Scientific achievements and reflections after 20 years of vector biology and control research at the Pu Teuy mosquito field research station, Thailand

Additional vector control tools are needed to supplement current strategies to achieve malaria elimination and control of Aedes-borne diseases in many settings in Thailand and the Greater Mekong Sub-region. Within the next decade, the vector control community, Kasetsart University (KU), and the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation must take full advantage of these tools that combine different active ingredients with different modes of action. Pu Teuy Mosquito Field Research Station (MFRS), Department of Entomology, Faculty of Agriculture, Kasetsart University (KU), Thailand was established in 2001 and has grown into a leading facility for performing high-quality vector biology and control studies and evaluation of public health insecticides that are operationally relevant. Several onsite mosquito research platforms have been established including experimental huts, a 40-m long semi-field screening enclosure, mosquito insectary, field-laboratory, and living quarters for students and researchers. Field research and assessments ranged from ‘basic’ investigations on mosquito biology, taxonomy and genetics to more ‘applied’ studies on responses of mosquitoes to insecticides including repellency, behavioural avoidance and toxicity. In the course of two decades, 51 peer-reviewed articles have been published, and 7 masters and 16 doctoral degrees in Entomology have been awarded to national and international students. Continued support of key national stakeholders will sustain MFRS as a Greater Mekong Subregion centre of excellence and a resource for both insecticide trials and entomological research

Report of the 2023 Asia Pacific Conference on Mosquito and Vector Control: “reimagining vector control—innovations for a changed world”

The Asia–Pacific region has had decades of progress in reducing malaria cases and deaths. The region is now accelerating its efforts towards malaria elimination by 2030 using a science-based approach by applying evidence-based best practices alongside existing tools. However, there are concerns of knowledge gaps and external factors challenging this goal. The COVID-19 pandemic served as reminder of the need for a holistic approach. This report summarizes the outcomes of the discussions from the “Asia Pacific Conference on Mosquito and Vector Control” held in Chiang Mai, Thailand from 27 to 30 November, 2023. The conference aims to provide insights into recent research, cutting-edge tools, and the strength of the Asia–Pacific regional mosquito and vector control capacity post-COVID-19 pandemic era. The conference featured discussions on mosquito surveillance, monitoring and control; enabling the resolution of local problems with local expertise and forging new partnerships; and exploring recent research advancements in vector control strategies. More than 500 experts from 55 countries attended

Proteomic Analysis of Tenderness Trait in Thai Native and Commercial Broiler Chicken Muscles

The objective of this study was to identify protein markers for tenderness trait of Thai native and commercial broiler chicken muscles. The proteome of chicken muscle with highand low-shear force values was analyzed by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and MALDI-TOF/MS technique. A total of 169 and 158 protein spots were observed in Thai native and commercial broiler chicken muscles, respectively. Of these proteins, five protein spots were upand down-regulated with low shear force values of chicken meat. Selected three protein spots were identified and showed homology with pyruvate kinase 2 muscle (PKM2), phosphoglycerate mutase 1 (PGAM1) and triosephosphate isomerase 1 (TPI1) of chicken. The PKM2 and TPI1 were correlated with shear force values of chicken meats. Whereas, the PGAM1, B46 and B107 trended toward an association with shear force values. The results indicate that these enzymes of the glycolytic pathway play a major role in the energy metabolism process of muscle and meat characteristics. These findings promote the importance of the muscle metabolic enzymes and could be used as functional candidate genes for meat quality traits in chicken

Morpho-Physiological and Biochemical Responses of Maize Hybrids under Recurrent Water Stress at Early Vegetative Stage

