Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-gvvz8 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-26T03:40:37.409Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Prospects for cultural and biological control of cowpea pests

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 September 2011

M. I. Ezueh
M. I. Ezueh
Affiliation:
Department of Crop Science, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nsukka
Get access

Abstract

Insect pest problems on cowpeas can be reduced by use of strategies which involve ecological manipulations. These include crop diversification (mixed cropping, etc.), alteration of planting dates, crop rotation, trap-cropping and weed control. The merits of these cultural methods of pest control are discussed.

The status of biological control of cowpea pests is still low but promising. The crop is an annual and therefore offers very limited possibilities for the application of the classical biological control techniques. However, a large number of parasitic Hymenoptera, Diptera and predatory Hemiptera, notably Reduviids have been identified in the cowpea ecosystem. Ecological studies of some of these have been carried out and levels of parasitism determined in a few cases, but their significance in the dynamics of cowpea pest populations have not been fully established.

It is however known that conservation of parasites and predators in their wild environment is one of the traditional biological control methods. Therefore, a rationalized pesticide programme for the control of cowpea pests should aim at preventing hazards to their natural enemies so as to increase their biocontrol efficiency.

Résumé

Les problèmes que posent les insectes nuisibles aux dolique peuvent être réduits par l'application de stratégies qui entraînent des manipulations écologiques. La diversification des céréales (mise en culture mixte, etc.), le changement de dates de plantage, l'assolement, plantage de plantes nuisibles aux pestes et le contrôle de mauvaises herbes forment partie des stratégies qu'on peut employer. Les mérites de ces méthodes culturales de contrôle des insectes nuisibles sont examinées dans ce travail.

L'état actuel de contrôle biologique des pestes nuisibles qui attaquent les dolique est encore bas, mais il est promettant. Le dolique étant une céréale annuelle offre des possibilités très limitées pour l'application des techniques classiques de contrôle biologique.

Toutefois, un grande nombre de Hyménoptères parasitiques, de Diptères et de Hémiptères rapaces, notamment les Réduivides ont été identifiés dans l'écosystème du dolique. Des études écologiques de certains d'entre eux ont été faites et des niveaux de parasitisme ont été déterminés dans peu des cas, mais ieur signification dans la dynamique des populations des insectes nuisibles n'a pas été établie.

On sait, cependant, que la conservation des parasites et des ravageurs dans leur environnement sauvage est une des méthodes de contrôle biologique traditionnelle. Un programme rationalisé de pesticide pour le contrôle des pestes nuisibles au dolique doit donc avoir but la prévention des hazards augmenter l'efficacité du biocontrôle de ces insectes nuisibles.

Keywords

Controlculturalmixed croppingcrop rotationtrap-croppingweed controlplanting datestimeliness harvestingnatural enemiesparasitespredatorswild environmentrationalizationbiocontroleffectivenessContrôleculturalmise en culture mixteassolementplantage de plantes nuisibles aux pestescontrôle de mauvaises herbesdates de plantagefair la moisson à tempsennemis naturelsenvironnement inculterationalisationbiocontrôleefficacité
Type
Part I: Symposium on Integrated Pest Management and Environmental Conservation: Pest Management Strategies and Practices
Information
International Journal of Tropical Insect Science , Volume 12 , Special Issue 5-6: Aspects of Pest Management in Relation to Agricultural Production and Environmental Conservation in Africa , December 1991 , pp. 585 - 592
Copyright
Copyright © ICIPE 1991

