TITLE – EFFICACY OF VARIOUS CULTURAL METHODS IN MANAGEMENT OF APHID VECTORS OF VIRAL DISEASES IN PASSION FRUIT. By:MARION NDEGWA Supervised by DR. DORA KILALO

ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE OF PASSION FRUITS Grown as fruits both for local and export market. Important in juice industry It’s a quick cash crop Has hundreds of medicinal properties. Its natural chemical is used to lower blood pressure. CONSTRAINTS IN PRODUCTION OF PASSION FRUITS. Lack of clean planting materials. Diseases especially viral diseases like Woodiness disease and fusarium wilt.

PROBLEM STATEMENT. APHIDS They are small insects less than 5mm long. They have pear like shape and have connicles. Belong to the order Hemiptera sub order Homoptera. Transmit viral diseases in crops. Cause huge damage in the production of passion fruits.

JUSTIFICATION OF THE STUDY Aphids cause adverse damage to passion fruits Aphids are major vectors of viral diseases. Transmit diseases like woodiness and fusarium wilt in passion fruits. Viral diseases are major drawback in passion fruits production.

OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY To determine the efficacy of various cultural methods in aphid management. To determine the distribution of aphid population in various treatments.

MATERIALS AND METHODS Passion fruit field, measuring 108x 24m. Passion fruits spaced at 3x2m. Variety planted was yellow passion fruit. 5kgs of manure applied per hole, N.P.K. 17:17:17 fertilizer at a rate of 100gm per hole. Passion fruit field divided into 3 blocks measuring 60x8m. Each block further divided into four plots measuring 15x8m.

Each plot represents a treatment. Four treatments; Mulch, yellow strip, D’ctron and control were applied. 2Yellow traps were set on every treatment. Aphids were collected from every trap after every four days and counted under microscope.

The experiment followed a complete Radomized block design (CRBD). FIELD LAYOUT MulchControlYellow Strip D’ctron Yellow strip D’ctronMulchControl MulchD’ctronYellow strip Block 1 Block 2 Block 3

RESULTS The results shows there was no significant difference in all the treatments. TreatmentMean aphid population Mulch55.4 Yellow strip54.4 D’ctron37.9 Control58.7 LSD54.97 s.e.d27.31 C.V%30.4%

D’ctron had the lowest number of aphids. Control had the highest number.

DISCUSSION Aphids visited the passion fruit field. The various cultural methods used were not effective in the control of aphids. Other researchers have demonstrated these methods to be effective Unusual peak of aphids observed at the 16 th day of sampling due to bush clearing. Neighbouring crops such as beans and pigeon peas could have affected the result and the enviromental conditions prevailing. Grass mulch used instead of reflective mulch also affected the result. Probably if the period was longer the results could be different.

RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSION The various cultural practices cannot be used singly in management of aphids. These cultural methods can be integrated with other compatible insect control methods. Reflective mulch should be used instead of grass mulch. Further research should be carried out to determine the effectiveness of these methods when integrated with other insect control methods.

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