Estimation of Avoidable Yield Losses Due to Pest Complex in Cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.]

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during the Kharif seasons of 2022 and 2023 at the research farm of Rajasthan Agricultural Research Institute, Durgapura, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India, to evaluate the yield losses caused by a pest complex on cowpea. The pooled study of both year revealed that the highest total avoidable loss was observed in the untreated control (NP) at 40.90%, followed by the PVS treatment (imidacloprid 17.8 SL) at 24.45%. The lowest avoidable loss was recorded in the PRS treatment (chlorantraniliprole 18.5 SC) at 13.49%. The treatment PTS (imidacloprid 17.8 SL and chlorantraniliprole 18.5 SC) showed the highest increase in cowpea seed yield over control, with a 69.24% increase, followed by PRS with a 46.29% increase. Conversely, the PVS treatment exhibited the lowest yield increase at 27.83%. Maximum yield of 1049.70 kg ha⁻¹ was achieved with the PTS treatment, while the lowest 620.40 kg ha⁻¹ in the NP treatment. The PVS and PRS treatments yielded 793.10 kg ha⁻¹ and 908.20 kg ha⁻¹, respectively.