Curing reduces postharvest deterioration of biozyme® produced potatoes ( Solanum tuberosum L.)

Potato is among food crops that are heavily relied upon for food security assurance worldwide. Potato tubers are consumed in their fresh form and therefore require proper storage to prolong their life after harvest. Being succulent, massive losses result if bruised, exposed to light and low relative humidity. The present experiment was conducted to find optimal conductions that prolong the shelf-life of potato tubers grown using the biomass and succulence enhancing Biozyme® Potatoes were grown in a split plot experiment, arranged in a randomized complete block design. The experiment was replicated three times and repeated once. Main plots were assigned to potato cultivar (Tigoni and Asante), while subplots were assigned to Biozyme® foliar feed rate (0, 125, 250, 500 and 750 ml/ha). Each subplot was planted with 28 seed potato tubers spaced at 30 cm x 70 cm in four rows. A distance of 1 m separated adjacent subplots and main plots. After harvesting, ware potato tubers, from each treatment, were divided into four groups for four postharvest handling regimes (Cured + Dark, Cured + Room, Not Cured + Dark, and Not Cured + Room Storage). Each postharvest regime had 20 tubers, replicated four times. Weight loss, shrinkage and rotting percentages increased, but firmness decreased with increase in Biozyme® rate. The deterioration was counteracted by Curing and Dark Storage of the potato tubers that reduced weight loss, shrinkage and rotting, but increased firmness. Thus, foliar-feeding potato plants with 500 ml/ha Biozyme® followed by Curing and Dark Storage of harvested tubers are recommended to ensure high potato tuber yields and effective reduction of premature postharvest deterioration of the tubers during storage. KEYWORDS : Firmness, Rotting, Shelf-life, Shrinkage, Tuber handling, Weight loss

Effectiveness and Safety of 2-Hourly 20 MCG Oral Misoprostol Solution Compared to Standard Intravenous Oxytocin in Labour Induction Due to Pre-Labour Rupture of Membranes at Term: A Randomised Clinical Trial at Kenyatta National Hospital

Background: Pre-labour rupture of membranes (PROM) at term is a common event whose management varies from centre to centre. The practice at the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) for patients with PROM at term is to initiate delivery of the patient soon on admission with intravenous oxytocin, if there are no contraindications to vaginal delivery. However, in PROM at term, if the cervix is not ripe,vaginal administration of prostaglandin pessaries for cervical ripening is not possible when there is active draining of liquor, thus use of intravenous oxytocin may take a very long time or fail all together. Oral misoprostol at low doses has been found to be a safe and effective agent for labour induction in numerous studies carried out in the developed world, where there are better resources for monitoring of labour. None of the studies has been carried out in Kenya,a limited resource country. Therefore, there is a need to determine the effectiveness and safety of oral misoprostol solution at the KNH, a limited resource set up.Objective: To determine the effectiveness and safety of 2-hourly 20 mcg oral misoprostol solution compared to the standard intravenous oxytocinin labour induction in mothers with pre-labour rupture of membranes at term at the Kenyatta National Hospital.Design: An unblinded randomised clinical trial.Setting: Kenyatta National Hospital Labour Ward Unit.Participants: Eighty three pregnant women with pre-labour rupture of membranes at term without an indication for Caeserian section were consented and randomised for labour induction with either oral misoprostol at a dose of 20mcg 2-hourly up to a maximum of 4-doses, or with  intravenous oxytocin according to the WHO protocol.Main outcome measures: Induction to delivery interval; maternal  complications and early neonatal outcomes.Results: The overall induction success rates in the misoprostol arm was 81% versus 83% in the oxytocin arm (P=0.447). The mean induction to vaginal delivery interval in the misoprostol arm was 8.4 hours as compared to 9.45 hours in the oxytocin arm (P=0.116). The induction to active labour interval was similar in the two study arms. The mean induction to active labour in the misoprostol arm was 4.02 hours as versus 4.51 hours in the oxytocin arm (P=0.223 ). Two women who had failed induction with misoprostol were augmented with oxytocin and delivered vaginally. The Caesarean section rates were 19% in the misoprostol arm and 17% in the oxytocin arm (P=0.447), which was not statistically significant. The maternal outcomes were similar in the two study arms. Four women had tachysystole in the misoprostol arm, compared to three  in the oxytocin arm (P=0.253). In the misoprostol arm two women had hypertonus compared to three in the oxytocin arm (P=0.322).There was one case of hyperstimulation in the misoprostol arm and two in in the oxytocin arm. There were no differences in the foetal/ neonatal outcomes. No baby had an Apgar score of less than seven at one or five minutes. No baby was admitted to the New Born Unit in either of the two arms. There was no case of a still birth in either of the study arms. There was no significant difference in the passage of meconium between the two arms, 39% in the misoprostol arm and 35.7% in the oxytocin arm (P=0.755). The passage of meconium did not impact on the neonatal outcomes.Conclusion: Oral misoprostol solution 20mcg 2-hourly is as safe and effective as the standard intravenous oxytocin for labour induction in women presenting with prelabour rupture of membranes at term at the Kenyatta National Hospital

