Agriculture

Agriculture Research Papers/Topics

Insect pollination and pollinator supplementation enhances fruit weight, quality, and marketability of avocado (Persea americana)

Abstract: Avocado is a pollinator-dependent crop rich in fiber, monounsaturated oils, vitamins, and minerals, which is seeing an increase in global demand. While some studies have shown that insect pollination improves avocado fruit set, the effects of pollinators on fruit quality and the nutritional profile remain unclear. Furthermore, it remains untested whether a potential pollination deficit can be compensated by the supplementation of farms with extra pollinators. We quantified the cont...

Production, consumption, and market supply of edible crickets: insights from East Africa

Abstract: Globally, crickets are gaining recognition as a valuable alternative protein source for human consumption due to their lower resource requirement and ecological foot‑print compared to traditional livestock. In this paper, we examine strategies that may expedite the sustainable domestication of crickets as a food source. Using survey data from 306 households in western Kenya, we fnd that supplying cricket production starter kits, granting access to credit facilities, encouraging p...

Susceptibility of the Western Honey Bee Apis mellifera and the African Stingless Bee Meliponula ferruginea (Hymenoptera: Apidae) to the Entomopathogenic Fungi Metarhizium anisopliae and Beauv

Abstract: This study assessed the nontarget effect of entomopathogenic fungi on the Western honey bee Apis mellifera L. and the African stingless bee Meliponula ferruginea Cockrell (Hymenoptera: Apidae). Pathogenicity of five Metarhizium anisopliae (ICIPE 7, ICIPE 20, ICIPE 62, ICIPE 69, and ICIPE 78) (Metschnikoff) Sorokin (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae) and one of Beauveria bassiana (ICIPE 284) (Balsamo) Vuillemin (Hypocreales: Cordicipitaceae) isolates were evaluated on bees at 108 conidia...

A scientific note on in-hive positioning determines small hive beetle trap efficacy

Abstract: The small hive beetle (SHB), Aethina tumida, a parasite of honey bees is endemic to Sub-Saharan Africa and has become a global invasive pest. Adequate surveillance methods based on trapping methods need testing and verification of their efficacy. We tested the efficacy of top frame supplied cardboard traps. The efficacy was extremely low (0.9%) and significantly less effective than bottom board placed traps.

Harnessing data science to improve integrated management of invasive pest species across Africa: An application to Fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Abstract: After five years of its first report on the African continent, Fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) is considered a major threat to maize, sorghum, and millet production in sub-Saharan Africa. Despite the rigorous work already conducted to reduce FAW prevalence, the dynamics and invasion mechanisms of FAW in Africa are still poorly understood. This study applied interdisciplinary tools, analytics, and algorithms on a FAW dataset with a spatial lens to provide ins...

Integrating plant-to-plant communication and rhizospheremicrobial dynamics: ecological and evolutionary implicationsand a call for experimental rigor

Abstract: The perception of airborne chemical signals by plants can trigger reconfigurations of their metabolism that alter their bioticinteractions. While plant-to-plant chemical communication has primarily been studied in the context of eliciting defenses toherbivores and pathogens, recent work suggests that it can also affect plants’ interactions with their rhizosphere microbiomes. Inthis perspective, we discuss the potential for integrating the fields of plant-to-plant communication an...

Economic and Ecological values of Frass Fertiliser from Black Soldier fly Agro-industrial waste processing

Abstract: The sustainable utilisation of black soldier fly (BSF) for recycling organic waste into high-quality protein feed and organic fertiliser with a low environmental footprint is gaining momentum worldwide. Although BSF farming is becoming a rapidly growing agribusiness, studies on the BSF farming’s economic aspects are limited. This study analysed the economic benefits of farming BSF for animal feeds and composted frass, called frass fertiliser (FF) production using experimental dat...

