Abstract The presence of surface functional groups is key to the performance of an adsorbent material. The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of functional groups on banana leaf petiole and on biochar made from banana leaf petiole. These functional groups assist in determining the potential of the material as an adsorbent for pollutants and heavy metals in waste water. Banana leaf petioles were collected from a single plantation and analyzed using the Fourier transform infrared s...
Abstract Hyphaene compressa is an economically important palm in Africa. Despite its significant role in the livelihoods of rural communities, the diversity of doum palm is poorly documented and studied. In addition, it has no model descriptor that can aid such studies. Ninety H. compressa accessions collected from Northern, Eastern, and Coastal regions of Kenya were examined to determine the morphological variability of the vegetative and fruit traits of H. compressa and to identify its mor...
Abstract Four commercial watermelon cultivars available in Kenya and one local landrace were evaluated for their susceptibility/resistance to naturally occurring diseases, pests and non-pathogenic disorders. The accessions included three most common commercial watermelon cultivars in Kenya namely ‘Sugarbaby’, ‘Crimson Sweet’ and ‘Charleston Gray’; one newly introduced cultivar from United States namely ‘Yellow Crimson’; and one local landrace (GBK-043014) from Kakamega distri...
Abstract The Central region of Kenya which is the second largest market oriented dairy zone, faces a threat in milk production. The challenge is a disease known as the napier head smut caused by Ustilago kamerunensis. This fungal microorganism is a facultative pathogen which has been reported to cause yield losses in napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum) ranging from 25% to 46% across the affected areas. Additionally, there are reports of the continual spread of the disease into neighbouring c...
Abstract Background and Objective: Tropical maize is the most cultivated crop in sub-Saharan Africa and is a staple food to over 220 million people. This study, evaluated the competence of four tropical maize (Zea mays L.) inbred lines to callus induction and regeneration through somatic embryogenesis when co-cultivated on yeast extract peptone medium (YEP). Materials and Methods: Transient GUS assay was used to evaluate the competence of the genotypes to Agrobacterium-mediated transformatio...
Abstract The soda lakes of Kenya provide an extreme environment where diverse groups of microorganisms thrive. They are characterized by great variation in temperature, halophillic and alkaliphilic- extreme conditions. Lake Sonachi has been the study site for this research. The study sort to isolate, characterize and identify fungi, screen for potential exo-enzymes and secondary metabolites production that may be of industrial application. Malt extract agar was used in the isolation of fungi...
Abstract Although pubescence has traditionally been considered to be related to the water economy of plants, the results are ambivalent and vary between different species. We tested two contrasting hypotheses for the functional significance of leaf pubescence of Proteaceae species from the Cape Floristic Region. First, we hypothesised that pubescence is a xeromorphic trait that conserves water by increasing the boundary layer resistance to diffusion. Water loss was measured in two morphotype...
Abstract PCR-based denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis of 16S rRNA gene fragments was used to identify the cyanobacterial phylotypes in sediments and plankton of saline–alkaline and freshwater lakes of Kenya. The detection of the aminotransferase domain located on modules mcyE and ndaF using specific molecular markers confirmed the presence of potential toxin-producing cyanobacteria. The eight nucleotide sequences obtained from DGGE bands were placed in three divergent ...
Abstract Cyanobacterial mats at hot springs on the shore of the alkaline Lake Bogoria, Kenya, were investigated regarding species community and cyanobacterial toxin content. The hepatotoxins microcystin-LR, -RR, -LF and -YR, and the neurotoxin anatoxin-a were present. The mats were dominated by Phormidium terebriformis, Oscillatoria willei, Spirulina subsalsa and Synechococcus bigranulatus. The concentration of microcystins in mat samples, ranged from 221 to 845 microg microcystin-LR equival...
Abstract The food web of the saline–alkaline lakes of East Africa is characterised by a unique interaction between the Lesser Flamingos as consumer birds and the cyanobacterium Arthrospira fusiformis as the primary producer. However, this interaction is disturbed frequently by alterations of the phytoplankton community. During the period 2001–2012, species of the cyanobacteria Anabaenopsis and Cyanospira were observed in four soda lakes of the African Rift Valley and compared to the enti...
Abstract Utilization of mushrooms collected from the wild requires adequate description of useful phenetic features and domestication protocols. This study investigated morphological characters and spawn production procedures of three Kenyan native strains of wood ear mushroom [Auricularia auricula (L. ex Hook.) Underw.]. Nine basidiocarps were selected from collections made in three forest reserves within Kakamega Forest in Western Kenya and morphologically characterized. Mycelia were raise...
Abstract Genetic diversity and relatedness were assessed among three most common commercial watermelon cultivars in Kenya; one newly introduced commercial cultivar from the U.S., one Kenyan landrace and one wild (Citrullus colocynthis) accession. The six accessions were grown in the field for two seasons under sub humid tropical conditions. Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications was used. Data was collected on morphological features of watermelon which include vine, ...
Abstract Actinobacteria are ubiquitous and have been detected in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Although, various studies have focused on the ecology of this phylum, data on the ecology of actinobacteria endemic to soda lakes are scanty. This study aimed to determine actinobacterial diversity in Lake Magadi. Four different sampling points were selected randomly within the lake to cover a broad range of sample diversity. Wet sediments and water samples were collected from each sampling p...
Abstract This study focused on the analysis of metals in water and fish from Nairobi River. Water from Kikuyu, Kawangware, Chiromo, Eastleigh, Njiru and Fourteen Falls along the Nairobi River was analyzed for the presence of metals. Most of the metal levels in water were below the critical limit of World Health Organization and Kenya Bureau of Standards except for lead, chromium, iron and manganese. Isolated cases of mercury and aluminium pollution were recorded. Except for iron, sodium and ...
Abstract The rise in antibiotic resistance has resulted in decreasing numbers of effective antimicrobial agents available to treat infections caused by multi‐drug resistant (MDR) bacteria. This has necessitated a search for new antimicrobial agents. Herbal remedies may offer alternative treatment options especially because they elicit little or no transferable resistance if used in optimal concentrations. This study evaluated the antimicrobial properties of W. ugandensis against eight mult...