Research article

Evaluation of some techniques used for the screening of some cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp) genotypes against bacterial blight

*¹Kutama A.S, ²Hayatu M, ³Umar S and ⁴Umar M. L

¹Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Federal University, Dutse, Jigawa state, Nigeria

²Department of Plant Biology, Bayero University, Kano

³Department of Biological Sciences, College of Arts, Sciences and Remedial Studies, Kano

⁴Department of Plant Science, Institute for Agricultural Research, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria

*Corresponding author E- mail: kutamasak@yahoo.com; Tel: +2347067371893

Accepted 2 December 2013

Abstract

The experiment was aimed at evaluating the efficacy of four artificial Inoculation techniques for the screening of some cowpea genotypes against bacterial blight. The experiment comprised of two genotypes of cowpea: Danila and IT97K-819-11 and four treatments of artificial Inoculations. The treatments were seed inoculation, soil inoculation, foliar spray inoculation, stem injection inoculation and un-inoculated control. The experiment was arranged in Completely Randomized Block Design (CRBD) in four replications. The data collected were disease incidence (%), disease severity and chlorophyll SPAD. The results of the study revealed that foliar application on Danila variety produced the highest disease incidence (100%) and disease severity (2.75), while seed inculcation on IT97K-819-11 has the lowest disease incidence (50%) and severity (0.50). The chlorophyll content was highest on seed inoculation (61.9) and lowest in foliar inoculation (41.5). The experiment has shown that foliar spray inoculation method was found most effective in causing higher disease severity and incidence in comparison to other methods. Therefore foliar inoculation artificial technique could be used to screen cowpea varieties against bacterial blight.

Keywords: Bacterial Blight, Cowpea, Screening Techniques, Disease Incidence and severity