Evaluation Of The Susceptibility Of Four Garden Egg (Solanum Aethiopicum) Varieties To The Major Field Insect Pests

Abstract

Field experiments were conducted at Forest and Horticultural Crop Research Center, Kade, Ghana during the 2020 and 2021 cropping season. The susceptibility of four garden egg varieties against the major field insect pest under field conditions. The varieties namely: Aworoworo, Yorgbe, Round garden egg and Legon 1 varieties were laid in randomized complete block design with four replicates. The major insects observed to be causing varying degree of damage were Aphis gossypii, Aphis craccivora, Urentius hystricellus, thrips tabaci Leucinodes orbonalis and lastly Zonocerus variegatus. Insect pest infestation varied among the different varieties. The weekly population build-up of the insects per the different varieties were observed. The population of the insects was fluctuating from the time data collection began to harvesting. For insects such as the Aphis gossypii, Aphis craccivora, their numbers were high whilst insects such as Zonocerus variegatus, Leucinodes orbonalis were recorded in low numbers. In the minor season, Urentius hystricellus was found but was recorded in high numbers in the dry season however, their numbers reduced in the major season. Also, insect pests that attacked the different developmental stages of garden egg were observed. From the study, Aphis gossypii, Aphis craccivora, Zonocerus variegatus, Thrips tabaci and Urentius hystricellus were found to be attacking all the different growth stages of garden eggs. For Leucinodes orbonalis, it was found to be attacking the plant during the flowering and fruiting stages of the plant. In assessing the resistance level in the varieties, none of the varieties was found to be resistant. Based on the susceptibility index, it was found that the Legon 1 variety recorded the highest susceptibility level and was grade as susceptible whilst the Yorgbe variety recorded the least index and was graded as being moderately resistant. The Aworoworo variety and the Round garden egg variety was graded moderately susceptible and moderately resistant respectively.