Germination Performance of Cowpea (Vigna Unguiculata) Seeds Treated with Entomopathogenic Isolates

Abstract

The use of bio-control measures as alternative to chemical pesticides is increasingly encouraged on the basis of food safety as chemical pesticides are dangerous to human health. However, limited attention is paid to the impact of these bio-control measures on the germination performance of treated seeds. In this study, the germination performance of stored cowpea seeds treated with isolates of entomopathogens (Beauveria bassiana, Metarhizium anisopliae, Verticillium lecanii and Bacillus thuringensis) usually used as bio-pesticides was investigated. The pure isolates were subjected to liquid fermentation technology using sucrose water as the substrate and the liquid medium. The isolates obtained through liquid fermentation were also inoculated into talc powder as solid medium. The germination viability of the cowpea seeds treated with the liquid and solid mediums of the isolates and stored for ten (10) weeks was determined using the standard germination test adopting the seed germination vigour (SGV) and the seed germination ability (SGA) as parameters. The study revealed that the cowpea seed treatment with the isolates in their liquid and solid mediums showed no significant impact on SGV and SGA when compared with control at the end of 1st and 5th week storage post-treatment. However a significant effect was seen at the end of 10th week storage post-treatment with the liquid medium of Verticillium lecanii showing better germination performance (SGV=58.33±1.67 and SGA=71.67±3.33) among other liquid medium isolates when compared with the control (SGV=68.33±1.67 and SGA=80.00±2.89), and the solid medium of Bacillus thuringensis revealing better germination performance (SGV=58.33±3.33 and SGA=71.67±1.67) among other solid isolates when compared with the control (SGV=68.33±1.67 and SGA=80.00±2.89). This study concludes that isolates of Beauveria bassiana, Metarhizium anisopliae, Verticillium lecanii and Bacillus thuringensis do not reduce germination performance of cowpea seeds when used as bio-control against cowpea storage pest. However, at longer storage post-treatment of cowpea seeds with the isolates, the germination performance may be reduced.

Full Text:

PDF

References

C. Nwagboso, K.S. Andam, M. Amare, T. Bamiwuye, and A. Fasoranti, “The economic importance of cowpea in Nigeria: Trends and implications for achieving agri-food system transformation,” International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) Discussion Paper 02241, 2024.

O.S. Sule, O.I. Emmanuel, D. Oladipupo, and B.B. Ola-Salawu, “Effect of Callosobruchus maculatus infestation on the nutrient-antinutrient composition, phenolic composition and antioxidant activities of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata),” Adv. J. Food Sci. Tech., vol. 6(3), pp. 322-332, 2014.

B.K. Abebe, and M.T. Alemayehu, “A review of the nutritional use of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp) for human and animal diets,” J. Agric. Food Res., vol. 10, p. 100383, 2022.

A.T. Asare, R. Agbemafle, G.E. Adukpo, E. Diabor, and K.A. Adamtey, “Assessment of functional properties and nutritional composition of some cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.) genotypes in Ghana,” J. Agric. Biol. Sci., vol. 8(6), pp. 465-469, 2013.

International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), “Major breakthrough for farmers and scientists in Nigeria,” https://www.iita.org.news/major-breakthrough/ 2019.

N. Jehajo, and N. Shah, “The damage caused by cowpea weevil, Callosobruchus maculatus (Fab.) (Coleoptera: Bruchidae) to some stored pulses at different temperature and humidity levels,” Sarhard J. Agric., vol. 39(3), pp. 678-683, 2023.

A. Sarbawal, K. Kumar, and R.P. Singh, “Hazardous effects of chemical pesticides on human health- cancer and other associated disorders,” Environ. Toxicol. Pharmacol., vol. 63, pp. 103-114, 2018.

H. Cavalier, L. Trasande, and M. Porta, “Exposures to pesticides and risk of cancer: evaluation of recent epidemiological evidence in humans and paths forward,” Intl. J. Cancer, vol. 152(5), pp. 879-912, 2023.

World Health Organization (WHO), “Food Safety,” https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/details/food-safety 2020.

J. Kumar, A. Ramlal, D. Mallick, and V. Mishra, “An overview of some biopesticides and their importance in plant protection for commercial acceptance,” Plants (Basel), vol. 10(6), p. 1185, 2021.

F. Saberi, R. Marzban, M. Ardjmand, F.P. Shariati, and O. Tavakoli, “Optimization of culture media to enhance the ability of local Bacillus thuringiensis var. tenebrionis,” J. Saudi Soc. Agricul. Sci., vol. 19: pp. 468–475, 2020.