Nutrient content and biochemical analysis of papaya (Carica papaya L.) hybrids grown in central Kenya

Papaya (Carica papaya L.) is a known powerhouse of nutrients and biochemicals which have health benefits necessary in a human diet. Mineral and vitamin deficiencies, like stunting, wasting and underweight in children, are common in Kenya yet available fruits like papaya can provide those nutrients. This study evaluated the nutritional and biochemical compositions, sugars and the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activities of 2 newly developed papaya hybrids (JKUAT 7 and JKUAT 8) grown in Kenya and Solo variety, as control; in a completely randomised design which were subjected to one way ANOVA at p?0.05. Results from this study showed significant differences for JKUAT 8 with zinc, iron, potassium and vitamin C contents at 3.28, 3.62, 1145.10 and 448.30 mg/100 g respectively. Solo variety had significantly higher ?-carotene (68.75 mg/100 g), lycopene (25.47 mg/100 g) and flavonoid (0.0178 g/100 g) contents. JKUAT 7 had more phenolic and tannins contents at 0.4434 g/100 g and 81.65 mg/100 g respectively. The DPPH activities ranged from 20 to 80 mg/mL with JKUAT 7 having the highest activity at 20 mg/mL and the least, Solo at 80 mg/mL. JKUAT 7 also exhibited higher total sugar contents in a range of 4.86 to 11.57%: with glucose and fructose at 5.74 and 5.83 % respectively. Our results suggested high nutritional and biochemical profiles of the newly developed JKUAT 7 and JKUAT 8 compared to Solo, the commercial variety. The high nutritional and biochemical contents recorded in the study papayas can be utilised in enhancing human nutrition and health thereby reducing metabolic disorders

Fungal diversity within organic and conventional farming systems in Central Highlands of Kenya

Open Access Article; Published online: 30 June 2020Fungal diversity in agro-ecosystems is influenced by various factors related to soil and crop management practices. However, due to the complexity in fungal cultivation, only a limited number has been extensively studied. In this study, amplicon sequencing of the Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) region was used to explore their diversity and composition within long-term farming system comparison trials at Chuka and Thika in Kenya. Sequences were grouped into operational taxonomic units (OTUs) at 97% similarity and taxonomy assigned via BLASTn against UNITE ITS database and a curated database derived from GreenGenes, RDPII and NCBI. Statistical analyses were done using Vegan package in R. A total of 1,002,188 high quality sequences were obtained and assigned to 1,128 OTUs; they were further classified into eight phyla including Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, Chytridiomycota, Glomeromycota, Calcarisporiellomycota, Kickxellomycota, Mortierellomycota and unassigned fungal phyla. Ascomycota was abundant in conventional systems at Chuka site while Basidiomycota and Chytridiomycota were dominant in conventional systems in both sites. Kickxellomycota and Calcarisporiellomycota phyla were present in all organic systems in both sites. Conventional farming systems showed a higher species abundance and diversity compared to organic farming systems due to integration of organic and inorganic inputs

Comparative description of land use and characteristics of belowground biodiversity benchmark sites in Kenya = Descripción comparativa de usos del suelo y características de la diversidad del subsuelo en sitios empleados como referencia en Kenia

