Effect of application of different concentrations and appropriate schedules of aqueous garlic (Allium sativum L.) bulb extracts against Maruca vitrata and Clavigralla tomentosicollis on cowpea,Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp

Abstract

Three concentrations (5, 10 and 20% w/v) and spraying schedules (2×, 4× and 6× weekly applications) of garlic, Allium sativum L. bulb extracts were assayed for efficacy against Maruca vitrata Fab. and Clavigralla tomentosicollis Stal. on cowpea under rain fed conditions in two seasons. The results showed that application of aqueous garlic bulb extracts at all the treatment levels significantly (p < 0.05) reduced the populations of the target pests compared with the untreated check. Application of 10 and 20% garlic bulb extracts with 4 or 6 weekly applications gave better control of these pests, protected the pods from damage and increased grain yields on treated cowpea compared with 5% extract at all three application schedules and were comparable to the synthetic insecticide treatment. This material could play a role in the integrated management of M. vitrata and C. tomentosicollis on cowpea fields managed by limited resource farmers in developing countries. The plant material is readily available, cheap, safe, non phytotoxic and technologically simple to use.     

The potential for controlling Megalurothrips sjostedti (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) on cowpea,Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp flowers using extracts of cashew (Anacardium occidentale L.) products

Abstract

The efficacy of aqueous extracts of cashew, Anacardium occidentale L. products was tested on Legume flower bud thrips on field cowpea in the 1999 and 2000 seasons using nutseed and nutshell at 10% w/v, bark and leaf at 20% w/v. Aqueous extract of cashew nutshell was superior to other cashew products in reducing thrip populations in cowpea flowers and compared favourably with cypermethrin + dimethoate. Pod density per plant was significantly enhanced on cowpea plants sprayed with aqueous extract of cashew nutshell compared to other extracts. Cashew extract contains cardole (a caustic substance) and anacardic acid, which may have been responsible for its insecticidal effect on thrips. This result indicates the potential of cashew products especially the nutshell for integrated management of thrips in legume crops.     

Field tests with insecticides and insect growth regulators to control insect pests of cowpea and its effects on certain beneficial insects

A small‐plot tests were conducted on cowpea, Vigna ungiculata (L.) Walp, to determine the effectiveness of 14 selected insecticides representing four insecticide classes (organophosphates, carbamates, pyrethroids, and insect growth regulators, IGRs), and four insecticide/IGR mixtures on cowpea insect pests and its effects on certain beneficial insects. By day 3 after treatement, the insecticides phenthoate, isoxathion, cyanophos, carbaryl, and cypermethrin used at sub‐recommended rates reduced the leafhopper, Empoasca spp., populations by >83% than those in the control. On that day, all insecticide treatments significantly reduced the cowpea aphid, Aphis craccivora, numbers below that of the control. The prothiofos, isoxathion, pirimicarb, and fenpropathrin treatments provided continuing control to both leafhoppers and aphids through day 21 after spraying. It seems that most insecticide treatments were not effective in whitefly, Bemisia tabaci, control. The best control of the whitefly immatures was obtained by day 3 after spraying in plots received thiodicarb (76%) and fenpropathrin (60%). All selected insecticides and rates used had very low residual effect against B. tabaci immatures. By day 3 posttreatment, the carbaryl (2.02 kg/ha) caused completely protection for cowpea pods frMw blue pea butterfly, Lampides boeticus, larvae. The IGRs, flufenoxuron and Dowco‐439, applied alone and those applied in mixtures with insecticides, carbaryl/teflubenzuron, chlorpyrifos/XRD‐473, and methomyl/ flufenoxuron, exhibited satisfactory control (>81%) to butterfly larvae on day 7 posttreatment. All treatments did not exhibit a considerable residual activity against L. boeticus larvae through 2–3 weeks followed spray. Most insecticides applied at the higher rates used significantly reduced the numbers of limabean pod borer, Etiella zinckenella, larvae found in cowpea pods collected on day 7 after application. The IGRs, flufenoxuron and Dowco‐439, applied alone, at 0.119 kg/ha, or in mixtures, methomyl/flufenoxuron (0.167 kg/ha) and chlorpyrifos/Dowco‐439 (0.911 kg/ha) caused >73% control of E. zinckenella larvae through day 21 posttreatment. The best control of cowpea weevil, Callosobru‐chus spp., adults (>83%), on day 3 after spraying, was obtained in treatments of cyanophos (1.19 kg/ha), prothiofos (1.43 kg/ha), flufenoxuron (0.119 kg/ha), and chlorpyrifos/Dowco‐439 (0.911 kg/ha). The IGR flufenoxuron applied alone or in mixture, methomyl/flufenoxuron (0.164 kg/ ha) exhibited satisfactory residual activity against Callosobruchus adults through day 21 posttreatment. Percentage seed damage by the larvae of cowpea weevils was significantly lower in most treatments than that of control. Populations of insect predators found in all treated plots were extremely reduced than those found in untreated plots. By day 21 after spraying, the IGRs flufenoxuron, XRD‐473, and Dowco‐439, applied at the low rate of 0.071 kg/ha, seemed to be less effect against insect predators than other insecticides used.     

