Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-sxzjt Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-19T13:29:16.763Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Cowpea Plant Architecture in Relation to Infestation and Damage by the Legume Pod Borer, Maruca Testulalis Geyer (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)—I. Effect of Canopy Structure and Pod Position

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 September 2011

S. Oghiakhe ,
L. E. N. Jackai  and
W. A. Makanjuola
S. Oghiakhe
Affiliation:
International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), PMB 5320, Oyo Road, Ibadan, Nigeria
L. E. N. Jackai
Affiliation:
International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), PMB 5320, Oyo Road, Ibadan, Nigeria
W. A. Makanjuola
Affiliation:
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Lagos, Akoka, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria
Get access

Abstract

The effects of cowpea, Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp. canopy structure and pod position in relation to infestation and damage by the legume pod borer, Maruca testulalis Geyer were investigated. Defoliated cultivars sustained significantly less infestation and damage (P < 0.05) than those undefoliated. Relative humidity measured under the canopy was lower in defoliated cultivars, while soil and ambient temperatures were higher. Percentage pod damage and larval infestation by M. testulalis in flowers were positively correlated with relative humidity, and negatively correlated with temperature. Both correlations were significant (P < 0.01).

Cultivars with pods held within the canopy suffered significantly more damage (P < 0.05) than cultivars whose pods were held in the normal position. Canopy structure and pod position acting together or independently, exerted profound effects on cowpea resistance to M. testulalis. Selection and breeding cowpea cultivars with less dense foliage (= open canopies) and long peduncles holding the reproductive structures above the canopy, should increase cowpea resistance to M. testulalis.

Résumé

Cette étude a porté sur l'effet de la structure de la voûte foliaire et de la position des gousses du niébé sur l'infestation et les dégâts occasionnés par la foreuse des gousses Maruca testulalis Geyer.

Les cultivars défoliés étaient significativement moins infestés et endommagés (P < 0.05) que les cultivars non défoliés. L'humidité relative mesurée sous la voûte foliaire était moins élevée chez les cultivars défoliés tandis que la température ambiante et la température du sol étaient plus élevées. Le pourcentage de dégâts occasionnés aux gousses et le pourcentage d'infestation larvaire des fleurs par M. testulalis présentaient une corrélation positive avec l'humidité relative et une corrélation négative avec la temperature. Les deux corrélations étaient significatives (P < 0.01).

Les cultivars dont les gousses étaient produites sous la voûte foliaire ont souffert de dégâts plus importants (P < 0.05), que les cultivars dont les gousses étaient disposées normalement. L'action commune ou indépendante de la structure de la voûte foliaire et de la position des gousses a eu un impact significatif sur la résistance du niébe à M. testulalis. L'amélioration et la sélection de cultivars dotés d'un feuillage moins dense voûte foliaire ouverte et de longs pédoncules maintenant les structures de reproduction au dessus de la voûte foliaire devraient accroître la résistance du niébé à M. testulalis.

Keywords

Maruca testulaliscowpea resistancearchitecturecanopy structurepod positiondefoliate
Type
Articles
Information
International Journal of Tropical Insect Science , Volume 12 , Issue 1-2-3: Current Topics in Tropical Entomology , June 1991 , pp. 193 - 199
Copyright
Copyright © ICIPE 1991

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Adams, M. W. (1973) Plant architecture and physiological efficiency in the field bean. Proc. Seminar on Potentials of Field Beans and Other Legumes in Latin America. Centro International de Agricultura Tropical, pp. 266–278.Google Scholar
Coyne, D. P. (1980) Modification of plant architecture and crop yield by breeding. Hort. Science 15, 244–247.Google Scholar
Enyi, B. A. C. (1975) Effects of defoliation on growth and yield in groundnut (Arachis hypogea), cowpea (Vigna unguiculata), soybean (Glycine max) and green gram (Vigna aurens). Ann. Appl. Biol. 79, 55–66.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
IITA (1983) Research Highlights for 1982. IITA, Ibadan, Nigeria.Google Scholar
Jackai, L. E. N. (1981) Relationship between cowpea crop phenology and field infestation by the legume pod borer, Maruca testulalis. Ann. Entomol. Soc. Am. 74, 402–408.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jackai, L. E. N. (1982) A field screening technique for resistance of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) to the pod borer Maruca testulalis (Geyer) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). Bull. Entomol. Res. 72, 145–156.Google Scholar
Jackai, L. E. N. and Raulston, J. R. (1988) Rearing the legume pod borer Maruca testulalis Geyer (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) on artificial diet. Trop. Pest Manage. 34, 168–172.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kosuge, T. (1969) The role of phenolics in host response to infection. Annu. Rev. Phytopathol. 7, 195–222.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Saxena, H. P. (1978) Pests of grain legumes and their control in India. In Pests of Grain Legumes: Ecology and Control (Edited by Singh, S. R., van Emden, H. F. and Taylor, T. A.) pp. 15–23, Academic Press, London.Google Scholar
Singh, S. R. (1978) Resistance to pests of cowpea in Nigeria. In Pests of Grain Legumes: Ecology and Control (Edited by Singh, S. R., van Emden, H. F. and Taylor, T. A.). pp. 267–279, Academic Press, London.Google Scholar
Suh, B. J. and Simbi, C. O. (1983) Studies on the legume pod borer, Maruca testulalis (Geyer)—VIII. Cowpea phenology and yield loss assessment: Effect of loss of leaves, shoots, flowers and pods on cowpea yield in Western Kenya. Insect Sci. Applic. 4, 89–96.Google Scholar
Taylor, T. A. (1967) The bionomics of M. testulalis Gey. (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), a major pest of cowpeas in Nigeria. J. W. A. Sci. Assoc. 12, 111–129.Google Scholar
Tingey, W. M. and Singh, S. R. (1980) Environmental factors influencing the magnitude and expression of resistance. In Breeding Plants Resistant to Insects (Edited by Maxwell, F. G. and Jennings, P. R.). pp. 87–113, John Wiley, London.Google Scholar
Walker-Simmons, M. and Ryan, C. A. (1977) Wound-induced accumulation of trypsin inhibitor activities in plant leaves. Plant Physiol. 59, 437–439.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Woolley, J. N. (1977) Breeding cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp., for resistance to Maruca testulalis Geyer. Ph.D. Thesis, Cambridge University, Cambridge, England.Google Scholar