Mirid feeding preference as influenced by light and temperature mediated changes in plant nutrient concentration in cocoa

Cocoa mirids are the most important insect pests of cocoa in West Africa. This study investigated the effect of environmental parameters that are modulated by overhead shade, i.e. light intensity and temperature, on nutrient and phenolic concentrations in cocoa and their subsequent effect on mirid feeding. Eight-month-old cocoa seedlings were maintained for 50 days in two growth chambers set to day temperatures of 25oC or 30oC. Each chamber had sections with different light intensities (541, 365 and 181 µmolm-2s-1 PAR). For the field studies at Akim-Tafo in Ghana, eight-month-old plants of three cocoa clones were subjected to shaded (PAR= 180 µmol m-² s-1, between 11:00 and 12:00) and unshaded (PAR= 1767 µmol m-² s-1 between 11:00 and 12:00) treatments for 50 days after which nutrient measurements and mirid choice tests were carried out. No significant effect of environment was observed on the phenolic concentration of stems under controlled environment chamber conditions. However, in the field, the phenolic concentration of stems was significantly greater for unshaded compared with shaded plants (P=0.04). Under controlled conditions, the leaf nitrogen concentration increased slightly with light intensity (P=0.003). The same trend was seen in stems but only at 30oC. In the field, the impact of overhead shade on nitrogen varied between cocoa clones. The concentration of carbohydrates in both leaves and stems in the field was higher under unshaded conditions. When subjected to feeding tests, stems from unshaded cocoa had significantly more mirid feeding lesions (P=0.003) after 24 hours exposure to mirids compared to shaded cocoa. Mirid feeding therefore appears not to be deterred by the higher phenolic levels but rather there was a preference for cocoa tissue grown under unshaded conditions. These findings highlight the need to consider the growing environment of cocoa clones when screening for varieties with resistance to mirids

Cervical Cancer Screening: Assessment of Perception and Utilization of Services among Health Workers in Low Resource Setting

Background. Cervical cancer is a preventable disease and the most common cancer among women in Nigeria. Objectives. To appraise the perception and utilization of cervical cancer screening services among female nurses in Federal Teaching hospital, Abakaliki. Materials and Methods. A cross-sectional study was done using semi-structured questionnaires on 408 consenting female nurses. Data was represented using simple percentages, charts, and Chi-square. Results. Of the 408 questionnaires shared, 388 were correctly and completely filled and analyzed. The respondents in this study showed good knowledge of cervical cancer as all (388) were aware that cervical cancer is a preventable disease of public health concern. Majority of them, 179 (46.1%) were between 21 and 30 years of age. The most common symptom of cervical cancer identified was postcoital bleeding (57%). Nursing training was the most common (73.5%) source of cervical cancer information. Utilization of cervical cancer screening was poor in this study as only 20.6% of the respondents had ever undergone screening. The most common reason for nonscreening was that they have not thought of it (28.4%). Conclusion. Despite the high level of awareness of cervical cancer screening, utilization remains low. There is, therefore, the need for cervical cancer education for the nurses to help improve utilization

Microplastics in Soil Ecosystem : Insight on Its Fate and Impacts on Soil Quality

Plastic film has been intensively used in (semi-)arid agricultural regions, attributing to its great benefits of improving soil productivity and crop yield in China. However, plastic debris, as a consequence of film mulching, remains and accumulates in soil leading to severe soil quality problems, as well as environmental concerns especially the small fragmented particles referred to as microplastics (MPs). Though increasing attention has been aroused for MPs in the aquatic environment, the knowledge of MPs’ behavior and its effects on soil quality is extremely insufficient and urgently needed. In this study, we oriented the benefits of plastic film use, its contribution to agriculture productivity, and the effects of MPs on soil properties and its related soil quality indicators. Admittedly, the increasing trend of using plastic film made by light density of polyethylene would be continued in China, and the pieces of plastic particles would either be persistent and accumulated in soil layers or be slowly aging and degraded. The impacts of MPs on soil quality need more attention due to the limited studies available focusing on its fate and interactions associated with soil ecosystem services and environmental resilience. Although policies and agricultural extending services on plastic film application have been laughed for a few years, alternative materials used for producing environment-friendly film, plastic debris recycling, and solutions on pieced particle removal are the great challenges for sustainable farming. Thus, it is urgent to understand MPs’ effects on soil quality which is crucial for soil-plant system and soil pollution monitoring and prevention.</p