Site climate more than soil properties and topography shape the natural arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis in maize and spore density within rainfed maize (Zea mays L.) cropland in the eastern DR Congo.

Rhizosphere microorganisms, particularly arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), play a vital role in enhancing sustainable maize production. However, uncertainty persist regarding the influence of climate variables and soil properties on mycorrhizal colonization (MC) of maize and the abundance of AM fungal spores in the field. This study aimed to explore the environmental factors such as site climate variables, soil physicochemical properties and topography and vegetation variable, affecting the natural MC of maize and the density of AMF spores.

Effectiveness of wetlands as reservoirs for integrated water resource management in the Ruzizi plain based on water evaluation and planning (WEAP) approach for a climate-resilient future in eastern D.R. Congo.

It is widely predicted that climate change's adverse effects will intensify in the future, and along with inadequate agricultural practices, settlement development, and other anthropic activities, could contribute to rapid wetland degradation and thus exert significant negative effects on local communities. This study sought to develop an approach based on the Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) in the Ruzizi Plain, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where adverse effects of the climate change are increasingly recurrent. Initially, we analyzed the trends of climate data for the last three decades (1990-2022).

Crop calendar optimization for climate change adaptation in yam farming in South-Kivu, eastern D.R. Congo.

The traditional crop calendar for yam (Dioscorea spp.) in South-Kivu, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), is becoming increasingly inadequate given the significant climatic variability observed over the last three decades. This study aimed at: (i) assessing trends in weather data across time and space to ascertain climate change, and (ii) optimizing the yam crop calendar for various South-Kivu agro-ecological zones (AEZs) to adapt to the changing climate.

Agronomic and hormonal approaches for enhancing flowering intensity in white Guinea yam ( Poir.).

Developing novel white Guinea yam () varieties is constrained by the sparse, erratic, and irregular flowering behavior of most genotypes. We tested the effectiveness of nine agronomic and hormonal treatments to enhance flowering on under field conditions. Genotypes responded differently to flower-inducing treatments (<0.

Bioclimatic zonation and potential distribution of Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in South Kivu Province, DR Congo.

Background: The fall Armyworm (FAW) Spodoptera frugiperda (JE Smith), is currently a devastating pest throughout the world due to its dispersal capacity and voracious feeding behaviour on several crops. A MaxEnt species distributions model (SDM) was developed based on collected FAW occurrence and environmental data's. Bioclimatic zones were identified and the potential distribution of FAW in South Kivu, eastern DR Congo, was predicted.