Abstract: The possibility of adaptation to host resistance by field strains of R. appendiculatus was investigated by comparing the feeding and breeding performance of two field strains with a laboratory strain (Muguga) which has been bred and maintained for about 30 years on susceptible rabbits. Results have shown that the laboratory strain has smaller eggs and smaller unfed larvae, nymphs and adults than the field strains. When fed on susceptible rabbits the laboratory strain females laid e...
Abstract: Scorpion venom contains insect and mammal selective toxins. However, despite their significance and potential application in insect-pest control, bioactivity of Kenyan scorpions is still unknown. As such this study initiated investigations on the inherent insecticidal activity of the venoms of scorpions collected in Kenya. Venom from four scorpion species namely Parabuthus leiosoma, Parabuthus pallidus, Hottentotta trilimeatus and Hottentotta eminii was collected upon stinging a pa...
Abstract: Reliable molecular identification of vertebrate species from morphologically unidentifiable tissue is critical to the prosecution of illegally traded wildlife products to limit their trade, as well us for surveillance to inform conservation policies and identification of blood-meal hosts. Currently, this is mainly dependent on sequencing of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) ‘barcode’ genes, which remains costly for purposes of screening large numbers of unknown samples a...
Abstract: Biochemical methods have been applied to elucidate the species systematics of cassava green mite (CGM). Traditionally CGM have been classified using the length of the dorso-central setae (D1-o3 ), which groups CGM into two species, the short setae form, Hononychellus tanajoa (Bandar) and the long setae form Mononychellus progresivus Doreste. However the validity of this method of classification is being questioned because the setae were found to vary from short to long in a continu...
Abstract: Food and nutrition insecurity has been a major challenge in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). With land frontier closing, farmers in SSA must intensify and diversify food production to alleviate food and nutrition insecurity. In the face of climate change, African Indigenous Vegetables (AIVs) can offer opportunities to diversify production systems and improve food, nutrition and income security in many countries of SSA. Despite their potential, the importance of AIVs in alleviating food, n...
Abstract: Rule-based classifiers have one major advantage over other classes of supervised learning algorithms: interpretability. They provide a means to read into a model and find how the features co-act in order to come to a classification outcome. This in turn enables the researcher to visualize the feature interactions and evaluate the key features that discern between different decision classes. The rules generated from these algorithms, however, can be very many and their analysis is n...
Abstract: Cellulolytic microorganisms such as fungi and bacteria are responsible for much of the cellulose degradation in soils. Despite this vast number of cellulase producers, there is a deficiency of microorganisms that can produce significant amount of the three cellulase enzyme specifities i.e. endoglucanases, exoglucanases and cellobiases to efficiently degrade cellulose to fermentable products. Little emphasis has been given to cellulase production from bacteria despite their extremel...
Abstract: Kakamega forest, a major reservoir of biodiversity in Kenya has experienced degradation over a long period of time due to human disturbance. This disturbance has resulted in a heterogeneous mixture of vegetation including disturbed primary forest, secondary forest, clearings and glades, and timber plantations. Restoration of the forest ecosystem has included the re-establishment of native tree species in order to accelerate recovery of the degraded areas and connect formally joined...
Abstract: This project was based on biodiesel production from candlenut and calodendrum capense seeds using conventional and biotechnological technique and determination of the oil yields and biodiesel quality. The driving force for large-scale use of biodiesel has been the need to reduce the harmful emissions that result from the burning of petroleum oil as well as our dependence on diminishing reserves of petroleum oil. The aim of the study was to extract oil from Candlenut tree and Calode...
Abstract: Distinguishing pathogenic nematodes on the basis of morphological characters is difficult because differences in characters may be absent or difficult to observe. Hence identification to the species level is increasingly reliant on molecular based techniques. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) based techniques offer possibilities for precision, sensitivity and quantification. Tomato root-knot nematodes from the three selected areas in Kenya were characterized by analysis of isozyme ph...
Abstract: Ruminants such as cattle, goats, sheep, and camels host highly diverse microbial communities in their rumens that ferment fibrous plant materials to produce energy. However, this fermentation process also generates significant amounts of volatile organic compounds and greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide and methane, which are released into the environment through various excretion routes. The accumulation of these gases in the atmosphere contributes to global warming and clima...
Abstract: My foremost profound gratitude goes to God Almighty who has granted me good health,strength and ability to accomplish this study and more so during the challenging academic times. Second, I am grateful to my supervisors Dr. Maamun Jeneby and Dr. Vincent Owino Adung’a for their time, guidance, dedication and involvement in my academic pursuits. Special thanks to Dr. Maamun and Dr. Mercy Akinyi who were kind enough to offer an opportunity to conduct a research project for my thesis...
Abstract: Background: Human metapneumovirus(HMPV) and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are the leading causes of viral severe acute respiratory diseasein childhood. They are related viruses from the Pneumoviridaefamily andshow overlapping clinical, epidemiological and transmission features.Whether the two viruses also share similar patterns of geographic spread remains unknown; this may provide insight on common modalities of control. Materials and Methods:Using 232 HMPV and 842 RSV attachm...
Abstract: Common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) are extensively cultivated in sub-Saharan Africa as a cheap source of proteins, starch, dietary fiber, and excellent mineral salts and vitamins. However,beans are lost due to poor post-harvest handling and storage practices that provide insufficient protection against storage insect pests. Therefore, farmers are forced to apply insecticides more than once in a storage period to achieve protection. Excessive use of chemicals is not safe for healt...
Abstract: Long-horned grasshopper (Ruspolia differens), an edible insect native to sub-Saharan Africa, is considered a delicacy by some communities in the region and contributes 5-10% of the protein intake. However, its full utilization as food across the different cultural constructs has been hampered by neophobia and disgust occasioned by uncommon food cultural practices, thereby limiting its potential to combat malnutrition in the region. Therefore, there is need to process and hide the i...