Local management and landscape drivers of pollination and biological control services in a Kenyan agro-ecosystem

Arthropods that have a direct impact on crop production (i.e. pests, natural enemies and pollinators) can be influenced by both local farm management and the context within which the fields occur in the wider landscape. However, the contributions and spatial scales at which these drivers operate and interact are not fully understood, particularly in the developing world. The impact of both local management and landscape context on insect pollinators and natural enemy communities and on their capacity to deliver related ecosystem services to an economically important tropical crop, pigeonpea was investigated. The study was conducted in nine paired farms across a gradient of increasing distance to semi-native vegetation in Kibwezi, Kenya. Results show that proximity of fields to semi-native habitats negatively affected pollinator and chewing insect abundance. Within fields, pesticide use was a key negative predictor of pollinator, pest and foliar active predator abundance. On the contrary, fertilizer application significantly enhanced pollinator and both chewing and sucking insect pest abundance. At a 1 km spatial scale of fields, there were significant negative effects of the number of semi-native habitat patches within fields dominated by mass flowering pigeonpea on pollinators abundance. For service provision, a significant decline in fruit set when insects were excluded from flowers was recorded. This study reveals the interconnections of pollinators, predators and pests with pigeonpea crop. For sustainable yields and to conserve high densities of both pollinators and predators of pests within pigeonpea landscapes, it is crucial to target the adoption of less disruptive farm management practices such as reducing pesticide and fertilizer inputs.     

根系限制对番茄幼苗生长、根系呼吸、ATPase和PPase活性的影响

 采用营养液水培的方式, 研究了根系限制处理对番茄幼苗生长、根系呼吸、质膜和液泡膜上相关酶以及根尖细胞超微结构的影响。结果表明, 在处理初期, 根系限制促进了番茄幼苗根系细胞色素途径呼吸而抑制了交替途径呼吸; 而在后期, 根系限制处理显著地抑制了番茄植株的生长, 对根系的生长抑制更为明显, 且抑制过程伴随着根系总呼吸、细胞色素途径呼吸的降低。此外, 根系限制显著抑制了质膜H⁺ -ATPase, 液泡膜H⁺-ATPase和H⁺ -PPase的活性并导致根尖细胞核的解体。     

Stem Borer Species Composition on Maize and Two Non-Cereal Hosts in the Forest Zone of Kisangani,DRC

Lepidopteran stem borers are the most damaging pests of maize in Sub-Saharan Africa. Despite the growing importance of maize in the forest zone of Democratic Republic of Congo, no data is available regarding stem borer pest species present and their relative importance. It is thus important to gather information likely to guide future research in this area. This study was undertaken to catalogue stem borer pest species identity and assess their relative infestation levels on maize. Surveys were carried out in wild and cultivated habitats in Kisangani. Five species were collected on maize, i.e., Sesamia calamistis Hampson （1910）, Eldana saccharina Walker （1865）, Busseola fusca Fuller （1901）, Chilo sp. Strand （1913）, and Mussidia nigrivenella Ragonot （1888）. In the wild habitats, Poenoma serrata Hampson, B. fusca and S. calamistis were collected on Pennisetum purpureum whereas Chilo sp. was collected on Panicum maximum. Our results suggest that P. maximum might affect the population dynamics of Chilo sp. whereas P. purpureum is expected not to influence the population dynamics of other stem borers owing to its scarcity in the interior of the forest.     

Bilateral Sertoli and Interstitial Cell Tumours in Abdominal Testes of a Goat with Polled Intersex Syndrome (PIS)

An 8‐year‐old, mixed breed, polled goat was presented for evaluation of male‐like behaviour. Clinical findings included clitoromegaly, a heavily muscled neck, pronounced beard, and erect dorsal guard hairs, which are phenotypic characteristics commonly observed in intersex animals. Transrectal ultrasonography revealed the presence of two abdominal masses caudolateral to the uterine horns. Serum concentration of estradiol was elevated. Genetic evaluation was compatible with polled intersex syndrome defined by an XX karyotype without a Y chromosome or SRY gene. Based on gross and histologic evaluation, the abdominal masses were determined to be intra‐abdominal testes, each of which was effaced by Sertoli cell and interstitial (Leydig) cell tumours. The Sertoli cell tumours (SCTs) represented two unique histologic patterns. Regardless of pattern, neoplastic Sertoli cells were consistently lipid laden and positive for vimentin. Interstitial cell tumours (ICTs) were negative for vimentin. Clinical and histopathologic findings suggest that prolonged exposure to steroids secreted by neoplastic Sertoli cells contributed to virilization. In addition, results from immunohistochemistry indicated that vimentin may be a valuable immunodiagnostic tool for differentiation between interstitial and Sertoli cell tumours in goats.     

