Efficacy of Botanicals in The Control of Cowpea Pests

Abstract

lndiscriminate use of synthetic insecticides for i#ect pest management has resulted in many harmful effects like, insect resistance, effects on the beneficial organisms etc. There is a need to use alternative methods for insect pest controlto reduce the frequency of insecticides utilized for pest management. ln this context, the present study was designed to determine the efficacy of different botanical pesticides against major cowpea pests; leaf miner' pod borer and aphids. Four plant-derived products viz. neem seed extract 5%, neem oil 3o/o, garlic and green chilli paste 2% and garlic extract 1%owere tested along with a synthetic insecticide, dimethoate 400 gllEC to examine their bioefficacy in order to control the cowpea pests successfully. Population of aphids and percentage of damage by leaf miner and.pod borer were assessed f.or each treatment. Antifeedant index of the synthetic,arld botanical pesticides dgainst leaf miner and pod borer was estimated. The results ievealed that neerfr seed extra,ct 5% showed a significant reduction (P<0'05) in aphid population and the l6ast darirage.f,ercentage of leaf miner (11%) and pod borer (13'0%) among the botanicals tested. A slgnificanily higher antifeedant index was also recorded t1lfre treatm.epi of the neem seed extract against leaf miner (s3.0%) and pod borer (81.8%). The synthetic inse9ticide,dimet[oa1e registered the highest antifeedant activity. Hente, this"study elucidates that use or nebm sJeo extract sz coulo be suggested to manage the cowpea pests as it has been found to have very promising bioefficacy against these pests