Effect of Integrated Nutrients Management and some Insecticides on Quality of Cowpea Plants (Vigna unguiculata L.) and Associated Sucking Insect Pests

Abstract

Two field experiments were conducted during the two summer seasons of 2017 and 2018 a special farm ,in El Mansoura , Dakahlia Governorate on the first week of May in a complete randomized block design to evaluate effect of Gaucho(G) systematic insecticides as seed coating before sowing against sucking pests which attack cowpea (Kaha -1 cultivar) during seedling period ( from emergence until 60 days old ) as compared with untreated seed (control) also, Gaucho spraying (Gs), K.Z.oil and integrated nutrients management (I.N.) Fe + Zn + Mn + Cu rate of 0.3,0.3,0.3 ,0.15 gm L -1 , respectively as EDTA chelated form with potassium sulphate soaked rate of 10 gm L -1 , three times through growth stages on vegetative growth characters , Photosynthetic Pigments ,Yield , Yield components and Chemical constituents ,quality and sucking insect pests .It can be observed from the results that all parameters for both seasons were increased significantly compared with non-treated (control) of vegetative growth as indicated by plant height (cm), no. of branches/plant, no. of leaves/plant. These effects were more obvious especially at the treatment of seed coating before sowing by Gaucho insecticide with Integrated nutrients management (G+I.N.) . Data revealed that addition of integrated nutrients with seed coating by Gaucho significantly increased chlorophyll a, b , a + b and carotene contents in cowpea leaves ,as well as, No. of pods plant -1 , No. of seed pod -1 , 100 seed weight (g) , Crude protein, total carbohydrate and , green pod ,seed and straw yields (ton/fed) . Also, N, P and K contents (kg fed -1 )in both green pods, seeds and straw increased significantly with these treatments . The results indicated also that , Aphids represented the most insect pest attacking cowpea with a ratio around 44 % followed by thrips (24%),While whitefly and leaf miner (15%) each . Leafhopper represented the lower pest attack (2%). From the present study, it can be concluded that Imidacloprid (Gaucho 70 WS at 7 g/kg seed) can be coating seed before sowing and using Integrated nutrients management are safe ,cheep ,improve yield quality , protection plant form sucking pests and environmentally-friendly of cowpea . also, This information might be helpful to the vegetables growers.