Cowpea is a grain legume, rich in proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. It enriches the soil through its
biological nitrogen fixation capacity, thanks to rhizobia associated with its roots. Unfortunately, in sub-Saharan Africa,
particularly in the Democratic Republic of Congo, within the territory of Tshilenge, the production of this crop faces biotic
constraints. The most frequent diseases are anthracnose, cercosporiosis, and viral mosaic, as well as attacks by Anoplocnemis
curvipes and Ootheca mutabilis. As a hypothesis for this study, we assume that certain cowpea cultivars would be tolerant
while others would be susceptible to the major pathologies and pests in the Tshilenge region. The objective of this study is
to identify the most tolerant and most susceptible cowpea cultivars to major pathological and pest pressures on sub-Saharan
ferralsols in the Tshilenge region, Kasaï Oriental, through experimentation at different sowing dates. The results reveal that
certain cultivars stand out for their remarkable tolerance, while others express increased susceptibility to major pathologies
and pests. Cultivars C6 (index = 0), C1 (0.708), and C14 (0.744) are the most tolerant; their low index reflects high tolerance
and stability against various pathogenic and entomological pressures. Conversely, cultivars C13 (2.95), C9 (2.97), and C8
(3.00) are highly susceptible; their high index reflects strong vulnerability to diseases, limiting their agronomic value under
conditions of high pathogenic and entomological pressure.
Tshibamba Mukendi John, Mpiana Tshimanga Vincent, Landu Ndambu Gaston et al.· International Journal of Inn...· 0 citations
Smallholder agriculture in developing countries, such as sub-Saharan Africa, represents about 80 to 90% of
agricultural holdings, with an average area ranging from 0.5 to 2 hectares per household, and employs 60-70% of the active
population, thus constituting the main source of employment. The present study aims to determine whether rice-Vigna
radiata intercropping constitutes a sustainable and profitable alternative for family farmers. To this end, a field experiment
was conducted in Tshilenge, specifically in the village of Bena-Ntanda (-6.130199, 23.432759 and 621m), using a Fisher
complete randomized block design. In pure stands, mung beans (yellow and green cultivars) and rice (Nerica 4 variety) were
sown at spacings of 0.20 m x 0.20 m with two seeds (mung bean) and four grains (rice) per hole, respectively. In intercropping,
rice was sown one month before mung beans at spacings of 0.40 m x 0.20 m (4 grains per hole), while for Vigna radiata (yellow
and green) spacings were 0.30 m x 0.20 m (2 seeds per hole). The rice-Vigna radiata cropping system represents a sustainable
and profitable alternative for family farmers in smallholder farming environments. It has promoted increased vegetative
growth in both mung bean and rice. Although a slight reduction in yield (13%) was observed for the two crops, the attack
incidence was significantly lower in intercropping compared to pure stands. Thus, rice-Vigna radiata intercropping
constitutes a simple, affordable (low-cost) agricultural practice that enables income diversification and enhances the
resilience of production systems to climate change.
Mutombo Tshibamba Jean- Michel, K. V. Roger, Tshibamba Mukendi John et al.· International Journal of Inn...· 0 citations
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