Comparative studies on the effectiveness of pesticides for aphid control in Cowpea

摘要

Considering the importance of safe food globally and organic farming, the effectiveness of two biopesticides (Neem seed kernel extract and spinosad) with a synthetic pesticide (ch lorpyriphos)were evaluated against cowpea aphid, Aphis craccivora and its predator the ladybird beetle, Micraspis discolor (F.). The cowpea plant was sprayed with different pesticides when the aphid population reached at economic threshold level. Among th e pesticides, Chlorpyriphos proved highly effective against aphids as compared to the rest of the pesticides. Furthermore, yield of cowpea was also higher in chlorpyriphos treatments. Thus, it is concluded that all the studied insecticides proved effect ive against the aphids but the toxicity studies of the insecticides was observed from maximum to minimum in the following order, C hlorpyriphos - Spinosad -Neem Seem Kernel Extract.