非洲主要林业国家木材资源概况

概述了非洲森林资源及木材加工现状,并对非洲主要的8个森林资源大国的森林资源分布、主要树种、珍贵木材、出口等方面做了介绍。非洲森林资源丰富,类型多样,经济价值高,木材径级及蓄积量大,在我国木材进口市场中的地位日渐凸显。     

气候变化对非洲水资源和农业的影响

尽管非洲是世界上温室气体排放总量或人均排放量最少的地区,但在承受气候变化造成的恶劣影响方面首当其冲。气候变化已经给非洲的水资源、农业、生物多样性、人类健康和国家安全等带来诸多严重影响,粮食生产和水资源一直是非洲长期面临的两大难题,也是深受气候变化影响的两大领域还较欠缺,需要在未来的研究中进一步加强,以探寻减缓气候变化对非洲水资源和农业不利影响的有效途径。本文系统梳理了气候变化对非洲水资源系统和农业生产影响的研究成果和不足,以期为非洲气候变化影响评估工作提供一定参考和借鉴。已有的观测结果表明,气候变化导致非洲许多山脉冰川面积正在大范围缩减、大部分地区降水量有所减少,降雨的年际间分布也更为不稳定,通过水文模型的模拟预测,未来气候变化将进一步影响降水量和非洲部分地区河流的径流量,导致非洲水资源供给压力加大。同样,气候变化也给非洲农业生产带来了巨大的挑战,无论是观测结果分析,还是统计模型和作物模型等对不同气候情景和时间尺度下非洲农业的模拟研究,都显示气候变化对非洲农业以负面影响为主,导致非洲干旱加剧、生长季改变和粮食产量下降,并可能危及非洲的粮食安全。然而,现有研究结果还存在较多不确定性,其主要集中在未来气候情景数据、研究方法、数据的质量和数量等方面。与世界其它地区相比,非洲气候变化影响研究无论是研究的深度和广度都     

Pest status and control of blister beetles in West Africa

Abstract

During recent years, blister beetles have gained importance in species diversity and as pests of food crops in West Africa. Among the 97 species reported, Psalydolytta fusca Oliv, and P. vestita Duf. are economically important beetle species. Beetle abundance is generally associated with the flowering of crops in a region. Regular intensive weeding and early crop establishment are recommended for pest management in food crops. Global pest control strategies are discussed in the context of subsistence agriculture.     

Thieves,bats and fruit flies: local ecological knowledge on the weaver ant Oecophylla longinoda in relation to three ‘invisible’ intruders in orchards in Guinea

We held interviews with 100 mango and cashew growers in Guinea, West Africa. Fewer than 20 questions dealing with the tree-inhabiting weaver ant Oecophylla longinoda were developed, based on local context and related research conducted on farmers' knowledge in other countries. More than half of the growers reported that ants protect their orchard from thieves. Apart from deterring snakes, about 46% of the growers mentioned that weaver ants reduce damage by fruit-eating bats; some reported that bats do dislike the smell of weaver ants. Whereas the relationship between ants and humans or conspicuous fruit bats is well understood, a quantitative appreciation of the effect of Oecophylla on small insect pests, such as fruit flies, is more complex. Despite the fact that 57% of the growers reported that Oecophylla had a positive effect on mango fruit quality, many classified Oecophylla as a pest due to its nuisance during harvest, and they requested the plant protection staff to help them with pesticides. Strategies to strengthen local ecological knowledge are discussed.     

Implications of on-farm research for local knowledge related to fruit flies and the weaver ant Oecophylla longinoda in mango production

We interviewed half of the mango-growers in northern Benin, including 15 farmers involved in a regional fruit fly project, and held focus group discussions with women fruit-pickers. They were asked about pest management and their knowledge of a weaver ant, Oecophylla longinoda. All considered low yields due to fruit flies to be the principal constraint upon mango production, estimating economic losses to be between 20 and 45%. None could recognize damage during the first 2 days after fruit fly egg deposition. On-farm research persuaded farmers to stop using insecticides and it also changed negative perceptions of Oecophylla. Over 80% of the farmers involved in on-farm research, compared to 25% of those not involved, reported Oecophylla to be beneficial. All fruit-pickers knew that ants protected mango from fruit flies, with 60% attributing better mango quality in terms of appearance, shelf-life and sweetness to the presence of Oecophylla. Nevertheless, 40% of the pickers still considered weaver ants a nuisance pest during harvest. Ways of reducing this nuisance need to be developed for Oecophylla to gain wider acceptance by mango-growers.     

