Effect of leucaena psyllid attack on leucaena leucocephala seedlings growing under different watering and shading levels
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Date
1998
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Publisher
Sokoine University of Agriculture
Abstract
The effect of leucaena psyllid (Heteropsylla cubana] (Crawford, Homoptera:
psyllidae) on the growth of Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit seedlings
was evaluated in relation to three watering levels (every day, every other
day and once a week) and three shading levels (light 10%, moderate 25%
and heavy 50%). Three weeks coppices from two months pot grown
leucaena seedlings in split plot design was used in the screen house.
Generally, fifteen weeks after infestation of the seedlings, infested seedlings
were less vigorous, thinner and shorter than the non-infested seedlings. In
addition, dry weight production (expressed as oven dry matter) was
significantly reduced by the effect of psyllid attack.
The effect of attack however, varied with the treatment levels. The biomass
loss was 9.7%, 18.6%, 17.2% for seedlings watered every day, after every
other day, and once a week respectively. On the other hand shading
contributed to respectively 1 5.9%, 4.8%, and 7% loss for seedlings shaded
at 10% (light), 25% (moderate), and 50% (heavy). The level of damage,
shoot health and nymph abundance although not significantly different
among treatments were higher in the water stressed seedlings and in the
lightly shaded seedlings than the other treatment levels.
Description
Master's Thesis
Keywords
Psyllid attack, Leucaena seedlings, Leucaena leucocephala seedlings growing, shading levels