Abstract/Overview Plants have diverse and vast niches colonized by endophytic microorganisms that promote the wellbeing of host plant. These microbes inhabit internal plant tissues with no signs of ill health. Bacterial endophytes from many plants have been isolated and characterized due to their beneficial roles however their diversity in leguminous plants still remain unexploited. Diversity of bacterial endophytes isolated from Sesbania sesban, Leucaena diversifolia and Calliandra calot...
Abstract/Overview Soil acidity is a major constraint to crop production on highly weathered tropical soils characterized by high Aluminum (Al) toxicity, low cation exchange capacity, and low phosphorus (P) availability to plants. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of two powdered limes (calcium oxide, calcium carbonate), granulated lime (CaO.MgO), and their combinations with mineral fertilizer on soil chemical properties (soil pH, organic carbon, exchangeable acidity,...
Abstract/Overview We examined the socio-cultural practices on the use of beetle grubs as food and feed in western Kenya by interviewing 211 randomly selected households and conducting seven focus group discussions in Bungoma, Kakamega, Busia, and Trans Nzoia counties. The grubs were used as food and feed in ~ 39% and 78% of the households, respectively. The perceived benefits of the grubs for human consumption were nutritiousness and no linkage to allergies. The grubs were perceived t...
Abstract/Overview This study was carried out to analyze mycotoxins of entomopathogenic fungi of fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda J.E. Smith) and poultry feed safety. An experiment was set up to assess the types of mycotoxins produced by entomopathogenic fungal parasite of fall armyworm larvae and their subsequent efect on the safety of the larvae as a feed ingredient. Molecular characterization was done to estimate the diversity of entomopathogenic fungi on fall armyworm larvae specim...
Abstract/Overview Neochetina eichhorniae and Neochetina bruchi have been used for over four decades as Eichhorniae crassipes classical biological control agents globally. Despite the success of bio-control against the water hyacinth globally at different levels and environmental sustainability, biological control against water hyacinth seems to have overlooked the socio-economic sustainability in assisting the ravaged communities, gain resilience and adapt to the challenges of the invasiv...
Abstract/Overview The field cricket, Scapsipedus icipe Hugel and Tanga (Orthoptera: Gryllidae) is edible and could be used to reduce malnutrition in Sub-Saharan Africa. As the demand for cricket products is increasing, there is a need to find cost-effective ways of rearing this cricket using locally available and affordable sources of food. This study evaluated the feeding preferences of the field cricket S. icipe for 11 species of dayflowers (Commelina spp.; Commelinaceae), using no ...
Abstract/Overview Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) presents the opportunity to meet the world increasing food demands in the face of climate variability. In Kenya, CSA has been promoted as a means of adapting to climate change among Kenyan farmers under Kenya Climate Smart Agriculture Project (KCSAP) and farmers’ participation is key. This study, therefore, sought to identify the extent of participation in climate-smart agricultural projects (CSAPs) in terms of longevity of farmers’ pa...
Abstract/Overview Lake Flies are edible insects with the potential of contributing to food security in that they are an alternative protein and micronutrient food source in freshwater lake regions. The main challenge in exploiting the lake flies is the difficulty in the collection. This study was conducted to identify sustainable traditional collection practices and forecasting techniques of lake flies and was implemented in Rusinga and Mfangano Island in Kenya. The ethnographic study emp...
Abstract/Overview Ruspolia differens Serville (Orthoptera: Tettigonidae) is a highly nutritious and luxurious insect delicacy that is consumed as a food source in many African countries. However, the nutrient profile of R. differens in different geographical regions have received limited research interest. Here, we provide comprehensive evidence of geographical impact on the nutrient profile of R. differens and its potential to meet the recommended dietary intake of the population. Our ...
Abstract/Overview A 6-week feeding trial was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation with Yellow Meal Worm larvae (YMWL) on growth performance and carcass characteristics of broiler chicken. The larvae was processed and included in diets at different levels 0%YMWL (control), 2.5%YMWL, 5%YMWL and 7.5%YMWL. The diets were formulated to be iso-nitrogenous and iso-caloric in mash form for the starter and finisher phases. 160-day-old cobb-500 broiler chicks were randoml...
Abstract/Overview The utilization of edible insects as food and feed is not a new concept, it is a practice that has been part of the tradition of many communities around the world. They have been primarily used as supplementary food in most African countries. However, there has been a significant decline in the consumption of insects over the years, especially among young people. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the knowledge on entomophagy and the utilization of insects among ...
Abstract Mangroves around the world are being threatened by a combination of natural and human factors. Losses of mangroves leads to reduced forest cover and enhanced carbon emission. This study assessed cover change, forest structure, natural regeneration, and carbon stocks of mangroves in Lamu County, Kenya. Landsat images were used to assess cover change from 1990 to 2019, and structural data were obtained in the field using the plot method. Using stratified random design, mangroves were ...
Abstract Mangrove forests provide harvestable wood and non-wood resources to human society around the world. The current study evaluated value chain of mangrove wood products from Lamu County, Kenya, and how these impacts on resources’ sustainability. To assess structure and yield data of Lamu mangroves, stratified random sampling design was used in the different blocks. Quadrats measuring 20 m × 20 m were established along transects, running perpendicular to the shoreline covering differ...
Abstract Mangrove forests occur across a diversity of coastal landforms with different geomorphological, climatic and oceanographic influences. These factors influence mangrove structural development and productivity and as a result, the structural development of mangroves varies with the coastal geomorphology. Earlier inventory studies in Kenya suggest that mangroves growing in north of the Tana River have different structural attributes from those growing south of the river. The current st...
Abstract In Kenya, rice is an important staple crop after wheat and maize and the rate of consumption surpasses its production. Apart from consumption, rice is a cash crop for smallholder farmers including those in Kirinyaga County. Despite its usefulness in contributing to food security, rice production has remained low due to various constraints. Among these are plant-parasitic nematodes (PPN) that account for up to 20% of yield losses. Other than the deleterious effect of PPN, rice agroec...