Pest Control

Yellow crazy ant

Scientists warn of threat from 120 new pests on Kenya’s agriculture

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By George Munene A study conducted on invasive alien pests (IAPs) has identified 120 species not currently present in Kenya but could be introduced and become invasive in the future threatening the economy by impacting on agriculture. The research conducted by the Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International (CABI) identified these as the most dangerous …

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Zero-grazed cattle at 80% less risk of ECF

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A study by the In­ter­na­tional Live­stock Re­search In­sti­tute ILRI is ad­voc­at­ing for zero graz­ing sys­tem to con­tain tick borne dis­eases as it emerged that free range sys­tems ex­poses live­stock to ticks-in­creas­ing the chances of con­tract­ing dis­eases.  “An­im­als sub­jec­ted to zero-graz­ing sys­tems had 80 per cent lower chance of con­tract­ing East Coast Fever (ECF) than in …

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African armyworm

Sex trap tame devastating African armyworm

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The African armyworm, scientifically known as Spodoptera exempta, is a particularly devastating pest. An early warn­ing sys­tem using traps that fake the smell of mat­ing fe­male moths has de­livered a break­through in coun­ter­ing the spread of the army­worm, which can move into an area and dev­ast­ate en­tire crops. The over 2 mil­lion farm­ers in Kenya …

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managuu

Managu acts as organic red mite control in other vegetables

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Farmers can control red mites attack on vegetables by growing the hairy African nightshade, commonly called managu, along orchard borders after a research revealed that the crop ends the reproduction cycle of the pest. Red mite susceptible crops include gooseberry, bitter apple, tomato, eggplant potato, among others. The mites can destroy up to 80 per …

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white fly jar

How mango farmers organically reduce whiteflies by over 80%

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Mango farm­ers have cre­ated a trap that kills white­flies, a pest that causes 80-90 per cent dam­age to the fruit, through the use of a pher­omone chem­ical that is used to at­tract male white­flies and kill them. Kenya being the third-largest pro­du­cer of man­goes in Africa and mainly ex­port­ing to United Arabs, Kenyan man­goes face …

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pesticides

Farmers warn EU pesticide policy will cripple Kenyan agriculture

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By George Munene Farmer lobby groups led by the Fresh Produce Consortium of Kenya, the National Potato Council of Kenya, and the Cereal Growers Association have warned that a report forwarded by The National Assembly’s Health Committee that recommends the Pest Control Products Board ensures products banned in Europe and the United States are not …

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Fall Armyworm

New freely available Fall Armyworm control measures reduce pest by 50%  

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By George Munene The Fall Armyworm (FAW) is amongst the most devastating pests to Africa’s food systems. In response to this, agriculture nonprofit Land O’Lakes 37 and Villa Crop Protection have prepared freely accessible training modules outlining the appropriate responses smallholder farmers should take to combat this pest.  Research amongst Zimbabwean farm-holders showed that those …

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Bunj cattle possible trypanosome infection

Livestock researchers use gene editing to eradicate sleeping sickness 

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By George Munene Livestock researchers at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Nairobi are using gene editing to identify genes that could help curb the spread of the as yet vaccine-less African animal trypanosomiasis, a pest that spreads sleeping sickness in animals and humans. The scientists are also looking at introducing desirable traits such as heat …

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CABI launches papaya mealybug farmer education program

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By Fredrique Achieng’ The Center for Agriculture and Bioscience International (CABI) a leading plant science research organization, has launched a farmer education program to help farmers in Coastal Kenya fight against the Papaya Mealybug, a pest that causes 56% to 91% in yield losses. The campaign dubbed “Taking to the Airwaves” is funded by the …

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