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Arthropod vectors are responsible for a multitude of human and animal diseases affecting poor communities in sub-Saharan Africa. Their control still relies on chemical agents, despite growing evidence of insecticide resistance and environmental health concerns. Biorational agents, such as the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae, might be an alternative for vector control. Recently, the M. anisopliae isolate ICIPE 7 has been developed into a commercial product in Kenya for control of ticks on cattle. We were interested in assessing the potential of controlling not only ticks but also disease-transmitting mosquitoes and tsetse flies using cattle as blood hosts, with the aim of developing a product for integrated vector management. Laboratory bioassays were carried out with M. anisopliae, isolate ICIPE 7 and isolate ICIPE 30, to compare efficacy against laboratory-reared Anopheles arabiensis. ICIPE 7 was further tested against wild Glossina fuscipes and Rhipicephalus spp. Dose–response tests were implemented, period of mosquito exposure was evaluated for effects on time to death, and the number of spores attached to exposed vectors was assessed. Exposure to 109 spores/mL of ICIPE 7 for 10 min resulted in a similar mortality of An. arabiensis as exposure to ICIPE 30, albeit at a slower rate (12 vs. 8 days). The same ICIPE 7 concentration also resulted in mortalities of tsetse flies (LT50: 16 days), tick nymphs (LT50: 11 days), and adult ticks (LT50: 20 days). Mosquito mortality was dose-dependent, with decreasing LT50 of 8 days at a concentration of 106 spores/mL to 6 days at 1010 spores/mL. Exposure period did not modulate the outcome, 1 min of exposure still resulted in mortality, and spore attachment to vectors was dose-dependent. The laboratory bioassays confirmed that ICIPE 7 has the potential to infect and cause mortality to the three exposed arthropods, though at slower rate, thus requiring further validation under field conditions.

Simple Summary: Arthropods are a large and diverse group of animals, some of which are pests, while others transmit human and livestock diseases as they bite them to feed on blood. Chemical-based vector and pest control for decades has made many arthropods resistant to the chemicals used. So, there is a need to investigate other control agents, such as the biological, arthropod-killing fungus Metarhizium anisopliae, for the ability to infect and kill human and livestock disease-transmitting arthropods. In this study, we tested if the fungus M. anisopliae infects and kills mosquitoes, tsetse flies, and ticks. This was performed by finding out how long mosquitoes lived after being infected with fungus spores, as well as the amount of fungus spores suitable to lead to their death. The same optimal concentration of fungus that killed mosquitoes also successfully killed tsetse flies and ticks. We recommend that the fungus be formulated in a suitable concentration of 109 spores/mL and its ability to kill mosquitoes, tsetse flies, and ticks be confirmed in the field. This would lead to the development of a fungal formulation that can be sprayed on livestock such as cattle, for the exposure of multiple blood-feeding and disease-transmitting arthropods at the same time, to impact their survival. Arthropod vectors are responsible for a multitude of human and animal diseases affecting poor communities in sub-Saharan Africa. Their control still relies on chemical agents, despite growing evidence of insecticide resistance and environmental health concerns. Biorational agents, such as the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae, might be an alternative for vector control. Recently, the M. anisopliae isolate ICIPE 7 has been developed into a commercial product in Kenya for control of ticks on cattle. We were interested in assessing the potential of controlling not only ticks but also disease-transmitting mosquitoes and tsetse flies using cattle as blood hosts, with the aim of developing a product for integrated vector management. Laboratory bioassays were carried out with M. anisopliae, isolate ICIPE 7 and isolate ICIPE 30, to compare efficacy against laboratory-reared Anopheles arabiensis. ICIPE 7 was further tested against wild Glossina fuscipes and Rhipicephalus spp. Dose–response tests were implemented, period of mosquito exposure was evaluated for effects on time to death, and the number of spores attached to exposed vectors was assessed. Exposure to 109 spores/mL of ICIPE 7 for 10 min resulted in a similar mortality of An. arabiensis as exposure to ICIPE 30, albeit at a slower rate (12 vs. 8 days). The same ICIPE 7 concentration also resulted in mortalities of tsetse flies (LT50: 16 days), tick nymphs (LT50: 11 days), and adult ticks (LT50: 20 days). Mosquito mortality was dose-dependent, with decreasing LT50 of 8 days at a concentration of 106 spores/mL to 6 days at 1010 spores/mL. Exposure period did not modulate the outcome, 1 min of exposure still resulted in mortality, and spore attachment to vectors was dose-dependent. The laboratory bioassays confirmed that ICIPE 7 has the potential to infect and cause mortality to the three exposed arthropods, though at slower rate, thus requiring further validation under field conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background The fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda, is a devastating invasive pest and a threat to food security in Africa, with yield losses of 20–50%. Recent studies highlighted the importance of cereal crops such as maize and sorghum as the most preferred host plants for FAW oviposition. In the current work, we investigated the olfactory responses of FAW and its key larval endoparasitoid Cotesia icipe to odours from the preferred host (maize) in the presence of six potential companion crops including beans, groundnut, sweet potato, greenleaf- and silverleaf desmodium, and cassava. We hypothesized that odours released by companion crops in maize-based intercropping systems would alter host preferences of FAW for oviposition and its parasitoid responses. Results In dual choice oviposition bioassays, FAW laid significantly more eggs on maize than on the other plants. However, in the multiple-choice bioassays, significantly fewer eggs were laid on maize when companion plants were present except cassava. While wind tunnel bioassays confirmed the differential behavioural responses of FAW, we found that its larval endoparasitoid C. icipe was attracted to volatiles from the companion plants tested individually and/or when they were combined with maize. Coupled gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis detected several potential behaviour-modifying compounds including (Z)-3-hexenyl acetate, (E)-β-ocimene, (E)-4,8-dimethyl-1,3,7-nonatriene, (E)-β-caryophyllene, camphor, methyl salicylate and (E, E)-4,8,12-trimethyl-1,3,7,11-tridecatetraene. Conclusions Our findings provide evidence supporting diversified maize cropping system could reduce FAW damage by repelling the pest while simultaneously recruiting its natural enemies. Hence, diversifying cereal cropping system with companion crops could serve as an ecologically sustainable FAW management strategy. Graphical Abstract

The field cricket, Scapsipedus icipe Hugel and Tanga (Orthoptera: Gryllidae) is edible and could be used to reduce malnutrition in Sub-Saharan Africa. As the demand for cricket products is increasing, there is a need to find cost-effective ways of rearing this cricket using locally available and affordable sources of food. This study evaluated the feeding preferences of the field cricket S. icipe for 11 species of dayflowers (Commelina spp.; Commelinaceae), using no-choice and multiple-choice experiments in controlled environments. Leaf feeding rates and the nutrient content and phytochemicals of the plants were determined. The ANOVA results indicate significantly higher feeding rates when offered Commelina petersii and C. forskaolii, than Commelina sp. and C. purpurea in no-choice experiments. Multiple-choice experiments ranked C. petersii as the most preferred species followed by C. forskaolii and the two reference species, C. benghalensis var. benghalensis (non-hybrid variant) and C. benghalensis (hybrid variant). The Spearman correlation and PCA revealed positive significant associations between leaf feeding and Ca and NDF content of leaves and a negative significant association between Ca and NDF. A high Ca/low NDF content was recorded for C. petersii and a low Ca/high NDF content for C. purpurea. The beta regression analysis and a biplot identified six phytochemical constituents influencing leaf feeding: phenols, alkaloids, tannins, glycosides, saponins and anthraquinones. Phenols stimulate feeding by S. icipe on C. petersii and C. forskaolii, whereas the tannins and alkaloids in Commelina sp. and C. purpurea, acted as deterrents. Nutrient content and phytochemicals are two important factors determining the suitability of species of Commelina for the field cricket S. icipe. Based on the results of this study, the leaves of C. petersii are highly recommended as a source of food for the mass rearing of this field cricket (S. icipe) and boosting entomophagy in Sub-Saharan Africa.