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Booker, R. H. (1965) Pests of cowpeas and their control in Northern Nigeria. Bull. entomol. Res. 55, 663–672.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Booker, R. H. (1961) Observation on three Bruchids associated with cowpea in northern Nigeria. Samaru Res. Bull. 83, 15.Google Scholar
Caswell, G. H. (1968) The storage of cowpeas in the Northern states of Nigeria. Proc. Agric. Soc. Nig. 5, 4–6.Google Scholar
Daoust, R. A., Roberts, D. W. and Belimo, P. D. (1985) Distribution, biology and control of cowpea pests in Latin America. In Cowpea: Research Production and Utilization (Edited by Singh, S. R. and Rachie, K. O.), pp. 249–264. John Wiley & Sons.Google Scholar
Dina, S. O. (1976) Effects of monocrotophos on insect damage and yield of cowpea, Vigna unguiculata in southern Nigeria. Exp. Agric. 13, 155–158.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Egwuatu, R. I. and Taylor, T. A. (1983) Studies on the seasonal changes in the population of Acanthomia tomentosicollis Stal. (Hemiptera: Coreidae) on Cajanus cajan (Linnaeus) pruce (pigeon pea) in Ibadan, Nigeria. Nig. J. Entomol. 4, 20–30.Google Scholar
Ezueh, M. I. (1976) An evaluation of ULV sprays for the control of cowpea insect pests in southern Nigeria. Trop. Grain Leg. Bull. 4, 15–18.Google Scholar
Ezueh, M. I. (1979) Studies on resistance in cowpea moth, Cydia ptychora Meyr. (Lepidoptera: Olethreutidae). Ph.D. Thesis submitted to the University of Ibadan, Nigeria.Google Scholar
Ezueh, M. I. and Taylor, T. A. (1983) Effects of time of inter-cropping with maize on cowpea susceptibility to three major pests. Trop. Agric. (Trinidad) 61, 82–86.Google Scholar
Ezueh, M. I. and Amusan, L. O. (1988) Cowpea insect damage as influenced by the presence of weeds. Agric. ecosyst. environ. 21, 255–263.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gerard, B. M. (1976) The effect of plant and density on maize – cowpea insect pests. Paper read at the Workshop on Cropping Systems in Africa. Morogoro, Tanzania 1–6 December, 1976.Google Scholar
Jackai, L. E. N. (1983) Using trap plants in the control of insect pests of tropical legumes. Paper presented for the International Workshop on Integrated Pest Control of Tropical Crop Legumes. Goiania, Brazil, 4–9 April, 1983.Google Scholar
Jackai, L. E. N., Singh, S. R., Raheja, A. K. and Wiedijk, F. (1985) Recent trends in the control of cowpea pests in Africa. In Cowpea Research Production and Utilization (Edited by Singh, S. R. and Rachie, K. O.), pp. 233–243. John Wiley & Sons.Google Scholar
Karel, A. K., Lakhani, D. A. and Ndunguru, B. N. (1982) Intercropping of maize and cowpea: Effect of plant populations on insect pests and seed yield (Edited by Keswani, F. L. and Ndunguru, B. J.). In Proceedings of the Second Symposium on Intercropping in Semi-Arid Areas, Morogoro, Tanzania. 4–7 August, 1980, IDRC, Ottawa, Canada.Google Scholar
Kayumbo, H. Y. (1975) Control in mixed cropping systems. Proceedings of the Workshop on Cropping Systems in Africa. Morogoro, Tanzania 1–6 December, 1975.Google Scholar
Kayumbo, H. Y. (1976) Crop protection in mixed eco-systems. Papers prepared for the Symposium on Intercropping in Semi-Arid Areas. Morogoro, Tanzania, 10–12 May 1976.Google Scholar
Martin, J. N., Leonard, W. H. and Stamp, D. L. (1976) Principles of Field Crop Production. Collier Macmillan, London, UK.Google Scholar
Matteson, P. C. (1982) The effects of intercropping with cereals and minimal permethrin application on insect pests of cowpea and their natural enemies in Nigeria. Trop. Pest Manage. 28, 372–380.Google Scholar
McGovran, E. R. (1969) Insect Pest Management and Control. National Academy of Sciences, Publication 1695. Washington, DC.Google Scholar
Moody, K. (1973) Weed control in cowpeas. Proceedings of the Weed Science Society of Nigeria 3, 14–22.Google Scholar