In Kenya, the below-ground biodiversity (BGBD) project selected two benchmark sites for the inventory of soil biota; these included the Irangi and Ngangao forest sites in the Mount Kenya region of Embu District and the Taita Hills area of Taita Taveta District. The areas selected by the project were located in biodiversity hotspots that are supporting rare and endemic plant and animal species. For more in-depth studies and analysis, the broader Embu and Taita benchmark areas were further sub-sampled into smaller areas that we refer to as study areas, designated by the symbols E1 and E2 for Embu and T1 and T2 for Taita benchmark. Within the study areas, we plotted and sampled 200x200 square grids for collecting soil as well as socio-economic data. Site characterization was carried out using the method provided by FAO-UNESCO for characterizing and classifying soils. Further to this, attempts were made to establish land use intensity (LUI) and land productivity (PI) indices that provided land condition indicators. The indicators offered insights into the quantitative relationship between the environmental conditions and land use. Parameters used in the computation of the land use intensity were; total quantity of inputs per ha, the frequency of input application, cropping intensity and cultivation frequency. The soils in Taita Taveta benchmark site were classified as Plinthic Lixisols, Plinthic Acrisols, Dystric Cambisols and Chromic Luvisols, while those from Embu ones were Rhodic Nitisols, Humic Nitisols, Humic Acrisols, Haplic Acrisols and Umbric Andosols. The highest level of soil organic carbon recorded was 7.6% in the forest and the lowest value of 1.6% in intensely cultivated maize-based and horticultural systems. Low land use intensity gradients were observed in the forests (LUI40%). The productivity index (PI) followed a similar trend, being highest in the natural forest and grassland (40-50%) and lowest in horticultural and maize-based systems (15-20%) It was concluded that the decline in soil quality and productivity was linked to increased land use intensification and lack of knowledge of the appropriate management practices for sustainable ecosystem functions and services

Use of the nested polymerase chain reaction for detection of Toxoplasma gondii in slaughterhouse workers in Thika District, Kenya

Background. The widely used methods of diagnosis of Toxoplasma gondii are serological. Current reports indicate a high seroprevalence of T. gondii in humans in Kenya. There is a need for more sensitive diagnostic tests, especially when the specific antibody titres are below detectable threshold levels. Use of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting the repetitive 529 base pair loci has been reported to be sensitive and specific.Objective. To detect T. gondii in a high-risk group of public health workers in Thika District, Kenya.Methods. In total, 87 human blood samples were collected from male slaughterhouse workers between 1 March 2013 and 25 June 2013. The DNA extracted was amplified by the nested PCR.Results. T. gondii was detected in 39.1% (34/87) of the workers. In the cow-sheep-goat slaughterhouses the prevalence ranged between 20% and 60%, while all the chicken slaughterhouse workers (6/6, 100%) tested positive. The difference in T. gondii positivity between the workers in the chicken slaughterhouse and those in the cattle-sheep-goat slaughterhouses was statistically significant (p=0.003).Conclusion. This study shows the presence of T. gondii in an asymptomatic high-risk group in Thika District, indicating the need for enhancement of public health awareness

Innovative biomass cooking approaches for sub-Saharan Africa.

Eradicating poverty and achieving food and nutrition security in a sustainable environment is difficult to achieve without adequate access to affordable cooking fuel. It is therefore important to understand the common sources of cooking energy used by people in rural areas and the challenges faced in making fuel sources economically viable, socially acceptable and ecologically sustainable. In the sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) region, more than 90% of the population relies on firewood and charcoal (wood fuel, collectively) as a primary source of domestic energy. Wood fuel sustainability is challenged by unsustainable harvesting and inefficient methods of converting wood into energy. The use of inefficient cook stoves contributes to wood wastage and smoke exposure associated with severe illnesses. Households often abandon traditional nutritious diets that take a long time to cook, reduce the number of meals, and spend income on fuel at the expense of food costs. Innovations exist that have the potential to provide affordable and cleaner tree-based cooking fuel. Pruning trees on the farm as a fuel source brings firewood closer to women, lightens their workload, saves time and reduces income spent on cooking fuel. Using briquettes or gas cook stoves can reduce health risks associated with food preparation and reduce income spent on cooking fuel due to increased fuel efficiency. The development of these innovations indicates the need for a multi-disciplinary approach to increase awareness of the benefits of cooking fuel innovations, encourage further research on product quality enhancement and standardization, to understand cultural and behavioral issues influencing adoption, and integrate innovations into bioenergy policy frameworks

