OKIRIGITI MOKOBI JOHNSON A22/0033/2007 CROP PROTECTION (MAJOR) SUPERVISOR: DORA KILALO 3rd June 2011

EFFECTS OF REFLECTIVE MULCH AND CHEMICAL (Dimethoate) IN CONTROLLING APHIDS

INTRODUCTION

Cowpeas are grown extensively in Africa. Africa produces 2/3 of the world total. Nigeria and Niger produce 49.3% of the world crop.

It provides more than half the plant protein in human diets in some areas of the semi humid tropics

As food it is eaten in the form of dry seeds, green pods, green seeds and tender green leaves.

Problem statement

Aphids interfere with the growth and development of cowpeas and spread viral pathogens, reducing yield and quality(240 - 300 kg/Ha )

JustificationMost farmers do not protect there cowpeas

and a few use chemicals. To improve yields, we need to use farmer friendly tactics for pest management

Objectives

General objectives• To improve cowpea yields by managing pests

for food security. Specific objectivesTo determine the effectiveness of reflective

mulch in the control of aphids.To determine the effect of aphids on cowpeas.

HYPOTHESISMulching will not control aphids

Materials and methods

A small plot measuring 5m * 5m, sub-divided into 9 equal portions

Chemical ( Dimethoate) Mulching material (polythene paper)Cowpea seedsDAP fertilizerThe experiment was established through

RCBD systemData collected was subjected to analysis of

variance by Genstat software.

Treatments:

Treatment 1.......................chemical application.

Treatment 2.......................mulch/polythene paper.

Treatments 3.......................control3 2 1

2 1 3

1 3 2

RESULTSAverage score for insect damages

Treatment

Sampling periodPre-treatment

1 2 Treatment mean

%decrease/Control

Chemical

2.33ab 2.43a 1.60c 1.50 1.55b 41.5

Re’ mulch

1.97b 1.83b 2.10b 1.90a 2b 24.5

Control 2.47a 2.47a 2.93a 2.37a 2.65a 0.0

Lsd 0.47

Cv% 12.8

Total number of aphidsTreatment

Sampling periodPre-treatment

1 2 Treatment mean

%decrease/Control

Chemical

138.3a 292.3a 45.3c 52.7c 49.00c 88.0

Re’mulch

108.0a 162.0b 172.0b 168.7b 170.35b

58.3

Control

152.0a 284.7a 407.7a 409.7a 408.7a 0.0

Lsd 49.93

Cv% 14.8

Yield in grams against treatment.

Discussions The chemical is toxic and killed the aphids and the

other insects thereby reducing their numbers drastically, hence T1 had the highest harvest in green leaf yields.

The reflective mulch kept away the aphids from the plots through reflection, which resulted to low numbers in T2, thus a commendable harvest was obtained as shown in the graph.

The control treatment had the largest number of aphids and insect damages, because nothing was applied to control them. This resulted to low yields as shown in the graph.

Conclusion Reflective mulch was able to reduce aphid

population and the damages by other insects.

Recommendations I would recommend that small scale farmers

adopt the use of reflective mulch in the control of aphids and other insects as an alternative to cut down on the expenses of chemicals.

I would also recommend that more research be done on this idea and also teach people on how to apply reflective mulch.