Photosynthetic and respiratory response of potato leaves of different ages during and after an episode of high temperature

Little is known about net photosynthetic rates (Pn) of potato during and after the end of a high-temperature episode. We investigated Pn of potato leaves exposed to a high-temperature episode. Plants were grown in the greenhouse at 22°C. Shortly after tuber initiation, plants were transferred to 30°C for 9 days and then returned to 22°C. High temperatures reduced Pn of older leaves but not of the youngest leaves. Effects were transitory; Pn of leaf 7 initially fell, but then increased to be higher than the control plants. High temperature increased respiration per unit area during the night and morning relative to the control plants. Leaves that emerged during the 30°C episode had higher Pn than the control plants when returned to 22°C. Results emphasise that it is not possible to use single-leaf measurements to infer effects on photosynthesis throughout the canopy. Similarly, the diurnal variation in effects on respiration means that Pn measurements made only at midday are inadequate. Finally, the dynamic response of Pn to the high temperature and the persistent effects after the end of the episode mean that the impact of high-temperature episodes cannot be extrapolated from experiments using constant temperature treatments.     

Genetic Diversity of Farmers’Preferred Sorghum Accessions and Improved Lines from ICRISAT Reveal a Disconnect Between Innovation and Technology Transfer

The genetic diversity of 65 accessions of sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] collected from various farmers and germplasm lines from ICRISAT-Kenya were analyzed. Simple sequence repeats (SSR) markers were used in order to determine the extent and distribution of its genetic diversity. Twenty-nine (29) SSRs markers were polymorphic and a total of 192 alleles were detected which showed diversity. The number of alleles per primer ranged from 2 to 17, with an average of 6.62. The range of polymorphism information content (PIC) ranged from 0.03 to 0.86, with total average of 0.82. According to the results analyzed, estimates of the mean allelic pattern across the two populations was generated; expected heterozygosity (He; 0.45, 0.54), average observed alleles (Na; 3.40, 6.20), number of private allele (0.23, 3.03), and Shannon information index (I; 0.85, 1.13) for farmer and ICRISAT-Kenya germplasm, respectively. The expected heterozygosity (He) varied from 0 to 0.26 with an average of 0.05. The Neighbor-joining phenogram based on Nei’s genetic distance grouped the 65 accessions into three main groups. The analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) revealed that 99% of the total genetic variation was within accessions in a population whereas the genetic variation among populations in accessions accounted for 1% of the total genetic variation. Genetic diversity in ICRISAT sorghum material compared to the farmer’s collection suggested little infiltration of improved germplasm to the farmers.     

Degradation of the natural pyrethroids

Present knowledge about the degradation of the natural pyrethroids under photochemical, thermal and acid or base conditions is summarised.     

Physiological and morphological responses to water stress in two Acacia species from contrasting habitats

Container-grown seedlings of Acacia tortilis Forsk. Hayne and A. xanthophloea Benth. were watered either every other day (well watered) or every 7 days (water-stressed) for 1 year in a greenhouse. Total plant dry mass (T(dm)), carbon allocation and water relations were measured monthly. Differences in leaf area (LA) accounted for differences in T(dm) between the species, and between well-watered and water-stressed plants. Reduction in LA as a result of water stress was attributed to reduced leaf initiation, leaf growth rate and leaf size. When subjected to prolonged water stress, Acacia xanthophloea wilted more rapidly than A. tortilis and, unlike A. tortilis, lost both leaves and branches. These differences between species were attributed to differences in the allocation of carbon between leaves and roots and in the ability to adjust osmotically. Rapid recovery in A. xanthophloea following the prolonged water-stress treatment was attributed to high cell wall elasticity. Previous exposure to water stress contributed to water-stress resistance and improved recovery after stress.