ISSN 2329-9797
International Journal of Agricultural Economics and Extension ISSN 2329-9797 Vol. 11 (3), pp. 001-003, March, 2023. © International Scholars Journals
Short communication
Reactions of cowpea to infection by Macrophomina phaseolina isolates from leguminous plants in Nigeria
Amusa N.A.1 Okechukwu R.U1and 2Akinfenwa B
1Department of plant science and applied Zoology Olabisi Onabanjo University Ago- Iwoye, Nigeria.
2PHMD IITA Ibadan, Nigeria
Accepted 16 February, 2022
Abstract
The reaction of cowpea to infection by Macrophomina phaseolina isolates, from leguminous plants in Nigeria, was investigated at Ibadan, southwestern Nigeria. M. phaseolina isolates obtained from six different leguminous species induced necrotic lesions of varying sizes on two cowpea varieties, IT83D-340 and IT84D-488. Isolate 93-295 from winged bean (Psophocarpus tetragonoloteus) leaf tissues was the most virulent, inducing necrotic lesions of 4.8 mm in diameter on cowpea stem tissues while the smallest necrotic lesion size of 3.2 mm was induced on the same cowpea by isolate 93-52-1. This suggests that cowpea varieties are highly susceptible to M. phaseolina isolates from six different legumes. Moreover, the reactions of the two-cowpea varieties to M. phaseolina isolates from the six legumes differ significantly. This suggests that differences exist in the susceptibility of cowpea varieties to the pathogen.
Key word: Macrophomina phaseolina, pathogenicity, leguminous plant, cowpea diseases, southwestern Nigeria.