A. Hussain, M. Rizwan-ul-Haq, H. Al-Ayedh, and A.M. AlJabr, “Susceptibility and immune defence mechanisms of Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Olivier) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) against entomopathogenic fungal infections,” Intl. J. Mol. Sci., vol. 17, p. 1518, 2016.

G. Rajadurai, S. Anandakumar, and R. Raghu, “Bacillus thuringensis in pest management,” Plant Health Arc., vol. 1(1), pp. 11-13, 2023.

L. Ruiu, “Microbial biopesticides in agroecosystems,” Agronomy, vol. 8, p. 235, 2018.

L.A. Lacey, D. Grzywacz, D.I. Shapiro-Ilan, R. Frutos, M. Brownbridge, and M.S. Goettel, “Insect pathogens as biological control agents: Back to the future,” J. Invert. Path., vol. 132, pp. 1–41, 2015.

L.G.M. Dan, H.A. Dan, A.L. Braccini, A.L.L. Barroso, T.T. Ricci, G.G. Piccinin, and C.A. Scapim, “Insecticide treatment and physiological quality of seeds, In F Perveen, ed, Insecticides: advances in integrated pest management,” Intechopen, London, UK, pp. 327–342, 2012.

R.S. Araújo, G.C. Silva, I.R. Teixeira, G.R. Silva, B.M.F. Souza, I.A. Devilla, M.E.V. Araújo, and P.C. Corrêa, “Effect of pesticides and a long-life inoculant on nodulation process and soybean seed quality during storage,” Agronomy, vol. 13, p. 2322, 2023.

M. Maldani, F. Aliyat, S. Cappello, F. Morabito, F. Giarratana, L. Nassiri, and J. Ibijbijen, “Effect of glyphosate and paraquat on seed germination, amino acids, photosynthetic pigments and plant morphology of Vicia faba, Phaseolus vulgaris and Sorghum bicolor,” Environ. Sust. vol. 4, pp. 1-11, 2021.

S.M. Obidola, I.I. Iro, A.Y. Yaroson, and U.I. Henry, “Phytotoxicity of cypermethrin pesticide on seed germination, growth and yield parameters of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata),” Asian J. Agric. Hort. Res., vol. 3(2), pp. 1–10, 2019.

A. Behluli, S. Fetahu, S. Aliu, and A. Canko, “Seed viability testing of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) landraces stored in long-term storage conditions,” Albanian J. Agric. Sci., Special edition, pp. 141-144, 2016.

M.M.A. El Balla, A.I. Saidahmed, and M. Makkawi, “Effects of moisture contents and maturity on herdseededness and germination in okra (Albemoschus esculentus L. Moench.) seeds,” Weed Sci., vol. 35, pp. 45-51, 2011.

ISTA, Handbook of Vigour Methods, The International Seed Testing Association, Zurich, pp. 23-37, 2003

J.A. Adetumbi, J.A. Teixeira da Silva, and O. Alamu, “Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp) seed germination indices and yield as affected by length of storage,” Seed Sci. Biotech., vol. 5(1), pp. 11-14, 2011.

T. Berninger, O.G. Lopez, A. Berjarano, C. Preininger, and A. Sessitsch, “Maintenance and assessment of cell viability in formulation of non-sporulating bacterial inoculants,” Med. Biotech., vol. 11(2), pp. 277-301, 2017.

F. Canassa, S. Tall, R.A. Moral, I.A.R. de Lara, I. Delalibera, and N.V. Meyling, “Effect of bean seed treatment by the entomopathogenic fungi Metarhizium robertsii and Beauvaria bassiana on plant growth, spider mite populations and behavior of predatory mites,” Biol.Control, vol. 132, pp. 199-208, 2019.

T.M. Reflinaldon, “The effect of entomopathogenic fungi Beauveria bassiana seed treatment duration on seed germination and seedling growth of chili,” Indonesian J. Crop Sci., vol. 3(1), pp. 26-29, 2020.

J.F. White, K.L. Kingsley, Q. Zhang, R. Verma, N. Obi, S. Dvinskikh, M.T. Elmore, S.K. Verma, S.K. Gond, and K.P. Kowalski, “Review: Endophytic microbes and their potential applications in crop management,” Pest Mgt. Sci., vol. 75(10), pp. 2558-2565, 2019.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.46676/ij-fanres.v6i1.437