GROWING SOUTHERNPEAS WITHOUT INSECTICIDES IN SOUTH-CENTRAL ALABAMA IS THIS AN ABERRATION OR A SUSTAINABLE TREND?

Abstract

A considerable amount of cowpea, or southernpea, is grown in Alabama by small, limited resource farmers for home consumption, fresh market or for direct freezing. Most cowpea is retailed in Farmers' Markets, from roadside stands, or as a “you pick” crop and usually sells for $15 to $25 per bushel. Cowpea fodder has also been shown to be a good feed supplement for goats. Many growers plant cowpea several times during the season, in part to satisfy customer demands throughout the summer and fall, but also because cowpea will often grow and produce a relatively good crop even if the rainfall were erratic or inadequate as has been the case in recent years. Many farmers use prophylactic insecticide sprays on cowpea, often in a calendar-driven program because they do not want to lose any value on their crop, especially if the cowpea is grown for canning. In experiments conducted by Tuskegee University in Macon and Bullock counties, we were able to grow fresh market cowpeas without recourse to any insecticide application and with no apparent loss in yield. The situation may be different if the peas were grown for canning. We conclude that unless a program that would use more environmentally friendly IPM interventions is developed in a timely manner, we can expect to see an increase in pest damage and a steady increase in pesticide usage.