Screening of cowpea genotypes against different insect pests.

Field experiment carried out during kharif 2012 revealed that morphological characters under study failed to exhibit any significant relationship with the flower and pod damage in relation to resistance or susceptibility, except days taken to 50 per cent flowering and maturity which showed positive correlation. Cowpea genotypes C152 and DC-15 were categorized as moderately resistant and DC-47-1, GC-3, RC-101 and PGCP-6 as intermediate to pod borers. Based on mean infestation index the genotypes C-152, GC-3 and DC-15 were regarded as highly resistant, whereas DC-47-1 regarded as moderately resistant to aphids. While, the genotypes RC-101 and PGCP-6 were regarded as highly susceptible to aphids. Less population of sucking pests (leafhoppers, thrips and bugs) were noticed on C-152, GC-3 and DC-15 genotypes of cowpea.