Effect of cowpea monocultures and polycultures with sorghum and greengram on predatory arthropods

Abstract

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 farmer- friendly 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.