To overcome the negative impacts of invasive fall armyworm (FAW), this study assessed the laboratory and field efficacy of aqueous and oil-based formulations of Metarhizium anisopliae ICIPE 41 as an alternative source for FAW management. Three oil formulations, including canola, corn and olive oils and an aqueous formulation of ICIPE 41, were assessed against the second-instar larvae of FAW in the laboratory. Field experiments were also conducted at Mbita and Migori, Kenya, using the formulation that performed best in the lab, with four treatments: (a) A corn oil formulation of ICIPE 41; (b) Mazao Achieve® biopesticide, with the M. anisopliae ICIPE 78 strain as the active ingredient; (c) spinetoram-based synthetic pesticide; (d) a control (water + corn oil). FAW incidence, infestation, larval mortality and the effects on parasitoids and yield were evaluated. The laboratory results showed no significant differences in the efficacies among the oil-based formulations, with mortality rates of >70% and an LT50 of ~2 days compared to 15.15% in the controls with an LT50 of 8.11days. Under the field conditions, no significant differences in the FAW infestation were observed between ICIPE 41 and Mazao Achieve®, compared to the control treatments in both agro-ecological zones. From the field-collected samples, both fugal-based biopesticides exhibited high mortality and mycosis rates, with no negative impacts on Cotesia icipe compared to the spinetoram pesticide. There were significant differences in the total grain yields among the treatments in Mbita and Migori. Therefore, ICIPE 41 formulated with corn oil could be used for sustainable FAW management in maize cropping systems.

Fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda, has recently invaded Africa where it is seriously threatening food security. Current management methods rely heavily on synthetic insecticides which are harmful to humans, the environment, and non-target beneficial insects. Cotesia icipe was recently identified as a major FAW-associated indigenous parasitoid causing a high parasitism rate on the pest in Kenya. Previous studies have demonstrated the efficacy of Metarhizium anisopliae ICIPE 7, ICIPE 41, ICIPE 78, and Beauveria bassiana ICIPE 621 against FAW. However, limited information is available on the interactions between these potent isolates and C. icipe. This study therefore assessed direct and indirect infection effects of these fungal isolates on C. icipe, induced 2nd instar FAW mortality, and parasitism rates of the infected C. icipe. Results showed that when C. icipe were directly exposed to dry conidia of the fungal isolates, ICIPE 7 and ICIPE 41 caused the highest (100%) C. icipe adult mortality seven days post-exposure. Both isolates also induced the highest FAW larval mortality of 55% and 53%, respectively. ICIPE 78 recorded the highest parasitism rates after direct infection. In the indirect exposure (fungal-infected FAW larvae exposed to the parasitoid), 1 × 109 conidia mL−1 recorded high C. icipe adult and FAW 2nd instar mortalities for all fungal isolates. This study provides an important baseline for effective fungal-based biopesticides development that could also be used in augmentative biological control. However, further studies are warranted to assess the performance of C. icipe in combination with these potent biopesticides in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda is a generalist pest known to feed on more than 300 plant species, including major staple crops such as rice, maize and sorghum. Biological control of FAW using a combination of a major indigenous egg parasitoid Telenomus remus and entomopathogenic fungi was explored in this study. Metarhizium anisopliae strains (ICIPE 7, ICIPE 41, and ICIPE 78) and Beauveria bassiana ICIPE 621 which demonstrated effectiveness to combat the pest, were evaluated through direct and indirect fungal infection to assess their pathogenicity and virulence against T. remus adults, S. frugiperda eggs and their effects on T. remus parasitism rates. Metarhizium anisopliae ICIPE 7 and ICIPE 78 exhibited the highest virulence against T. remus adults with LT50 values >2 days. ICIPE 7 induced the highest T. remus mortality rate (81.40 ± 4.17%) following direct infection with dry conidia. Direct fungal infection also had a significant impact on parasitoid emergence, with the highest emergence rate recorded in the M. anisopliae ICIPE 7 treatment (42.50 ± 5.55%), compared to the control ± (83.25 ± 5.94%). In the indirect infection, the highest concentration of 1 x 109 conidia ml-1 of ICIPE 78 induced the highest mortality (100 ± 0.00%) of T. remus adults, and the highest mortality (51.25%) of FAW eggs, whereas the least FAW egg mortality (15.25%) was recorded in the lowest concentration 1 x 105 conidia ml-1 of ICIPE 41. The number of parasitoids that emerged and their sex ratios were not affected by the different fungal strain concentrations except in ICIPE 7 at high dose. This study showed that potential combination of both M. anisopliae and B. bassiana with T. remus parasitoid can effectively suppress FAW populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effective integrated pest management (IPM) of the melon fly Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coquillett), a devastating pest threatening horticultural production in Africa, is urgently needed. In this study, a caged field experiment was implemented in Thika, Kenya to test the efficacy of Metarhizium anisopliae (Mechnikov) Sorokin ICIPE 69 for Z. cucurbitae control in courgette Cucurbita pepo L. Treatments included: (1) dry conidia of M. anisopliae ICIPE 69 applied in an autodissemination device (fungus); (2) dry conidia of M. anisopliae ICIPE 69 in an autodissemination device combined with cuelure, a male attractant (fungus + cuelure); (3) a commercial insecticide (profenofos + cypermethrin) (insecticide); and (4) an untreated control (control). Each treatment was replicated thrice and the experiment was conducted twice during two seasons. Flies (300/tunnel) and treatments were introduced at flowering. One day later, 25 flies/tunnel were randomly collected from each cage to assess conidial acquisition (for fungus and fungus + cuelure treatments only) and mortality during a 10‐day interval in the laboratory. Flies in the fungus + cuelure treatment acquired more conidia (18.02 ± 0.48 conidia/fly) than those in the fungus treatment (11.93 ± 0.40 conidia/fly). Flies in the fungus + cuelure treatment experienced the highest mortality (95.31% ± 1.69%), while those in the insecticide treatment experienced the lowest (38.70% ± 4.32%). Dry conidia were collected from the autodissemination devices (in the fungus and fungus + cuelure treatment) daily for 7 days after flowering to check for compatibility through germination tests. Percentage germination reduced over time from 86.45% ± 1.77% and 87.72% ± 1.71% on day 1 to 16.39% ± 2.11% and 42.76% ± 1.74% on day 7 (seasons 1 and 2, respectively). The yield was significantly different among treatments and was, across seasons, highest in the fungus + cuelure (6961 ± 550 kg/ha) and insecticide (7267 ± 352 kg/ha) treatments and lowest in the control treatment (2089 ± 155 kg/ha). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ticks and tick-borne diseases cause substantial economic losses to the livestock industry in sub-Saharan Africa. Mazao Tickoff is a novel bioacaricide developed for tick control and is based on the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae sensu lato (s.l.) isolate ICIPE 7. To date, no randomized controlled study has been undertaken to demonstrate the efficacy of this bioacaricide in reducing natural tick infestation on cattle. To this end, this field trial is designed to evaluate the anti-tick efficacy of Mazao Tickoff on cattle in coastal Kenya compared to a standard chemical tick control protocol. In this prospective, multi-center randomized controlled trial, eligible herds will be randomized by the herd size to the intervention arm in a 1:1:1 ratio to either Triatix® (active ingredient: amitraz); Mazao Tickoff (active ingredient: M. anisopliae ICIPE 7); or placebo (excipients of the Mazao Tickoff), with a total enrollment target of 1,077 cattle. Treatments will be dispensed on Day 0 (defined individually as the day each animal receives the first treatment) and thereafter every two weeks until Day 182. Ticks will be counted on every animal in each herd (herds to be included have at least one animal bearing at least one tick on Day 0), and thereafter on bi-weekly intervals until Day 182. The primary efficacy assessments of Mazao Tickoff will be based on the mean percentage reduction in tick counts at each post-treatment follow-up visit compared to the placebo group and the Triatix® arm. Further, the effect of Mazao Tickoff on the prevalence of common cattle pathogens, Anaplasma marginale and Theileria parva, will be determined by assessing incidence and seroprevalence at four different time points. This protocol describes the first rigorous evaluation of the efficacy of Mazao Tickoff and its potential as a viable alternative non-chemical acaricide tool for tick control in Kenya and elsewhere.

