The variations of NPK of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L) Walp) leaves with tillage,plant maturity and flooding on a clay soil

Summary The NPK concentrations in cowpea leaves (cv California Blackeye No. 5) with stage of plant development did not vary significantly with tillage treatment but several features of the concentration of these different ions with age, stage of plant development, incidence of flooding and soil water content are significant.In the major rainy season when soil water content was adequate and seldom above field capacity, there was an almost linear increase in the concentration of N and P in the leaves up to 56 days after planting which coincided with fruit development. This suggested that the accumulation of N and P do take place after flowering which occurred 39 days after planting. The pattern of accumulation of N and P in the minor rainy season suggested that flooding and the occurrence of prolonged soil moisture contents above field capacity suppressed the accumulation of these two nutrients. Potassium accumulation was high in the early stages of cowpea growth and declined with age of the crop. Flooding and high soil moisture contents seem to have had little or no effect on potassium accumulation in the leaves. The pattern of accumulation of N and P suggests that the supply of these nutrients to the cowpea plant must remain high up to fruit development and that additional N and P would need to be added to the soil after a flooding event or when the soil moisture content is above field capacity for prolonged periods.     

Influence of a carbamate pesticide on growth,respiration (14C)-carbon metabolism and symbiosis of aRhizobium sp.

Summary Addition of aldicarb (2 methyl-2(methyl thio) propionaldehyde-0-methyl carbamoyl oxime) in the growth medium enhanced the growth ofRhizobium sp. (cowpea group) at 2 ppm level while an inhibition was observed at the normal (5 ppm) and higher (10 ppm) concentrations. Respiration of the cells was also inhibited by 5 and 10 ppm levels of the chemical eventhough a stimulation was observed at 2 ppm (lower) concentration. The insecticide, when incorporated at 5 and 10 ppm levels in the medium increased the¹⁴C-glucose incorporation and considerably altered the assimilation of the radioactive carbon in different fractions of rhizobium cells. Soil application of this insecticide (Temik 10 G) reduced the number of nodules formed and the total nitrogen content in cowpea plants inoculated with theRhizobium sp. but enhanced the dry matter production of cowpea plants.Based on the M. Sc. thesis submitted by the first author to the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore-3.     

Examining serological diversity of “cowpea” rhizobia by the ELISA technique

To appraise the usefulness of the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique for examining the serological diversity of slow-growing rhizobia, twelve diverse strains from three countries were examined with four antisera. Eleven of the strains were from the cowpea miscellany, and the twelfth was a Rhizobium japonicum strain. Some cowpea strains showed no antigenic relatedness with each other while others were closely related, and some showed a greater affinity with the R. japonicum strain than with other cowpea strains. All of the strains showed antigenic homology to an isolate from a wild Arachis sp., while two strains isolated from adjacent plants of the same cultivar had little homology. These patterns ofrelatedness and diversity clearly demonstrated the utility of the ELISA method, and so it was used to examine 53 strains isolated from cowpeas grown at three West African locations, Maradi (Niger), Ibadan and Onne (Nigeria). Broad ranges of serological diversity were found in the rhizobia at each location, moreover each population had its own general characteristics. Maradi strains were highly reactive with the five antisera used, Onne strains less so, and Ibadan strains even less so. ELISA reactivity correlated with colony morphology but not with nodulation potential.     

Protein and free amino acids in field-grown cowpea seeds as affected by water stress at various growth stages

