Cowpea viruses are economically important diseases of cowpea in the major growing areas of Uganda and have inflicted negatively on food security, nutrition and income for many households. The objective of the study was to determine the prevalence and identity of viruses infecting cowpea in the growing districts of Uganda. Surveys were conducted in the field of grown cowpea, and virus symptoms were recorded on the basis of virus incidence and severity in the districts of Apac, Lira, Pader and Kumi. Symptomatic virus leaf samples were also collected from the same fields surveyed for serological test for detection of virus types using antibodies to cowpea aphid-borne mosaic virus (CABMV), cowpea mild mottle virus (CPMMV), cowpea severe mosaic virus (CPSMV), cowpea mosaic virus (CPMV), cowpea chlorotic mottle virus (CPCMV), cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) and cowpea chlorotic mosaic virus (CCMV) in double antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (DAS-ELISA). Results showed that there was the highest percentage of incidence and severity in Kumi (85.4% and 13.8%, respectively) with the lowest percentage of incidence and severity observed in Apac (55.9% and 4.7%, respectively). Serological test revealed the presence of CABMV, CPMMV, CPSMV and CMV in the leaf samples as the major virus types in the surveyed districts. However, CPCMV, CPMV and CCMV were not detected in the leaf samples surveyed in the cowpea growing districts. Serological test also revealed that among the virus types detected, single and multiple virus types occurred in the plant samples. The highest single virus type occurring in the plant samples was CPMMV (11.6%) and the lowest was CABMV (1.8%). The virus types namely CMV, CABMV, CPMMV and CPSMV occurred in combinations with proportion of 7.1% in the infected plant samples. Therefore, this information obtained on the virus types provides an opportunity for breeders to develop cowpea variety with multiple resistance genes to control several virus types infecting cowpea.
Prior to implementing biological control, knowledge on availability of the possible enemies of pest(s) is important. Therefore, as part of a larger on-farm study whose main objective was to develop a farmerfriendly package for the management of cowpea pests, the diversity and abundance of insect predators within cowpea cropping systems (sole crops and intercrops) were monitored at three diverse locations in eastern Uganda. Coccinellids, syrphid larvae, spiders, Orius sp. and earwigs were observed at all locations. Abundance of Coccinellids and syrphid larvae were not influenced by the cowpea genotype nor cropping systems. Contrastingly, the abundance of predatory Orius sp., spiders and earwigs differed significantly among the cowpea cropping systems, being more common in the cowpea pure stands and cowpea + greengram than in the cowpea + sorghum intercrops.
Greengram, Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek is an important source of proteins and micronutrients to small holder farmers in eastern and northern regions of Uganda. Most of the landraces currently grown by small scale farmers are characterized by low yields and late maturity. In order to identify high yielding and stable varieties, an experiment was conducted to evaluate the yield performance of introduced early maturing genotypes from the World Vegetable Centre (AVDRC) in seven locations of Uganda. Yield performance data for the genotypes was subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) to test the significance of genotype × environmental interactions as well as stability analysis using the yield -stability statistic (YS i ) as an aid for simultaneous selection for high yield and stability. Analyses of variance showed that genotype × environmental interactions (G×E) were significant and therefore could not be ignored. Following the detection of significant genotype × environmental interactions, yield -stability statistics (YS i ) were generated and used for simultaneous selection for high yield and stability among the introduced genotypes. Yield-stability statistics (YS i ), indicated that three introduced genotypes (Filsan, Sunshine, and Blackgram) in addition to the local check were stable and high yielding. These genotypes need to be assessed for farmer preferences/tastes and other quality traits in on-farm participatory trials before they can be recommended for release.
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