Flower bud thrips (Megalurothrips sjostedti Trybom) population diversity and sources of resistance among Benin cowpea germplasm

Symphorien Agbahoungba, Benjamin Datinon, Maxwell Billah, Hospice Tamegnon Tossou, Eric Etchikinto Agoyi, Akovognon Dieudonne Kpoviessi, Achille Ephrem Assogbadjo, Brice Sinsin

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

8 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.] is a main legume food cultivated for its leaves and grains in Benin. However, cowpea production is limited by insect pests with flower bud thrips being the most damaging and can cause up to 100% yield loss. Host plant resistance is the best strategy to control the pest. This study aimed to screen Benin cowpea germplasm for resistance to flower bud thrips. Forty-eight accessions were evaluated under greenhouse conditions with reared flower bud thrips. Data were collected on thrips damage (score = 1–9), larvae and adults thrips counts in flowers, on yield and yield components. Data were subjected to analysis of variance, Pearson correlation and multiple linear regression analyses. Results showed that two thrips species (Megalurothrips sjostedti and Sericothrips occipitalis) attacked cowpea with M. sjostedti being the most dominant. The different collected populations of M. sjostedti caused similar damage to cowpea. Significant differences were observed among accessions for thrips damage, for yield and yield components. The accessions IT07K-243-1-10, Nontchè-Wagbèhamin, Kplobè-Wewe, Kpegnikoun, Kpodjiguegue, Moussa, IT86D-888, Sanzibanili and Sèwé were highly resistant to flower bud thrips by presenting low thrips damage and very few thrips counts in flower while Tiligré, IT83S-742-2 and IT84S-2246-4 were tolerant to thrips by presenting low thrips damage despite the presence of many thrips counts in flowers. These accessions could serve as resistance sources in breeding programs on cowpea in Benin.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)395-404
Number of pages10
JournalAnnals of Applied Biology
Volume179
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Nov 2021

Keywords

  • Benin
  • Megalurothrips sjostedti
  • cowpea
  • host plant resistance
  • yield loss

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