Summary This study was undertaken to evaluate water stress effects during vegetative, flowering, and podfilling stages of cowpea plants (Vigna unguiculata L.) grown under natural field conditions in southern California on seed yield and protein and free amino acid content of the cowpea seeds. The lowest concentration of N was found in the seeds of the control treatment plants while the seed yield from these treatments was the highest as compared with the N concentration and yield of seeds from plants subjected to water stress during flowering and podfilling stages. The concentration of N in the seeds was inversely related to the seed dry weight yield. Protein arginine,-threonine,-serine,-cystine,-valine,-methionine, and-isoleucine were significantly affected by water stress at the three growth stages. There was no consistent pattern in the effect of water stress on the individual amino acids. The sum of protein amino acids in the cowpea seeds was not significantly influenced by the various treatments since some of the protein amino acids increased and others decreased producing an averaging effect on the figures comprising the sums of the amino acids. Water stress during the flowering and pod-filling stages increased the free amino acid pool, and at the same time, inhibited incorporation of the amino acids into the protein chain-thus lowering the protein amino acid fraction simultaneously. With the exception of methionine plus cystine, the essential amino acids in the seeds were present at concentrations equal to or greater than recommended by the World Health Organization and FAO. It is of particular importance to note that the concentration of lysine in the cowpeas was substantially higher than that found in wheat grain. It is also important to note that the amount of essential amino acids per gram of protein was not measurably affected by the water stress treatments during any of the growth stages.     

Field evaluation of some selected plant materials for the control of major insect pests of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata(L.) Walp.) in the Northern Guinea Savannah of Nigeria

Abstract

Field experiments were carried out at the Teaching and Research Farm of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi during the rainy season of 2005. The study was carried out with sole objective of evaluating the efficacy of six selected plant materials (sweetsop, red pepper, garlic, neem, mahogany and gmalina) against the major insect pests of cowpea variety, Dan Sokoto. The experiment was laid down in randomised complete block design with seven treatments. Each treatment was replicated three times. The results of the study showed that all the plant materials used were significantly (p < 0.05) better than control where no plant material was used in controlling the population of B. tabaci, E. dolichi, M. sjostedti and C. tomentosicollis at 1, 2 and 3 days after application of the treatments. Similarly the effects of these plant materials on the number of seeds/pod showed a significant (p < 0.05) difference between plots treated with plant materials and control. On the grain yield of the crop, all the plant materials showed significant effect except mahogany and the control which were statistically similar. Furthermore, the order of level of control indicated that sweet sop has (70.7%), garlic (69.3%), neem (61.0%), red pepper (54.0%), ash (30.9%), and mahogany (3.5%). The result of the present finding therefore recommends the use of sweet sop, garlic and neem as they were found to be the most promising in the control of major cowpea insect pests.     

喷施细胞分裂素对豇豆花荚脱落率及花荚酶活性的影响

以4个豇豆(Vigna unguiculata Linn.)品种‘鄂豇豆6号’、‘鄂豇豆2号’、‘鄂豇豆7号’和‘美国地豆’为材料,在现蕾期叶面喷施植物细胞分裂素(CTK),于喷施后第7、14、28、42 d测定脱落花荚的多聚半乳糖醛酸酶(PG)和纤维素酶活性,并统计花荚脱落率和豇豆产量,研究CTK在豇豆生长发育过程中对花荚脱落的影响。结果显示,喷施CTK后,豇豆各品种的花荚脱落率均小于对照,豇豆产量均高于对照,且差异极显著(P0.01);喷施CTK后第14、28、42 d豇豆各品种脱落花荚的PG活性显著降低(P0.05);喷施CTK后第7 d各处理组脱落花荚的PG活性极显著降低(P0.01);喷施CTK后第7 d和第42 d豇豆各品种脱落花荚的纤维素酶活性显著降低(P0.05),喷施CTK后第14 d和第28 d各处理组脱落花荚的纤维素酶活性极显著降低(P0.01)。研究结果表明喷施CTK可调节脱落花荚的PG活性和纤维素酶活性,从而降低花荚脱落率,实现对豇豆产量的调控。     

豇豆轻斑驳病毒CPMMV感染菜豆对B型烟粉虱寄主选择和生物学特性的影响

豇豆轻斑驳病毒（Cowpea mild mottle virus,CPMMV）的流行与其媒介昆虫烟粉虱Bemisia tabaci密切相关,但CPMMV感染寄主植物对B型烟粉虱寄主选择行为和生物学特性的影响尚不清楚。本研究探究了1）CPMMV感染菜豆Phaseolus vulgaris不同时间对B型烟粉虱寄主选择和产卵偏好性的影响;2）CPMMV感染菜豆对B型烟粉虱生物学特性的影响。结果发现：1）相较于健康菜豆,摩擦接种CPMMV后1周,B型烟粉虱却偏好在CPMMV感染的植株上停留和产卵;而摩擦接种后4周,B型烟粉虱却偏好在健康的植株上停留和产卵;2）无论是在摩擦接种后1周和4周的CPMMV感染植株上,B型烟粉虱在健康和CPMMV感染植株上的产卵量和存活率差异不明显。可见,CPMMV感染菜豆对于B型烟粉虱的寄主选择偏好性具有时间效应,而CPMMV感染菜豆对于B型烟粉虱的生物学特性没有显著影响。     

