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2019
Journal article
Field Margin Vegetation in Tropical African Bean Systems Harbours Diverse Natural Enemies for Biological Pest Control in Adjacent Crops
Non-crop vegetation around farmland can be valuable habitats for enhancing ecosystem services but little is known of the importance of field margins in supporting natural enemies of insect pests in tropical agriculture. This study was conducted in smallholder bean fields in three elevation zones to assess the importance of field...Mkenda, Prisila A. ; Ndakidemi, Patrick A. ; Stevenson, Philip C. ; Arnold, Sarah E. J. ; Belmain, Steven R. …
ecosystem service, parasitoids, pest regulation, predators, and non-crop vegetation
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2019
Journal article
Characterization of Hymenopteran Parasitoids of Aphis fabae in an African Smallholder Bean Farming System through Sequencing of COI ‘Mini-Barcodes’
Parasitoids are among the most frequently reported natural enemies of insect pests, particularly aphids. The efficacy of parasitoids as biocontrol agents is influenced by biotic and abiotic factors. For example, hyperparasitoids can reduce the abundance of the primary parasitoids as well as modify their behavior. A field study was conducted... -
2019
Journal article
Multiple ecosystem services from field margin vegetation for ecological sustainability in agriculture: scientific evidence and knowledge gaps
Background Field margin and non-crop vegetation in agricultural systems are potential ecosystem services providers because they offer semi-natural habitats for both below and above ground animal groups such as soil organisms, small mammals, birds and arthropods that are service supplying units. They are considered as a target area for... -
2019
Journal article
Floral Odors and the Interaction between Pollinating Ceratopogonid Midges and Cacao
Most plant species depend upon insect pollination services, including many cash and subsistence crops. Plants compete to attract those insects using visual cues and floral odor which pollinators associate with a reward. The cacao tree, Theobroma cacao, has a highly specialized floral morphology permitting pollination primarily by Ceratopogonid midges. However,... -
2020
Journal article
Insect pollination is important in a smallholder bean farming system
Background Many crops are dependent on pollination by insects. Habitat management in agricultural landscapes can support pollinator services and even augment crop production. Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is an important legume for the livelihoods of smallholder farmers in many low-income countries, particularly so in East Africa. While this...Elisante, Filemon ; Ndakidemi, Patrick ; Arnold, Sarah E. J. ; Belmain, Steven R. ; Gurr, Geoff M. …
Ecology, Biodiversity, Ecosystem Science, Agricultural Science, Research article, and Entomology
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2020
Journal article
Knowledge gaps among smallholder farmers hinder adoption of conservation biological control
Conservation biological control uses habitat management to enhance the survival and impact of arthropod natural enemies for pest control. Its advantages are that it relies on native or established invertebrate populations that are adapted to local agricultural ecosystems and conditions. We surveyed 300 farmers in three agro-ecological zones of Kilimanjaro... -
2021
Journal article
Natural Pest Regulation and Its Compatibility with Other Crop Protection Practices in Smallholder Bean Farming Systems.
Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) production and storage are limited by numerous constraints. Insect pests are often the most destructive. However, resource-constrained smallholders in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) often do little to manage pests. Where farmers do use a control strategy, it typically relies on chemical pesticides, which have adverse effects on... -
2021
Journal article
Beneficial insects are associated with botanically rich margins with trees on small farms.
Beneficial insect communities on farms are influenced by site- and landscape-level factors, with pollinator and natural enemy populations often associated with semi-natural habitat remnants. They provide ecosystem services essential for all groecosystems. For smallholders, natural pest regulation may be the only affordable and available option to manage pests. We evaluated...Arnold, Sarah E. J. ; Elisante, Filemon ; Mkenda, Prisila A. ; Tembo, Yolice L. B. ; Ndakidemi, Patrick A. …
Community ecology, Biodiversity, Ecosystem services, Agroecology, and Beneficial insects
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2022
Journal article
Elements of agroecological pest and disease management.
The development of large-scale monocropped agrisystems has facilitated increased problems with pests and diseases, perpetuating the reliance of farmers on synthetic pesticides. The economic success of synthetic inputs has, however, been achieved at a high cost to the environment through the loss of biodiversity, depletion of soil quality, greenhouse gas...