@article{MAKHILLAJ20061420087,
    title = {Variations of Flower Thrips (<I>Megalurothrips sjostedti</I>) and Pod Borer (<I>Maruca vitrata</I>) Pests and Cowpea Flower Abortion Under Caging and Deltamethrin &reg; Spray Conditions},
    journal = {Agricultural Journal},
    volume = {1},
    number = {4},
    pages = {328-334},
    year = {2006},
    issn = {1816-9155},
    doi = {aj.2006.328.334},
    url = {https://makhillpublications.co/view-article.php?issn=1816-9155&doi=aj.2006.328.334},
    author = {A. Ngakou,I.A. Parh,N.N. Ntonifor,D. Nwaga and},
    keywords = {Agroecological zones,caging,cowpea,Deltamethrin ®,flower abortion,Maruca vitrata,Megalurothrips sjostedti},
    abstract = {Experiments were conducted in the field to determine the effect of caging and Deltamethrin &reg; on abortion of cowpea flower and the population of Megalurothrips sjostedti and Maruca vitrata pests. Caging and complete protection of plants with Deltamethrin &reg; contributed to a substantial reduction of adults and larvae of <I>M. sjostedti</I>, as well as larvae of <I>M. vitrata</I> in the Sudano-sahelian and the monomodal Humid-forest rainfall zones. The aborted flowers were greater in the Sudano-sahelian than the monomodal Humid-forest rainfall zone. Contrary to the expectations, flower abortion was greater in caged-Deltamethrin than uncaged-Deltamethrin and uncaged-unsprayed treated plants. The flower abortion attributed to <I>M. sjostedti </I>was low and estimated to 2% in the Sudano-sahelian zone in 2001,  and 5% in the monomodal humid-forest rainfall zone. The caging effect was 2% in the Sudano-sahelian zone in 2001,  and 17%, respectively during the first and the second seasons of 2004 in the monomodal humid-forest rainfall zone. Uncaged-Deltamethrin treated plants produced more pods per plant than caged-Deltamethrin and uncaged-unsprayed plants. This study demonstrates that the flower abortion of cowpea mostly occur naturally; it also suggests that although caging and Deltamethrin &reg; can considerably reduce <I>M. sjostedti</I> and <I>M. vitrata</I> pests in field grown cowpea, it can also contribute to increase flower abortion in caged cowpea, thus a reduction of yield in a given agroecosystem.}
    }