To overcome the negative impacts of invasive fall armyworm (FAW), this study assessed the laboratory and field efficacy of aqueous and oil-based formulations of Metarhizium anisopliae ICIPE 41 as an alternative source for FAW management. Three oil formulations, including canola, corn, olive and an aqueous formulation of ICIPE 41, were assessed against the second-instar larvae of FAW in the laboratory. Field experiments were also conducted at Mbita and Migori, Kenya, using the best formulation, with four treatments: (a) A corn oil formulation of ICIPE 41; (b) Mazao Achieve® biopesticide, with the M. anisopliae ICIPE 78 strain as the active ingredient; (c) spinetoram-based synthetic pesticide; (d) a control (water + corn oil), where the FAW incidence, infestation, larval mortality and the effects on parasitoids and yield were evaluated. The laboratory results showed no significant differences in the efficacies among the oil-based formulations, with mortality rates of >70% and an LT50 of ~2 days compared to 15.15% in the controls with an LT50 of 8.11 days. Under the field conditions, no significant differences in the FAW infestation were observed between ICIPE 41 and Mazao Achieve®, compared to the control treatments in both agro-ecological zones. From the field-collected samples, both fugal-based biopesticides exhibited high mortality and mycosis rates, with no negative impacts on Cotesia icipe compared to the spinetoram pesticide. There were significant differences in the total grain yields among the treatments in Mbita and Migori. ICIPE41 could, therefore, be formulated in corn oil to promote sustainable FAW management in maize cropping systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach have been widely promoted and used for the management of native and invasive pests, while the use of various components of the IPM can have a synergetic, additive, or antagonistic effect on each other; this study evaluated the susceptibility of Dolichogenidea gelechiidivoris (Marsh) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), to the Metarhizium anisopliae (Metschnikoff) ICIPE 20 through direct and indirect infection approaches. The effect of fungus on parasitoid longevity, survival of parasitized-larvae, preference of the parasitoid to fungal treated and untreated larvae, and percent parasitism of Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) under different infection scenarios were assessed. The direct application of dry conidia to the parasitoid prior to exposure to the host, reduced D. gelechiidivoris longevity, though the infected female wasps still yielded high parasitism (over 70%). Infecting the parasitized larvae at different ages led to a respective reduction of parasitoid emergence by 35% and 23% for infection at 1 and 5 days post-parasitisation. Exposure of healthy-D. gelechiidivoris adults to a plant-sprayed with fungus did not affect their longevity, and no discriminatory host selection was observed. The highest mortality (~80%) of T. absoluta was achieved when D. gelechiidivoris and M. anisopliae ICIPE 20 were used in combination, indicating an additive impact on the target pest; however, field validation can shed more light on this outcome.

The greater pumpkin fly Dacus bivittatus (Bigot) is a fruit fly indigenous to Africa, which causes extensive damage to Cucurbitaceae. To control this pest, farmers rely on synthetic chemicals, often organophosphates, which have negative effects on human health and the environment. However, the sustainable management of D. bivittatus may be obtained through integrated pest management (IPM) practices, with the use of biopesticides as a key component. In this study, the effect of nine isolates of the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae (Metschnikoff) Sorokin (ICIPE 18, ICIPE 20, ICIPE 30, ICIPE 48, ICIPE 62, ICIPE 69, ICIPE 84, ICIPE 91 and ICIPE 94) was directly evaluated on adult D. bivittatus mortality. Adult flies were allowed to walk for 5 min on 0.3 g of dry conidia of each isolate and monitored daily for 10 days. We also evaluated the effect of sand inoculated with M. anisopliae on larval and pupal mortality and adult eclosion and mortality in three replicated experiments. Larvae were exposed to the same isolates at a concentration of 1 × 107 conidia/mL in sterile sand, and adult eclosion and mortality were monitored for 15 days. The median lethal time (LT50) of adults after direct exposure was shortest for ICIPE 18, ICIPE 20, ICIPE 30 and ICIPE 69 (3.11–3.52 days). In infested sand, larval mortality was highest for ICIPE 18 and ICIPE 20 (≥42.50%), while pupal mortality was highest for ICIPE 30 (≥41.25%). The lowest eclosion was observed for ICIPE 18, ICIPE 20, ICIPE 30 and ICIPE 69 (≤40.00%). The LT50 of adults eclosed from infested sand was shortest for ICIPE 18, ICIPE 20 and ICIPE 30 (4.48–6.95 days). ICIPE 18, ICIPE 20, ICIPE 30 and ICIPE 69 are, therefore, potential isolates for subsequent field testing on D. bivittatus populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The field cricket, Scapsipedus icipe Hugel and Tanga (Orthoptera: Gryllidae) is edible and could be used to reduce malnutrition in Sub-Saharan Africa. As the demand for cricket products is increasing, there is a need to find cost-effective ways of rearing this cricket using locally available and affordable sources of food. This study evaluated the feeding preferences of the field cricket S. icipe for 11 species of dayflowers (Commelina spp.; Commelinaceae), using no-choice and multiple-choice experiments in controlled environments. Leaf feeding rates and the nutrient content and phytochemicals of the plants were determined. The ANOVA results indicate significantly higher feeding rates when offered Commelina petersii and C. forskaolii, than Commelina sp. and C. purpurea in no-choice experiments. Multiple-choice experiments ranked C. petersii as the most preferred species followed by C. forskaolii and the two reference species, C. benghalensis var. benghalensis (non-hybrid variant) and C. benghalensis (hybrid variant). The Spearman correlation and PCA revealed positive significant associations between leaf feeding and Ca and NDF content of leaves and a negative significant association between Ca and NDF. A high Ca/low NDF content was recorded for C. petersii and a low Ca/high NDF content for C. purpurea. The beta regression analysis and a biplot identified six phytochemical constituents influencing leaf feeding: phenols, alkaloids, tannins, glycosides, saponins and anthraquinones. Phenols stimulate feeding by S. icipe on C. petersii and C. forskaolii, whereas the tannins and alkaloids in Commelina sp. and C. purpurea, acted as deterrents. Nutrient content and phytochemicals are two important factors determining the suitability of species of Commelina for the field cricket S. icipe. Based on the results of this study, the leaves of C. petersii are highly recommended as a source of food for the mass rearing of this field cricket (S. icipe) and boosting entomophagy in Sub-Saharan Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The invasion and wide spread of Spodoptera frugiperda represent real impediments to food security and the livelihood of the millions of maize and sorghum farming communities in the sub-Saharan and Sahel regions of Africa. Current management efforts for the pest are focused on the use of synthetic pesticides, which are often economically unviable and are extremely hazardous to the environment. The use of biological control offers a more economically and environmentally safer alternative. In this study, the performance of the recently described parasitoid, Cotesia icipe, against the pest was elucidated. We assessed the host stage acceptability by and suitability for C. icipe, as well as its ovigenic status. Furthermore, the habitat suitability for the parasitoid in the present and future climatic conditions was established using Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) algorithm and the Genetic Algorithm for Rule-set Prediction (GARP). Cotesia icipe differentially accepted the immature stages of the pest. The female acceptance of 1st and 2nd instar larvae for oviposition was significantly higher with more than 60% parasitism. No oviposition on the egg, 5th and 6th larval instars, and pupal stages was observed. Percentage of cocoons formed, and the number of emerged wasps also varied among the larval stages. At initial parasitism, parasitoid progenies, time to cocoon formation and overall developmental time were significantly affected by the larval stage. Egg-load varied significantly with wasp age, with six-day-old wasps having the highest number of mature eggs. Ovigeny index of C. icipe was 0.53. Based on the models, there is collinearity in the ecological niche of the parasitoid and the pest under current and future climate scenarios. Eastern, Central and parts of coastal areas of western Africa are highly suitable for the establishment of the parasitoid. The geographic distribution of the parasitoid would remain similar under future climatic conditions. In light of the findings of this study, we discuss the prospects for augmentative and classical biological control of S. frugiperda with C. icipe in Africa.

