Control of Insect Pests of Cowpea in the Field with Allelochems from Tephrosia vogelii and Petiveria alliacea in Southern Guinea Savannah of Nigeria

The study evaluated the effectiveness of botanical pesticides Tephrosia vogelii and Petiveria alliacea for the control of insect pests in cowpea field. Extracts from the plants were compared with a synthetic insecticide, decis. The extract of Tephrosia vogelii was the most effective of the botanicals and ranked equal to that of synthetic insecticide decis in reducing the population density and damage caused by the insects prevalent in many experimental sites in southern Guinea Savannah of Nigeria. The importance of using botanicals as insecticides in developing countries is discussed in the study.