INFESTATION OF FOUR CRUCIFER SPECIES, DAMAGE AND PLANT LOSS CAUSED BY LIPAPHIS ERYSIMI KALT (HEMIPTERA: APHIDIDAE) IN SOUTHERN TOGO

Lipaphis erysimi Kalt (Hemiptera: Aphididae) is an aphid pest of crucifers under different agroclimatic conditions, that causes enormous losses in agricultural yields in Togo.This study aimed to assess the infestation, damage and loss of cruciferous plants caused by this aphid.Crucifer plots were arranged in three randomized and balanced blocks at the Lom Agronomic Experimentation Station from July to the end of September 2022.Each block was comprised of four elementary plots, each of which contained 40 cruciferous plants.The crucifers were head cabbage (Brassica oleracea var.capitata); cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var.botrytis), turnip (Brassica rapa) and radish (Raphanus sativus).By day 21 after transplanting, the infestation rate was 100% on all plots.This high infestation rate led to the death of all plants in the turnip plots on day 49, and in the cabbage, cauliflower, and radish plots on day 56.Yields were zero for all crucifers.The results of this study therefore showed that infestation of crucifers by L. erysimi can lead to total yield losses if no pest management measures are applied during the third quarter of the year in southern Togo.