INSECT ANTAGONISTIC BIO-INOCULANTS FOR NATURAL CONTROL OF LEAF-MINING INSECT PESTS OF FRENCH BEANS

Fungal endophytes, specifically, Trichoderma asperellum , Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae ; strains M2RT4, S4SU1 and S4ST7, respectively, are known to deter aphid infestation and damage to leguminous crops, but no research exists on their biochemical profiles and effects on French bean ( Phaseolus vulgaris ) leaf miners. The objective of this study was to assess the ability of these endophytic bio-inoculants to produce extracellular enzymes, as well as determine their impact on French beans seedling emergence and growth, and leaf miner fecundity and pupation. Laboratory and greenhouse experiments were conduct at the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE, Nairobi), and the University of Bonn (Germany). Bio-priming French bean seeds by soaking in fungal suspension containing 108 conidia/ ml for 4 hr positively impacted on seedling vigour. Six weeks after germination, all bio-inoculant treatments improved nodulation by 1.5-1.7 folds, while S4SU1 and M2TR4 improved shoot biomass by ~ 2g. In vitro, spore suspensions of these isolates were highly toxic to leaf miner larvae, often resulting in high mortalities and a suppression of pupation by over 70%. All tested isolates exhibited protease (Index=1.22), lipase (Index=1.32) and cellulase (Index=1.06) activities; with M. anisopliae being the best enzyme secretor when cultured under dark conditions on enzyme-specific substrate for 7-14 days. In vivo B. bassiana-primed seedlings deterred larval feeding and development, resulting in reduced number of larvae, pupae and adults, by 65.3, 43.2 and 54.0%, respectively. For the first time, this study showed that bio-priming French bean seeds with bio-inoculants can boost P. vulgaris growth and nodulation, consequently altering its interaction and response to leaf miner infestation, feeding and damage to treated seedlings. These bio-inoculants, thus, hold great potential as crop protection agents and could be safely used for priming seeds prior to planting, if leaf mining damages and associated yield losses in French beans are to be minimised in an environmentally sound manner. Further studies should be undertaken to elucidate the mechanisms involved in plant growth promotion, nodulation and insect feeding deterrence.Les endophytes fongiques, sp\ue9cialement, Trichoderma asperellum , Beauveria bassiana et Metarhizium anisopliae ; souches M2RT4, S4SU1 et S4ST7, respectivement, sont connues pour dissuader l\u2019infestation et le dommage des aphids sur les plantes l\ue9gumineuses, mais aucune recherche n\u2019a \ue9t\ue9 men\ue9e sur leurs profils biochmiques et leurs effets sur les insectes mineurs de feuilles du haricot vert ( Phaseolus vulgaris ). L\u2019objectif de cette \ue9tude \ue9tait d\u2019\ue9valuer la capacit\ue9 endophytique de ces bio-inoculants \ue0 produire des enzymes extra-cellulaires, ainsi que de d\ue9terminer leurs impacts sur l\u2019\ue9mergence et la croissance des plantules du haricot vert, sur la f\ue9condit\ue9 et la nymphose du mineur des feuilles. Des exp\ue9rimentations de laboratoire et sous serre on \ue9t\ue9 conduites au Centre International de Physiologie et d\u2019Ecologie d\u2019Insecte (ICIPE, Nairobi), et \ue0 l\u2019Universit\ue9 de Bonn (Allemagne). Le bio-amor\ue7age des graines du haricot vert par trempage dans une suspension fongique contenant 108 conidies/ml pendant 4heures a positivement imapct\ue9 la vigueur des plantules. Six semaines apr\ue8s la germination, tous les traitements de bio-inoculants ont augment\ue9 la nodulation par 1,5-1,7 fois, pendant que S4SU1 et M2TR4 ont augment\ue9 la biomasse des pousses d\u2019environ 2g. En conditions in vitro, les suspensions de spores de ces isolats \ue9taient fortement toxiques aux larves des mineurs de feuilles, r\ue9guli\ue8rement provoquant de grandes mortalit\ue9s et une suppression de la nymphose de plus de 70%. Tous les isolats test\ue9s ont produit des activit\ue9s protease (indice=1,22), lipase (indice=1,32) et cellulase (indice=1.06); avec M. anisopliae constiuant le meilleur s\ue9creteur d\u2019enzyme alors qu\u2019il est cultiv\ue9 dans le noir sur un substrat d\u2019enzyme sp\ue9cifique pendant 7-14 jours. En conditions in vitro, les plantules amorc\ue9es avec B. bassiana ont frein\ue9 l\u2019alimentation et le d\ue9veloppement des larves, r\ue9sultant en une r\ue9duction du nombre de larves, nymphes et adultes, par 65,3; 43,2; et 54,0%, respectivement. Pour une premi\ue8re fois, cette \ue9tude a montr\ue9 que le bio-amor\ue7age des graines du haricot vert avec des bio-inoculants peut augmenter la croissance et la nodulation de P. vulgaris, par cons\ue9quent alt\ue8re son interaction et sa r\ue9ponse \ue0 l\u2019infestation, \ue0 l\u2019alimentation de mineur de feuilles et les dommages sur les plantules trait\ue9es. Ces bio-inoculants, constituent ainsi de grands potentiels agents protecteurs de cultures et pourraient \ueatre utilis\ue9s de fa\ue7on s\ue9curisante pour l\u2019amor\ue7age des graines avant leur semis, si les dommages caus\ue9s sur les feuilles et la perte de rendement associ\ue9e sur le haricot vert sont \ue0 r\ue9duire sans danger pour l\u2019environnement. Des \ue9tudes suppl\ue9mentaires devraient \ueatre men\ue9es pour \ue9lucider les m\ue9canismes impliqu\ue9s dans la promotion de la croissance v\ue9g\ue9tale, la nodulation et la dissuasion de l\u2019alimentation de l\u2019insecte

