Cowpea pest control methods

Today I will tell you about the most common pests of cowpea and how to better prevent and control them:

1. Cutworms:

Also known as "earthworm", it is the main pest that harms seedlings. Its larvae harm the topsoil or the ground surface. Larvae before the third instar chew the leaves of seedlings into a mesh shape, and after the fourth instar bite off the tender stems of seedlings, resulting in missing seedlings, broken ridges and the death of a large number of seedlings. Prevention and control: remove weeds in early spring, reduce the egg-laying sites and food sources of small cutworms, use poison bait to kill larvae below the fourth instar, fry 5 kg of wheat bran and mix it with 10 times hot dichlorvos solution. In the early stage of the small cutworms' gluttony, spray the base and surrounding areas of the plants with 25% dichlorvos or 25% sulfathione 2500 times solution, which has a better effect. It can also be combined with manual catching and killing of larvae.

2. Bean borer (bean pod borer):

Also known as bean pod borer or cowpea borer. The larvae of bean pod borer mainly damage leaves before buds appear, and then bore into the corolla and young pods to cause damage, causing the buds and pods to fall off. After boring, holes are produced, and feces are produced to cause pod rot, seriously affecting the yield and quality of cowpeas. Prevention and control: It should be timely. When larvae are found during the flowering period of cowpeas, they should be sprayed with 10% cypermethrin EC, 50% cypermethrin EC, 25% trichlorfon powder or 80% dichlorvos EC at 1000 times concentration, once every 7-10 days, and spray 2-3 times continuously. Selecting early-maturing varieties, intercropping with grain crops, and maintaining a certain humidity in the field can reduce the damage.

3. Aphids:

It is the main pest of cowpea and one of the main vectors of cowpea virus disease. It can cause damage from the seedling stage to the entire growth and development period. Prevention and control: In the early stage of aphid occurrence, use 40% dimethoate emulsion or 40% oxydemeton emulsion 1000-1200 times solution, 800 times solution of pirimicarb, 1000 times solution of 50% dichlorvos emulsion or 2000-3000 times solution of dichlorvos emulsion, focus on spraying the back of leaves, spray once every 7-10 days, and spray 2-3 times continuously.

4. Red spider

Also known as Fire Dragon. Adults and larvae gather on the back of leaves to suck juice. After the leaves are damaged, they gradually turn red and yellow, like burning, and finally the leaves fall off, the fruits shrivel, and the plants turn yellow and scorched. Prevention and control: You can use 1000 times of 20% trichlorodicofol emulsion, 800-1000 times of 90% trichlorfon or 1000-1500 times of 40% omethoate emulsion or trithion and other agents to spray alternately, focusing on the back of the leaves, and spray 2-3 times in succession.

5. Bean weevils:

It is also the most serious pest on cowpea. The adults lay eggs on the tender pods. After the eggs hatch, the larvae eat the seeds, which become empty shells and cannot be eaten, seriously affecting the germination of seeds and their commercial quality. Prevention and control: Insecticides can be sprayed during the flowering period, and after the seeds are harvested and dried, they can be fumigated with chemicals. Generally, aluminum phosphide or chloropicrin is used to fumigate beans and storage warehouses, which can kill insects and eggs. In some places, boiling water scalding, lime jars or sealed storage methods can also achieve certain prevention and control effects.