Pest incidence and yield losses on five Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp) varieties in field at Garoua (North Cameroon).
Jacques Housseini Djida 1&3*, Alioum Paul Sounou1, Noé Socrates Doké 2,3, Jackson Djakbe 4 & Gonné Sobda
ABSTRACT
Cowpea is a cash crop in the Sudano Sahelian zone however its production is affected by many constraints including pest pressure. The objective of this study was to assess the incidence and quantify the yield losses caused by pests in the field of five cowpea varieties Vigna unguiculata L. Walp popularized by research in Garoua North Cameroon. The experiment was designed using a split plot design two-factor for four replications in two rainy seasons 2022 and 2023 at the Garoua Multipurpose Agricultural Research Station. Insecticide application was the main factor and varieties were the secondary factor. The following observations were made: percentage of plants attacked by Thrips; count of black and brown pod-sucking bugs, health analysis of flower buds, yield and yield losses. The results showed that plant protection by the application of insecticides is a determining factor for good yield and limits losses due to pests in the field. Thrips and Pod-sucking bug insects had a strong incidence respectively on variety V3: Fekem and variety V2: Lori-3. Among the different varieties, no difference was observed in terms of pod yield and grain yield. However, variety V3: Fekem recorded a grain yield of 420.6±76.7 kg/ha with a significantly lower seedless yield. In the absence of appropriate phytosanitary protection, yield losses can reach up to 83.5±10.7%. Variety V2: Lori-3 recorded the highest yield loss rate while variety V3 recorded the lowest percentage of losses due to pests.
Keywords: Incidence, Yield losses, Pest, Vigna unguiculata L. Walp, North Cameroon.
Affiliations
1 Institute of Agricultural Research for Development (IRAD), Cameroon.
2 Research and Development Division, Cameroon Cotton Development Company (SODECOTON), Cameroon
3 Cotton Entomology and Crop Protection Laboratory, Multipurpose Agricultural Research Station of Garoua North Cameroon.
4 University of Maroua, National Polytechnic School of Maroua, Department of Agriculture, Livestock and Derived Products, Biosciences Laboratory, Maroua, Cameroon.
Infos article
African J. Trop. Entomol. Res. 4(3):131-138.
© 2025, Housseini et al.
ORIGINAL RESEARCH ARTICLE/ OPEN ACCESS
*Corresponding author: housseini39@yahoo.fr
Received: 05 July 2025
Accepted: 19 September 2025
Published : 18 December 2025
Author(s) agree that this article remain permanently open access under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license.
Citation : Housseini D.J., Sounou A.P., Doké N.S., Djakbe J. & Sobda G. (2025). Pest incidence and yield losses on five Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp) varieties in field at Garoua (North Cameroon). African journal of tropical entomology research, 4(3), 131-138.