Pathogenic response of seed mycoflora associated with cowpea,Vigna unguiculata

Cowpea, Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp. (Fabaceae), has always been an important grain legume in tropical countries and a veritable source of dietary protein for the teeming population of human and livestock. The crop is often attacked and deteriorated by a number of pathogens; many of these are seed-borne fungi, which produce an adverse effect on the growth and development of plants. In this study, the effects of fungi on germinability and seedling health were determined, and the pathogenicity was established. Eleven fungal species were isolated from cowpea seeds which were used as inocula on cowpea. All the tested fungi show a reduction in the germination rate of the cowpea plants, and different types of disease symptoms including reduction in shoot and root lengths were noted for different pathogenic fungi. The symptoms included seed rot, seedling rot, yellowing of leaves, deformation of leaves, etc. Many phytopathogenic fungi penetrate deep into the seeds. These fungi produce enzymes, toxins and metabolites which adversely affect the plant growth and produce characteristic symptoms and cause deterioration of this important protein-rich crop.     

Fitness of Virulent Meloidogyne incognita Isolates on Susceptible and Resistant Cowpea

A study of life-history traits was made to determine factors associated with the fitness of Meloidogyne incognita isolates virulent to resistance gene Rk in cowpea. Egg hatch, root penetration, egg mass production, and fecundity (eggs per egg mass) of avirulent and virulent phenotypes were compared among M. incognita isolates, isofemale lines, and single descent lines over multiple generations on resistant and susceptible cowpea. Variation (P ≤ 0.05) in both hatch and root penetration rates was found among isolates at a given generation. However, this variation was not consistent within nematode lines among generations, and there was no correlation with level of virulence, except for penetration and virulence on resistant cowpea at generation 20. Resistant and susceptible cowpea roots were penetrated at similar levels. Differences in reproductive factors on resistant plants were correlated with levels of virulence expression. In some isofemale lines, single descent lines, and isolates, lower (P ≤ 0.05) rates of egg mass production and fecundity on susceptible cowpea were associated with virulence to Rk, indicating a trade-off between reproductive fitness and virulence. Other virulent nematode lines from the same isolates did not have reduced reproductive ability on susceptible cowpea over 27 generations. Thus, virulent lineages varied in reproductive ability on susceptible cowpea, contributing to adaptation and maintenance of virulence within M. incognita populations under stabilizing selection.     

