The Population of Leaf Beetles (Leptualaca fassicollis thoms Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) and Flower Thrips (Megalurothrips usitatus Bagnall Thysanoptera: thripide) on Pigeonpea under the Influence of Plant Density and Planting Date in a Rain Forest Zone, N

Abstract

Pigeonpea field trial was conducted at the Postgraduate Teaching and Research Farm, Department of Crop Science and Technology, Federal University of Technology, Owerri Imo State in April, July and October 2009 and repeated in 2010, to determine the best plant density and date of planting early maturing pigeonpea in relation to thrips infestation (ICPL 84023) for optimum performance in the field. Experiment was laid out in a 3 x 4 factorial and treatments consisted of four plant populations with density of 190,474 plants ha^-1 (15 cm x 35 cm), 125,000 plants ha^-1 (20 cm  x 40 cm), 80,000 plants ha^-1 (25 cm x 50 cm), 55,556 plants ha^-1 (30 cm x 60 cm), with three planting dates, April (early season), July (Mid-season), and October (late season), 2009 and 2010. The result of the effects of plant densities and planting dates on population of pigeonpea leaf beetles (Leptualaca fassicollis thoms and flower thrips (Megalurothrips usitatus Bagnall) showed that pigeonpea planted at higher plant density of 190,474 plants ha^-1 had higher population of L. fassicollis and flower thrips compared with pigeonpea plants at lower densities

Keywords: Leptualaca fassicollis, Megalurothrips usitatus, population, planting dates, plant density.