Population dynamics of aphid, Aphis craccivora Koch and spotted pod borer (Maruca testulalis) on cowpea crop

AbstractThe research focused on the population dynamics of insect pests infesting cowpea, revealing a non-significant relationship with Standard Meteorological Week (SMW). The primary pests identified were aphids and spotted pod borers. Aphid activity began in the 10th SMW (1.90 aphids per 10 cm twig), peaked in the 16th SMW (22.21 aphids per 10 cm twig), and then declined as the crop matured. The spotted pod borer activity started in the 11th SMW (1.21 larvae per plant) and reached its peak in the 14th SMW (3.86 larvae per plant), and gradually decreased thereafter. The correlation analysis revealed that aphid populations had a significant positive relationship with maximum temperature (0.766**), while the correlation with minimum temperature was positive but non-significant (0.536NS). The morning relative humidity showed a significant negative correlation (-0.603*), whereas evening relative humidity and rainfall exhibited non-significant negative correlations (-0.434NS and -0.010NS, respectively).