Prevalence of plant-parasitic nematodes associated with tomatoes in three agro-ecological zones of Ghana

A study was conducted between August 2014 and May 2015 to identify plant-parasitic nematodes taxa associated with tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) and to assess the knowledge, perceptions and experiences of growers of the crop on occurrence and management of the parasites on their farms in nine communities within the semi-deciduous forest, the forest/savanna transitional and the savanna agro-ecological zones of Ghana. Semi-structured questionnaires were designed and administered to 54 randomly selected growers from the nine communities. Composite rhizosphere soil and tomato root samples were collected from two farms in each of the nine communities, and nematodes extracted, identified and recorded. The study revealed that many growers (73%) could not distinguish between nematode infestation, nutrient deficiency and moisture stress and, therefore, lacked knowledge on nematode control. Most of the growers (63%) continually cropped their land to tomato for periods of 4 –7 years without fallowing. All growers applied only inorganic fertilizer to their crops. Symptoms of nematode infestation were widespread in fields with high yield losses. Tomato was a host to Helicotylenchus spp. (11.5% in soil), Hoplolaimus spp. (1.0 % in soil), Meloidogyne spp. (37.4% in soil and 69.3% in roots), Pratylenchus spp. (20.6% in soil and 13.7% in roots), Rotylenchulus spp. (11.0% in soil and 12.2% in roots), Scutellonema spp. (9.5% in soil and 4.9% in roots), Tylenchus spp.(7.6% in soil) and Xiphinema spp.(1.4% in soil) across the nine communities surveyed. Semi-deciduous forest and Savanna agro-ecological zones had the highest and least population densities of nematodes, respectively. These nematodes, if not managed efficiently, could also serve as constraint to tomato production in the country

PREVALENCE OF PLANT-PARASITIC NEMATODES IN RICE FIELDS IN GHANA

Rice ( Oryza sativa L.) is one of the most cultivated crops worldwide whose production in sub-Saharan Africa is extensively affected by root nematodes. The objective of this study was to identify and establish the distribution of plant-parasitic nematodes (PPNs), in rice growing fields within different regions of Ghana. Soil and root samples were taken from rice fields, namely fourteen from Volta Region, eleven from the Soil and Irrigation Research Centre (SIREC), Kpong (Eastern Region); and five from Dawhenya (Greater Accra Region). The soil samples were taken from 0-30 cm depths, together with root samples. A total of twenty-four nematode genera were identified in soil and root samples from the three regions. These included: Aphelenchus spp., Belonolaimus spp., Ditylenchus spp., Dolichodorus spp., Helicotylenchus spp., Hemicriconemoides spp. Hemicycliophora spp. Heterodera spp., Hirschmaniella spp., Hoplolaimus spp., Longidorus spp., Meloidogyne spp., Paralongidorous spp., Paratylenchus spp., Pratylenchus spp., Radopholus spp., Rhabditida spp., Rotylenchulus spp., Scutellonema spp., Trichodorus spp., Tylenchornchus spp., Tylenchulus spp., Tylenchus spp. and Xiphinema spp. In the Volta Region, Tylenchus spp. was the most abundant (29.01%) in the soil; while Meloidogyne spp. was most the abundant (36.86%) in the roots. In Dawhenya regions, Meloidogyne spp. was the most abundant (26.96%) in the soil; while Tylenchus spp. was the most abundant (25.94%) in the roots. In the Eastern Region, Meloidogyne spp. was the most abundant (41.7%) in the soil; while Pratylenchus spp. was the most abundant (36.1%) in the roots. These nematodes threaten rice production in Ghana, if not managed well in farmer\u2019s fields.Le riz ( Oryza sativa L.) est l\u2019une des cultures les plus cultiv\ue9es au monde dont la production en Afrique subsaharienne est largement affect\ue9e par les n\ue9matodes des racines. L\u2019objectif de cette \ue9tude \ue9tait d\u2019identifier et d\u2019\ue9tablir la r\ue9partition des n\ue9matodes phytoparasites (NPP) dans les rizi\ue8res de diff\ue9rentes r\ue9gions du Ghana. Des \ue9chantillons de sol et de racines ont \ue9t\ue9 pr\ue9lev\ue9s dans les rizi\ue8res, \ue0 savoir quatorze de la r\ue9gion de la Volta, onze du Centre de Recherche sur les Sols et l\u2019Irrigation (SIREC), Kpong (r\ue9gion de l\u2019Est)\ua0; et cinq de Dawhenya (r\ue9gion du Grand Accra). Les \ue9chantillons de sol ont \ue9t\ue9 pr\ue9lev\ue9s \ue0 des profondeurs de 0 \ue0 30 cm, ainsi que des \ue9chantillons de racines. Au total, vingt-quatre genres de n\ue9matodes ont \ue9t\ue9 identifi\ue9s dans des \ue9chantillons de sol et de racines des trois r\ue9gions. Ceux-ci comprenaient : Aphelenchus spp., Belonolaimus spp., Ditylenchus spp., Dolichodorus spp., Helicotylenchus spp., Hemicriconemoides spp. Hemicycliophora spp. Heterodera spp., Hirschmaniella spp., Hoplolaimus spp., Longidorus spp., Meloidogyne spp., Paralongidorous spp., Paratylenchus spp., Pratylenchus spp., Radopholus spp., Rhabditida spp., T. ., Tylenchornchus spp., Tylenchulus spp., Tylenchus spp. et Xiphinema spp. Dans la r\ue9gion de la Volta, Tylenchus spp. \ue9tait le plus abondant (29,01 %) dans le sol; tandis que Meloidogyne spp. \ue9tait le plus abondant (36,86%) dans les racines. Dans les r\ue9gions de Dawhenya, Meloidogyne spp. \ue9tait le plus abondant (26,96 %) dans le sol; tandis que Tylenchus spp. \ue9tait le plus abondant (25,94 %) dans les racines. Dans la r\ue9gion orientale, Meloidogyne spp. \ue9tait le plus abondant (41,7%) dans le sol; tandis que Pratylenchus spp. \ue9tait le plus abondant (36,1 %) dans les racines. Ces n\ue9matodes menacent la production de riz au Ghana, s\u2019ils ne sont pas bien g\ue9r\ue9s dans les champs des agriculteurs

Alphitobius diaperinus larvae (lesser mealworm) as human food – An approval of the European Commission – A critical review

Due to the increasing threat of climate change and the need for sustainable food sources, human consumption of edible insects or entomophagy has gained considerable attention globally. The larvae of Alphitobius diaperinus Panzer (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), also known as the lesser mealworm, have been identified as a promising candidate for mass-rearing as a food source based the on evaluation on several aspects such as the production process, the microbiological and chemical composition, and the potential allergenicity to humans. As a consequence, the European Commission has recently approved the utilization of lesser mealworms as human foods. Lesser mealworms are considered a good source of protein, with a protein content ranging from 50-65% of their dry weight and containing various essential amino acids. Lesser mealworms are also rich in other essential nutrients such as iron, calcium, and vitamins B12 and B6. Furthermore, the hydrolysates of lesser mealworms are known to contain antioxidants, suggesting the therapeutic properties of the insects. To enable and ensure a continuous supply of lesser mealworms, various rearing procedures of the insects and information on optimal environmental rearing conditions have been reported. However, like other edible insects, lesser mealworms are still not commonly consumed in Western countries because of various consumer- and product-related factors. Ultimately, the European Commission’s approval of lesser mealworms as a novel food is a key milestone in the development of the insect food industry. Embracing the consumption of edible insects can help address the challenges of feeding a growing population, mitigate the environmental impact of food production, and promote a more sustainable and resilient food system for the future