Abstract
The efficacy of different management practices comprising cowpea/sorghum intercropping, microbial insecticide: Spinosad, neem-based botanical pesticide: neemix and synthetic insecticide: Chlorpyriphos 50 + Cypermethrin 5 were evaluated against pod borer and pod sucking bugs of cowpea. The experiment was laid out in completely randomized block design at Agriculture and Forestry University, Rampur, Nepal. All the treatments except cowpea/sorghum intercropping significantly reduced the flower infestation of pod borer larvae. The lowest number of infected flower and number of larvae per flower was observed in Spinosad treated plot. Also, the highest percentage of reduction in flower infestation was observed in Spinosad treated plots. Similarly, Chlorpyriphos 50 + Cypermethrin 5 treated plots showed the least number of pod bug infestation followed by Spinosad. The highest yield and lowest weight of damaged pod was recorded in Spinosad treated plots along with the lowest percentage infestation of pods by weight. The highest net income per hectare of land was recorded in Spinosad followed by Chlorpyriphos 50 + Cypermethrin 5 treatment. The marginal benefit cost ratio showed that the highest profit per unit rupee spent over control was obtained in Chlorpyriphos 50 + Cypermethrin 5 treatment followed by Spinosad. Considering the results obtained, Spinosad an eco-friendly, safe and less hazardous bio-pesticide has been recommended as a good approach for the management of cowpea pod borer and pod sucking bug.
Highlights
Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) is an annual herbaceous legume and is one of the most important grain legumes of Nepal
Three days following first treatment, about 83 % reduction in number of infected flowers over control was observed in Chlorpyrifos 50 + Cypermethrin 5 treated plot and 60 % reduction over control was observed in Spinosad treated plot (Table 3)
The result obtained from this study demonstrates that Spinosad was the most effective in managing pod borer (Maruca testulalis Geyer) in cowpea through reducing both the number of infected flower and the larval population i.e. number of larvae per flower
Summary
Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) is an annual herbaceous legume and is one of the most important grain legumes of Nepal. It is believed to have been originated from central Africa and is mainly grown for grain, green pods and leaves. The grain contains significant amount of protein with high biological value and it is regarded as vegetable meat (Oyewale and Bamaiyi, 2013). In Nepal, it is used as grain crop, as animal fodder, green manure crop, or as a vegetable. It is grown as vegetable in 4620.7 ha with productivity of 12.3 t/ha in Nepal. The released variety of cowpea are Malepatan-1, Surya, Prakash and Akash and the registered variety is Double Harvest (Joshi, et al, 2017)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