Sources of Resistance to Cowpea Bacterial Blight Disease in Nigeria

The development of resistant crop varieties depends on the reliability of the method of screening for resistance. One of the techniques widely used in evaluating field resistance is the field screening method. However, most cowpea varieties regarded as having field resistance are often found to be susceptible in farmers’ fields, where the inoculum density can be higher. This study rescreened 96 cowpea varieties, evaluated earlier in breeders’ fields as resistant to Xanthomonas campestris pv. vignicola, in field and greenhouse under high inoculum pressure. There were significant differences (P ≤ 0.05) in the reactions of cowpea varieties to bacterial blight in terms of disease incidence and severity. Results from the field screening showed that there were 69 susceptible, 25 moderately susceptible, and 2 resistant varieties. In artificial inoculation in the greenhouse IT81D‐1228‐14, IT82E‐16, IT93K‐2271‐2‐2, TVu 1235, and TVu 4630, which were moderately susceptible in the field showed a susceptible reaction. Tvu 12349 and Tvu 15549 gave consistent reactions in the field and in the greenhouse and are therefore good sources of stable resistance to bacterial blight pathogen. Stem canker incidence also varied significantly (P ≤ 0.05) among the cowpea varieties. Seventeen varieties did not manifest canker symptoms.     

豆野螟的生物防治研究进展与展望

豆野螟Maruca vitrata是豇豆等豆类作物的世界性重要害虫,常年在亚热带地区严重发生,防控难度很大。传统的化学防治方法难以对其进行长久且有效的控制,因而造成害虫抗药性增强、超范围使用化学农药等诸多不良现象,严重威胁人民群众身体健康与生态安全。而生物防治作为减少化学农药用量与残留的关键技术之一,在当前我国绿色农业高速发展期更应引起研究人员的高度重视。因此,本文围绕豆野螟生物防治的研究现状与进展,分别从昆虫性信息素、天敌昆虫资源、昆虫病原物、植物源农药等4个方面进行了概述,并深入探讨了我国豆野螟生物防治领域的研究前景与方向,为豆野螟绿色防控体系的全方位建设提供参考,助力我国绿色农业高质量发展。     

Bradyrhizobium elkanii, Bradyrhizobium yuanmingense and Bradyrhizobium japonicum are the main rhizobia associated with Vigna unguiculata and Vigna radiata in the subtropical region of China

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) and mung bean (Vigna radiata) are important legume crops yet their rhizobia have not been well characterized. In the present study, 62 rhizobial strains isolated from the root nodules of these plants grown in the subtropical region of China were analyzed via a polyphasic approach. The results showed that 90% of the analyzed strains belonged to or were related to Bradyrhizobium japonicum, Bradyrhizobium liaoningense, Bradyrhizobium yuanmingense and Bradyrhizobium elkanii, while the remaining represented Rhizobium leguminosarum, Rhizobium etli and Sinorhizobium fredii. Diverse nifH and nodC genes were found in these strains and their symbiotic genes were mainly coevolved with the housekeeping genes, indicating that the symbiotic genes were mainly maintained by vertical transfer in the studied rhizobial populations.     

Transgenic cowpea (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Vigna unguiculata</Emphasis>) seeds expressing a bean α-amylase inhibitor 1 confer resistance to storage pests,bruchid beetles

Cowpea is one of the important grain legumes. Storage pests, Callosobruchus maculatus and C. chinensis cause severe damage to the cowpea seeds during storage. We employ a highly efficient Agrobacterium-mediated cowpea transformation method for introduction of the bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) α-amylase inhibitor-1 (αAI-1) gene into a commercially important Indian cowpea cultivar, Pusa Komal and generated fertile transgenic plants. The use of constitutive expression of additional vir genes in resident pSB1 vector in Agrobacterium strain LBA4404, thiol compounds during cocultivation and a geneticin based selection system resulted in twofold increase in stable transformation frequency. Expression of αAI-1 gene under bean phytohemagglutinin promoter results in accumulation of αAI-1 in transgenic seeds. The transgenic protein was active as an inhibitor of porcine α-amylase in vitro. Transgenic cowpeas expressing αAI-1 strongly inhibited the development of C. maculatus and C. chinensis in insect bioassays.