Assessment of Mung Bean (Vignaradiata) pests in the Low Land Areas of North Shewa Zone

Mung bean known locally as “Masho” is a recent introduction in the Ethiopian pulse production and grown in few areas of the country and constrained by different biotic factors.However, the relative importance of each pest across locations has not been assessed and well profiled to sound management strategy. The objective of this study was to assess distribution and intensity of major pests on mungbean.The survey was made in 2016 and 2017 main cropping seasons following the main roads and accessible routes in each survey district (lowland areas of North Shewa Zone) and stops were made at every 5 -10 km intervals based on vehicles odometers as per mung bean fields available. Five stops were made in each mung bean field by moving “X” fashion at each stop interval using quadrants and data were collected from each. The result indicated that, Apion clavipes was most prevalent insect pest of mung bean in surveyed areas with maximum prevalence of 100%. Similarly, leaf blight and leaf spot were most prevalent diseases of mung bean in all districts. On the other hand, survey revealed that Cyperus spp. was frequently observed weed in both seasons with the highest weed density per m2. In 2017, weed Spps. Cyperus rotundus and Echinocloacolona L. were more frequently obtained weeds of mung bean in the surveyed districts with the consequent frequencies (77.42, 70.97%) and densities (16.11, 2.8 per m2). The current study indicated that a complex of pests exist on mung bean in the studied areas. Therefore, pest management strategies need to be devised.