POLLINATORS DIVERSITY OF COWPEA, VIGNA UNGUICULATA L. WALP SMALL WHITE VARIETY SEED (FABACEAE) AND ASSESSMENT OF ITS IMPACT ON YIELDS AT MALANG (CAMEROON)

Abstract

Vigna unguiculata(cowpea)is an important food plant which produc tion and valorizationare of high priority in sustaining food security. The objective of this study was to investigate insects activity and its impact on V. unguiculata yield in a farming environment. From august to october2022, experiments were carried out on 360 flowers divided into three treatments, two of them differentiated according to the presence or absence of protection from other insects; the third treatment with flowers protected then uncovered to allow insects visit. The foraging behavior, the fruiting rate and the percentage of normal seeds due to insects visit were assessed. Insects were intensively and regularly collecting nectar. The fruiting rate from treatments 1, 2 and 3 was 92.50%, 62.50% and 85% respectively. F or the mean number of seeds per pod, figures corresponding to T1, T2 and T3 were 7.51, 4.46 and 6.61 respectively. The percentage of normal seeds corresponding to these treatments was 88.58%, 63.80 and 84.13% respectively. Flower visiting insects significantly increa sed the fruiting rate, the mean number of seeds per pod and the percentage of normal seeds