Effect of Certain Pesticides on Broad Bean in Qena Region, Egypt : Toxicity of Pesticides

Broad bean, Vicia faba L. is the major leguminous field crop in Egypt and plays an important role as an Egyptian food consumed as fresh green pods, immature fresh seeds and dry mature seeds. In Egypt, faba bean occupies an important belt among the cultivated areas during the winter season. Broad bean plants are liable to be infested with different insect species, affecting the quantity and quality of resulted crop seeds. Piercing and sucking insects (the cowpea aphid, Aphis craccivora, (Koch), and jassids, Empoasca decipiens Paoli, are important economic insect pests, which cause severe injury by their direct feeding as well as acting as vectors for important faba bean viruses. In addition, the cowpea aphid, Aphis craccivora, (Koch) causes foliar and shoot distortion, chlorosis, eventual defoliation and is capable to transmit viruses. The previous insect species were poorly studied on broad bean fields in southern Egypt. Therefore, the present investigation may contribute in adding some information about the pests, which in twin may help in achieving a successful control programme for checking of the ravages of pests in broad bean fields.