The Challenges of Living with and Caring for a Child or Children Affected by Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis Type 2 Disease: In-Depth Family Surveys in the United Kingdom and Germany

Limited research has investigated the challenges faced by families caring for children with neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis type 2 (CLN2) disease. Face-to-face, mixed-method, in-depth surveys were conducted with 19 families (23 children) in the UK (n=9) and Germany (n=10) to assess the impact of caring for children with CLN2 disease, using national wellbeing and quality of life (QoL) measures. Primary (n=19) and secondary (n=10) caregivers, adult siblings (n=2), and child siblings (n=2) were included. Caregivers reported reduced health-related QoL compared with age and gender-matched controls (mean utility scores 0.08 and 0.11 lower in Germany and the UK, respectively). Hours of caregiving were significantly higher relative to that provided to a child of normal health, with stress, back pain, and reductions in sleep being recorded. Lower life satisfaction and happiness with partners were also reported, along with significant financial burden. Those caring for children in the late stage of disease were more greatly impacted than those with children in the rapidly progressive stage, or who were bereaved. The results of this study make clear the importance of emotional and practical support for caregivers and siblings coping with CLN2 disease

Thermal Tolerance of the Coffee Berry Borer Hypothenemus hampei: Predictions of Climate Change Impact on a Tropical Insect Pest

Coffee is predicted to be severely affected by climate change. We determined the thermal tolerance of the coffee berry borer , Hypothenemus hampei, the most devastating pest of coffee worldwide, and make inferences on the possible effects of climate change using climatic data from Colombia, Kenya, Tanzania, and Ethiopia. For this, the effect of eight temperature regimes (15, 20, 23, 25, 27, 30, 33 and 35°C) on the bionomics of H. hampei was studied. Successful egg to adult development occurred between 20–30°C. Using linear regression and a modified Logan model, the lower and upper thresholds for development were estimated at 14.9 and 32°C, respectively. In Kenya and Colombia, the number of pest generations per year was considerably and positively correlated with the warming tolerance. Analysing 32 years of climatic data from Jimma (Ethiopia) revealed that before 1984 it was too cold for H. hampei to complete even one generation per year, but thereafter, because of rising temperatures in the area, 1–2 generations per year/coffee season could be completed. Calculated data on warming tolerance and thermal safety margins of H. hampei for the three East African locations showed considerably high variability compared to the Colombian site. The model indicates that for every 1°C rise in thermal optimum (Topt.), the maximum intrinsic rate of increase (rmax) will increase by an average of 8.5%. The effects of climate change on the further range of H. hampei distribution and possible adaption strategies are discussed. Abstracts in Spanish and French are provided as supplementary material Abstract S1 and Abstract S2

Insect antagonistic bio-inoculants for natural control of leaf-mining insect pests of French beans

