Abstract: Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) has become a serious menace to sustainable production of tomato in Kenya. A survey was conducted between April 2015 and June 2016 to determine its distribution,abundance, infestation, and damage levels on tomato, and associated natural enemies. Trap counts of T. absoluta moths were recorded in all surveyed 29 counties, which indicated its nationwide distribution irrespective of altitude. Tuta absoluta was present in both open fields and greenhouses. The high...
Abstract: In the Eastern Africa highlands, the gradual transformation of natural ecosystems to smallholding coffee-based agrosystems has resulted in more fragmented landscapes. Major pests of coffee find appropriate living conditions leading to high infestation rates and the need for smallholder farmers to implement pest control measures. This study aims to understand the influence of landscapes on the ecology of three major coffee pests: the coffee berry borer (CBB), Hypothenemus hampei, an...
Abstract: Long-horned grasshopper (Ruspolia differens Serville) is a tasty delicacy in over 20 African countries. This study evaluated the impact of diverse post-harvest thermal treatment (blanching, boiling, toasting, and deep-frying) on the nutrients, total flavonoid content and sterols preservation of R. differens products. Crude protein, ash, and fibre of R. differens was drastically reduced by deep-frying technique. There was increase in Omega-3 (α-linolenic acid), Omega-6 fatty acid (...
Abstract: Global pest invasions have significantly increased in recent years. These invasions together with climate warming directly impact agriculture. Tropical climates feature extreme weather events, including high temperatures and seasonal droughts. Thus, successful invasive pests in tropics have to adapt to these extreme climate features. The intrinsic factors relevant to tropical invasion of insects have been explored in many studies, but the knowledge is rather dispersed in contempora...
Abstract: Endophytic fungal isolates Hypocrea lixii F3ST1 and Beauveria bassiana G1LU3 were evalu-ated for their potential to endophytically colonize and induce active compounds in Phaseolus vulgaris,as a defense mechanism against pea leafminer (Liriomyza huidobrensis) and fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda). Endophytic colonization was achieved through seed inoculation with the volatile emis- sions from P. vulgaris plants being analyzed using GC-MS. The crude extracts of P. vulgaris obtai...
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Biological control plays a key role in reducing crop damage byTuta absoluta(Meyrick) andTrialeurodes vapor-ariorum(Westwood), which cause huge yield losses in tomato (Solanum lycopersicumL.). The mirid predatorNesidiocoris tenuis(Reuter) preys heavily on these pests, with satisfying control levels in tomato greenhouses. AlthoughN. tenuisis known to beattracted to volatiles of tomato plants infested byT. absolutaand whitefly, little is known about the specific attractive...
Abstract: Insect pollinators provide an important ecosystem service by improving agricultural productivity. However, their populations have been declining in recent years due to excessive use of synthetic pesticides, climate and land use/land cover (LULC) changes. Climate and LULC changes have resulted in land fragmentation and consequently pollinator habitat loss. To conserve pollinators, there is a need for sustainable agricultural practices such as integrated pest and pollinator managemen...
Abstract: The greenhouse whitefly, Trialeurode vaporariorum, is among the key pests of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) in sub-Saharan Africa with Tuta absoluta, spider mite, thrips, and fruitworms. To understand the interaction between the pest and the plant’s herbivory-induced plant volatile (HIPVs), we investigated the repellency of four tomato cultivars (Kilele F1, Assila F1, Red Beauty F1, and Nemonneta F1) upon infestation by Trialeurode vaporariorum.We analyzed the behavioral response ...
Abstract: In general, sperm produced in the testis are moved into the seminal vesicle via the vas deferens in insects, where they are stored. How this sperm movement is controlled is less well understood in locusts or grasshoppers. In this study, the effects of age, phase variation and pheromones on male sperm storage were investigated in the desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria (Forskål). In this locust, a pair of ducts, the vasa deferentia, connect the testes to a pair of the long, slende...
Abstract: Visual and olfactory communications are vital for coordinated group hunting in most animals. To hunt for prey, the group-raiding termite specialist ant Megaponera analis, which lacks good vision, must first confirm the presence or absence of conspecific raiders. Here, we show that M. analis uses olfactory cues for intraspecific communication and showed greater preference for conspecific odors over clean air (blank) or odors from its termite prey. Chemical analysis of ant volatiles ...
Abstract: Aethina tumida Murray (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) is considered a minor parasitic pest of African honey bee, Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae), colonies, but little information is available on other coleopteran pests. We surveyed for A. tumida and other beetles in honey bee colonies at four major beekeeping locations:Watamu, Chawia-Taita, Matuu, and Nairobi in Kenya and compared their distribution within the colonies. The presence of A. tumida was conÞrmed in all the colonies ...
Abstract: Background: Anopheles arabiensis is a key vector for the transmission of human malaria in sub-Saharan Africa. Over the past 10,000 years, humans have successfully cultivated grasses and altered the landscape, creating An. arabiensis favourable environments that contain excellent habitats for both larvae and adults. Sugarcane is the most expanding agricultural system in sub-Saharan Africa, and is linked to the increased threat of malaria in rural communities. The prolific production...
Abstract: Introduction of irrigation projects in developing nations has often been blamed for aggravating the problem of mosquito-borne diseases by creating ideal larval habitats for vector mosquitoes. However, whereas several studies have demonstrated the relationship between malaria vectors and irrigation, little work has been done on culicine mosquitoes despite their potential in transmission of filariasis and arboviruses and their significant biting nuisance in these areas. This study ex...
Abstract: Knowledge of mosquito species diversity, occurrence, and distribution is an essential component of vector ecology and a guiding principle to formulation and implementation of integrated vector management programs. A 12-month entomological survey was conducted to determine the diversity of riceland mosquitoes and factors affecting their occurrence and distribution at 3 sites targeted for malaria vector control in Mwea, Kenya. Adult mosquitoes were sampled indoors by pyrethrum spray ...