Biosafety education relevant to genetically engineered crops for academic and non-academic stakeholders in East Africa

Development and deployment of genetically engineered crops requires effective environmental and food safety assessment capacity. In-country expertise is needed to make locally appropriate decisions. In April 2007, biosafety and biotechnology scientists, regulators, educators, and communicators from Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, met to examine the status and needs of biosafety training and educational programs in East Africa. Workshop participants emphasized the importance of developing biosafety capacity within their countries and regionally. Key recommendations included identification of key biosafety curricular components for university students; collaboration among institutions and countries; development of informational materials for non-academic stakeholders and media; and organization of study tours for decision makers. It was emphasized that biosafety knowledge is important for all aspects of environmental health, food safety, and human and animal hygiene. Thus, development of biosafety expertise, policies and procedures can be a stepping stone to facilitate improved biosafety for all aspects of society and the environment

Effects of Volatiles from Maruca vitrata Larvae and Caterpillar-Infested Flowers of Their Host Plant Vigna unguiculata on the Foraging Behavior of the Parasitoid Apanteles taragamae

The parasitoid wasp Apanteles taragamae is a promising candidate for the biological control of the legume pod borer Maruca vitrata, which recently has been introduced into Benin. The effects of volatiles from cowpea and peabush flowers and Maruca vitrata larvae on host selection behavior of the parasitoid Apanteles taragamae were investigated under laboratory conditions by using a Y-tube olfactometer. Naïve and oviposition-experienced female wasps were given a choice between several odor sources that included (1) uninfested, (2) Maruca vitrata-infested, and (3) mechanically damaged cowpea flowers, as well as (4) stem portions of peabush plants carrying leaves and flowers, (5) healthy M. vitrata larvae, and moribund (6), and live (7) virus-infected M. vitrata larvae. Responses of naïve and oviposition-experienced female wasps did not differ for any of the odor source combinations. Wasps were significantly attracted to floral volatiles produced by cowpea flowers that had been infested with M. vitrata larvae and from which the larvae had been removed. Apanteles taragamae females also were attracted to Maruca vitrata-infested flowers after removal of both the larvae and their feces. Female wasps discriminated between volatiles from previously infested flowers and mechanically damaged flowers. Uninfested cowpea flowers attracted only oviposition-experienced wasps that had received a rewarding experience (i.e. the parasitization of two M. vitrata larvae feeding on cowpea flowers) before the olfactometer test. Wasps also were attracted to uninfested leaves and flowers of peabush. Moreover, they were also attracted to healthy and live virus-infected M. vitrata larvae, but not when the latter were moribund. Our data show that, similarly to what has been extensively been reported for foliar volatiles, flowers of plants also emit parasitoid-attracting volatiles in response to being infested with an herbivore

Population dynamics of selected cowpea insect pests as influenced by different management practices in eastern Uganda

(African Crop Science Journal 1999 7(4): 487-496

Potential impact of intercropping on major cowpea field pests in Uganda

Insect pests are perhaps the most important constraint to cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp) production. In Uganda, aphids, thrips, pod sucking bugs and pod borers are ubiquitous and very devastating, sometimes leading to total crop failure. On-farm studies were conducted at 3 sites in eastern Uganda for three consecutive seasons to evaluate the use of intercropping as a pest control strategy in cowpea. Two local cowpea cultivars, Ebelat (Erect) and Icirikukwai (spreading) were grown as sole crops or intercropped with a local variety of greengram (Vigna radiata) or sorghum Sorghum bicolour cv. Seredo. Aphids and thrips populations were significantly reduced in the cowpea + sorghum intercrop but were higher in the cowpea + greengram intercrop. In contrast, pod borer and pod sucking bug infestations and their associated damage were significantly higher in the cowpea + sorghum intercrop than in the other cropping systems. These results contradict previous reports and indicate that (a) not all pests are controlled by intercropping, (b) to be effective, intercropping has to be part of a pest management system that involves other control strategies, and (c) choice of a cropping system for IPM should consider the pest profile. Key Words: Aphids, IPM, pod borers, pod sucking bugs, thrips, Vigna unguiculata Résumé Les pestes des insects représentent peut être la plus grande contrainte à la production du niébé (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp). En Ouganda, les alphides, thrips, les suceurs et foreurs de gousses sont omniprésent et très dévastateurs, par moments conduisent à la non production. Des essais des champs étaient conduits en trios endroits à l'est de l'Ouganda pour trios saisons consécutives, pour évaluer l'utilisation de cultures associées comme stratégic de contrôle des pestes dans le niébé. Deux variétiés du niébé, Ebelat (Erect) et Icirikukwai (spreading) étaient plantées en mono et cultures associées avec des variétiés locales de greengram (Vigna radiata) ou du sorgho (Sorghum bicolour cv. Seredo). Les populations des alphides et des thrips étaient significativement réduites dans le niébé associé au sorgho mais étaient élévées dans le niébé associé au greengram. Au contraire, les infestations des foreurs et des suceurs de gousses et les dommages induits étaient significativement élévés dans la combinaison niébé et sorgho que dans d'autres cultures. Ces résultants contraidisent les rapports précédents et indiquent que (a) pas toutes les pestes sont contrôlées par la culture en association, (b) pour être efficace, la culture en association doit faire partie du système de gestion des pestes impliquant d'autres stratégies de contrôle, et (c) le choix du système des cultures pour la gestion intégrées des pestes devra considérer le profile des pestes. Mots Clés: Aphides, IPM, foreurs de gousses, suceurs de gousses, thrips, Vigna unguiculata (Af Crop Sci J 2002 Vol 10 No 4 pp335-344

