Effect of Intercropping on Groundnut Leaf Miner, Sucking Pests and Parasitoids in Groundnut-Cowpea Intercropping System

Among different ratios of groundnut-cowpea intercropping systems, the highest mean larval population of A. modicella was recorded in sole groundnut crop followed by 111 ratio of intercropping system (1.75 and 1.32 larvae/plant, respectively).31 Intercropping system recorded 0.54 larvae/plant and it was on par with the 71 ratio (1.08 larvae/plant). the highest mean population of thrips and leaf hoppers were recorded in groundnut and cowpea sole crops (4.29 and 4.08 thrips/ plant& 5.58 and 10.64 leaf hoppers/ plant, respectively) followed by groundnut and cowpea crops in 31 ratio of groundnut + cowpea intercropping systems (3.50 and 3.69 thrips/ plant& 4.98 and 8.18 leaf hoppers/ plant, respectively) and comparatively least population recorded in both groundnut cowpea crops at 71 ratio of groundnut + cowpea intercropping system (2.90 and 3.10 thrips/ plant, 4.09& 7.83 leaf hoppers/ plant, respectively). A total of 10 families of parasitoids were observed in bulk plot of 31 ratio groundnut- cowpea intercropping system.