Abstract: Ecological niche modelling is a method designed to describe and predict the geographic distribution of an organism. This procedure aims to quantify the species-environment relationship by describing the association between the organism’s occurrence records and the environmental characteristics at these points. More simply, these models attempt to capture the ecological niche that a particular organism occupies. A popular application of ecological niche models is to predict the po...
ABSTRACT The fall armyworm is a devastating pest of maize which has recently reached the African continent. Currently, there are no registered insecticides for FAW control in African countries, except applications allowed through an emergency label, suggesting an urgent need for insecticide screening. A study was carried out at the Department of Research and Specialist Service to investigate the efficacy of selected biopesticides and synthetic chemicals against the fall armyworm. The laborato...
ABSRACT Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are the most common type of infections encountered in medical practice today. Effective treatment of these infections is being hindered by antibiotic resistance of UTI pathogens. Prevalence of UTIs differs with geographical location, seasons, and gender. Therefore, it is important to isolate and identify the uro-pathogens causing UTIs in an area and determine their antibiotic susceptibility patterns. In this study, a total of 92 mid-stream urine samples...
ABSTRACT Cassava (Manihot esculenta) is a drought resistant crop that can potentially contribute to food security through diversification of the staple diet in Zimbabwe. A major hindrance to its adoption as a major food item is its perceived toxicity because it contains a cyanogenic glycoside, which can be hydrolyzed into hydrogen cyanide, HCN, and there is also lack of its nutritional benefits. A comparative study of three cassava varieties (Benguela, Malawi 1 and Malawi 7) grown in Zimbabwe...
ABSTRACT Maize (Zea mays L.) is grown in different parts of the world, where it is a staple crop and many people rely on it as a primary source of nutrition. Salt stress is an external abiotic constraint that reduces maize ability to convert energy to biomass when it is in high concentrations. We conducted an experiment to investigate the effect of sodium chloride concentration on morphology of seedlings of maize varieties Agri Seeds R201, SC 513 and SC 403. The practical importance of the st...
ABSTRACT Spinach (Spinacia oleracea) is a low growing fleshly leaved annual plant that can be used as a vegetable and or to treat a variety of diseases. This study aimed at comparing the effectiveness of cow, chicken and pig manure on the plant height, leaf number, leaf length as well as root length of spinach. An experiment was conducted in a greenhouse at Africa University between the months of June and July 2018. The experiment was a randomised complete block design (RCBD) with chicken ma...
Abstract Salmonella enterica and Shigella dysenteria are different groups of Gram-negative bacteria. Salmonella infection affects the small and large intestine (enterocolitis) whereas Shigella infection affects the colon (colitis). Diarrhea, abdominal pain and fever are the main symptoms in both diseases. The study was conducted among Beitbridge residents who visited Beitbridge District Hospital suffering from diarrhea in the months December 2017 and January 2018. The aim of the study was t...
ABSTRACT Pollution of the aquatic environment is a major global concern as it is emerging that pollutants such as organic compounds are rising each day. The anthropogenic activities such as agricultural and wastewater effluent contribute to the pollution of aquatic resources. The aim of this study was to determine the spatial occurrence and concentration of organic compounds in water and sediment along Sebakwe River in Kwekwe. Water and sediment samples were collected once in January 2019 at...
ABSTRACT Gloria and Nua 45 are two of the most commonly grown sugar bean varieties in Zimbabwe. Beans are a cheap alternative source of protein and have been on high demand due to the ever-rising meat prices. Gloria and Nua 45 are being affected by the black bean aphid (Aphis fabae) feeding which is the most problematic insect pest of beans. The aphid feeds on foliage of plants resulting in stunted growth and reduced yields. A comparison of susceptibility to feeding by A. fabae was done to d...
ABSTRACT The process of re-establishing the natural level of arbuscular mycorrhizae (AM) fungi richness can represent a valid alternative to conventional phosphate based fertilization practices, with a view to sustainable agriculture. The main strategy that can be adopted to achieve this goal is the direct re-introduction of AM fungi inoculum into a target soil. AM fungi have a high affinity for phosphorus, an essential macronutrient that participates in the skeleton of the nucleic acids DNA ...
Abstract Many of the sewage treatment plants in Zimbabwe have not been upgraded to accommodate the population increases that the cities have undergone. This has resulted in the release of raw or partially treated sewage into rivers, which negatively impacts the ecological health of these ecosystems. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of sewage effluent on the aquatic health of Sebakwe River, Kwekwe. Monthly surveys of macroinvertebrates and water variables were carried out from...
ABSTRACT Diarrheal diseases are the third leading cause of death in third world countries, resulting in 1.8 million deaths around the world per annum. A study was carried out to assess the microbial quality of ready to eat cooked foods sold at Midlands State University (MSU) bus terminus in March 2018. Type of samples which were microbially assessed were sadza, rice, chicken stew, beef stew, cabbage salads, pork chops and russian sausages. Sampling was done for three different days. A total o...
ABSTRACT Pollution of aquatic ecosystems with heavy metals is now of global concern due to their effects on human health and persistence in the environment. The study was carried out to determine the heavy metal pollution in Sebakwe River Kwekwe, Zimbabwe. To provide information on heavy metals chromium, lead, copper, magnesium and iron concentrations in water and sediments, samples were collected at five sites in January 2019 and in February 2019. The samples were acid digested and analysed ...
ABSTRACT Candida species are the most common cause of fungal infections in humans. Candida species produce infections that range from non life-threatening mucocutaneous illnesses to invasive processes that may involve virtually any organ and this broad range of infections. Candida albicans coexists with a highly diverse human bacterial microbiota. Candida tropicalis is a common pathogen in neutropenic hosts in whom it may spread through the bloodstream to peripheral organs. Candida tropicalis...
ABSTRACT Use of sewage sludge and effluent in cultivation of crops and vegetables is a common practice in Zimbabwe. However, high concentrations of heavy metals such as Cadmium (Cd) in sewage sludge and effluent does not only result in environmental contamination, but may lead to elevated heavy metal uptake by crops, which may affect food quality and safety. The current study aimed to investigate if high concentration of Cd in sludge and effluent from Gimboki Sewage Treatment Plant translates...