This article is a summary of the 10th International Conference on Inverse Problems in Engineering (ICIPE 22), which took place in May 2022 in Francavilla al Mare, Italy. The conference brought together applied mathematicians and engineers from various disciplines to collaborate and discuss the use of inverse analysis tools in fields such as manufacturing, medical imaging, and space applications. The event also honored Professor James V. Beck, who made significant contributions to parameter estimation and inverse heat transfer problems. The conference featured keynote addresses, lectures, and a tribute to Prof. Beck. The article expresses gratitude to the organizers, sponsors, reviewers, and the editor-in-chief of the Heat Transfer Engineering Journal. The 11th ICIPE conference will be held in Brazil in 2024. [Extracted from the article]

Arthropod pests and vectors constrain the livelihood opportunities of people in Africa by debilitating production of crops and livestock and through transmission of vector-borne diseases. In the absence of effective alternative management options to tackle these pests and vectors, there is extensive dependence on synthetic pesticides for their management on crop and livestock systems, with significant negative impacts on animal and human health, and the environment. Biopesticides are effective and environmentally sustainable alternatives to synthetic pesticides. At the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), the Arthropod Pathology Unit (APU) was established for effective biopesticide research-for-development (R4D), underpinned by a large repository of arthropod pathogens, protocols for lab bioassays and field efficacy testing, and an effective public-private partnership to generate new biopesticide products. The focus of icipe's APU has gradually transformed from basic to applied research leading to innovative, commercial products. Among the insect pathogens, greater focus has been placed on fungi, especially Metarhizium anisopliae, against key crop and livestock pests. Presently, three biopesticides based on M. anisopliae strains researched by icipe have been commercialized by Real IPM (Thika, Kenya) and are used on 132,994 ha in sub-Saharan Africa, with registration of additional products against animal ticks and the fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda pending. Our R4D activities on arthropod pathogens increasingly include bacteria, microsporidia, entomopathogenic nematodes and viruses. Recently, icipe is expanding R4D toward plant endophytes and rhizosphere inhabitants. The Centre also embarked on understanding the diversity, roles and possible exploitation of insect symbionts in key plant pest and disease vectors. In addition, key entomopathogens of reared insects for human food and animal feed need to be identified and controlled through high hygiene standards during rearing. Further, research is aimed at integrating biopesticides not only with other integrated pest management (IPM) technologies but also with pollination services.

In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), tomato is an economically important crop that contributes not only to employment and income, but also food security. Like the rest of the SSA countries, tomato production in Kenya is constrained mainly by pests and diseases, key among them being the tomato leaf miner (Tuta absoluta), which can cause 80–100% losses if not properly managed. To suppress this pest, the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE) and partners are introducing a fungal-based biopesticide (ICIPE 20) in an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach as a sustainable alternative to the sole use of synthetic pesticides. This study was carried out before the introduction of the biopesticide to assess its commercial feasibility among agro-dealers, using Kirinyaga County in Kenya where tomato production is predominant, as the study area. Specifically, the study assessed the knowledge, perception, and willingness to stock biopesticide using a market survey involving 141 agro-dealers. Successful commercialization of a new product is assumed to be the cumulative result of traders’ and buyers’ knowledge and perceptions about the product. The results show that a higher proportion of agro-dealers were willing to pay for ICIPE 20 at a higher price than Coragen®, the most popular insecticide for management of T. absoluta. The regression analysis revealed that individual characteristics such as age, education, access to social networks and credit facilities, and information are correlated to the agro-dealer’s knowledge, perception, and willingness to stock the biopesticide. Training agro-dealers may promote greater uptake of the biopesticides through enhancing their knowledge and perception towards the effectiveness of the product.

Currently, no data exist on the utilization of the newly described cricket species (Scapsipedus icipe) meal as additive in food products, though they have high protein (57%) with 88% total digestibility as well as a variety of essential amino acids. This article presents the first report on the effects of processing techniques and the inclusion of cricket meal (CM) on the nutrient and antinutrient properties of four porridge products compared to a popularly consumed commercial porridge flour (CPF). Porridge enriched with CM had significantly higher protein (2-folds), crude fat (3.4–4-folds), and energy (1.1–1.2-folds) levels than the CPF. Fermented cereal porridge fortified with CM had all three types of omega-3 fatty acids compared to the others. The vitamin content across the different porridge products varied considerably. Germinated cereal porridge with CM had significantly higher iron content (19.5 mg/100 g). Zinc levels ranged from 3.1–3.7 mg/100 g across the various treatments. Total flavonoid content varied significantly in the different porridge products. The phytic acid degradation in germinated and fermented porridge products with CM was 67% and 33%, respectively. Thus, the fortification of porridge products with cricket and indigenous vegetable grain powder could be considered an appropriate preventive approach against malnutrition and to reduce incidences in many low-and middle-income countries.

A new species of Microgastrinae, Cotesia icipe Fernández-Triana & Fiaboe, sp. n., is described from eastern Africa. It was reared in Kenya as a solitary parasitoid from two major amaranth pests, Spodoptera littoralis (Boisduval, 1833) and S. exigua (Hübner, 1808); study of specimens in collections also revealed its presence in four other countries in the Afrotropical region (Madagascar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and Yemen). Morphological, molecular and biological characters are used to describe the new species and to distinguish it from all 12 previously described species of Afrotropical Cotesia. Cotesia icipe shows potential in the biological control of key Lepidopteran pests in small scale farming conditions in Africa.

