POTENTIAL OF INDIGENOUS LEAFY VEGETABLES AS COMPANION CROPS FOR PEST MANAGEMENT OF HIGH-VALUE LEGUMES: A CASE STUDY OF GYNANDROPSIS GYNANDRA IN KENYA

Indigenous vegetables are gaining importance in the urban and peri-urban markets in Kenya.
However, generally under-utilized vegetables are usually limited to kitchen gardens for household consumption and production for local markets.
The important leafy vegetables in Kenya include: the spider plant (Gynandropsis gynandra), Amaranths (Amaranthus dubi, A. lividus), African nightshades (Solanum scabrum, S. villosum) and the stinging bettle (Corchorus olitorius, Chlotoraria sp.). The spider plant is consumed by most local communities.
Field trials were carried out in two sites at the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute to evaluate the crop association as means of managing thrips (Megalurothrips sjostedti Trybom and Frankliniella occidentalis Pergande) and snap beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). The use of grass mulch, spider plant and coriander (Coriandrum sativum) in association with snap bean significantly reduced thrip’s incidence and pod damage in snap bean.
The intercrops were significantly more effective than the conventional pesticide when planted two weeks before or at the same time with the snap bean crop.
The results suggest that mulching and intercropping snap beans with spider plant or coriander may improve the quality of the high–value snap bean.
In addition, the indigenous vegetables would provide income and nutrition to the local communities in Kenya.

I International Conference on Indigenous Vegetables and Legumes. Prospectus for Fighting Poverty, Hunger and Malnutrition

M.M. Waiganjo, J. Muriuki, G.W. Mbugua

Gynandropsis gynandra, Phaseolus vulgaris, income, nutrition, thrips

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2007.752.54