpa Plus sont les insecticides qui ont été utilises. L'association culturale rédult le nombre de thrips des fleurs de meme que celui des punaises suceuses de gousses mats n'a aucun effet sur les populations des foreurs de gousses. Le niébé en monoculture ou en culture associée sans protection donne des rendements rcduits de 55 et 48% respectivement comparées aux parcelles traitées. Avec 3 applications d'insecticides on a obtenu de meilleurs résultats et un rendement 4.5 fols plus élevé. L'association culturale avec 2 applications d'insecticides produisent des rendements inférieurs mais comparables. Aussi il a été suggéré que l'association culturale peut être utflisée avec des niveaux d'insecticides pour la lutte effective contre les insectes ravageurs du niébé.

Keywords

Cowpeaintercroppingsole croppingflower thripspod borersvarietiesinsecticidesNiébéassociation culturalemonoculturethrips des fleursforeur de goussesvariétésinsecticides
Type
Research Articles
Information
International Journal of Tropical Insect Science , Volume 14 , Issue 1 , February 1993 , pp. 49 - 54
Copyright
Copyright © ICIPE 1993

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References

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