Simple Summary: The theory of beneficial species association in a cropping system can sustain ecosystem services and reduce pest pression under economic injury levels. For the control of the invasive pest, Tuta absoluta we assessed the susceptibility of Dolichogenidea gelechiidivoris to Metarhizium anisopliae ICIPE 20 through adult parasitoid and parasitised larval infection; furthermore, we evaluated the preference and performance of sprayed and non-sprayed host plants. We concluded an additive effect for Tuta absoluta control by the two biocontrol technologies even though the entomopathogenic fungus reduces the fitness of the parasitoid, such as adult longevity and its performance, and parasitised larval emergence. The Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach have been widely promoted and used for the management of native and invasive pests, while the use of various components of the IPM can have a synergetic, additive, or antagonistic effect on each other; this study evaluated the susceptibility of Dolichogenidea gelechiidivoris (Marsh) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), to the Metarhizium anisopliae (Metschnikoff) ICIPE 20 through direct and indirect infection approaches. The effect of fungus on parasitoid longevity, survival of parasitized-larvae, preference of the parasitoid to fungal treated and untreated larvae, and percent parasitism of Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) under different infection scenarios were assessed. The direct application of dry conidia to the parasitoid prior to exposure to the host, reduced D. gelechiidivoris longevity, though the infected female wasps still yielded high parasitism (over 70%). Infecting the parasitized larvae at different ages led to a respective reduction of parasitoid emergence by 35% and 23% for infection at 1 and 5 days post-parasitisation. Exposure of healthy-D. gelechiidivoris adults to a plant-sprayed with fungus did not affect their longevity, and no discriminatory host selection was observed. The highest mortality (~80%) of T. absoluta was achieved when D. gelechiidivoris and M. anisopliae ICIPE 20 were used in combination, indicating an additive impact on the target pest; however, field validation can shed more light on this outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scapsipedus icipe Hugel and Tanga (Orthoptera: Gryllidae) is a newly described edible cricket species. Although, there is substantial interest in mass production of S. icipe for human food and animal feed, no information exists on the impact of temperature on their bionomics. Temperature-dependent development, survival, reproductive and life table parameters of S. icipe was generated and integrated into advanced Insect Life Cycle Modeling software to describe relative S. icipe population increase and spatial spread based on nine constant temperature conditions. We examined model predictions and implications for S. icipe potential distribution in Africa under current and future climate. These regions where entomophagy is widely practiced have distinctly different climates. Our results showed that S. icipe eggs were unable to hatch at 10 and 40°C, while emerged nymphs failed to complete development at 15°C. The developmental time of S. icipe was observed to decrease with increased in temperature. The lowest developmental threshold temperatures estimated using linear regressions was 14.3, 12.67 and 19.12°C and the thermal constants for development were 185.2, 1111.1- and 40.7-degree days (DD) for egg, nymph and pre-adult stages, respectively. The highest total fecundity (3416 individuals/female/generation), intrinsic rate of natural increase (0.075 days), net reproductive rate (1330.8 female/female/generation) and shortest doubling time (9.2 days) was recorded at 30°C. The regions predicted to be suitable by the model suggest that S. icipe is tolerant to a wider range of climatic conditions. Our findings provide for the first-time important information on the impact of temperature on the biology, establishment and spread of S. icipe across the Africa continent. The prospect of edible S. icipe production to become a new sector in food and feed industry is discussed.

Ticks and tick-borne diseases cause substantial economic losses to the livestock industry in sub-Saharan Africa. Mazao Tickoff is a novel bioacaricide developed for tick control and is based on the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae sensu lato (s.l.) isolate ICIPE 7. To date, no randomized controlled study has been undertaken to demonstrate the efficacy of this bioacaricide in reducing natural tick infestation on cattle. To this end, this field trial is designed to evaluate the anti-tick efficacy of Mazao Tickoff on cattle in coastal Kenya compared to a standard chemical tick control protocol. In this prospective, multi-center randomized controlled trial, eligible herds will be randomized by the herd size to the intervention arm in a 1:1:1 ratio to either Triatix® (active ingredient: amitraz); Mazao Tickoff (active ingredient: M. anisopliae ICIPE 7); or placebo (excipients of the Mazao Tickoff), with a total enrollment target of 1,077 cattle. Treatments will be dispensed on Day 0 (defined individually as the day each animal receives the first treatment) and thereafter every two weeks until Day 182. Ticks will be counted on every animal in each herd (herds to be included have at least one animal bearing at least one tick on Day 0), and thereafter on bi-weekly intervals until Day 182. The primary efficacy assessments of Mazao Tickoff will be based on the mean percentage reduction in tick counts at each post-treatment follow-up visit compared to the placebo group and the Triatix® arm. Further, the effect of Mazao Tickoff on the prevalence of common cattle pathogens, Anaplasma marginale and Theileria parva, will be determined by assessing incidence and seroprevalence at four different time points. This protocol describes the first rigorous evaluation of the efficacy of Mazao Tickoff and its potential as a viable alternative non-chemical acaricide tool for tick control in Kenya and elsewhere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eco-friendly pest control options are highly needed in food crop production systems to mitigate the hazards of synthetic chemical pesticides. Entomopathogenic fungal biopesticides—Metarhizium anisopliae strains ICIPE 20 (oil-formulation containing 1.0 × 109 conidia/mL) and ICIPE 69 (commercialized biopesticide known as Mazao Campaign®)—were evaluated against Tuta absoluta on tomato through inundative foliar spray and compared with the commonly used pesticide Dudu Acelamectin 5% EC (Abamectin 20 g/L + Acetamiprid 3%) and untreated plot. All the treatments were arranged in a randomized complete block design with three replicates. The field experiments were conducted for two consecutive cropping seasons in Mukono district, Uganda. Tuta absoluta infestation, injury severity on leaves and fruits, fruit yield loss, marketable fruit yield gain and cost–benefit ratio of the treatments were assessed. The results during both seasons showed a significant lower fruit yield loss in M. anisopliae ICIPE 20-treated plots compared to untreated plots, with a marketable fruit yield gain exceeding 22% and a cost–benefit ratio greater than 2.8 (BCR~3). Dudu Acelamectin 5% EC outperformed all the other treatments, but needs to be considered with caution due to its non-target effect and resistance development, whereas M. anisopliae ICIPE 69 performed the least well. In addition, the findings showed the high degree of efficacy and economic viability of these biopesticides as a potential T. absoluta control option in the field. However, it is important to further explore different formulations of these eco-friendly biopesticides, inoculum delivery approach, application frequency, their effectiveness in different agro-ecological zones and compatibility with commonly used pesticides in tomato production systems for sustainable management of T. absoluta. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The efficiency of an autodissemination technique in controlling adult whiteflies, Trialeurodes vaporariorum Westwood (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) on tomato, Solunum lycopersicum was investigated with previously identified potent fungal isolates of Metarhizium anisopliae ICIPE 18, ICIPE 62 and ICIPE 69 under screenhouse or semi-field conditions. The autodissemination device was inoculated with dry conidia of the M. anisopliae isolates, while control insects were exposed to a fungus-free device. Sampling for conidia uptake, conidial viability and persistence, and insect mortality was done at 1, 2, 3, 5 and 8 days post-exposure, and collected insects were monitored for mortality over ten days. Overall, mortality was higher in insects exposed to ICIPE 18 (62.8%) and ICIPE 69 (61.8%) than in those exposed to ICIPE 62 (42.6%), with median lethal times, (LT50) ranging between 6.73-8.54 days. The control group recorded the lowest mortality rates (18.9%). A general linear reduction in conidial viability with exposure time was observed, although this was more pronounced with M. anisopliae ICIPE 62. Insects exposed to M. anisopliae ICIPE 69 also recorded the highest conidia uptake, hence selected for further evaluation with a T. vaporariorum attractant volatile organic compound, (E)-2-hexenal. The volatile inhibited fungal germination in laboratory compatibility tests, therefore, spatial