Population Dynamics of Podsucking Bug (Anoplocnemis curvipes Hemiptera: coreidae) On Improved Pigeonpea Pods Under Different Plant Spacing And Time Of Sowing In Owerri, Rainforest Tropical Environment, Nigeria.

Abstract

Field study was undertaken to determine the population of pod-sucking bugs Anoplocnemis curvipes Hemiptera: coreidae) and under varying plant spacing and sowing time. The study was done at the Postgraduate Teaching and Research Farm, Department of Crop Science and Technology, Federal University of Technology, Owerri Imo State. Experiment was laid out in a 3 x 4 factorial and treatments consisted of four plant spacing 15 cm x 35 cm, 20 cm  x 40, 25 cm x 50 cm, 30 cm x 60 cm, with three planting dates, April (early season), July (Mid-season), and October (late season), 2009 and 2010. The results, show that significant (p<0.05) population of  pod sucking bugs (PSBs) such as Anoplocnemis curvipes on pigeonpea  pods were  high  at close spacing of 15 cm x 35 cm. However, the population of A. curvipes decreases with increasing spacing of 30 cm x 60 cm. October planting seasons recorded significant  (P<0.05) population of A. curvipes while there were absence of the pest in April and July planting seasons.

Keywords: Anoplocnemis curvipes, population, plant spacing, planting dates.