Cowpea, Vigna unguiculata L. Walp, is an important food grain legume in Niger facing production losses due to insect pests. This study aims to determine the efficiency of non-chemical methods for managing these pests....Cowpea, Vigna unguiculata L. Walp, is an important food grain legume in Niger facing production losses due to insect pests. This study aims to determine the efficiency of non-chemical methods for managing these pests. A trial was conducted during the 2020 and 2022 cropping seasons at the INRAN station in the Maradi region. A Fischer experimental design with 6 repetitions was used to compare 4 treatments: synthetic chemical pesticide;the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana;aqueous extracts of neem seeds, and control. Observations were carried out every three days. The cowpea pod-sucking bug, pod borer, and thrips were the main insect pests recorded. In terms of effectiveness, the synthetic pesticide was the best treatment. It reduced insect pest densities by 71.35% to 90.40% in 2020 and by 35.11% to 42.13% in 2022. Grain yields varied between treatments. Neem seed extract followed the synthetic pesticide and significantly reduced insect infestations in both years. The synthetic pesticide and neem seed extract resulted in yields 3 to 5 times higher than the control treatment in 2020. By contrast, B. bassiana 115 and neem seed extract produced similar yields in 2022. Therefore, the results of this study showed that B. bassiana 115 and neem seed extract have insecticidal potential and could be used as an ecological alternative for managing cowpea insect pests in the Sahel.展开更多
文摘Cowpea, Vigna unguiculata L. Walp, is an important food grain legume in Niger facing production losses due to insect pests. This study aims to determine the efficiency of non-chemical methods for managing these pests. A trial was conducted during the 2020 and 2022 cropping seasons at the INRAN station in the Maradi region. A Fischer experimental design with 6 repetitions was used to compare 4 treatments: synthetic chemical pesticide;the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana;aqueous extracts of neem seeds, and control. Observations were carried out every three days. The cowpea pod-sucking bug, pod borer, and thrips were the main insect pests recorded. In terms of effectiveness, the synthetic pesticide was the best treatment. It reduced insect pest densities by 71.35% to 90.40% in 2020 and by 35.11% to 42.13% in 2022. Grain yields varied between treatments. Neem seed extract followed the synthetic pesticide and significantly reduced insect infestations in both years. The synthetic pesticide and neem seed extract resulted in yields 3 to 5 times higher than the control treatment in 2020. By contrast, B. bassiana 115 and neem seed extract produced similar yields in 2022. Therefore, the results of this study showed that B. bassiana 115 and neem seed extract have insecticidal potential and could be used as an ecological alternative for managing cowpea insect pests in the Sahel.
