Abstract:
Prior to implementing biological control, knowledge on availability of the possible enemies of pest(s)
is important. Therefore, as part of a larger on-farm study whose main objective was to develop a farmerfriendly package for the management of cowpea pests, the diversity and abundance of insect predators
within cowpea cropping systems (sole crops and intercrops) were monitored at three diverse locations
in eastern Uganda. Coccinellids, syrphid larvae, spiders, Orius sp. and earwigs were observed at all
locations. Abundance of Coccinellids and syrphid larvae were not influenced by the cowpea genotype
nor cropping systems. Contrastingly, the abundance of predatory Orius sp., spiders and earwigs differed
significantly among the cowpea cropping systems, being more common in the cowpea pure stands and
cowpea + greengram than in the cowpea + sorghum intercrops.