Genetics Research Papers/Topics

Evolutionary genomics at the human-environment interface in Africa.

Abstract: We report on the first meeting of SMBE in Africa. SMBE Malawi was initiated to bring together African and international researchers who use genetics or genomics to study natural systems impacted by human activities. The goals of this conference were 1) to reach a world-class standard of science with a large number of contributions from Africa, 2) to initiate exchange between African and international researchers, and 3) to identify challenges and opportunities for evolutionary geno...

Genetic diversity of Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera: Liviidae) unravels phylogeographic structure and invasion history of eastern African populations

Abstract: The Asian citrus psyllid (Diaphorina citri Kuwayama) is a key pest of Citrus sp. worldwide, as it acts as a vector for Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus, the bacterial pathogen that causes citrus Huanglongbing. Diaphorina citri has been reported in Kenya,Tanzania, and more recently in Ethiopia. This study assessed the genetic diversity and phylogeographic structure of the pest to gain insights into the potential sources of its introduction into Africa. Population structure and diff...

Resolving taxonomic ambiguity and crypticspeciation of Hypotrigona species throughmorphometrics and DNA barcoding

Abstract: Stingless bees are important pollinators of cultivated and wild plants, contributing significantly to biodiversity and foodsecurity. Conserving pollinator plant interactions is essential to secure these ecosystems services. The use ofmorphological features in the identification of stingless bees in the genusHypotrigonais extremely difficult, due to manysimilarities among species resulting in taxonomic ambiguity. Here, we apply both traditional morphometrics and DNAbarcoding as ompl...