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European Journal of Applied Sciences – Vol. 12, No. 6
Publication Date: December 25, 2024
DOI:10.14738/aivp.126.17769.
Ouedraogo, P. A., Tignegre, J.-B., Traore, F., Batieno, B. J., Ouedraogo, T. Y., Bama, H., & Ouedraogo, J. T. (2024). Identification of
Two Aphids’ (Aphis craccivora Koch) Biotypes Prevailing in Three Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L). Walp.) Growing Areas in
Burkina Faso. European Journal of Applied Sciences, Vol - 12(6). 251-258.
Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom
Identification of Two Aphids’ (Aphis craccivora Koch) Biotypes
Prevailing in Three Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L). Walp.)
Growing Areas in Burkina Faso
Adélaïde P. Ouédraogo
ORCID: 0000-0001-7718-9583
National Centre for Scientific and Technological Research (CNRST),
Burkina Faso
Jean-Baptiste Tignegre
National Centre for Scientific and Technological Research (CNRST),
Burkina Faso and African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF),
Nigeria
Fousseni Traore
National Centre for Scientific and Technological Research (CNRST),
Burkina Faso
Benoit J. Batieno
ORCID: 0000-0002-4156-7287
National Centre for Scientific and Technological Research (CNRST),
Burkina Faso
Theodore Y. Ouedraogo
National Centre for Scientific and Technological Research (CNRST),
Burkina Faso
Herve Bama
National Centre for Scientific and Technological Research (CNRST),
Burkina Faso
Jeremy T. Ouedraogo
National Centre for Scientific and Technological Research (CNRST),
Burkina Faso
ABSTRACT
Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L). Walp.) is a plant-based protein crop with high
nutritional value but highly susceptible to insect pests, particularly aphids (Aphis
craccivora Koch). Aphids can destroy 80 to 100% of cowpea farms and also
transmit viral diseases like cowpea mosaic virus, significantly reducing yields.
This study aimed to investigate the evolution of aphid infestations from three
cowpea-growing locations of Burkina Faso (Bobo, Kamboinsé, and Pobé) and
identify the prevailing aphid biotypes. Therefore, ten varieties were screened with
three aphids’ strains from these locations. A randomized complete block design
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European Journal of Applied Sciences (EJAS) Vol. 12, Issue 6, December-2024
with three (3) blocks and five (5) repetitions each was used. The number of leaves
per plant, the survival of individual plant and the degree of infestation were
evaluated. Results revealed that the degree of infestation used as a criterion for
evaluating cowpea resistance to aphids is just as reliable during the early stages of
plants development as during the following stages. Two biotypes of aphids have
been identified. Indeed, the Kamboinse strain is similar to that of Pobé and these
two strains are significantly different from the strain of Bobo. The close
relationship between the 2 biotypes suggests the possibility to develop varieties
strong enough to resist to both of them. A molecular characterization of the three
aphids’ strains would provide more precision on the genetics of the two aphides’
biotypes.
Keywords: Vigna unguiculata, Aphis craccivora, biotypes.
INTRODUCTION
Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L). Walp.) is a protein-producing plant with high nutritional
value but very prone to insect attacks. With a protein content of over 25% (Boukar et al.,
2011), the crop is an alternative to animal-based proteins (Gil et al., 2024) and supplements
the nutritional intake of low-protein dishes such as those based on cereals and tubers.
Cowpea adapts well to different types of soils, tolerates drought and can be used to improve
soil fertility.
Although Burkina ranks third in the world in terms of production (FAOSTAT, 2020), yields
remain low. The major biotic stress affecting cowpea yields concerns harmful insects,
including aphids(Aphis craccivora Koch), which can destroy 80 to 100% of cowpea farms
(Singh and Jackai 1985). Aphids can also transmit viral diseases, such as cowpea mosaic virus
(CBMV), which significantly reduces cowpea yield in farmers’ fields (Aliyu et al., 2023).
