Comparative studies of the susceptibility of the pods of selected varieties of cowpea to Riptortus dentipes f and Anoplocnemis curvipes f(Heteroptera)

The bugs, Riptortus dentipes and Anoplocnemis curvipes were reared on two cowpea varieties namely Sokoto white and TVx 3236. The bugs were observed for their growth, oviposition, progeny (neanide) development, and damage on the pods on the field. These bugs showed high levels of oviposition and neanide development on Sokoto white variety than on TVx 3236 variety. Five R. dentipes female bugs reared on Sokoto white pods laid 386±2.10 eggs within 4 weeks while 290±1.01 eggs were laid within the same period on TVx 3236 pods. Five A. curvipes female bugs reared on Sokoto white and TVx 3236 pods laid 491±2.25 eggs and 394±2.00 eggs respectively within the same period of 4 weeks. Faster growth of neanide and adults were observed on Sokoto white pods than on TVx 3236 pods for both bugs. It took R. dentipes bugs reared on Sokoto white pods shorter days (25±0.3 days) than on TVx 3236 (29±1.1) to develop from egg stage to adult stage. A. curvipes took 31.5±0.5 days and 36±1.5 days to reach adult stage on Sokoto white pods and TVx 3236 pods respectively. Both adult and neanides preferred younger pods which they sucked thereby causing the pods to abort and dry prematurely.