Newson, L. D. and Herzog, D. C. (1977) Trap crops for control of soybean pests. La Agr. 20, 14–15.Google Scholar
Nyiira, Z. M. (1978) Pests of grain legumes and their control in Uganda. In Pests of Grain Legumes: Ecology and Control (Edited by Singh, S. R., Van Emden, F. A. and Taylor, T. A.), pp. 117–120. Academic Press, London.Google Scholar
Ochieng, R. S. (1977) Studies on the bionomics of two major pests of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp): Ootheca mutabilis Sathib. (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) and Anoplocnemis curvipes Fabricius (Hemiptera: Coreidae). Ph.D. Thesis, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.Google Scholar
Onochie, B. E. (1975) A review of traditional cropping systems in West Africa. Proceedings of the Workshop on Cropping Systems in Africa. Morogoro, Tanzania. 1–6 December, 1975. pp. 15–19.Google Scholar
Okwapam, B. A. (1977) The biology and taxonomy of the cowpea flower thrips, Megalurothrips sjostedti (Trybom). Ph.D. Thesis submitted to the University of Ibadan, Ibadan, 1977.Google Scholar
Perfect, T. J., Cook, A. G. and Critchley, B. R. (1978) Effects of Intercropping on Pest Incidence. IITA (Mimeo.), Ibadan, Nigeria.Google Scholar
Perrin, R. M. and Ezueh, M. I. (1978) The biology and control of grain legume olethreutid (Tortricidae). In Pests of Grain Legumes: Ecology and Control (Edited by Singh, S. R., Van Emden, F. A. and Taylor, T. A.), pp. 201–217. Academic Press, London, 1978.Google Scholar
Prevett, P. F. (1961) Field infestation of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) pods by beetles of the family Bruchidae and Curculionidae in northern Nigeria. Bull, entomol. Res. 52, 635–645.Google Scholar
Raheja, A. K. (1976) ULV spraying for cowpea in northern Nigeria. PANS 22, 229–233.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Remison, S. U. (1977) Performance of cowpea as influenced by weed competition. J. Agric. Sci. Camb. 90, 523–530.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Singh, S. R. and Allen, D. J. (1980) Pests, diseases, resistance and protection in cowpeas. In Advances in Legume Science (Edited by Cummerfield, R. J. and Bunting, A. H.), pp. 419–443. Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, UK.Google Scholar
Sherman, F. and Todd, J. N. (1938) Cowpea Curculio. South Carolina Agricultural Experiment Station. Annu. Report 51, 71–75.Google Scholar
Southwood, T. R. E. and Way, M. J. (1970) Ecological background to pest management. In Concepts of Pest Management. pp. 6–28. Raleigh, NC., North Carolina State University.Google Scholar
Taylor, T. A. and Ezedinma, F. O. C. (1964) Preliminary investigation on field pests of cowpea and methods of control. Fed. Nigeria Dept. Agric. Res. Memo. No. 51.Google Scholar
Taylor, T. A. (1965) An attempt at quantitative estimation of major insect damage on cowpeas. Proceedings of Agricultral Society of Nigeria. 4, 50–53.Google Scholar
Taylor, T. A. (1968) Effects of insecticide application on insect damage and the performance of cowpea in southern Nigeria. Nigeria Agric. J. 5, 29–37.Google Scholar
Taylor, T. A. (1974) On the population dynamics of Taeniothrips sjostedti (Trybom.) + Megalurothrips sjostedti. (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) on cowpea and an alternative host, Controsemapubescens Benth. in Nigeria. Rev. zool. Afr. 88, 687–702.Google Scholar
Taylor, T. A. (1977) Mixed-cropping as an input in the management of crop pests in tropical Africa. African Environment 2, 111–126.Google Scholar
Usua, E. J. and Singh, S. R. (1978) Parasites and predators of the cowpea pod borer, Maruca testulalis (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). Nig. J. Entomol. 3, 100–102.Google Scholar
Wilken, G. C. (1972) Micro-climate management by traditional farmers. Geographical Rev. 62, 544–560.CrossRefGoogle Scholar