Additionally, aphids honeydew induce sooty molds grow on leaves and hinder the
photosynthetic activities of plants (Guo et al., 2022). With their high reproductive potential
and their phenotypic plasticity, aphids are among the most destructive legume insect pests in
the world (Wongsa et al. 2017; Guo et al. 2022). Therefore, controlling these phytophagous
insects is a factor in increasing yields. And, to achieve this, the use of resistant cultivars is the
cheapest and most effective way (Nualsri et al. 2012). However, although the development
and deployment of aphid-resistant cowpea cultivars is an environmentally friendly way to
combat this pest, its effectiveness depends on the stability of the resistance. Hence the need to
know the biotypes that evolve in the growing areas. The general objective of this study is to
contribute to improving cowpea yields through a better knowledge of the aphid biotypes
prevailing in cowpea growing areas in Burkina Faso. In order to achieve this, two specific
objectives have been identified: (i) investigate the evolution of the infestation of 3 strains of
aphids from 3 cowpea growing areas, (ii) identify aphids’ biotypes prevailing in these three
growing areas.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The activity was carried out at the Institute of Environment and Agricultural Research
(INERA), which is one of the four institutes of the National Centre for Scientific and
Technological Research (CNRST). The different strains of aphids harvested were reared at the
Laboratory of Entomology and the screening were carried out at the Genetics and
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253
Ouedraogo, P. A., Tignegre, J.-B., Traore, F., Batieno, B. J., Ouedraogo, T. Y., Bama, H., & Ouedraogo, J. T. (2024). Identification of Two Aphids’
(Aphis craccivora Koch) Biotypes Prevailing in Three Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L). Walp.) Growing Areas in Burkina Faso. European Journal of
Applied Sciences, Vol - 12(6). 251-258.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/aivp.126.17769
Biotechnology laboratory based at the Environmental, Agricultural Research and Training
Centre (CREAF) of Kamboinsé. The geographical coordinates of the research station are 12°28
North latitude, 1°32 West longitude and 296 meters above sea level.
Three strains of aphids harvested on cowpea plants in the West (Bobo), the Centre
(Kamboinsé), and the North (Pobé) of Burkina Faso located in the three different
agroecological zones were used for screening. The aphids were harvested in August 2013 and
kept on the variety KVx396-4-5-2D for maintaining and rearing.
A no-choice settling test had been performed. Thusly, the plants remained under infestation
for the duration of the test as described by Ouédraogo et al. (2018). A randomized complete
block design with three (3) blocks and five (5) repetitions each was used. Seven-days-old
individual plants were screened. In each block cowpea plants were infested with only one of
the three (3) strains of aphids.
Observations were made every three days and consisted of measuring: • The number of
leaves; • The survival of individual plants; • The degree of infestation by counting aphid
individuals using six scores ranging from 0 to 5: (0 = no aphids, 1 = 1 to 5 aphids, 2 = 5 to 20
aphids, 3 = 20 to 100 aphids, 4 = 100 to 500 aphids, 5 = + 500 aphids).
Raw data of one month after infestation, 20 DAS (Days After Sowing), 35 DAS, 50 DAS and 65
DAS were used for analyses. XLSTAT 7.1 and R version 4.2.3 ( R Core Team, 2023) were used
to compute the data.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Trend of Aphids’ Strains After Infestation
The evolution of aphids’ infestation from the day of infestation to 65 days after sowing is
displayed in Figure 1. For all the three aphids’ strains an exponential increase of the number
of aphids is observed from the day of infestation up to 20 days (DAS) after sowing. From 20
DAS to 65 DAS a slight and constant increase in the number of aphids is observed. This result
suggests that cowpea, throughout its life cycle, can be a host plant for aphids if they have no
alternative. It also shows that the degree of infestation used as a criterion for evaluating
resistance is just as reliable during the early stages of the plant development as during the
following stages. such method for evaluating cowpea resistance to aphids at the early stage
has already been used by Ombakho et al. (1987) and Kim et al. (2008). The method consisted
of infesting three-day-old plants and evaluating the resistance of each variety ten days after
infestation. The advantage of evaluating resistance at the early stage is that it is faster and less
expensive. Aphids can colonize cowpea crops at early stage. In fact, aphids (alatae) disperse
soon after the rains start, and has been observed to have already colonized the cowpea crops
as early as 3 weeks after germination (Ofuya, 1991). It is this ability to rapidly exploit the
ephemeral habitats that make aphids serious pests. This ability results from their high
reproductive potential, their dispersal abilities and their adaptability to local survival
(Dedryver et al. 2010). Results also show that the multiplication of the Bobo aphids’ strain is
faster than those of Kamboinse and Pobe. This suggests the presence of at least two biotypes.
Niassy et al. (1987) reported variable responses in the fecundity and honeydew production of
two distinct biotypes of Schizaphis graminum (the wheat aphid) on wheat genotypes. Aphid