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Pheromone traps help save cowpea – Validated RNRRS Output

Published by:
Publication date
15/12/2008
Language:
English
Type of Publication:
Other
Focus Region:
Sub-Saharan Africa
Focus Topic:
Health & Diseases
Type of Risk:
Biological & environmental
Type of Risk Managment Option:
Risk coping
Commodity:
Crops
Source
http://www.dfid.gov.uk/r4d/PDF/Outputs/ResearchIntoUse/CPP27.pdf
Author
Riu

This is one of 280 summaries describing key outputs from the projects run by DFID’s 10-year Renewable Natural Resources Research Strategy (RNRRS) programmes.

Simple traps made from small plastic jerry-cans and baited with pheromones give farmers a valuable early warning system against the legume podborer. This insect’s caterpillars cause devastating losses in cowpea. But, catching a certain number of adult pod borers in traps lets farmers know that caterpillars will soon appear in their fields, and that they should spray their crop in the next few days. The system was designed and tested in tandem with farmers and NGOs in Benin and Ghana, and there is demand for traps and lures from other farmers who have heard about the technique. The system has potential for many more areas where the podborer threatens cowpea.

The CD has the following information for this output: Description, Validation, Current Situation, Environmental Impact. Attached PDF (8 pp.) taken from the CD.