How wasps are used to control the destructive cowpea pest—Maruca vitrata
Maruca vitrata, also known as Maruca pod borer, is one of the most devastating insect pests of cowpea in Africa. Its larvae stage, the caterpillar, is the most destructive and attacks flowers and pods of various legumes causing up to 80% yield loss. Farmers resort to inappropriate pesticide applications with some spraying the legume as many as six times in a planting season, which is two months.
