Varietal selection of cowpea (vigna unguiculata l.) from the plague action of insects in daloa (center-west, Cote d’Ivoire)

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.) is a legume whose seeds and leaves are used for human consumption. However, many insects cause damage to inflorescences, fruits and / or leaves. The objective of the work was to take an inventory of insects, identify pests, describe their damage and assess the damage caused by pests in order to select resistant varieties. To carry out this study, 16 varieties were cultivated. The test was conducted using a three-block arrangement. A method was used to quantify the insects physical capture using the hay net. The visual method was used to quantify the damage by a simple count. The data collected indicate that the insects most harmful to cowpea belong to four orders: Lepidoptera, Heteroptera, Coleoptera and Orthoptera. The damage caused by insects on each variety is different. This damage is proportional to the number of pests. In conclusion the varieties N11BBoBp, N8BRcp, N18ZR, N21DR and N10BBrp would be the most resistant to pests. These results indicate a new approach to the dynamics of cowpea insect pests.