Abstract
The effect of intercropping cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) with cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) or maize (Zea mays L.) on bacterial blight of cowpea caused by Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. vignicola was investigated in five cropping systems: cowpea monoculture at high density and at low density, cowpea-maize ‘within row’, cowpea-maize ‘in alternate rows’, and cowpea-cassava ‘in alternate rows’, in the forest savanna transition zone of Benin over two years. After inoculation of field border plants, disease severity index and incidence were measured as areas under the disease progress curve (AUDPC). The AUDPCs for disease incidence and severity were reduced in one of four treatments in each of two subsequent years, and one of four treatments in one year, respectively, in the ‘in alternate row’ patterns compared to monoculture at high density. Disease incidence was higher in cowpea monoculture at high density than in cowpea-cassava ‘in alternate rows’ in year 1996, and in cowpea-maize ‘in alternate rows’ in year 1997. The disease severity index was reduced by 50% in the cowpea-cassava ‘in alternate rows’ pattern in 1997, but not in 1996. Highest percentages of leaves with spots or blight occurred only in the cowpea monoculture at high density. Compared with monoculture, cowpea yield was about 60% in intercropping with cassava and about 40% in intercropping with maize. Cassava yielded 45–57% and maize 53–60% compared to monocropped cassava and maize, respectively. Comparing the land efficiency use of cowpea monoculture at high density to intercropping, the land equivalent ratio was similar in the intercropping systems with ‘alternate row’ patterns, and a yield loss of cowpea in intercropping was compensated by the additional yield of the intercrop. Although no stable effect of intercropping on disease reduction was observed, intercropping cowpea with maize or cassava ‘in alternate rows’ reduced bacterial blight in some cases and generally gives the farmer more yield security in case of failure of one crop. Therefore, intercropping as one element of an integrated control strategy for cowpea bacterial blight should not be abolished by farmers in favour of monocropping cowpea.
Zusammenfassung
Der Einfluss des Mischkulturanbaus von Augenbohne (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) mit Maniok (Manihot esculenta Crantz) oder Mais (Zea mays L.) auf den Bakterienbrand der Augenbohne, verursacht durch Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. vignicola, wurde in den fünf Anbausystemen ‚Augenbohne Monokultur bei hoher und niedriger Pflanzendichte’, ‚Augen- bohne-Mais in der Reihe’, ‚Augenbohne-Mais in alternieren den Reihen’ und ‚Augenbohne-Maniok in alternierenden Reihen’, in der Wald-Savannen-Übergangszone Benins über 2 Jahre untersucht. Nach künstlicher Inokulation von Randpflanzen der Versuchsfelder wurden der Krankheitsindex und die Befallshäufigkeit in Form der Fläche unter der Krankheitsentwicklungskurve (AUDPC) bestimmt. Die AUDPC-Werte für Symptomstärke und Befallshäufigkeit wurden in einer von 4 Varianten in beiden Jahren, beziehungsweise in einer von 4 Varianten in einem Jahr, in den Varianten ‚in alternierenden Reihen’ im Vergleich zur Monokultur bei hoher Pflanzdichte reduziert.
Die Befallshäufigkeit war höher in der ‚Augenbohnen-Monokultur bei hoher Dichte’ als in der Variante ‚Augenbohne-Maniok in alternierenden Reihen’ im Jahr 1996, und in der ‚Augenbohnen-Mais in alternierenden Reihen’ Variante im Jahr 1997. Ebenso war der Krankheitsindex im Jahr 1997 in der Variante ‚Augenbohne-Maniok in alternierenden Reihen’ um 50% reduziert, aber nicht im Jahr 1996. Die höchsten Prozentzahlen an Blättern mit Blattflecken oder Brandsymptomen wurden nur in der Variante ‘Augenbohne in Monokultur bei hoher Pflanzendichte’ gefunden. Im Vergleich zur Monokultur betrug der Augenbohnenertrag im Mischkulturanbau mit Maniok 60%, mit Mais 40%. Der Maniokertrag in Mischkultur betrug 45–57% und der Maisertrag 53–60% des Ertrages in Monokultur. Im Vergleich der Landeffizienznutzung von Augenbohnen Monokultur bei hoher Pflanzendichte mit Mischkulturanbau war das Landäquivalenzverhältnis in Mischkultur mit alternierenden Reihen ähnlich dem der Monokultur, und ein Ertragsverlust der Augenbohne im Mischkulturanbau wurde durch den zusätzlichen Ertrag der zweiten Kultur kompensiert. Obwohl kein stabiler Effekt des Mischkulturanbaus auf die Krankheitsreduktion beobachtet wurde, wurde der Bakterienbrand durch Mischkulturanbau von Augenbohne mit Mais oder Maniok in einigen Fällen reduziert. Desweiteren erhält der Farmer eine höhere Ertragssicherheit für den Fall des Verlustes einer Kultur. Deshalb sollte der Mischkulturanbau, als Komponente integrierter Bekämpfungsmaßnahmen des Bakterienbrandes, von den Bauern nicht durch den Anbau von Augenbohne in Monokultur ersetzt werden.
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Sikirou, R., Wydra, K. Effect of intercropping cowpea with maize or cassava on cowpea bacterial blight and yield. J Plant Dis Prot 115, 145–151 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03356262
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03356262
Key words
- Africa
- integrated management
- intercropping
- Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. vignicola
- Xanthomonas campestris pv. vignicola