1. EFFECTS OF REFLECTIVE MULCH AND CHEMICAL (Dimethoate) IN CONTROLLING APHIDS
OKIRIGITI MOKOBI JOHNSON
A22/0033/2007
CROP PROTECTION (MAJOR)
SUPERVISOR: DORA KILALO
3rd June 2011

3. INTRODUCTION
Cowpeas are grown extensively in Africa. Africa produces 2/3 of the world total. Nigeria and Niger produce 49.3% of the world crop.
It provides more than half the plant protein in human diets in some areas of the semi humid tropics
As food it is eaten in the form of dry seeds, green pods, green seeds and tender green leaves.

4. Problem statement Justification
Aphids interfere with the growth and development of cowpeas and spread viral pathogens, reducing yield and quality( kg/Ha )
Justification
Most farmers do not protect there cowpeas and a few use chemicals. To improve yields, we need to use farmer friendly tactics for pest management

5. Objectives HYPOTHESIS General objectives
To improve cowpea yields by managing pests for food security.
Specific objectives
To determine the effectiveness of reflective mulch in the control of aphids.
To determine the effect of aphids on cowpeas.
HYPOTHESIS
Mulching will not control aphids

6. Materials and methods
A small plot measuring 5m * 5m, sub-divided into 9 equal portions
Chemical ( Dimethoate)
Mulching material (polythene paper)
Cowpea seeds
DAP fertilizer
The experiment was established through RCBD system
Data collected was subjected to analysis of variance by Genstat software.

7. Treatments: Treatment 1.......................chemical application.
Treatment mulch/polythene paper.
Treatments control 3 2 1 2 1 3 3 2 1

8. RESULTS Average score for insect damages
Treatment
Sampling period
Pre-treatment 1 2
Treatment mean
%decrease/
Control
Chemical
2.33ab
2.43a
1.60c
1.50
1.55b
41.5
Re’ mulch
1.97b
1.83b
2.10b
1.90a 2b
24.5
2.47a
2.93a
2.37a
2.65a
0.0
Lsd
0.47
Cv%
12.8

9. Total number of aphids Treatment Sampling period Pre-treatment 1 2
Treatment mean
%decrease/
Control
Chemical
138.3a
292.3a
45.3c
52.7c
49.00c
88.0
Re’mulch
108.0a
162.0b
172.0b
168.7b
170.35b
58.3
152.0a
284.7a
407.7a
409.7a
408.7a
0.0
Lsd
49.93
Cv%
14.8

10. Yield in grams against treatment.

11. Discussions
The chemical is toxic and killed the aphids and the other insects thereby reducing their numbers drastically, hence T1 had the highest harvest in green leaf yields.
The reflective mulch kept away the aphids from the plots through reflection, which resulted to low numbers in T2, thus a commendable harvest was obtained as shown in the graph.
The control treatment had the largest number of aphids and insect damages, because nothing was applied to control them. This resulted to low yields as shown in the graph.

12. Conclusion
Reflective mulch was able to reduce aphid population and the damages by other insects.

13. Recommendations
I would recommend that small scale farmers adopt the use of reflective mulch in the control of aphids and other insects as an alternative to cut down on the expenses of chemicals.
I would also recommend that more research be done on this idea and also teach people on how to apply reflective mulch.