Effect of Different Cotton Seed Treatments on Insect Pest Diversity and Agro-morphological Performance in Northern Côte d’Ivoire
Drissa Coulibaly
*
UFR Sciences Biologiques, Département de Biologie Animale, Université Peleforo GON COULIBALY, BP 1328 Korhogo, Côte d’Ivoire and Laboratoire Environnement, Climat, Santé, Ingénierie et Développement Durable (LECSI2D), Université Peleforo GON COULIBALY, BP 1328 Korhogo, Côte d’Ivoire.
Adjoua Madeleine Kouassi
Institut de Gestion Agropastorale (IGA), Université Peleforo GON COULIBALY, BP 1328 Korhogo, Côte d’Ivoire.
Klana Koné
UFR Biosciences, Département de Zoologie, Biologie Animale et Ecologie, Université Felix Houphouët-Boigny, 22 BP 1611 Abidjan 22, Côte d’Ivoire.
Wassa Soungalo Keletigui Diabaté
UFR Sciences Biologiques, Département de Biologie Animale, Université Peleforo GON COULIBALY, BP 1328 Korhogo, Côte d’Ivoire.
Mouhamadou Koné
UFR Sciences Biologiques, Département de Biologie Animale, Université Peleforo GON COULIBALY, BP 1328 Korhogo, Côte d’Ivoire and Laboratoire Environnement, Climat, Santé, Ingénierie et Développement Durable (LECSI2D), Université Peleforo GON COULIBALY, BP 1328 Korhogo, Côte d’Ivoire.
Yalamoussa Tuo
UFR Sciences Biologiques, Département de Biologie Animale, Université Peleforo GON COULIBALY, BP 1328 Korhogo, Côte d’Ivoire and Laboratoire Environnement, Climat, Santé, Ingénierie et Développement Durable (LECSI2D), Université Peleforo GON COULIBALY, BP 1328 Korhogo, Côte d’Ivoire.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Plant protection remains a major challenge for cotton production in West Africa. In Côte d’Ivoire, cotton seeds distributed by INTERCOTON are pre-treated with insecticides and fungicides to reduce early pest infestations and diseases. However, many farmers traditionally coat these treated seeds with cow dung before sowing, a practice that may alter the effectiveness of chemical seed treatments. This study aimed to assess the effects of different cotton seed treatment methods on insect pest diversity and on selected sanitary and agro-morphological parameters of cotton plants in the Poro region of northern Côte d’Ivoire. Experiments were conducted in three cotton fields of 1 ha each, with two treatments: industrially treated seeds and treated seeds additionally coated with cow dung. Insect pests were sampled weekly from seedling emergence to harvest. Sanitary, morphological, and agronomic parameters were also evaluated. A total of 2306 individuals belonging to 9 insect pest species were recorded. No significant difference was observed in species richness between treatments (p > 0.05). However, pest abundance was significantly higher in plots sown with cow dung-coated seeds (1500 individuals) than in plots containing only treated seeds (806 individuals) (p < 0.05). Plots with coated seeds also exhibited a higher proportion of rotten bolls and lower plant height, boll number, seed cotton mass, and yield. Average yields ranged from 2372 kg/ha in coated-seed plots to 2692 kg/ha in treated-seed plots. These findings suggest that traditional seed coating practices may reduce the effectiveness of insecticide and fungicide seed treatments provided by INTERCOTON. Maintaining the integrity of industrial seed treatments therefore appears essential for improving pest management and cotton productivity in northern Côte d’Ivoire.
Keywords: cotton, seed treatment, insect pest, yield, agroecosystem, Côte d’Ivoire