EFFICACY OF SOME LAMBDA-CYHALOTHRIN-BASED INSECTICIDES IN CONTROL OF MAJOR FIELD PESTS OF COWPEA (VIGNA UNGUICULATA L.)

Abstract

A major constraint to the increased and sustainable production of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walpers) in the savanna ecology of Ghana is damage caused by field insect pests. Field studies were conducted during the 2012 cropping season at the Experimental Farms of the University for Development Studies, Nyankpala, Ghana, to evaluate the efficacy of six Lambda-cyhalothrin formulations namely; Clear, Controller-super, CW-Lambda, Kombat, Lambda-super and Zap on flower thrips, pod-borers, and pod-sucking bugs, and their effects on the grain yield and grain quality of cowpea. The randomized complete block design with three replications was used to obtain data on the abundance and incidence of the pests. The results showed that infestations of of all the target pests were significantly lower in the insecticide-treated plots than the control. Although significant differences were not observed in all the parameters evaluated among the insecticide treatments, cowpea plants treated with Lambda-super or CW-Lambda recorded the lowest infestation of flower thrips, pod-borers and pod-sucking bugs. Cowpea grain yield and grain quality from the Lambda-super treatment were statistically similar to that of CW-Lambda treatment but different from that of the other insecticides. Farmers can use Lambda-super or CW-Lambda for effective control of the major pests of cowpea for maximum grain yield and quality in the savanna ecology of Ghana.