Poultry manure application and varietal effects of chilli-pepper (<i>Capsicum </i> species) on insect pests and disease in a humid-tropical environment

Abstract

Cultural practices such as organic manure application can affect soil fertility and also insect pest and disease incidence on the plant. The effect of poultry manure application was therefore evaluated in relation to the infestation by major insect pests and disease of pepper in a humid tropical agro-ecosystem. Treatments comprised three varieties of chilli pepper, Capsicum annum vars. tartashi and tarugu and Capsicum frutescens var. Birds eye chilli, and three Poultry Manure (PM) rates: 0, 20, and 40 t ha-1 , in all possible combinations. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. Poultry manure (PM) used was found to be high in nitrogen (2%) but very low in available phosphorus (0.05 ppm) and potassium (0.24 meq/100g soil) as evidenced from the chemical analysis. Aphids (Myzus persicae Sulzer and Aphis gossypii Glov.), mirids (Helopeltis schoutedeni Reuter), flea beetles (Nisotra=Podagrica sjostedti Jacoby and Podagrica uniforma Jacoby), variegated grasshoppers (Zonocerus variegatus L.), white flies (Bemisia tabaci Genn.) and striped blister beetles (Epicauta albovittata Gestro) were the insect pests sampled from the plants in the field. Symptoms of Pepper Veinal Mottle Virus (PVMV) were also evident. All the varieties were susceptible to PVMV with a disease incidence of between 37 and 45%. Counts taken at 100 days after transplanting (DAT) showed that increasing rates of poultry manure significantly (P<0.05) increased aphid, mirid and grasshopper infestations as well as incidences and severities of Pepper Veinal Mottle Virus (PVMV) symptoms compared to where no manure was applied. The different varieties significantly (P<0.05) affected the infestations by insect pests as well as the incidences and severities of PVMV symptoms, such that PVMV symptoms and insect pests were found to be more on "Birds eye chilli", a local pepper variety, than any other given the same treatment. Poultry manure and variety interactions were significant (P<0.05) on some insect populations, incidences of PVMV symptoms and yield attributes. Counts of Bemisia tabaci at 100 DAT and number of aborted fruits, on the other hand, did not differ significantly amongst the manure levels, varieties and their interactions. However, there was a progressive trend of increasing Bemisia infestation with increasing manure rate. Poultry manure at 20 t ha-1 produced the highest fruit weight. These results are discussed in light of soil fertility on the susceptibility of chilli pepper to insect pests and disease in this agro-ecology.

A survey of the insect pests and farmers practices in the cropping of yellow pepper Capsicum annuum Linnaeus in Enugu State of Eastern Nigeria

“…The cash potentials from this study, combined with previous studies indicating that it is easy to grow, harvest and process, make yellow pepper suitable for use in poverty reduction (Dagnoko et al, 2013). In all the communities sampled a higher percentage of the farmers were females, making women a crucial resource in agriculture and rural economy (FAO, 2011 (Echezona and Nganwuchu, 2006).…”

“…In the study also, some farmers claimed that chicken droppings, goat and cow dung have proved useful in plant protection, when sprayed on all green plants of vegetable and fruits. Earlier studies revealed that while the use of animal excrement may increase soil nutrient, and subsequently, increase plant growth, increased rates of poultry droppings, increased aphids (except B. tabaci), mired and grasshopper infestations as well as incidences and severities of pepper venial mottle virus (PVMV) symptoms, compared to where no manure was applied; but not (Echezona and Nganwuchu, 2006). Chicken droppings may have selective effects on the insect pests.…”

“…Yellow pepper production in Nigeria has been facing many biotic and environmental constraints. Prominent among such constrains are pests and diseases which reduce yields and quality of marketable fruits (Echezona and Nganwuchu, 2006) In the tropics, particularly in Nigeria, some insect pests are directly associated with yellow pepper damage and yield losses, while others are important as vectors of diseases (Khan et al, 2009;Segnou et al, 2013;Zhani et al, 2013).…”

The effect of plant density on growth and yield of NsukkaYellow aromatic pepper (Capsicum annuum L.)

“…At the fruiting stage, plants with lower population densities were still more vigorous than those of higher population densities which may be, due to availability of space, assimilates and other micro-environmental components like air movements. It should also be noted that poultry manure was applied broad cast on equal measures per plot according to the suggestion by Echezona and Nganwuchu (2006). Therefore, plants with lower densities had more available nutrients which invariably were translated to higher vigor.…”

Effect of Spacing and Poultry Manure Rates on Growth, Yield and Quality of Cayenne Pepper (Capsicum frutescens. L) in Southern Rain Forest of Nigeria

“…Although pepper can be grown all over Nigeria, the northern region between latitude 10 o N and 12 o N is the major area for production where an estimated 77,000 hectares of land under pepper cultivation yields about 695 000 metric tons [6]. The export attraction has encouraged pepper production in western Nigeria where production have been accompanied with a lot of research [1,2,7] and in the eastern region that even has special indigenous variety, "Nsukka yellow pepper" [8,9]. Literature is scarce for Capsicum spp.…”