Abstract: Sweet orange (Citrus sinensis Osbeck) is grown throughout the world and provides the greatest fresh fruit production of any citrus groups. In freshly harvested fruits, as the quality deterioration and the susceptibility of the stored products to decay caused by microbial spoilage and pathogens increases progressively. The application of an edible coating onto the fruit surface modifies the internal atmosphere in the same way that does plastic films by increasing the carbon dioxide ...
Abstract: Phytopathogenic fungi result in a significant loss in agricultural production. The use of bio fungicides to manage these fungal pathogens has become a more appealing option than using conventional synthetic fungicides since they are relatively environmentally safe. Chitinolytic enzymes are environmentally friendly antifungal agents used to control fungal phytopathogens. Therefore, this study was conducted to extract chitinase enzyme from fungi and determine the fungicidal effect of...
Abstract: Infectious diseases are the critical problems of the world as a result of the emergence of different antimicrobial resistant microorganisms. Medicinal plants play great roles in the treatment of various infectious diseases. Catha edulis, of the Celastraceae family, is a natural stimulant found as a flowering evergreen tree and is widespread in Africa and southern parts of Arabia. Therefore, the aim of the study was to detect the presence of the main secondary compounds classes from...
Abstract: This study evaluated the performance of five eri (Bere, Cross, EKPR, EKSCR, India) and five mulberry (China-2, Kenya-2, Kenya-3, Kenya-4, Korea-1) silkworm strains and observe the level of diseases incidence on farmer management condition in between March and May 2018, in Arba Minch. The experiment was laid out in Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with five replications. The study revealed that mature larvae of eri silkworm strains significantly varied on nutritional indices and s...
Abstract: The livelihood of the community in the study areas is highly dependent on the production of wheat crop. But the production of wheat crop is challenged by biotic and abiotic factors in the study area. Among the biotic factors rust disease is one and highly affecting the production and productivity of the crop. This study aimed to identify the adaptation strategies against emerging wheat rust disease and determinants of farmers’ choice of adaptation strategies against this disease....
Abstract: Malaria remains a serious threat in sub-Saharan Africa Available control tools are now largely ineffective. Because of the role of vectors in malaria transmission, integrated vector management strategies that are environmentally safe, economically feasible and acceptable to resource-limited communities are one way to achieve effective malaria control. However, adequate knowledge of the biology, behaviour and ecology of the malaria vectors are imperative. Sugar-feeding from plants i...
Abstract: Due to the rapid development of tick resistance to synthetic chemical acaricides and the potential risk posed by these chemicals to non-target species, efforts are intensifying towards the development of entomopathogenic fungi as an environmentally benign alternative tick control strategy. The main objective of this study is the development of formulations and delivery systems for control of ticks with entomopathogenic fungi. Screening of entomopathogenic fungal isolates is the fir...
Abstract: Several Cicadulina species are important pests of maize by virtue of their role as vectors of maize streak virus (MSV). Tnis study deals with various aspects of the vector/virus/host plant relationship. Developmental times for all life stages of both C. anestae and C. mbila were inversely related to temperature, and the data were used to develop a degree-day (DD) model that can be used to estimate population growth in the field. The rate of development peaked at 30 °c for both spe...
Abstract: The research on which this thesis is based was carried out as part of a multidisciplinary project, “SolarMal”, which aimed to evaluate proof of principle for the elimination of malaria from Rusinga Island by augmenting the existing national malaria control programme tools with mass trapping of mosquitoes. As electricity was required to run the mosquito traps and most residents had no electricity, solar systems were also installed,providing lighting and telephone charging as wel...
Introduction: Malaria in man is caused by four species of protozoan parasites1 belonging to the genus Plasmodium. Plasmodium parasites exhibit a complex life cycle involving development through two host2 species: an insect vector3 (definitive host4) and a vertebrate species (intermediate host5). Humans serve as intermediate hosts for several Plasmodium species (P. falciparum, P. vivax, P. ovale and P. malariae) whilst female mosquitoes of the genus Anopheles serve as the definitive hosts (Fi...
ABSTRACT The pathophysiology of Sarcoptes scabiei infestation in the West African Dwarf goat was evaluated in a natural transmission study. Twenty- five adult male West African Dwarf (WAD) goats consisting of 15 naturally infested goats assigned into three equal groups based on severity of clinical disease as: A (mild infestation), B (moderate infestation), C (severe infestation), and10 healthy WAD goats with no previous history of mange infestation assigned into two equal groups as D (for co...
ABSTRACT Tomato is an important vegetable crop in Kenya. It is widely grown for home consumption and for sale. The demand for fresh tomato is high both for domestic use and markets. However, tomato post-harvest losses are a threat to the harvested tomatoes. There is no well documented current knowledge on the nature and status of post harvest losses on tomato in Kenya particularly with regard to pests and diseases. In areas where post-harvest losses have been documented the figures vary cons...
ABSTRACT Plant-parasitic nematodes, in particular Meloidogyne spp., cause significant yield reduction in commercial pineapple (Ananas comosus) worldwide. In Kenya limited studies have been conducted on nematodes in pineapple although the main commercial producer in Kenya has sole mandate to use Telone II (1, 3-Dichloropropene) indicating the seriousness of the problem. The current study was conducted to provide an update on the occurrence of plant-parasitic nematodes in commercial pineapple f...
ABSTRACT Crown gall is one of the major constraint in rose flower production in Kenya. The study aimed at developing a bacterial based biopesticide to manage crown gall disease on roses. A baseline survey on status of crown gall disease was conducted from July to October, 2017 using a questionnaire administered to the production managers in randomly selected flower farms in Kiambu, Nakuru and Laikipia Counties. Pathogen and the biocontrol isolates were isolated from galls and soil samples, re...
ABSTRACT Tomato production in Kenya, especially in the coastal region has remained low due to pests and diseases attack especially Meloidogyne spp. (root-knot nematodes) which is a serious threat. A study was therefore conducted in the coastal region of Kenya with the aim of sourcing for endophytic fungi (EF) which could be used alongside moderately resistant tomato cultivars to manage Meloidogyne spp. Pathogenecity test of these isolates was carried out in the screenhouse using cv. Cal J. In...