Pollen diversity and protein content indifferentially degraded semi-arid landscapes inKenya

Abstract: In Africa there is a scarcity of information on how plant species that can provide forage for honey bees vary across dif-ferentially structured landscapes, and what are the implications of such variabilities on colony integrity. This researchpresents new insights into the diversity and richness of pollen collected byApis mellifera scutellata, a subspecies of theWestern honey bee native to sub-Saharan Africa, at six study sites of different degradation levels within a semi-aridlands...

Black Soldier Fly-Composted Organic Fertilizer Enhances Growth, Yield, and Nutrient Quality of Three Key Vegetable Crops in Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract: Worldwide, French beans (Phaseolus vulgarisL.), tomato (Solanum lycopersicumL.), andkales (Brassica oleraceaL.var. acephala) are considered economically important foodcrops. There is a rapid decline in their yield due to severe soil degradation. Thus, highcommercial fertilizer inputs are crucial, though they remain expensive and inaccessibleto resource poor farmers. We investigated the comparative performance of compostedblack soldier fly frass fertilizer (BSFFF), conventionallycom...

Color calibration of proximal sensing RGB images of oilseed rape canopy via deep Learning combined with K-Means algorithm

Abstract: Plant color is a key feature for estimating parameters of the plant grown under different conditions using remote sensing images. In this case, the variation in plant color should be only due to the influence of the growing conditions and not due to external confounding factors like a light source. Hence, the impact of the light source in plant color should be alleviated using color calibration algorithms. This study aims to develop an efficient, robust, and cutting-edge approach f...

Is it possible to discern striga weed (Striga hermonthica) infestation levels in maize agroecological systems using in-situ spectroscopy?

Abstract: The invasion by Striga in most cereal crop fields in Africa has posed a significant threat to food security and hascaused substantial socioeconomic losses. Hyperspectral remote sensing is an effective means to discriminateplant species, providing possibilities to track such weed invasions and improve precision agriculture. However,essential baseline information using remotely sensed data is missing, specifically for the Striga weed in Africa. Inthis study, we investigated the spect...

Long-distance Pollen flow Assessment through Evaluation of Pollinator Foraging Range Suggests Transgene Escape Distances

Abstract: Foraging range, an important component of bee ecology, is of considerable interest for insect-pollinated plants because it determines the potential for outcrossing among individuals. However, long-distance pollen flow is difficult to assess, especially when the plant also relies on self-pollination. Pollen movement can be estimated indirectly through population genetic data, but complementary data on pollinator flight distances is necessary to validate such estimates. By using radi...

Evaluation of Various Mulberry Morus spp. (Moraceae) Cultivars for the Rearing of the Bivoltine Hybrid Race Shaanshi BV-333 of the silkworm Bombyx mori (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae)

Abstract: The performance of the Bombyx mori Linnaeus bivoltine hybrid, Shaanshi BV-333, was evaluated on six mulberry cultivars of Morus spp. based on economic characters in rearing and mulberry leaf quality. The growth rate and morphological characteristics for all the cultivars were studied using several parameters. Specific characters such as disease resistance, survival percentage, cocoon weight, cocoon shell weight and single cocoon filament length were recorded during the rearing of s...

Carbon Storage and Emissions offset Potential in an African Dry Forest, the Arabuko-Sokoke Forest, Kenya

Abstract: Concerns about rapid tropical deforestation, and its contribution to rising atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases, increase the importance of monitoring terrestrial carbon storage in changing landscapes. Emerging markets for carbon emission offsets may offer developing nations needed incentives for reforestation, rehabilitation, and avoided deforestation. However, relatively little empirical data exists regarding carbon storage in African tropical forests, particularly for...

Shoot Epicatechin and Epigallocatechin Contents Respond to Water Stress in Tea [Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze]

Abstract: An experiment was conducted to determine the association of tea catechins to water stress in tea, with the objective of determining their suitability as indicators for predicting drought tolerance in tea (Camellia sinensis). The study consisted of six tea clones (BBK 35, TRFK 6/8, TRFK 76/1, TRFK 395/2, TRFK 31/30, and TRFK 311/287) and four levels of soil water content (38, 30, 22, and 14% v/v), which were arranged in a complete randomized design and replicated 3 times. The treatm...


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