Integrated management of major field pests of cowpea in eastern Uganda

(African Crop Science Journal 1999 7(4): 479-486

Effectiveness of breeding and disseminating CMDresistant cassava varieties in western Kenya

In 1996, Cassava Mosaic Disease in Western Kenya depressed productivity and de-stabilized markets. The study assesses the effectiveness of breeding and disseminating CMD-resistant varieties in westernKenya by determining the extent of adoption and impact on farmers' income of the new varieties vis-àvis the level of investment in the program as well as the factors that influenced their adoption. Results show that the new varieties significantly increased production and marketing potential of cassava compared to the old varieties, despite the low level of investment in the breeding and dissemination system. This shows that the current cassava breeding and dissemination system is capable of reacting quickly and cost-effectively to CMD epidemics. However, an adoption rate of only 30 percent was realised. This was due to higher gains from competing crops like maize and beans in terms of cash income and productivity, and problems with the new varieties' attributes such as little drought resistance and long cropping cycles. High dry matter content, farm size, access to marketsand information, among others, significantly influenced adoption, with farmer-to-farmer propaganda being the most efficient means of dissemination

Effectiveness of breeding and disseminating CMDresistant cassava varieties in western Kenya

In 1996, Cassava Mosaic Disease in Western Kenya depressed productivity and de-stabilized markets. The study assesses the effectiveness of breeding and disseminating CMD-resistant varieties in western Kenya by determining the extent of adoption and impact on farmers' income of the new varieties vis-àvis the level of investment in the program as well as the factors that influenced their adoption. Results show that the new varieties significantly increased production and marketing potential of cassava compared to the old varieties, despite the low level of investment in the breeding and dissemination system. This shows that the current cassava breeding and dissemination system is capable of reacting quickly and cost-effectively to CMD epidemics. However, an adoption rate of only 30 percent was realised. This was due to higher gains from competing crops like maize and beans in terms of cash income and productivity, and problems with the new varieties' attributes such as little drought resistance and long cropping cycles. High dry matter content, farm size, access to markets and information, among others, significantly influenced adoption, with farmer-to-farmer propaganda being the most efficient means of dissemination

Biosafety education relevant to genetically engineered crops for academic and non-academic stakeholders in East Africa

Development and deployment of genetically engineered crops requires effective environmental and food safety assessment capacity. In-country expertise is needed to make locally appropriate decisions. In April 2007, biosafety and biotechnology scientists, regulators, educators, and communicators from Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, met to examine the status and needs of biosafety training and educational programs in East Africa. Workshop participants emphasized the importance of developing biosafety capacity within their countries and regionally. Key recommendations included identification of key biosafety curricular components for university students; collaboration among institutions and countries; development of informational materials for non-academic stakeholders and media; and organization of study tours for decision makers. It was emphasized that biosafety knowledge is important for all aspects of environmental health, food safety, and human and animal hygiene. Thus, development of biosafety expertise, policies and procedures can be a stepping stone to facilitate improved biosafety for all aspects of society and the environment