Yield Losses Due to the Natural Infestation of Faba Bean (Vicia faba L.) by the Leaf Miners, Liriomyza spp., in Central Sudan*

Abstract

This study was carried out at the Experimental Farm of the
Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Gezira, during the seasons
1996/97 and 1997/98, on two faba bean varieties: Shambat and SML.
Two experiments were conducted: one for each variety where two
treatments were laid out in a randomized complete block design with six
replicates. One treatment was the natural infestation of leaf miners
(untreated plots), and the other was protected by the insect growth
regulator Trigard 75% wettable powder (treated). In both seasons, the
untreated plots were heavily infested by the leaf miners, while the
protected plots were lightly infested. Infestation resulted in yield losses of
22.86% and 42.25% for Shambat and 29.16% and 27.64% for SML
during the two seasons, respectively. Also, there were highly significant
differences (P<0.01) in plant height and number of pods between the
treated and the untreated plots. Negative correlations between the
percentage of leaf infestation and plant height in the treated plots were
detected.