Fungal endophytes, specifically, Trichoderma asperellum, Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae; strains M2RT4, S4SU1 and S4ST7, respectively, are known to deter aphid infestation and damage to leguminous crops, but no research exists on their biochemical profiles and effects on French bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) leaf miners. The objective of this study was to assess the ability of these endophytic bio-inoculants to produce extracellular enzymes, as well as determine their impact on French beans seedling emergence and growth, and leaf miner fecundity and pupation. Laboratory and greenhouse experiments were conduct at the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE, Nairobi), and the University of Bonn (Germany). Bio-priming French bean seeds by soaking in fungal suspension containing 108 conidia/ ml for 4 hr positively impacted on seedling vigour. Six weeks after germination, all bio-inoculant treatments improved nodulation by 1.5-1.7 folds, while S4SU1 and M2TR4 improved shoot biomass by ~ 2g. In vitro, spore suspensions of these isolates were highly toxic to leaf miner larvae, often resulting in high mortalities and a suppression of pupation by over 70%. All tested isolates exhibited protease (Index=1.22), lipase (Index=1.32) and cellulase (Index=1.06) activities; with M. anisopliae being the best enzyme secretor when cultured under dark conditions on enzyme-specific substrate for 7-14 days. In vivo B. bassiana-primed seedlings deterred larval feeding and development, resulting in reduced number of larvae, pupae and adults, by 65.3, 43.2 and 54.0%, respectively. For the first time, this study showed that bio-priming French bean seeds with bio-inoculants can boost P. vulgaris growth and nodulation, consequently altering its interaction and response to leaf miner infestation, feeding and damage to treated seedlings. These bioinoculants, thus, hold great potential as crop protection agents and could be safely used for priming seeds prior to planting, if leaf mining damages and associated yield losses in French beans are to be minimised in an environmentally sound manner. Further studies should be undertaken to elucidate the mechanisms involved in plant growth promotion, nodulation and insect feeding deterrence

Full Length Research Paper - Comparative biochemical and molecular evaluation of swarming of Proteus and effects of anti-swarm agents

In addition to inadequate understanding of swarming motility and virulence of Proteus, there is paucity of information on the relative effectiveness of the various anti-swarm agents. The anti-swarming effects of urea, sodium dodecylsulphate (SDS) and trihydroxymethylglycine (Tris) on 40 clinical isolates of Proteus Spp. were comparatively investigated and plasmids associated with swarming were characterized. The three substances elicited a comparable concentration-dependent anti-swarming property at 0.25 -1.25% on nutrient agar. Anti-swarm agents displayed heterogeneity in their ability to cause significant decreases in the expression of virulence factors. Swarm motility was further found to be strongly associated with the expression of virulence factors in these strains. Of the Proteus strains tested, 32 were found to harbour 1 - 4 plasmids of size ranging from 6.0 -33.5 kb. Plasmid curing resulted in loss of swarming in 65.6% of these strains. In order to reduce the risk of infection with virulent Proteus strains, the laboratory use of urea and SDS is suggested

Thermal tolerance of the coffee berry borer Hypothenemus hampei: predictions of climate change impact on a tropical insect pest. PLoS ONE 4(8): e6487

Abstract Coffee is predicted to be severely affected by climate change. We determined the thermal tolerance of the coffee berry borer , Hypothenemus hampei, the most devastating pest of coffee worldwide, and make inferences on the possible effects of climate change using climatic data from Colombia, Kenya, Tanzania, and Ethiopia. For this, the effect of eight temperature regimes (15, 20, 23, 25, 27, 30, 33 and 35uC) on the bionomics of H. hampei was studied. Successful egg to adult development occurred between 20-30uC. Using linear regression and a modified Logan model, the lower and upper thresholds for development were estimated at 14.9 and 32uC, respectively. In Kenya and Colombia, the number of pest generations per year was considerably and positively correlated with the warming tolerance. Analysing 32 years of climatic data from Jimma (Ethiopia) revealed that before 1984 it was too cold for H. hampei to complete even one generation per year, but thereafter, because of rising temperatures in the area, 1-2 generations per year/coffee season could be completed. Calculated data on warming tolerance and thermal safety margins of H. hampei for the three East African locations showed considerably high variability compared to the Colombian site. The model indicates that for every 1uC rise in thermal optimum (T opt. ), the maximum intrinsic rate of increase (r max ) will increase by an average of 8.5%. The effects of climate change on the further range of H. hampei distribution and possible adaption strategies are discussed. Abstracts in Spanish and French are provided as supplementary material Abstract S1 and Abstract S2