Smallholder cotton production in sub-Saharan Africa: An assessment of the way forward

Abstract

The benefits of growing organic cotton were advocated in a recent contribution to this Forum. While welcoming a debate on this subject, we advocate a closer look at the history of cotton in Africa, whereby for decades farmers did grow cotton without insecticides. We believe that while there may be a market for ‘organic’ cotton production, it would be a retrograde step to ignore the technological advances that enable much higher yields to be obtained economically. What is needed is improved training and extension services backed up by an on-going research programme for IPM/ICM utilising the most appropriate technologies. Continuing research is needed to integrate new technology of benefit to the small-scale farmer, whether aiming at organic production or higher yields by integrating rational use of biotechnology and pesticides.     

Plant Disease Control

Abstract

Experiments have been carried out in the Ivory Coast to assess the performance of a prototype rapid release system to apply larvicides for the control of S. damnosum, the vector of onchocerciasis. The equipment was fitted to a Pilatus Porter aircraft and was used to apply Abate larvicide to a large river during conditions of low water level. It was shown that the equipment could accurately deliver volumes of larvicide between one and 50 l and that these quantities could be placed exactly along chosen points in the river, provided the aircraft was flown along the direction of the watercourse. Satisfactory control of S. damnosum larvae was achieved at three sites using a dosage rate of 0.05 ppm/10 min of waterflow. However, it was recommended that a dosage of 0.1 ppm/10 min be adopted in future work because some of the more extensive sites treated were underdosed. It was not possible to assess the biological effectiveness of the equipment for treating small rivers, but physical tests were carried out which suggest that the system should be suitable for applying larvicide to rivers as narrow as five metres width. Recommendations were made to improve the reliability of the equipment for use in an operational onchocerciasis programme.     

Arthropod populations and rice yields in direct-seeded and transplanted lowland rice in West Africa

Studies were conducted on the effect of pruning time, host age, urediniospore release and weather parameters on the incidence and intensity of mulberry leaf rust (Peridiopsora mori). Rust severity significantly increased with increasing shoot age, irrespective of pruning time. Maximum disease severity was observed in plants pruned during the third week of October, and minimum severity in plants pruned during last week of November. Apparent infection rate was higher in younger shoots. Infection rate was higher in plants pruned during the last week of November. Urediniospore release was influenced by prevailing climatic conditions. A higher rate of spore release was noticed during sunny days. Maximum spore release was found between 12.00 h and 14.00 h. Spore release was positively correlated with temperature and negatively correlated with relative humidity. Rust severity (34.97%) was higher in January and least (1.03%) during May. Rust severity was negatively correlated with both temperature and rainfall. An exponential model was developed for the prediction of rust severity which was accurate up to 96.60%.     

Phytophthora infestans populations in central,eastern and southern African countries consist of two major clonal lineages

Limited knowledge is available on Phytophthora infestans populations in Sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA). Therefore, and in response to recent severe late blight epidemics, P. infestans isolates from potato, tomato and Petunia × hybrida from eight SSA countries were characterized. Isolates were characterized with ‘old’ markers, including mating type (176 isolates), mitochondrial DNA haplotype (mtDNA) (281 isolates), glucose‐6‐phosphate isomerase (Gpi) (70 isolates), restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis with probe RG‐57 (49 isolates), and by metalaxyl sensitivity (64 isolates). Most isolates belonged to the US‐1 genotype or its variants (US‐1.10 and US‐1.11). The exceptions were genotype KE‐1 isolates (A1 mating type, mtDNA haplotype Ia, Gpi 90/100 and unique RG‐57 genotype), identified in two fields in Kenya, which are related to genotypes previously identified in Rwanda (RW‐1 and RW‐2), Ecuador and Europe. Metalaxyl‐resistant P. infestans isolates from potato were present in all the countries except Malawi, whereas all the isolates from tomato were sensitive. Genotyping of 176 isolates with seven simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers, including locus D13 that was difficult to score, revealed 79 multilocus genotypes (MLGs) in SSA. When this locus was excluded, 35 MLGs were identified. Genetic differentiation estimates between regional populations from SAA were significant when locus D13 was either excluded (P = 0·05) or included (P = 0·007), but population differentiation was only low to moderate (F_ST = 0·044 and 0·053, respectively).