Abstract: Microorganisms and their natural products are potentially important for the biological control of crop diseases without detrimental effects to the environment. In this study, acetonitrile-methanol extracts of 361 actinobacterial isolates obtained from Aberdares, Arabuko Sokoke, Lake Bogoria, Mt Kenya,Kakamega, Ruma, Shimba Hills and Imenti forest national parks in Kenya were screened for antagonism against Fusarium oxysporum, Fusarium spp and Colletotrichum kahawae, which are impor...
Abstract: Temperature critically affects the performance of entomopathogenic fungi (EPF). Mathematical models are critical tools used in predictive microbiology but are less adopted for EPF. We selected eight nonlinear models to describe thermal biology; minimum (Tmin), optimal (Topt) and maximum (Tmax) thresholds; and maximal growth (Pmax) of EPF. Conidial germination and mycelial growth of Metarhizium anisopliae (ICIPE 7, ICIPE 20, ICIPE 62, ICIPE 69, ICIPE 78) and Beauveria bassiana (ICIP...
Abstract: The use of endophytic fungi has dramatically increased plant performance through the enhancement of plant protection against abiotic and biotic stressors. We previously demonstrated that the endophytic fungus Trichoderma asperellum M2RT4 improves tomato defenses against the tomato leafminer Tuta absoluta through the reduction of oviposition, leafmining, pupation, and adult emergence. However, the underlying mechanism by which the presence of this endophytic fungus within tomato hos...
Abstract: Although black soldier fly frass fertilizer (BSFFF) is effective on crop performance, information on nitrogen (N) mineralization and nutrient release capacity of soils amended with BSFFF is lacking. This study utilized field incubation experiments to investigate the ammonification, nitrification, microbial populations, and quantities of nutrients released by soils amended with BSFFF and commercial organic fertilizer (SAFI) for a period equivalent to two maize cropping seasons. For ...
Abstract: Background: Tsetse fly-borne trypanosomiasis remains a significant problem in Africa despite years of interventions and research. The need for new strategies to control and possibly eliminate trypanosomiasis cannot be over-emphasized. Entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) infect their hosts through the cuticle and proliferate within the body of the host causing death in about 3–14 days depending on the concentration. During the infection process, EPF can reduce blood feeding abilities in ...
Abstract: Anopheles mosquitoes are colonized by diverse microorganisms that may impact on host biology and vectorial capacity. Eukaryotic symbionts such as fungi have been isolated from Anopheles, but whether they are stably associated with mosquitoes and transmitted transstadially across mosquito life stages or to subsequent generations remains largely unexplored. Here, we show that a Leptosphaerulina sp. fungus isolated from the midgut of An.gambiae can be stably associated with An. gambia...
Abstract: Entomopathogenic fungi have been explored as a potential biopesticide to counteract the insecticide resistance issue in mosquitoes. However, little is known about the possibility that genetic resistance to fungal biopesticides could evolve in mosquito populations. Here, we detected an important genetic component underlying Anopheles coluzzii survival after exposure to the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae. A familiality study detected variation for survival among wild ...
Abstract: Microsporidia are spore-forming eukaryotes that are related to fungi but have unique traits that set them apart. They have compact genomes as a result of evolutionary gene loss associated with their complete dependency on hosts for survival. Despite having a relatively small number of genes, a disproportionately high percentage of the genes in microsporidia genomes code for proteins whose functions remain unknown (hypothetical proteins—HPs). Computational annotation of HPs has be...
Abstract: Plant-parasitic nematodes (PPNs) are a major concern in agriculture as they cause significant crop damage resulting in yield losses and economic losses for farmers (FAO, 2019). For the past 50 years, the control of PPNs has relied heavily on the use of synthetic nematicides and soil fumigants, which have been effective in rapidly controlling nematode populations. However, due to environmental and health concerns, many traditional nematicides have been banned or withdrawn from the m...
Abstract: Potato Cyst Nematodes (PCN) (Globodera rostochiensis and G. pallida Woll.) are quarantine pests of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) worldwide capable of causing significant yield loss and difficult to manage with conventional methods. The study explored the diversity of antagonistic fungi associated with PCN obtained from soil samples collected in Nyandarua and Nakuru Counties in Kenya and their effect on PCN egg viability and hatching was also evaluated. Twelve fungal isolates from f...
Abstract: Plant viruses and entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) can both elicit immune responses in insects. This study was designed to clarify whether plant viruses could affect the efficacy of EPF and explore the immune responses of brown planthopper (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens, in response to different pathogen infections. In this study, a strain of Metarhizium anisopliae YTTR with high pathogenicity against BPH was selected and explored whether rice ragged stunt virus (RRSV) could affect its leth...
Abstract: Bioconversion of livestock wastes using insect larvae represents an emerging and effective strategy for waste management. However, knowledge on the role of the garden fruit chafer (Pachnoda sinuata L.) in waste recycling and influence on the diversity of microbial community in frass fertilizer is limited. Here, we determined whether and to what extent the conversion of cattle dung into insect frass fertilizer by P. sinuata influences the frass’ microbial community and its associa...
Abstract: The small hive beetle Aethina tumida Murray, is an African native that has become an invasive pest of honeybees in North America. The beetle is capable of rapid population growth on pollen,honey, and bee brood. It is also capable of feeding and reproducing on various kinds of fruit, but its ability to sustain population growth on diets other than bee products has remained unknown. We examined this question by observing A. tumida on 2 diets: pollen dough (inoculated with a species o...
Abstract: Anopheles mosquitoes are colonized by diverse microorganisms that may influence hosts‟ biology and vectorial capacity. Resident Anopheles bacterial symbionts isolated from these hosts are known to influence traits such as generational fitness, survival, host seeking,and infectivity of pathogens such asPlasmodium falciparum.Eukaryotic symbionts such as fungi residing in the gut of Anopheles gambiaecould confer similar phenotypes, but are undexplored. It was hypothesized that fungi...
Abstract: Pachnoda interrupta (Olivier) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) is a damaging pest of sorghum,other cereals and horticultural crops such as maize, wheat, barley, bananas, guava etc. in Africa which at times results in complete crop losses. Current control strategies heavily rely on chemical pesticides. Controlling adult beetles through application of insecticides,in addition to being detrimental to the environment and the ecology, does not provide long lasting control.Thus, efficient biol...