Oleic acid metabolism: A biochemical marker for studying photoregulation of epicotyl elongation in Vigna unguiculata

Oleic acid metabolism can be considered to be an indicator of growth photoregulation in cowpea ( Vigna unguiculata Westphal cv. M53) epicotyls. Phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine are the two lipid classes concerned in the photoregulation of oleic acid accumulation. The incorporation of radioactive precursors in internodes of whole plants has shown that there is de novo synthesis of these phospholipids during the light dependent growth process.
The variations in oleic acid content were used to study the photocontrol of elongation in segments excised from the apical part of the epicotyl. In this system, as in whole plants, oleic acid was the only fatty acid showing significant variation related to the light/dark treatments. Differences in photoresponse between excised intenode segments and internodes in whole plants are discussed.     

Protease inhibitors from several classes work synergistically against Callosobruchus maculatus

Targeting multiple digestive proteases may be more effective in insect pest control than inhibition of a single enzyme class. We therefore explored possible interactions of three antimetabolic protease inhibitors fed to cowpea bruchids in artificial diets, using a recombinant soybean cysteine protease inhibitor scN, an aspartic protease inhibitor pepstatin A, and soybean Kunitz trypsin inhibitor KI. scN and pepstatin, inhibiting major digestive cysteine and aspartic proteases, respectively, significantly prolonged the developmental time of cowpea bruchids individually. When combined, the anti-insect effect was synergistic, i.e., the toxicity of the mixture was markedly greater than that of scN or pepstatin alone. KI alone did not impact insect development even at relatively high concentrations, but its anti-insect properties became apparent when acting jointly with scN or scN plus pepstatin. Incubating KI with bruchid midgut extract showed that it was partially degraded. This instability may explain its lack of anti-insect activity. However, this proteolytic degradation was inhibited by scN and/or pepstatin. Protection of KI from proteolysis in the insect digestive tract thus could be the basis for the synergistic effect. These observations support the concept that cowpea bruchid gut proteases play a dual role; digesting protein for nutrient needs and protecting insects by inactivating dietary proteins that may otherwise be toxic. Our results also suggest that transgenic resistance strategies that involve multigene products are likely to have enhanced efficacy and durability.     

Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria do not pose any deleterious effect on cowpea and detectable amounts of ethylene are produced

Summary The use of trap crops such as cowpea could reduce the effects of the root parasitic weed, Striga hermonthica and its subsequent constraints on the growth of cereals. Certain bacteria could augment the trap crop stimulatory effect. We studied the effect of three bacteria introduced to the rhizosphere of three cowpea varieties at planting. Number of days to cowpea flowering was noted and at harvest, data were collected on pod characteristics and biomass. Means of data subjected to ANOVA were compared using Tukey’s Studentized Range Test. We analysed bacterial headspace volatiles for ethylene by gas chromatography and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Bacterial type significantly influenced the cowpea varieties with better performance over the non-inoculated control. Average pod weight (g) with bacterial treatment was 37.97 for Enterobacter sakazakii 8MR5, 34.38 for Pseudomonas 44MS8 and 27.46 for Pseudomonas 10M3. Non-inoculated control had an average weight of 20.98 g. Bacteria promoted a significant increase in pod weight (≥30.89%), fresh biomass (≥24.22%), and improved pod number (≥20.54%) and pod wall thickness (≥7.33%) with no deleterious effect on plant health. Ethylene released by the bacteria ranged from trace concentrations in Pseudomonas sp. to 210 nmoles/10⁸ c. f. u./ml in Ent. sakazakii 8MR5.