Use of the nested polymerase chain reaction for detection of Toxoplasma gondii in slaughterhouse workers in Thika District, Kenya

Background. The widely used methods of diagnosis of Toxoplasma gondii are serological. Current reports indicate a high seroprevalence of T. gondii in humans in Kenya. There is a need for more sensitive diagnostic tests, especially when the specific antibody titres are below detectable threshold levels. Use of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting the repetitive 529 base pair loci has been reported to be sensitive and specific.Objective. To detect T. gondii in a high-risk group of public health workers in Thika District, Kenya.Methods. In total, 87 human blood samples were collected from male slaughterhouse workers between  1 March 2013 and  25 June 2013. The DNA extracted was amplified by the nested PCR.Results. T. gondii was detected in 39.1% (34/87) of the workers. In the cow-sheep-goat slaughterhouses the prevalence ranged between 20% and 60%, while all the chicken slaughterhouse workers (6/6, 100%) tested positive. The difference in T. gondii positivity between the workers in the chicken slaughterhouse and those in the cattle-sheep-goat slaughterhouses was statistically significant (p=0.003).Conclusion. This study shows the presence of T. gondiiin an asymptomatic high-risk group in Thika District, indicating the need for enhancement of public health awareness.

Post-harvest evaluation of selected hybrids to maize weevil Sitophilus zeamais resistance

Sitophilus zeamais has been identified as one of the most destructive pests of maize stored in tropical regions. While most maize hybrids are being developed, it is necessary to evaluate their resistance to this pest. This study determined the resistance of selected maize hybrids to infestation by S. zeamais. Twenty two hybrids with varying resistance to weevil infestation and two checks DUMA 41-suceptible and MTP0701-resistant were used in a randomized complete block design experiment. Assessment was done at 10, 60 and 120 days of maize storage. Data was collected on percent weevil damage, grain weight loss and number of live and dead weevils. Heritability and correlation of factors were also estimated. Analysis of variance showed significant differences (P ≤ 0.05) on weight loss. The selection of the resistant genotypes was based on percent weight loss after 60 days. KH631Q and PH4 were selected as the most resistant and moderately resistant hybrids, respectively. The resistant check MTPO701 was also found to maintain resistance to weevil attack. There was a strong positive correlation between weight loss, number of live weevils and percent damage. Moderate heritability estimates of hybrids at 60 days of storage indicated the possibility of their parents to transfer the desirable traits to subsequent generations. Therefore, parents of the resistant hybrids could be utilized in breeding programs for maize weevil resistance and be deployed to farmers for use, respectively

Organic maize and bean farming enhances free-living nematode dynamics in sub-Saharan Africa

Published online: 03 Jan 2022Despite their important ecological roles for soil health and soil fertility, free-living nematodes (FLN) have received relatively limited research attention. The present study evaluated the community structure and diversity of FLN in a field setting. The experiments were conducted in on-farm and on-station field plots sown to maize (Zea mays) and beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) under four cropping practices. These farming systems included organic (compost and biopesticide use), conventional (synthetic fertilizer and pesticide applications), farmer practice (organic and synthetic amendments) and a control (non-amended plots). Nineteen genera of free living nematodes, belonging to bacterivores, fungivores, omnivores and predators were recorded. Among these, bacterivores (Cephalobidae and Rhabditidae) were the most dominant group in the organic systems when compared to the conventional and control systems. Farming systems influenced the abundance and diversity of free living nematodes, with the organic farming system having higher values of maturity, enrichment and structural indices than other farming systems. This would indicate greater stability in soil health and improved soil fertility. This implies that the organic farming systems play a key role in improving the biodiversity and population buildup of FLN, compared with other systems. Our study helps to improve our understanding of how farming systems influence soil biodynamics, while studies on the longer-term effects of organic and conventional farming systems on the build-up or reduction of free living nematodes for improved ecosystem services are needed