ABSTRACT Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) is a tropical root crop that serves as a staple food and a vital source of income to small holder farmers in the tropics. Despite its contribution to food security, cassava production and utilization is faced by several challenges that include post-harvest physiological deterioration, insect and disease susceptibilities and accumulation of cyanogenic glycosides. Cassava crop improvement by conventional breeding has failed to address these constrain...
ABSTRACT Instructional media has gained prominence in the recent past, especially given that the process of teaching is currently gravitating towards constructivist learning where the teacher is no longer the sole source of knowledge. The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of instructional media in teaching of Kiswahili in public primary teachers’ training colleges (PTTCs) in Kenya. Objectives of the study were to: establish the availability of instructional media used in tea...
ABSTRACT Solanum nigrum (commonly referred to as black nightshade) are world-wide weeds on arable land, gardens and rubbish pits. Nightshades have been used in the field of medicine in the manufacture of analgesics, ointments and vasodilators. The limited information available on this neglected and underutilized family hinders their development as well as sustainable conservation. Existing knowledge on the genetic potential of these plants is limited and the information regarding the genomic ...
ABSTRACT Learning mathematics is a cognitive as well as affective endeavor with the affective factors playing major role in student achievement. The main purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between affective factors and students’ achievement in Mathematics in Ganze District, Kilifi County Kenya. Study was motivated by underrepresentation of females in advanced mathematics levels and related careers. The study was guided by the following three specific objectives: to estab...
ABSTRACT Schistosomiasis (also known as Bilharzia) is a disease caused by species of parasitic worms or helminths of the genus Schistosoma. It continues to be a serious world wide public health problem. The pathological changes in schistosome infestations are caused mainly by the deposition of the eggs into various tissues and organs where granulomas or pseudo tubercles are formed around them. Schistosomes and their intermediate snail hosts are integral parts of the freshwater aquatic en...
ABSTRACT In Kenya maize (Zea mays L.) is the most important staple food. Owing to its predominant role, food security in the future cannot be achieved without major increases in cereal production. An efficient in vitro regeneration and transformation system holds a great potential for genetic improvement of maize against production constraints. This study was conducted with the objective of assessing the regenerative capacity, genetic transformation of Kenyan maize genotypes and efficacy of ...
ABSTRACT Cassava has been recognized as an important crop to more than 600 million people around the world prompting scientists to look for ways to improve the crop’s nutritive qualities, enhance its resistance to diseases and pests; reduce its levels of cyanide toxicity and reduce the crop’s rate of postharvest physiological deterioration (PPD). To develop improved cassava, genetic engineering is being used as a tool to deliver genes of interest directly into farmer preferred varieties....
ABSTRACT Coffee provides one of the most widely drunk beverages in the world, and is a very important source of foreign exchange income for many countries. In kenya, coffee production has a significant contribution to Kenya‟s economy for decades, and a high proportion of the coffee produced is considered the best quality coffee in the world. In coffee, morphological parameters are very often used to discriminate the varieties and hybrids. However, this exercise has some challenges that incl...
ABSTRACT Rice cooking and eating qualities are mostly determined by the grain’s starch content which is composed of amylose and amylopectin. Amylose content is regarded as the most important indicator in classifying rice varieties in terms of starch content. Waxy gene located on chromosome 6 codes for Granule Bound Starch Synthase (GBBS) enzyme which is involved in biocatalysis of amylose synthesis in rice endosperm. In addition, amylopectin content influences gelatinization temperature in ...
ABSTRACT Finger millet is an important cereal cultivated in Eastern Africa as well as Southern India. It is a staple crop that is characterized by ability to thrive on a variety of environmental conditions, excellent grain storage quality and ability to withstand significant levels of salinity. Scientific research aimed at improving this important cereal has been negligible and it is regarded as one of the orphaned crop species. The aim of this project was to isolate microsatellite markers f...
ABSTRACT There has been poor performance of road contract due to diverse challenges such as poor management of funds and poor delivery of services to the road user. In addition, the performance measurement systems aren’t efficient or effective to overcome this problem. Road contractor’s performance problem appears in many aspects, ranging from fail in time performance, cost performance and others fail in other performance indicators. This study sought to establish and investigate the in...
ABSTRACT Monitoring and Evaluation over time have gained traction and become fundamental components in projects. Most internal evaluations are based on the assumption that evaluators are independent and do not bow to different forms of influence. Literature however reveals cases of evaluators being confronted by stakeholders to either alter or misrepresent their findings. Independence of evaluators at work is therefore at stake. The fear is that unless a solution is found, interferences are ...
ABSTRACT Most of the houses in Mombasa County are poorly constructed and without approved plans by Municipal Council of Mombasa and there are no urban plans for the structures constructed which makes Mombasa as a city surrounded by many shanty structures in the estates. In recent years, a number of financial institutions have encouraged the development of modern housing structures through provision of Financial assistance in form of loans, grants and implemented inform of projects. A good ex...
ABSTRACT The green peach aphid, Myzus persicae is a worldwide aphid species which is responsible for important economic losses. Its feed on more than 50 plant families, causing great losses to agro industrial crops, vegetables, horticultural crops and stone fruits and it is presently categorized as one of the most important agricultural pests worldwide. Conventional insecticides used for aphids control are expensive and arguably associated with various severe adverse side effects hence the n...
ABSTRACT Africa is a drought prone continent making farming risky especially to small-scale farmers who depend on rain-fed agriculture. Maize is the most widely grown staple crop in Africa with more than 300 million people depending on it as their main food source. Drought leads to crop failure, hunger and poverty and this is being worsened by climate change. There is therefore need to develop drought tolerant maize. Conventional breeding methods have been applied in the development of droug...