Rapid climate change may put future food security under threat, which emphasizes the significance of assessing the morpho-physiological and biochemical traits associated with maize tolerance against recurrent water stress at the early vegetative stage. Three maize varieties (V1, SUWAN2301; V2, SUWAN4452; and V3, S7328) and three water levels (I1, daily watering as the control; I2, watering every two days as the short stress; and I3, watering every four days as the prolonged stress) were employed in a factorial design pot experiment. During the experiment, I1’s soil moisture content (SMC) was maintained at almost 100% of its field capacity (FC), whereas I2 and I3’s volumetric SMC dropped to an average of 22.10% and 11.57%, respectively, following a stress phase. Fourteen distinct characteristics of maize were investigated at 5, 9, and 13 days after watering treatment initiation (DAWTI). The findings revealed that water levels significantly influenced all the tested traits (p p 1 compared to I2 and I3. However, during the first recovery period (RP), the recovery rate (RR) of stem perimeter (SP), root length (RL), root dry weight (RDW), leaf water potential (LWP), leaf greenness (LG), and TSSL were higher in I2, whereas leaf area (LA) and RL:SL was higher in I3. However, in the second RP, the RR of plant height (PH), SP, RL, LWP, LG, and TSSL were higher in I3, whereas LA, RDW, RL:SL, PrL, PrR, and TSSR were higher in I2 compared to each other. Under I3, the RR of biochemical traits, i.e., PrL (29.45%) and TSSR (20.23%), were higher in the first RP, and PrR (20.74%) and TSSL (15.22%) were higher in the second RP. However, the variety V1 could recover more after a re-watering, and, in the second RP, it performed better in the case of LA (120.14%), PH (18.41%), SP (19.94%), RL (17.74%), Shoot dry weight (SDW) (56.82%), RDW (11.97%), LG (0.05%), PrR (42.55%), TSSL (18.54%), and TSSR (22.87%) than other varieties. The maize varieties performed differently under I1 and I3 according to the principal component analysis and stress tolerance index. The variety V1 exhibited superior performance under both water levels. The biplot analysis highlighted the importance of traits, such as PrL, RL, TSSL, TSSR, PrR, and RL:SL, in water-stressed conditions. However, re-watering following a water stress period triggered the recovery rates in most traits, particularly after the second four-day stress period, and variety V1 performed better as well. Nonetheless, more research on a genomic and molecular level is required to gain a deeper understanding of the precise processes of drought tolerance in maize, particularly under recurring water stress circumstances

Does inoculation with native rhizobia enhance nitrogen fixation and yield of cowpea through legume-based intercropping in the northern mountainous areas of Vietnam?

In the Northern mountainous region of Vietnam, cassava–cowpea intercropping system has been widely promoted with support from the local agricultural department. However, cowpea yield is often limited because of a low Biological Nitrogen Fixation (BNF) activity due to its low natural nodulation and lack of available effective Rhizobium products. The aim of this study was to identify the most effective native rhizobia isolate nodulating cowpea with the potential to increase BNF and yield of cowpea. A greenhouse experiment was initially conducted with five treatments: three native rhizobia isolates (CMBP037, CMBP054, and CMBP065); a control (no inoculation and no N application); and N+ (no inoculation, application of N as KNO3). Field inoculations were carried out and the treatments were as follows: a control (no inoculation); CMBP (037+054) – a mixture of strains from Mau Dong; CMBP065 strain from Cat Thinh. CMBP054 and CMBP065 had the highest nodulation in the greenhouse (46.4 and 60.7 nodules plant−1, respectively) and were rated as effective with symbiotic efficiency (SEF) of 54.56 and 55.73%, respectively. In the field, CMBP (037+054) recorded significantly higher nodulation (19.4 nodules plant−1) than the control (11.7 nodules plant−1). CMBP (037+054) also increased cowpea shoot dry weight, shoot N, and yield by 28.6, 4.9, and 10.5%, respectively, compared to the uninoculated control. This effect was slope dependent (statistically significant in moderate and steep slope, not with gentle slope). Besides, the high expansion rate of intercropping with cowpea showed the high adoption level of these agroecological practices by local farmers. This study reveals the potential of native rhizobia inoculation to enhance soil fertility and sustainable agriculture in the Northern mountainous region of Vietnam and proposes enhanced efforts to promote the availability and utilization of effective inoculants for cowpea