Effect of crop protection management practice on yield of seven cowpea varieties in Uganda

Abstract

Field experiments were conducted during the first and second rainy seasons of 1994 to evaluate the seed yield potential of two commonly grown cowpea varieties and five introduced lines under different pest and disease situations. The highest yields (4654.7 kg/ha, 2083.5 kg/ha and 974.6 kg/ha, respectively) were obtained from the lines IT82D-522-1, IT85F-1987 and Katumani-80, and the least yield was from Icirikukwai, a local line. Between 32.5% to 70.7% yield depression was obtained in plots where pests were not controlled, whereas 9.2% to 16.0% yield depression was attributed to fungal diseases. These results indicate that insect pests are the most important biotic constraint to cowpea production in Uganda.