separation of M. anisopliae ICIPE 69 and (E)-2-hexenal in the autodissemination device was conducted. The inhibitory effects of the volatile were significantly reduced by spatial separation at a distance of 5 cm between the fungus and the volatile, which was found to be more suitable and chosen for the subsequent experiments. Results showed that (E)-2-hexenal did not influence conidia uptake by the insects, while fungal viability and the subsequent mortality variations were more related to duration of exposure. The fungus-volatile compatibility demonstrated with spatial separation provides a basis for the optimisation of the volatile formulation to achieve better T. vaporariorum suppression with an excellent autodissemination efficiency when used in the management of whiteflies under screenhouse conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The invasion and wide spread of Spodoptera frugiperda represent real impediments to food security and the livelihood of the millions of maize and sorghum farming communities in the sub-Saharan and Sahel regions of Africa. Current management efforts for the pest are focused on the use of synthetic pesticides, which are often economically unviable and are extremely hazardous to the environment. The use of biological control offers a more economically and environmentally safer alternative. In this study, the performance of the recently described parasitoid, Cotesia icipe, against the pest was elucidated. We assessed the host stage acceptability by and suitability for C. icipe, as well as its ovigenic status. Furthermore, the habitat suitability for the parasitoid in the present and future climatic conditions was established using Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) algorithm and the Genetic Algorithm for Rule‐set Prediction (GARP). Cotesia icipe differentially accepted the immature stages of the pest. The female acceptance of 1st and 2nd instar larvae for oviposition was significantly higher with more than 60% parasitism. No oviposition on the egg, 5th and 6th larval instars, and pupal stages was observed. Percentage of cocoons formed, and the number of emerged wasps also varied among the larval stages. At initial parasitism, parasitoid progenies, time to cocoon formation and overall developmental time were significantly affected by the larval stage. Egg-load varied significantly with wasp age, with six-day-old wasps having the highest number of mature eggs. Ovigeny index of C. icipe was 0.53. Based on the models, there is collinearity in the ecological niche of the parasitoid and the pest under current and future climate scenarios. Eastern, Central and parts of coastal areas of western Africa are highly suitable for the establishment of the parasitoid. The geographic distribution of the parasitoid would remain similar under future climatic conditions. In light of the findings of this study, we discuss the prospects for augmentative and classical biological control of S. frugiperda with C. icipe in Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Maize production in Africa is hindered by a myriad of biotic challenges, key among them being invasive and native lepidopteran stemborers. Recent invasion of the continent by fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda, has further exacerbated the situation. Fortunately, Cotesia icipe was found to be very promising against S. frugiperda. However, the co‐occurrence and interaction between S. frugiperda and the stemborers (Busseola fusca, Sesamia calamistis, and Chilo partellus) in maize agroecosystem may jeopardize the efficiency of C. icipe as a biocontrol agent of S. frugiperda. This study investigated the performance of C. icipe on S. frugiperda, Spodoptera littoralis and the stemborers. Specifically, the preference and acceptability of C. icipe to the host insects, the physiological suitability of the hosts for its development, and the effect of these hosts on the fitness parameters of the offspring were assessed. RESULTS: Cotesia icipe accepted all the tested hosts, albeit with higher preference for Spodoptera species than for stemborers under multiple‐choice tests. Also, the highest parasitism of up to 97% was recorded on S. frugiperda compared with parasitism on the stemborers of 43% in B. fusca. Moreover, physiological suitability and fitness traits (except for per cent female offspring) varied with host species, again being optimal on Spodoptera species. CONCLUSION: Cotesia icipe demonstrated strong potential to control S. frugiperda in maize due to its high affinity for parasitization and developmental success in this host; and despite its non‐specific parasitization, the presence of other hosts may not prevent its maximum control of S. frugiperda. © 2023 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scapsipedus icipe Hugel and Tanga (Orthoptera: Gryllidae) is a newly described edible cricket species. Although, there is substantial interest in mass production of S. icipe for human food and animal feed, no information exists on the impact of temperature on their bionomics. Temperature-dependent development, survival, reproductive and life table parameters of S. icipe was generated and integrated into advanced Insect Life Cycle Modeling software to describe relative S. icipe population increase and spatial spread based on nine constant temperature conditions. We examined model predictions and implications for S. icipe potential distribution in Africa under current and future climate. These regions where entomophagy is widely practiced have distinctly different climates. Our results showed that S. icipe eggs were unable to hatch at 10 and 40°C, while emerged nymphs failed to complete development at 15°C. The developmental time of S. icipe was observed to decrease with increased in temperature. The lowest developmental threshold temperatures estimated using linear regressions was 14.3, 12.67 and 19.12°C and the thermal constants for development were 185.2, 1111.1- and 40.7-degree days (DD) for egg, nymph and pre-adult stages, respectively. The highest total fecundity (3416 individuals/female/generation), intrinsic rate of natural increase (0.075 days), net reproductive rate (1330.8 female/female/generation) and shortest doubling time (9.2 days) was recorded at 30°C. The regions predicted to be suitable by the model suggest that S. icipe is tolerant to a wider range of climatic conditions. Our findings provide for the first-time important information on the impact of temperature on the biology, establishment and spread of S. icipe across the Africa continent. The prospect of edible S. icipe production to become a new sector in food and feed industry is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assessed the nontarget effect of entomopathogenic fungi on the Western honey bee Apis mellifera L. and the African stingless bee Meliponula ferruginea Cockrell (Hymenoptera: Apidae). Pathogenicity of five Metarhizium anisopliae (ICIPE 7, ICIPE 20, ICIPE 62, ICIPE 69, and ICIPE 78) (Metschnikoff) Sorokin (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae) and one of Beauveria bassiana (ICIPE 284) (Balsamo) Vuillemin (Hypocreales: Cordicipitaceae) isolates were evaluated on bees at 108 conidia/ml. Conidial acquisition was evaluated immediately after exposure. Apis mellifera acquired more conidia (2.8 × 104–1.3 × 105 conidia per bee) compared to M. ferruginea (1.1 × 104–2.3 × 104 conidia per bee). In the bioassay with A. mellifera, ICIPE 7, ICIPE 20, and ICIPE 69 moderately reduced the survival by 16.9, 17.4, 15.3%, with lethal times LT10 = 7.4, 7.6, 8.1 d and LT25 = 8.7, 10.0, 9.9 d, respectively. The three isolates caused A. mellifera mycosis of 11.6–18.5%. None of the isolates had a significant effect on M. ferruginea. The tested isolates are nontoxic to bees according to the International Organization of Biological Control (IOBC) classification. However, the effect of ICIPE 7, ICIPE 20, and ICIPE 69 merits further studies on bee colonies, especially those of A. mellifera, under field conditions. Graphical Abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tuta absoluta is one of the most devastating pests of Solanaceae crops in Africa. We previously demonstrated the efficacy of Metarhizium anisopliae isolates ICIPE 18, ICIPE 20 and ICIPE 665 against adult T. absoluta. However, adequate strain selection and accurate spatial prediction are fundamental to optimize their efficacy and formulations before field deployment. This study therefore assessed the thermotolerance, conidial yield and virulence (between 15 and 35 °C) of these potent isolates. Over 90% of conidia germinated at 20, 25 and 30 °C while no germination occurred at 15 °C. Growth of the three isolates occurred at all temperatures, but was slower at 15, 33 and 35 °C as compared to 20, 25 and 30 °C. Optimum temperatures for mycelial growth and spore production were 30 and 25 °C, respectively. Furthermore, ICIPE 18 produced higher amount of spores than ICIPE 20 and ICIPE 665. The highest mortality occurred at 30 °C for all the three isolates, while the LT50 values of ICIPE 18 and ICIPE 20 were significantly lower at 25 and 30 °C compared to those of ICIPE 665. Subsequently, several nonlinear equations were fitted to the mortality data to model the virulence of ICIPE 18 and ICIPE 20 against adult T. absoluta using the Entomopathogenic Fungi Application (EPFA) software. Spatial prediction revealed suitable locations for ICIPE 18 and ICIPE 20 deployment against T. absoluta