Abstract Climate-change leads to extreme droughts, but it is difficult to predict how crop pests are affected. Drought may alter behavior of crop pests such as aphids that facilitate transmission of pathogens like Fusarium graminearum, causing Fusarium foot and root rot in barley crops by feeding close to the susceptible base of plants. Ground dwelling generalist predators like Carabid beetles, and wolf spiders are important aphid enemies during the aphid colonization phase in barley crops i...
Abstract: In South Africa, white grubs are important pests of sugarcane and wattle. There is need for a sustainable management alternative since their control has mainly been through the use of chemical insecticides. Such alternatives can include the use of entomopathogenic nematodes, EPNs. A review of the available literature revealed that EPNs can potentially provide a higher percentage control of white grubs, when compared to chemical insecticides. However, this control efficacy is charac...
Abstract: In the past 3 decades, arboviruses have become a major cause of re-emerging epidemic diseases in the world. Amongst the arboviruses, dengue and chikungunya fevers which are transmitted by Aedes spp have become more prevalent and have spread far beyond traditional areas of distribution - mainly in Africa and Asia - to cause severe morbidity, mortality, and economic harm. Currently control of these diseases solely depends on vector control as there is no treatment or vaccine. This ca...
Abstract: Patterns of ectoparasite burden among hosts can be linked to differences in abiotic (i.e. climatic conditions) and biotic (i.e. host characteristics) factors. Although this is well documented for small mammals in the northern hemisphere, similar data for southern Africa, particularly South Africa, is scant. In addition, interspecific interactions in parasite communities may contribute to the distribution of parasites across a host population, however, they are not fully understood ...
Abstract: Desmodium spp. are leguminous plants mainly used as livestock fodder. In Kenya and neighbouring countries they are also used in a „push-pull‟ strategy by smallholder farmers to protect maize (Zea mays) against two major groups of pests, stemborers (Lepidoptera) and witchweed, Striga spp., by repelling the former away from the cereal crop and suppressing growth of the latter. However, smallholder seed production of Desmodium spp. is compromised by blister beetles Hycleus spp. (C...
Abstract: Please read the abstract in the section, 00front of this document
Abstract: Please read the abstract in the section 00front of this document
Abstract: Fluid secretion by insect Malpighian tubules is controlled by haemolymph-bome factors. Two corticotropin-releasing-factor (CRF)-related diuretic peptides, Tenmo¬DH37 and Tenmo-DH47. previously isolated from Tenebrio molitor, were found to stimulate in vitro tubule preparations of Tenebrio molitor via the second messenger cyclic AMP. The stimulatory effect of Tenmo-DH37 was reversed on addition of endogenous antidiuretic peptides (Tenmo-ADFa and ADFb) and exogenous cardioaccelerato...
Abstract: Please read the abstract in the section 00front of this document
Abstract: Scarabaeus (Pachysoma) consists of 13 flightless dung beetle species endemic to the arid west coast of southern Africa. Scarabaeus (Pachysoma) are unique in their feeding and foraging habits, in that they randomly search for dry dung/detritus which, when found, is dragged forwards, and buried in a pre-constructed holding chamber, as opposed to the convention of rolling it backwards. This action is repeated to provision the chamber after which the nest is expanded to below the moist...
Abstract: Please read the abstract in the section front of this document
Abstract: Rastrococcus iceryoides Green (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae), an alien invasive mealybug pest of Asian origin was first detected in Tanzania in 1989. This pest rapidly spread by the mid-1990s and was soon present in Coastal Kenya and Northern Malawi, where it has been regarded and remains a major pest of mango. Because of its novelty status, there was no information on its biology, ecology and its natural enemies that could aid development of management efforts. This study, therefore,...
Abstract: Please read the section 21chapter20, (Summary and conclusions), of this document
Abstract: Please read the abstract in the section 00front of this document. Also note that an abstract is provided for each chapter as well
Abstract: Spirocercosis is a canine disease caused by the nematode parasite Spirocerca lupi (Rudolphi, 1809) (Spirurida: Spirocercidae) and is a potentially fatal condition in domestic dogs (Canis familiaris). The larval life cycle of this parasite involves intermediate and paratenic (transport) hosts. Various species of coprophagous dung beetles (Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) serve as the principle intermediate hosts. Despite extraordinary advances in biomedical research, it is unlikely that ...