Abstract Information on heavy metals in sewage sludge is important as it forms a vital baseline for among others the detection of undesirable effects when used in agriculture as a fertilizer. The aim of this study was to determine the suitability of waste water sludge from Ruai waste water treatment plant for agricultural use. The study was carried out over a period of four months from November 2012 to February 2013. The objective of the study was to find out the levels and variations of heav...
ABSTRACT Soil micro-organisms play a key role in determining soil quality. Over 70% of small holder farmers in the central high lands of Kenya are using crop manure, animal wastes and mineral fertilizers to increase their farms fertility and subsequent productivity. The dilemma with these practices is that less is known on the impact of these resources on the below ground biodiversity particularly the microbial communities. A field study was conducted at a site in Kabete where a long-term e...
ABSTRACT Information on wetland function in waste water treatment is very important as the information can be used to detect undesirable qualities of water. The aim of the study was to assess the effectiveness of natural wetlands in the treatment of waste water. The study was carried out for a period of four months (November 2012 to February 2013). The objectives of the study was to find out the physico-chemical parameters of water from Limuru water and Sewerage Company and Bata Shoes Company...
ABSTRACT The ectoparasitic mite Varroa destructor is one of the parasite globally reported affecting honeybee health and causing high colony losses. Of notable importance is the association of the mite with viruses and their transmission to honeybees which causes great harm to bees. Kenyan beekeepers have reported that bee populations have been on decline in recent years and therefore the need for research to establish whether Varroa destructor is negatively affecting honeybee survival and d...
ABSTRACT Amaranths are African indigenous vegetables (AIVs) that have recently gained importance as a food source in Africa owing to the high nutritional value of their leaves and grains. Production of this crop is, however, limited by arthropod pests especially the lepidopteran leaf-webbers, leaf-worms and stem weevils. The use of insecticides for their management is uneconomical and also present health and environmental concerns. Host plant resistance (HPR) to insects is an effective, econ...
ABSTRACT Stakeholder participation has been shown to be an effective approach in increasing access to safe water and sanitation in many parts of the world. This study investigated stakeholder participation in management of water resources in Machakos Sub-County of Machakos County, Kenya. Specifically, it sought to assess the level of community participation in water resources management, collaboration between stakeholders, stakeholder contribution in increasing access to reliable water resou...
ABSTRACT Rapid urban population growth has led to not only an increasing demand for more land, more so for residential use. This land is not available within the city but at the peri-urban areas where parcels of fertile agricultural land are being converted into residential use at an alarming rate. This is because of the expanding urban area to its urban fringes that is accompanied by an increasing demand for land to accommodate the increasing urban developments. The specific objectives of th...
ABSTRACT Mosquito host seeking behaviour is mediated by chemical, physical and visual cues. Identification of chemical and physical cues utilized by mosquitoes in host location can lead to the development of novel vector management strategies. This research set out to identify synthetic odour blends that simulate human body emanations that can be used to develop mass trapping devices for vector management. The relative attractiveness of human body emanations and synthetic odour blends as attr...
ABSTRACT Indigenous plant species have salient socio-cultural significance among many peoples of Africa. In Kenya, certain plant species are important for ceremonial functions such as marriage and rites of passage. Among the Kalenjin, over 100 species are important for such functions. However, the species are relatively under threat in their occurence and abundance due to climate variations and impacts of development. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of climate change on th...
ABSTRACT Insecticide treated bednets have been shown to have a profound impact on malaria transmission in experimental trials in sub-saharan Africa. Their effectiveness requires frequent re-treament, however re-treament rates have rarely risen above 20%. The need for re-impregnation and the relatively short life span led to the development of long lasting insecticide bed nets (LLINs) for longer field use. Though these LLINs have shown good efficacy on malaria mosquitoes under control conditio...
ABSTRACT The stem borer, Chilo partellus Swinhoe (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) is a pest that attacks plants in the poacea family in tropical lowland areas of Africa. Yield losses in maize are caused by the borer feeding on plant stems, leaves, grains and tussles. It is difficult to control C. partellus since larvae hide in stems. Spraying with insecticides only kills eggs and adults. Other methods used to control C. partellus include biological, physical, geneticaland cultural methods. Trap plant...
ABSTRACT Kaya Mudzimuvya is one of the Mijikenda sacred forests along the Kenya Coast, whose sanctity has, to some extent contributed to its conservation. However, due to gradual detachment from the Kaya culture and attempts to sustain livelihoods, these forests have continually undergone degradation. Consequently, this has tremendously reduced the forest cover thus resulting in the loss of biodiversity. This study sought to establish the relationship between the social, cultural and eco...
ABSTRACT Small land holdings and poverty in Central Kenya have made it difficult for farmers to adequately conserve and replenish soil nutrients in their farms. Soil erosion and leaching of nutrients leading to soil acidity have been the inevitable outcome. This study was designed to determine the effect of inoculating soyabeans (Glycine max) with both mycorrhiza and rhizobium as a biological means of improving soil fertility in the acidic soils in Gatanga, Thika District. Field experiments w...
ABSTRACT Sweet melon (Cucumis melo L.) is a plant that produces a fleshy edible fruit and belongs to the family Cucurbitaceae. As an economic crop, the sweet melon is highly consumed by the urban population in Kenya. The pollination ecology of the crop is not well understood. Effective pollination is essential for fruit set and overall productivity of sweet melons. The use of pest control products can adversely impair pollination provision through direct decimation of pollinators or their rep...
ABSTRACT The youth are often faced by a number of challenges that are unique. These challenges differ between developed and developing countries, with the latter facing rapid urbanization that does not match government investments in social infrastructure. Irrespective of this, the challenges predispose the youth to involvement in delinquencies the so called deviant behaviour. Recently, youth deviant behaviour has become a global issue of great concern and requires immediate attention. Develo...