in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. Our findings suggest that ICIPE 18 and ICIPE 20 could be considered as effective candidate biopesticides for an improved T. absoluta management based on temperature and location-specific approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Temperature critically affects the performance of entomopathogenic fungi (EPF). Mathematical models are critical tools used in predictive microbiology but are less adopted for EPF. We selected eight nonlinear models to describe thermal biology; minimum (Tmin), optimal (Topt) and maximum (Tmax) thresholds; and maximal growth (Pmax) of EPF. Conidial germination and mycelial growth of Metarhizium anisopliae (ICIPE 7, ICIPE 20, ICIPE 62, ICIPE 69, ICIPE 78) and Beauveria bassiana (ICIPE 284) isolates incubated at 12, 16, 20, 24, 28, 32 and 36°C were measured and fitted to the models. The models were compared using the Akaike information criterion (AIC) and adjusted R2. The best–fitting models for germination of the isolates were the cardinal temperature model with inflection (CTMI), Ratkowsky 3 and the generalised β function, while the best–fitting models for growth were CTMI, Ratkowsky 3, Lactin 1 and generalised β function. Brière 1, Brière 2, Ratkowsky 2, and Van Der Heide least fitted most germination and growth datasets. Tmin, Topt, Tmax and Pmax ranged from 13.3–13.6°C, 26.3–28.1°C, 35.7–36.3°C and 95.4–100.0% for germination, and 3.7–13.7°C, 25.9–28.6°C, 35.4–37.2°C and 1.44–2.34 mm day–1 for growth, respectively. Topt were below temperatures of central bee brood areas and partly mirrored temperatures of the isolates' regions of origin. The best–fitting models can be used to better match EPF with different regions' temperatures for optimal performance against target pests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The beet armyworm Spodoptera exigua (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is a polyphagous insect that is distributed worldwide and was recently reported as an important pest on African indigenous vegetables. Cotesia icipe Fernandez‐Triana & Fiaboe (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is a recently described parasitoid, reported from various Afrotropical countries. This work investigated the performance of C. icipe on S. exigua infesting Amaranthus dubius Mart. ex Thell. under laboratory conditions. Cotesia icipe was aggressive on the host and successfully oviposited on S. exigua with 70% of parasitoid females ovipositing after 2 hr of exposure. Parasitoid densities significantly affected the parasitism rate and the nonreproductive larval mortality. Parasitism rate was 9.7 ± 0.8% and 59.5 ± 3.1% for a single and cohort of five females released, respectively, when offered 50 host larvae. The cohort female release resulted in significantly higher larval nonreproductive mortality than the single release. However, there was no significant difference between parasitoid release densities in regard to pupal nonreproductive mortality. The larval and pupal mortalities in the presence of C. icipe were significantly higher than the natural mortalities at both parasitoid release densities. The parasitoid sex ratio was female‐biased for the cohort females but balanced when a single female was released. The hind tibia and forewing lengths were not affected by the density of female parasitoids but there were variations according to sex. The implication of these findings on the potential use of C. icipe for biological control of S. exigua in amaranth production systems is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Cotesia icipe Fernandez‐Triana & Fiaboe is a solitary koinobiont larval endoparasitoid, recently discovered in Kenya and new to science, that parasitizes select lepidopteran herbivores of amaranth. We investigated its host range on five commonly encountered amaranth lepidopteran defoliators. Cotesia icipe accepted, successfully and aggressively parasitized the amaranth noctuid defoliators Spodoptera littoralis (Boisduval) and Spodoptera exigua (Hübner), but failed to parasitize Herpetogramma bipunctalis (F.), Spoladea recurvalis (F.) and Udea ferrugalis (Hübner) all in Crambidae family. On S. littoralis, C. icipe was highly efficient, with 95% of females successfully ovipositing during 2 hr of exposure. Parasitism rate and larval and pupal non‐reproductive mortalities were significantly higher at higher parasitoid density. A single female of C. icipe parasitized 42.99 ± 2.66% of the 50 exposed larvae for oviposition in 24 hr, whereas a cohort of five females of C. icipe conferred 85.59 ± 1.46% parasitism rate. The efficiency ratio per female was much higher in single releases than in cohort releases while a balanced sex ratio was obtained in F1 offspring regardless of the density of female released. The potential use of C. icipe for conservation and augmentative biological control of S. littoralis in amaranth as well as its potential use against other Noctuid moths and in other commodities is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species of Microgastrinae, Cotesia icipe Fernández-Triana & Fiaboe, sp. n., is described from eastern Africa. It was reared in Kenya as a solitary parasitoid from two major amaranth pests, Spodoptera littoralis (Boisduval, 1833) and S. exigua (Hübner, 1808); study of specimens in collections also revealed its presence in four other countries in the Afrotropical region (Madagascar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and Yemen). Morphological, molecular and biological characters are used to describe the new species and to distinguish it from all 12 previously described species of Afrotropical Cotesia. Cotesia icipe shows potential in the biological control of key Lepidopteran pests in small scale farming conditions in Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new native edible cricket species, Scapsipedus icipe Hugel and Tanga, has been described in Kenya for the first time. However, there is lack of information on suitable diets and their effects on the developmental time, survival, weight gain, body length, growth index, preoviposition, oviposition, postoviposition, fecundity, egg eclosion period, adult emergence, and longevity of this species, which are prerequisite for large-scale production. In this study, six diets (wheat bran, soybean, fish offal, pumpkin leaf, carrot, and maize meals) selected to vary in protein, carbohydrate, and fat content were evaluated. The developmental time and survival rate of the different life stages varied considerably on the various diets, with the shortest development and highest survival rate recorded when fed wheat bran diet. Preoviposition duration was significantly longer on maize and carrot diets (>10 d) compared with that recorded on the other diets (<8 d). Body weight and body length were significantly influenced by the different diets tested. Females of S. icipe fed on protein-rich diets (fish offal, soybean, and wheat bran) had significantly higher lifetime fecundity and fertility. Female-biased sex ratio was recorded on wheat bran and soybean diets, whereas male-biased sex ratio was recorded on maize and carrot diets. Our findings reveal that the impact of diet quality on the biological fitness parameters of S. icipe and the implication of the results are discussed in light of effective mass rearing of this species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The melon fly Zeugodacus cucurbitae is an invasive fruit fly that causes extensive damage to many fruit crops. Sustainable management of this pest can be achieved through environmentally friendly and safely integrated pest management (IPM), in which the use of biopesticides is a key component. In this study, various isolates of entomopathogenic fungi were evaluated on two developmental stages of this pest. The fungal isolate ICIPE 69 has the greatest potential. The study also evaluated whether ICIPE 69 could be used together with the male pheromone of the melon fruit fly, as well as whether infected flies could contaminate clean flies. Our study indicates that ICIPE 69 can be included in IPM packages to reduce yield losses. In the laboratory, the pathogenicity of thirteen isolates of Metarhiziumanisopliae (Metschnikoff) Sorokin and two isolates of Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin against the melon fly Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coquillett) were assessed by exposing adults to 0.3 g of dry conidia (~3 × 109 conidia) of each isolate for 5 min and monitoring mortality for up to 5 days. Compatibility with a male pheromone, cuelure, (4-(p-acetoxyphenyl)-2-butanone), was determined by testing conidial germination and germ tube growth of the most promising isolate, M. anisopliae ICIPE 69, in the presence of cuelure at different temperatures. For horizontal transmission, the flies were separated by sex, separately exposed to M. anisopliae ICIPE 69, and subsequently mixed with non-exposed flies from the other sex. The most pathogenic isolates were M. anisopliae ICIPE 69, 18, and 30, causing mortalities of 94, 87, and 81%, with 5 days post-exposure, respectively. Metarhizium anisopliae ICIPE 69 caused the highest pupal mortality of 74%, with 15 days post-exposure. Horizontal transmission of M. anisopliae ICIPE 69 among male and female Z. cucurbitae was confirmed by 59 and 67% mortality after exposure to infected donor males and females, respectively. Metarhizium anisopliae ICIPE 69 affected the oviposition, but not hatchability, of infected