Insect pest incidence on long-duration Uganda pigeonpea lines at Kabete in Kenya

Eight local long-duration landraces from Kitgum and Gulu in Uganda were grown at Kabete during 1998-99. Insect pest and damage assessments were conducted at pod maturity. The insect pests that caused damage on the pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan) lines were pod fly (Melanagromyza chalcosoma), pod borers (Etiella zinckenella, Lampides sp. and Helicoverpa armigera) and pod-sucking bugs (Clavigralla tomentosicollis). In general, total seed damage was low and the percentage damage by pod fly was 2-7%. Pod fly accounted for 80% of the total seed damage, pod borers 12.7% and pod-sucking bugs 6.3%. ICEAP lines 00954, 00955, 00956 and 00957 had relatively higher levels of damage than the other lines. ICEAP 00953 and 00958 appeared more tolerant of pod fly

Efficacy of Different Insecticides for Pigeonpea Pest Management in Kenya

Trials were conducted at Kabete and Kiboko in 1995-96 to evaluate the efficacy of some insecticides on short-, medium- and long-duration pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan) genotypes. At Kabete, endosulfan, dimethoate, pirimiphos-methyl, fluvalinate, Bacillus thuringiensis and neem extract were evaluated on short-duration genotype ICPL 87091. At Kiboko, endosulfan, dimethoate, pirimiphos-methyl, B. thuringiensis and deltamethrin were evaluated on short-duration ICPL 87091, medium-duration ICP 6927 and long-duration ICEAP 00020. The major insect pests on pigeon pea were pod borers (Helicoverpa armigera, Maruca vitrata, Etiella zinckenella and Lampides boeticus at Kiboko, and H. armigera, E. zinckenella and L. boeticus at Kabete), pod-sucking bugs (Clavigralla tomentosicollis) and pod fly (Melanagromyza chalcosoma). The results indicated that all sprays improved grain yields and seed quality at Kabete, with 57-152% grain yield gains with different insecticides. Endosulfan performed better among the high volume sprayed insecticides at Kabete. Pod fly damage was less in plots treated with dimethoate and endosulfan. Results from Kiboko showed that ultra-low-volume (ULV) spraying was more efficient than high volume sprayed insecticides. Endosulfan was also good among the high volume sprays. Spraying the short-duration genotype with ULV resulted in lower pest population than the medium- and long-duration genotypes. Neem extract and B. thuringiensis were not as effective as the synthetic insecticides at both locations

Registration of pigeonpea cultivar ‘ICEAP 00040'

‘ICEAP 00040’ [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.] (Reg. no. CV-255, PI 639265) was developed by the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) and released in 2003 in two countries (Malawi and Tanzania) in eastern and southern Africa (ESA). In Malawi, ICEAP 00040 was released as ‘Kachangu’ jointly by three agencies, namely, ICRISAT-Nairobi (ESA), Department of Agricultural Research Services (Ministry of Agriculture, Malawi), and Legumes Fibers and Oilseeds (Ministry of Agriculture, Malawi). In Tanzania, ICEAP 00040 was released as ‘Mali’ by ICRISAT-Nairobi (ESA) and Ilonga Agricultural Research Institute (Ministry of Agriculture, Tanzania). ICEAP 00040 is a late-maturing pigeonpea cultivar released for its resistance to the fungal pathogen Fusarium udum Butler (the causal agent of Fusarium wilt), and has potential use in the cropping systems of the semiarid ESA region and as a source of germplasm for pigeonpea improvement programs

Prevalence of HCV and HCV/HIV co-infection among in-patients at the Kenyatta National Hospital

Objective: To determine the prevalence of HCV and HCV/HIV co-infection among medical in-patients at the Kenyatta National Hospital. Design: Prospective cross-sectional descriptive study. Setting: Kenyatta National Hospital, a tertiary referral and teaching hospital, in-patient department. Subjects: HIV/AIDS and HIV negative in-patients at KNH medical wards. Results: Among 458 HIV/AIDS medical in-patients, the prevalence of HCV was 3.7% while in the 518 HIV negative patients, it was 4.4%. The prevalence of co-infection with HCV and HIV was 3.7%. The incidence of risk factors in persons with HCV and/ or HIV infection(s) was low. Conclusion: This study found the prevalence of HCV infection among medical in-patients to be similar in HIV positive and HIV negative group of patients. The co-infection rates were low, as were the risk factors for transmission of these infections. East African Medical Journal Vol.82(4) 2005: 170-17

Prevalence of HCV and HIV/HCV co-infection among volunteer blood donors and VCT clients

Objective: To determine the prevalence of HCV infection and HCV/HIV co-infection among voluntary blood donors at the National Blood Transfusion Centre and clients at the Kenyatta National Hospital HIV-Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) Centre. Design: A prospective cross-sectional descriptive study. Setting: Kenyatta National Hospital, a tertiary referral and teaching hospital and the National Blood Transfusion Services Centre, Nairobi. Subjects: Volunteer blood donors and VCT attendants. Results: The prevalence of HCV/HIV co-infection among 6154 blood donors in the NBTSC was very low, at 0.02. The HIV prevalence among the 353 KNH HIV-VCT clients was 9.3%, none of the clients tested positive for HCV. The incidence of risk factors in the persons with HCV and/or HIV infection(s) was low. Conclusion: The prevalence of HCV infection among pre-screened volunteer blood donors was low. However the current practice of screening all donated blood for HCV remains indispensable to prevent its transmission to blood recipients. East African Medical Journal Vol.82(4) 2005: 166-16