Abstract: The shea caterpillar Cirina butyrospermi is an important insect, highly valued as a human food item in Burkina Faso.However, its appearance is seasonal due to its univoltine cycle. This study therefore investigated the possibilities of breaking the nymphal diapause by changing the environmental factors and through the hormonal treatment of prepupae and pupae using bovine insulin and 20-hydroxyecdysone. Changes in humidity and temperature did not result in emergence, suggesting a ma...
Abstract: Background: Elaphrodes lactea Gaede is a highly praised edible lepidopteran insect in the Miombo forest in the DRC. Both caterpillars and pupae of this species are consumed. Following recent declines in the Miombo forest, it is crucial to investigate the rate of consumption, biological, and exploitation cycles, as well as the trade and profitability of E. lactea to develop a sustainable program for its use. Methods: We, therefore, embarked on a survey in 10 sites located in Lubumba...
Abstract: Diaphorina citri Kuwayama, also known as the Asian citrus psyllid, is a pest of citrus known for its transmission of Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (Ca. L. asiaticus), the causal bacterium of Huanglongbing. The African citrus triozid Trioza erytreae (Del Guercio) (Hemiptera: Triozidae) has been the putative vector of Candidatus Liberibacter africanus (Ca. L. africanus) which causes the African citrus greening disease, until the recent detection of D. citri on the continent. Foll...
Abstract: The African citrus triozid Trioza erytreae Del Guercio (Hemiptera: Triozidae) is the most destructive citrus pest. Presently, biological data on T. erytreae are insufficient for important parameters like distribution, seasonal dynamics and ntomopathogens. Therefore, we determined the temporal dynamics of T. erytreae along three different altitudinal gradients in Kenya. In low altitudes, females of T. erytreae reactivated and started laying eggs between late February and early March...
Abstract: The productivity of maize in Ethiopia has remained lower than the world average because of several biotic and abiotic factors. Stemborers and poor soil fertility are among the main factors that contribute to this poor maize productivity. A novel cropping strategy, such as the use of push-pull technology, is one of the methods known to solve both challenges at once. A push-pull technology targeting the management of maize stemborers was implemented in the Hawassa district of Ethiopi...
Abstract: Fall armyworm (FAW), one of the most important pests of maize in Latin America, suddenly appeared in Africa in 2016 and spread rapidly. Estimates of crop losses due to FAW are essential in order to compare the impact of these losses with the cost of controlling FAW and advise appropriate technology dissemination and policy. In this study, therefore, crop losses due to FAW in 2017 and 2018 were estimated in all the maize production areas of Kenya. Data were collected during June and...
Abstract: Push–pull involves intercropping of cereals with Desmodium as a “push” crop and planting Napier grass/Brachiaria as the “pull” crop at the border. The technology has been reported to effectively control stemborers, striga weed, and fall armyworm (FAW), and to improve soil nutrition, resulting in increased grain yield. This study evaluated the impact of stemborer and FAW management using this technology on incidence of maize ear rots and preharvest contamination of grains ...
Abstract: Both field- and landscape-scale factors can influence the predator communities of agricultural pests, but the relative importance and interactions between these scales are poorly understood. Focusing on spiders, an important taxon for providing biological control, we tested the influence of field- and landscape-scale factors on structuring the spider communities in a highly dynamic brassica agroecosystem. We found that local factors (pesticide-use and crop type) and forested landsc...
Abstract: Avocado (Persea americana Mill.) production contributes to the economic growth of East Africa. However, poor fruit quality caused by infestations of tephritid fruit flies (Tephritidae) and the false codling moth, Thaumatotibia leucotreta (Meyrick), hampers access to lucrative export markets. Remote sensing and spatial analysis are increasingly applied to crop pest studies to develop sustainable and cost-effective control strategies. In this study, we assessed pest abundance in Mura...
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...