Z. cucurbitae females. Metarhizium anisopliae ICIPE 69 is, therefore, a potential isolate for biopesticide development for Z. cucurbitae management in cucurbit production systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Larval stages of Frankliniella occidentalis are known to be refractory to fungal infection compared with the adult stage. The objective of this study was to identify promising fungal isolate(s) for the control of larval stages of F. occidentalis. Methods and Results: Ten isolates of Metarhizium anisopliae and eight of Beauveria bassiana were screened for virulence against second-instar larvae of F. occidentalis. Conidial production and genetic polymorphism were also investigated. Metarhizium anisopliae isolates ICIPE 7, ICIPE 20, ICIPE 69 and ICIPE 665 had the shortest LT50 values of 8·0-8·9 days. ICIPE 69, ICIPE 7 and ICIPE 20 had the lowest LC50 values of 1·1 × 107, 2·0 × 107 and 3·0 × 107 conidia ml−1, respectively. Metarhizium anisopliae isolate ICIPE 69 produced significantly more conidia than M. anisopliae isolates ICIPE 7 and ICIPE 20. Internally transcribed spacers sequences alignment showed differences in nucleotides composition, which can partly explain differences in virulence. Conclusion: These results coupled with the previous ones on virulence and field efficacy against other species of thrips make M. anisopliae isolate ICIPE 69 a good candidate. Significance and Impact of the Study: Metarhizium anisopliae isolate ICIPE 69 can be suggested for development as fungus-based biopesticide for thrips management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, no data exist on the utilization of the newly described cricket species (Scapsipedus icipe) meal as additive in food products, though they have high protein (57%) with 88% total digestibility as well as a variety of essential amino acids. This article presents the first report on the effects of processing techniques and the inclusion of cricket meal (CM) on the nutrient and antinutrient properties of four porridge products compared to a popularly consumed commercial porridge flour (CPF). Porridge enriched with CM had significantly higher protein (2-folds), crude fat (3.4–4-folds), and energy (1.1–1.2-folds) levels than the CPF. Fermented cereal porridge fortified with CM had all three types of omega-3 fatty acids compared to the others. The vitamin content across the different porridge products varied considerably. Germinated cereal porridge with CM had significantly higher iron content (19.5 mg/100 g). Zinc levels ranged from 3.1–3.7 mg/100 g across the various treatments. Total flavonoid content varied significantly in the different porridge products. The phytic acid degradation in germinated and fermented porridge products with CM was 67% and 33%, respectively. Thus, the fortification of porridge products with cricket and indigenous vegetable grain powder could be considered an appropriate preventive approach against malnutrition and to reduce incidences in many low-and middle-income countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A remarkable new eucoiline genus and species,Muhaka icipe, is described herein. The genus is clearly a Kleidotomini, but is distinguished from other genera in the tribe by a unique head and scutellar morphology. The genus belongs to the ‘wedge-head’-syndrome group of species that, to date, is unique to Afrotropical eucoilines. The new genus and species is reminiscent ofStentorcepsQuinlan andNanocthulhuBuffington, but is readily distinguished from these genera.Muhakawas collected from a threatened kaya (sacred forest) of coastal Kenya. The biological importance of this and other kaya forests, as well as their protection, is discussed. http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:6918ED2C-69A4-48FC-A1E4-2B5DFF58E876 [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This article discusses the role of the International Centre for Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE) in building capacity for the management of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) in Africa. The article highlights the contributions of ICIPE in knowledge creation and the development of tools and approaches for controlling arthropod-transmitted NTDs. It also discusses the vision and research leadership of the late Professor Thomas Risley Odhiambo, the founding director of ICIPE, and his successors in establishing the institution. The article emphasizes the importance of research and training in addressing NTDs and the need for continued support and resources to effectively control these diseases. [Extracted from the article]

The compatibility of the Metarhizium anisopliae (Metschnikoff) Sorokin isolate ICIPE 69, which is being developed as a biopesticide for the control of Frankliniella occidentalis Pergande, was assessed under laboratory conditions with 12 agrochemicals including 5 insecticides (thiamethoxam, L-cyhalothrin, imidacloprid, chlorpyrifos, diazinon), 1botanical insecticide (azadirachtin), 2 acaricides (abamectin, spiromesifen), and 3 fungicides (carbendazim, copper hydroxide, probineb) used in French bean production. The insecticides abamectin and imidacloprid were highly compatible with M. anisopliae; thiamethoxam was compatible, whereas azadirachtin and L-cyahalothrin were toxic to the fungus, adversely affecting vegetative growth and sporulation. The acaricide spiromesifen was moderately toxic, while the fungicides carbendazim, probineb, and copper-hydroxide were very toxic to the fungus. The combination of the M. anisopliae isolate ICIPE 69 with imidacloprid or thiamethoxam did not result in any synergistic or antagonistic effects to larvae of F. occidentalis. However, the combination of lower concentrations of the fungus with thiamethoxam resulted in a shorter lethal time (LT50) compared with individual treatments. Our results suggest that application of the fungus with agrochemicals has to be assessed carefully prior to any field intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Summary: The root-burrowing nematode, Radopholus similis , is reputedly the most damaging nematode pest of banana and responsible for major production losses. In this study, the endophytic potential of 13 fungal isolates was assessed for the management of R. similis in East African Highland bananas ('Ng'ombe'). All isolates successfully colonised tissue-cultured banana roots, with isolates from Trichoderma , Fusarium and Hypocrea producing the highest (⩾49.1%) and Beauveria isolates the lowest (⩽14.4%) colonisation. The fungal endophytes T. asperellum (ICIPE 700) and H. lixii (ICIPE 697) were the most effective in reducing R. similis densities (>81%) relative to the non-inoculated control. However, the combined inoculation of ICIPE 700 and ICIPE 697 led to greater suppression of R. similis (>21%) relative to individual inoculation. Suppression of R. similis following inoculation of banana roots with ICIPE 700 and/or ICIPE 697 was associated with the significant upregulation of the defence-related gene PR-1 , the cell signalling gene calmodulin Ca 2+ and the cell-wall-strengthening gene β-1 , 3-glucan synthase. This study demonstrates the potential for nematode management in bananas with fungal endophytes, especially using the isolates ICIPE 700 and ICIPE 697 when combined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, there is growing interest to integrate cricket-based ingredients (flour) into food products to combat food and nutrition insecurity. However, there is lack of information on in-depth nutrient profile of the two cricket species (Scapsipedus icipe and Gryllus bimaculatus), which are the most widely consumed in Africa. Here we determined the nutrient composition of two cricket species and compared them with published records of key animal and plant sources. Our results revealed that the crude protein contents of S. icipe and G. bimaculatus were similar (56.8 and 56.9%, respectively) and comparable to those of animal protein sources. Both cricket species had balanced amino acid profiles that are superior to that of animal and plant sources, except for histidine and cysteine. The protein digestibility of S. icipe and G. bimaculatus ranged between 80 and 88%, which is comparable to that of common plant foods but slightly lower than that of animal proteins. The iron, Zinc, and potassium contents were considerably higher in both cricket species compared to that of plant and animal sources. The calcium contents of both crickets (S. icipe and G. bimaculatus) was superior to that of plant and animal origin except for kidney beans and eggs, respectively. Riboflavin, thiamine, and folic acid concentrations of S. icipe and G. bimaculatus were superior to that of the conventional sources. Vitamin A levels were significantly higher in S. icipe compared to G. bimaculatus. This implies that S. icipe and G. bimaculatus can adequately contribute to our daily required nutrient intake. Thus, integrating cricket flours into ready-to-eat food products would address some of the most pressing nutritional deficiency challenges that many developing countries have to grapple with, particularly high risk to serious health problems such as anemia, poor pregnancy outcomes, hypertension, increased risk of morbidity and mortality, stunted growth and impaired physical and cognitive development. We conclude that edible crickets present unique opportunities for improving food and nutritional insecurity status of both resource-poor and Western populations.