• Characterisation of ‘giant’ cysts of the potato cyst nematode, Globodera rostochiensis, present in potato fields in Kenya 

  James, A. Price; Kelsey, Hunt; Newton, Nyagah; Calvince, Orage; Onesmus, Mwaura; Solveig, Haukeland; Danny, Coyne; John, T. Jones (Nematology, 2024)

  Potato production in East Africa is seriously impacted by the potato cyst nematode (PCN), Globodera rostochiensis, where it has been recorded in at least three countries. In Kenya, it is widespread in all major potato-growing ...
• Push-pull cropping system positively impacts diversity and abundance of springtails (Hexapoda: Collembola) as bioindicators of soil health 

  Daniel, Munyao Mutyambai; Johnstone, Mutiso Mutua; Abdul, A. Jalloh; Saliou, Niassy; Thomas, Dubois; Zeyaur, Khan; Sevgan, Subramanian (European Journal of Soil Biology, 2024)

  Crop cultivation positively or negatively impacts soil biodiversity and associated ecological services. The push-pull technology (PPT), a climate-smart cereal-Desmodium spp.-Brachiaria spp. Companion cropping system, is ...
• Scientific validation of plant extracts used by farmers in the management of bean flower thrips on French beans in Keny 

  Nancy, Mwende Munyoki; James, Muthomi; Dora, Kilalo; David, Bautze; Milka, Kiboi; Edwin, Mwangi; Edward, Karanja; Felix, Matheri; Noah, Adamtey; Komivi, S. Akutse; Xavier, Cheseto (Journal of Applied Entomology, 2024)

  Bean flower thrips (Megalurothrips usitatus ) is a major French bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) pest. Small- scale farmers manage the pest using mixed plant extracts although their efficacy has not been scientifically validated. ...
• Impact of pre-harvest fungicide application on the storage performance of tomato fruits 

  Zhifu, Lan; Jing, Huang; Komivi, S. Akutse; Yongwen, Lin (PLOS ONE, 2024)

  To examine the impact of pre-harvest fungicide applications on the postharvest storage performance of tomato fruits, we measured the lycopene content, hardness, soluble solids content, rotting rate, and weight loss rate ...
• Plant-parasitic nematodes associated with maize, and their relationship with soil properties in southern and southwestern Ethiopia 

  Aseffa, Abebe W; Meressa, Beira H.; Tefera, Tadele; Green, Kristina K.; Mendesil, Esayas (Nematology, 2024)

  Maize is an important cereal crop in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Plant-parasitic nematodes significantly impact maize production. However, research on maize nematodes in SSA is limited. The current study aimed to assess the ...
• Co-occurrence and abundance of pollinators and pests in horticultural systems in Africa using an integrated Earth observation-based approach 

  Grace, Rebecca Aduvukha; Elfatih, M. Abdel-Rahman; Bester, Tawona Mudereri; Arthur, W. Sichang; Godfrey, Ouma Makokha; Michael, G.Lattorf; Samira, A. Mohamed; Tobias, Landmann; Henri, E. Z. Tonnang; Thomas, Dubois (GIScience & Remote Sensing, 2024)

  Flower-visiting insects that are pollinators play a critical role in promoting biodiversity in agroecosystems and agricultural food production through their pollination ecosystem service. However, several factors affect ...
• Tritrophic Interactions Mediated by Zoophytophagous Predator-Induced Host Plant Volatiles 

  Bashiru, Adams; Abdullahi, Ahmed Yusuf; Baldwyn, Torto; Fathiya, Mbarak Khamis (Journal of Chemical Ecology, 2024)

  The zoophytophagous mirid predator Nesidiocoris tenuis and the ectoparasitoid Stenomesius japonicus are important bio-logical control agents for several agricultural pests including the invasive leafminer, Phthorimaea ...
• Biorationals and Synthetic Insecticides for Controlling FallArmyworm and Their Influence on the Abundance andDiversity of Parasitoids 

  Otim, Michael Hilary; Ajam, Angella Lowra; Ogwal, Geofrey; Adumo, Stella Aropet; Kanyesigye, Dalton; Niassy, Saliou; Hailu, Girma; Akutse, Komivi Senyo; Subramanian, Sevgan (MDPI-Sustainability, 2024)

  Spodoptera frugiperda(fall armyworm, FAW) is a significant economic pest of maize inUganda. Many Ugandan maize farmers employ synthetic insecticides as their main form of controldespite the negative impacts of these ...
• Farmers’ Knowledge, Perceptions, and Management Practices ofFalse Codling Moth (Thaumatotibia leucotreta) in SmallholderCapsicumsp. Cropping Systems in Kenya 

  Onamu, Emmanuel M.; Mutyambai, Daniel M.; Nyangau, Isaac M.; Nderitu, John H.; Kasina, Muo; Kilalo, Dorah C; Mweke, Allan N. (MDPI:Horticulture, 2024)

  False codling moth (FCM)Thaumatotibia leucotretaMeyrick (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) iscurrently the main pest of phytosanitary concern in international trade, causing rejection and declineof horticultural produce from Kenya ...
• Investigating antimicrobial resistance genes in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania cattle using metagenomics 

  Omar, Kauthar M.; Kitundu, George L.; Jimoh, Adijat O.; Namikelwa, Dorcus N.; Lisso, Felix M.; Babajide, Abiola A.; Olufemi, Seun E.; Awe, Olaitan I. (BIOINFORMATICS AND GENOMICS, 2024)

  Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing problem in African cattle production systems, posing a threat to human and animal health and the associated economic value chain. However, there is a poor understanding of the ...
• Interactions between Bacillus thuringiensis and selected plant extracts for sustainable management of Phthorimaea absoluta 

  Ochieng, Terry A.; Akutse, Komivi S.; Ajene, Inusa J.; Kilalo, Dora C.; Muiru, Maina; Khamis, Fathiya M. (Scientific Reports, 2024)

  Phthorimaea absoluta is a global constraint to tomato production and can cause up to 100% yield loss. Farmers heavily rely on synthetic pesticides to manage this pest. However, these pesticides are detrimental to human, ...
• Physicochemical properties of edible cricket oils: Implications for use in pharmaceutical and food industries 

  Murugu, Dorothy K.; Onyango, Arnold N.; Ndiritu, Alex K.; Nyangena, Dorothy N.; Osuga, Isaac M.; Cheseto, Xavier; Subramanian, Sevgan; Ekesi, Sunday; Tanga, Chrysantus M. (Future Foods, 2024)

  The prevailing global market demands locally produced, sustainable oils for biomedical applications. This study focused on evaluating the quality of cricket-derived oils and meals from Scapsipedus icipe Hugel, Tanga, and ...
• Mango headspace volatiles trigger differential responses of the mango fruit fly Ceratitis cosyra and its parasitoids 

  Miano, Raphael Njurai; Dekker, Teun; Rohwer, Egmont; Ahmed Yusuf, Abdullahi; Cheseto, Xavier; Mohamed, Samira A. (Heliyon, 2024)

  Before the introduction of Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) to sub-Saharan Africa, Ceratitis cosyra (Walker) was economically the most important pest in mango farming. Its native natural enemy, the solitary parasitoid Psyttalia ...
• Biochemistry and transcriptomic analyses of Phthorimaea absoluta (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) response to insecticides 

  Karanu, Samantha W.; Inusa, J Ajene; Lelmen, Elijah K.; Ong’onge, Maureen A.; Akutse, Komivi S.; Khamis, Fathiya M. (Scientific Reports, 2024)

  Phthorimaea absoluta is an invasive solanaceous plant pest with highly devastating effects on tomato plant. Heavy reliance on insecticide use to tackle the pest has been linked to insecticide resistance selection in P. ...
• Evaluating the mitochondrial genomic diversity, global distribution and niche overlap of two invasive Phthorimaea species 

  Inusa, Jacob Ajene; Heya, Helen; Fathiya, Mbarak Khamis (Heliyon, 2024)

  This study sought to evaluate the genetic diversity of two invasive Phthorimaea species (Phthorimaea operculella Zeller and Phthorimaea absoluta Meyrick), and identify potential niche overlap of both species. The complete ...
• Climate change and plant health: impact, implications and the role of research for mitigation and adaptation 

  Dubois, Thomas; Hadi, Buyung A.R.; Vermeulen, Sonja; Ballantyne, Peter; Ballantyne, Peter; Dobermann, Achim; Fan, Shenggen; Garrett, Karen A.; Ibabao, Xenina (Global Food Security, 2024)

  Climate change is a pressing issue requiring bold innovations using an integrated and systematic approach. As part of the CGIAR Webinar Series for the International Year of Plant health 2020 a webinar took place in 2021 ...
• Long-term push–pull cropping system shifts soil and maize-root microbiome diversity paving way to resilient farming system 

  Abdul, A. Jalloh; Fathiya, Mbarak Khamis; Abdullahi, Ahmed Yusuf; Sevgan, Subramanian; Daniel, Munyao Mutyambai (BMC Microbiology, 2024)

  Background The soil biota consists of a complex assembly of microbial communities and other organisms that vary significantly across farming systems, impacting soil health and plant productivity. Despite its importance, ...
• The Dichotomy of the Journey of Arsenic from the Soil Uptake in Plants and Down into Water: A Review 

  Godfred, Yaw Boanyah (Arsenic Toxicity Remediation, 2024)

  Arsenic is generally toxic to all forms of life, and therefore, its accumulation in the human body serves as one of the major paths in implicating human health. When plants are grown in arsenic-contaminated soils, accumulation ...
• Assessing the impact of climate-resilient maize varieties and their interaction with the stem borer chilo partellus (swinhoe) (lepidoptera: crambidae) in semi-field conditions 

  Bonoukpoè, Mawuko Sokame; Henri E.Z., Tonnang; Paul-André, Calatayud; Thomas, Dubois (International Journal of Tropical Insect Science, 2024)

  Maize (Zea mays) is a critical staple crop in sub-Saharan Africa, where millions of people rely on for nutrition and livelihoods. However, the devastating impact of lepidopteran stemborer pests on maize production is a ...
• Pheromonal variation and mating between two mitotypes of fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) inAfrica 

  Birhanu, Sisay; Amanuel, Tamiru; Sevgan, Subramanian; Christopher W., Weldon; Fathiya, Khamis; Kristina, Karlsson Green; Peter, Anderson; Baldwyn, Torto (Pheromonal variation and mating between two mitotypes of fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) inAfrica, 2024)

  In the Americas, the fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) exists in two genetically distinct strains,the corn (C) and rice (R) strains. Despite their names, these strains are not associated with host plant preferences but ...

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