Comparative Efficacy of Some Selected Plant Derived Biopesticides for the Control of Insect Pests of Cowpea

Field trial was conducted at the Research Farm of the Katsina State Agricultural and Rural Development Authority during the farming season of 2004 with a view to evaluate/determine the efficacy of some selected plant-derived biopesticides against the insect pests of cowpea as well as their effect on yield. The variety of the cowpea used was IT86D-719 and the plant derived biopesticides evaluated during the trial were chilli pepper, garlic, ginger, neem, sweetsop and tobacco. The experimental field was ploughed, harrowed and thereafter ridged before the commencement of the 2004 planting season. A total of twenty one (21) experimental plots were demarcated and arranged into seven treatment plots. The size of each plot was 5m x 4m while interspaces between adjacent plot and blocks were 1m and 2 m, respectively. Results of the experiments showed that all the plant-derived biopesticide treatments were significantly (p<0.05) better than control treatment. The order of effectiveness of the treatments was tobacco (80-90%), sweetsop (75-85%), garlic (70-80), neem (72- 78%), chilli pepper (60-70%) and ginger (30-50%). Furthermore, yield result corresponded positively with the effectiveness of the treatments. Results of the present finding suggest the use of tobacco, sweetsop and garlic as promising biopesticides in the control of cowpea insect pests.