INFESTATION BY AMRASCA BIGUTTULA AND ASSOCIATED FOLIAR DAMAGE IN DIFFERENT OKRA AND EGGPLANT VARIETIES CULTIVATED DURING THE DRY SEASON IN THE LOWLANDS OF DALOA, CÔTE D’IVOIRE

Abstract

Vegetable production is essential for food security and household livelihoods in sub-Saharan Africa. In Côte d’Ivoire, okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) and eggplant (Solanum melongena) are widely cultivated in lowland areas, where insect pests can affect crop performance. This study aimed to assess the abundance of the leafhopper Amrasca biguttula and its association with foliar damage in four okra and eggplant varieties cultivated in the lowlands of Daloa, Côte d’Ivoire. Entomological surveys were conducted on two okra varieties (‘Koto’ and ‘Tomi’) and two eggplant varieties (‘Djamba’ and ‘Purple-fruited’). Pest abundance and five foliar damage parameters were recorded. Differences in abundance were assessed using chi-square and Kruskal–Wallis tests, while associations between A. biguttula abundance and foliar damage were evaluated using Spearman’s correlation and linear regression. A total of 4,874 individuals belonging to 12 taxa were recorded, with A. biguttula accounting for 95.24% of all captures. It was the predominant pest in both okra (95.40%) and eggplant (94.97%), with no significant difference between crops (χ² = 0.47, p = 0.492) or varieties (p = 0.435). However, damage severity (p = 0.043), leaf yellowing (p = 0.030), and leaf curling (p < 0.001) differed significantly among varieties. A. biguttula abundance was positively correlated with damage severity (ρ = 0.694, p < 0.001) and other foliar damage parameters, explaining 47.3% of the variation in damage severity. These findings identify A. biguttula as a major pest and emphasize the need for regular monitoring and integrated pest management in lowland vegetable production systems.