The Effect of Field Margin Plants with Pesticide Properties on Growth and Yield of Lablab

Abstract

Lablab crop is an essential pulse, cum vegetable, and is more adapted to different environmental conditions than any other legume. Like other crops, it is infested by insect pests. The specific objective was to assess the effect of field margin plants with pesticide properties on growth and yield of lablab. Lablab seeds, tephrosia vogelii powders and field margin plants (Ocimum, Hyptis and Sphaeranthus) were used in this study. The experimental field was tilled, then the plots of 10m x 10m were established at the distance of 20m apart and randomized complete block design (CRBD) with three replications was used to assign treatment in each plot. The growth components plant heights (H) and the number of leaves per plant were measured on the 4th, 8th and 12th weeks after germination while the yields was measured after harvest and threshing. The study findings demonstrated effectiveness of field margin plants with pesticide properties at the edge in reducing pest incidents by attracting more natural enemies on 4th week found 3 spiders and no insect pest compared to other treatments, and reduce severity of foliage damage as well as increasing lablab yields (129.84kg/ha) compared to those with no field margin pesticidal plants which yielded 115.49kg/ha, hence higher yields on plots with field margin pesticidal plants in combination with application of fish bean [Tephrosia vogelii] which yielded 222.70kg/ha. Hence, the use of field margins with desired pesticide properties offer a sustainable way to increase yield.