Abstract Roundup degrading bacteria were isolated from the soil and gut of fungus cultivating termites Macrotermes michaelseni using MM7 media supplemented with the pesticide as the sole source of carbon and energy. The isolates were gram negative rods the isolate from the soil was designated GS1 while that from termite gut was designated GT2. The 16S rRNA gene sequence of the isolates revealed that isolates Both isolates GS1 and GT2 are closely related to Enterobacter sp AY 0822447 with 99%...
Abstract Presently, the food chains of the famous saline alkaline flamingo-lakes of East Africa are the focus of intense scientific discussion as the lakes host toxic cyanobacteria, which when consumed by Lesser Flamingos, weaken the birds and therefore make them susceptible to attacks by infective diseases. The distribution, genetic and toxicological aspects of Microcystis in Kenya has been studied extensively. Although there are reports on the occurrence of Microcystis in Kenya’s hypersa...
Abstract Greywater recycling has been identified as an efficient method to conserve water. The purpose of this study was to investigate some selected hydrochemical characteristics, plant nutrients and metal content of greywater and soils in residential areas of Homa Bay town. Laundry greywater had the highest pH (9.1 ± 0.01), Electrical conductivity (2900 ± 215 S cm-1) and salinity (0.4 ± 0.02 - 0.8 ± 0.01 mg L-1). The lowest electrical conductivity (400 ± 50 S cm-1) was recorde...
Abstract A non-culture approach was used to study the archaeal diversity in Lake Elmenteita, Kenya. Five different sampling points were selected randomly within the lake. Wet sediments and water samples were collected from each sampling point. In addition, dry mud cake was collected from three points where the lake had dried. DNA was extracted from these samples and the 16S rRNA genes were amplified using primers described to be Domain-specific for Archaea. Eleven clone libraries were constr...
Abstract Africa supports a population of over 1 billion people with over half of them depending on maize for food and feed either directly or indirectly. Maize in Africa is affected by many stresses, both biotic and abiotic which significantly reduce yields and eventually lead to poor production. Due to the high demand for maize in the region, different improvement strategies have been employed in an effort to improve production. These include conventional breeding, molecular breeding, high ...
Abstract Objective: To determine the phenology, dry matter yield, grain yield and yield components of chickpea under four tillage methods and three sowing times within a semi-arid area of Kenya. Methodology and results: Field experiments were carried out at the National Animal Husbandry Research Centre, Naivasha, Kenya, between 2005 and 2007. Four tillage methods (Conventional, Strip, Furrow tillage, and double digging) and three sowing times (at onset, one week, two weeks after onset of rai...
Abstract In insect species characterized by inbreeding, limited dispersal, and a metapopulation structure, high genetic differentiation and reduced genetic diversity within local populations are expected. Using the model system Lysiphlebus hirticornis Mackauer, a specialist parasitoid of the tansy aphid, Metopeurum fuscoviride Stroyan (Hemiptera: Aphididae), we examined within-site temporal population dynamics and genetics, including molecular variation at the tansy plant level. Aphid-parasi...
Abstract The gap between maize demand and regional supply is increasing as small-holder farmers grapple with many challenges, key among them drought. Research in identifying maize lines that are tolerant to water deficit and that are amenable to A. tumefaciens-mediated transformation is a step towards enhancing food security. The objectives of this study were, to assess the physiological response of tropical maize inbred lines to water deficit, to determine whether A. tumefaciens elicits hos...
Abstract Maize and beans contribute significantly to food security in Kenya. Farming practices used in production of these crops may affect nematode community assemblages and influence agricultural productivity. Information on response of nematofauna, particularly free-living nematodes, under various agronomic practices in Kenyan maize-beans intercrop is scarce. This study reports on the effects of farming practices on nematode community dynamics, ecological and functional indices, nematode ...
Abstract The wild boar population has increased rapidly during the last 2 decades in Southern and Central Sweden. This rise in population size has caused severe damages to agricultural fields through their foraging behavior. Given the hierarch ical nature of habitat and resource selection, wildlife management needs to under stand the selection on both levels to better understand the ecology of nuisance species and mitigate the damages they infer. Thus, there is an urgent need for more knowle...
Abstract Morphological characterization of genotypes is fundamental in providing information on their genetic status to guide on their conservation and improvement. The objective of this study was to determine agro-morphological diversity within horned melon in Kenya. The study was carried out in two seasons at the University of Embu in Kenya. The study characterized 19 horned melon accessions collected from different agro-ecological zones in Eastern, Central and Western regions in Kenya. Th...
Abstract Sweet potato is an important food security crop but its production is limited by various biotic constraints including plant-parasitic nematodes (PPN). In Kenya, current PPN management practices in sweet potato have several limitations hence the need for alternative low-cost management strategies. This study evaluated the impact of intercropping maize and sweet potato (MS) and application of Tithonia diversifolia (MG), cow (CM) and goat manure (GM) on population dynamics of PPN and t...
Abstract Africa is under pressure from climate stresses and is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. In Kenya, agriculture is the backbone of the economy making it an important contributor to food security of rural households. Currently crop productivity is being affected by continued climate variations and decline in soil fertility. Adaptation to climate change requires to be given high and urgent priority for sustainable crop production. A study was conducted in Mavuria ward,...
Abstract Smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) face several challenges that include pests and diseases. Plant-parasitic nematodes (PPN) reduce crop yields and affect their quality. They are an emerging threat to smallholder agriculture with several species attacking economically important crops. In SSA, most PPN control strategies are therapeutic and therefore unsustainable. Cost-effective nematode management strategies that promote soil health and enhance soil suppressiveness agai...
Abstract/Overview Globally, biosecurity is instrumental in prevention, control and management of livestock dis- eases and protection of human health. It is defined, prescribed, adopted and enforced through global, regional and national frameworks, laws, policies and strategies. There is more biosecurity practice research conducted in developed countries than developing ones. Consequently, the gap between the ideals recommended in biosecurity frameworks and what is practical in under-resou...