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Insecticide application schedules to reduce grain yield losses caused by insects of cowpea in Nigeria

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 September 2011

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

An experiment was undertaken at two locations in Nigeria to identify the major insect pests of cowpea, assess the yield losses caused by them and recommend profitable control packages. Various combinations of insecticidal applications were tested at four crop growth stages, in conjunction with varieties possessing moderate levels of resistance to one or two insect pests. Flower thrips were the most important pests, followed by pod sucking bugs and foliage pests. The resistance levels of the varieties did not contribute much to reducing yield losses. Yield losses of upto 75% were caused by insects attacking cowpea during the flower bud and flowering stages, and of 23% by insects attacking during pod development. Insects attacking during the foliage growth stage had little effect on yields. Profitable spray schedules which increased yields by about 50–200% were: three sprays at flower budding, flowering and podding (the optimum), the sprays at either flower budding and flowering or flower budding and podding depending on the location, and one spray at either flower budding or flowering stage. Other spray combinations were also viable, but less profitable. Appropriate recommendations for various categories of farmers are given.

Résumé

Un expérience a été conduite en deux localités au Nigéria pour identifier des principaux ravageurs du niébé, évaluer le perte de la récolte qu'ils causent et recommander la lutte chimique utile. Différentes combinaisons d'application d'insecticides sur quatre stades de croissance étaient testées sur des variétés de niveau de résistance moyen à un ou deux ravageurs. Les thrips des fleurs étaient les plus important ravageurs suivis par les punaises succeuses de gousses et les ravageurs des feuilles. Le niveau de résistance des variétés n'a pas beaucoup contribué à la réduction des pertes de récolte. Les pertes des récoltes allant jusq'à 75% étaient causées par les insectes qui attaquent le niébé pendant la formation des boutons floraux et la floraison, 23% par les insectes qui attaquent au cours du développement des gousses. Les insectes qui s'attaquent aux feuilles du niébé ont peu d'effet sur les récoltes. Les bonnes programmations, de pulvérisation d'insecticides qui ont augmenté les récoltes de 50–200% étaient: trois pulvérisations pendant la formation des boutons floraux, à la floraison et à la formation des gousses, deux pulvérisations soit à la formation des gousses et à la floraison ou à la formation des boutons floraux et à la formation des gousses. Compte tenu de localité, un pulvérisation est nécessaire soit à la formation des boutons floraux soit au stade de floraison. D'autres combinaisons de pulvérisation étaient aussi possible mais moins utiles. Des recommendations appropriées aux les differentes catégories d'agriculteurs sont données.

Type
Research Articles
Copyright
Copyright © ICIPE 1992

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