Burial leakage: A human accustomed groundwater contaminant sources and health hazards study near cemeteries in Benin City, Nigeria.

This study was carried out to assess the levels of physico-chemical parameters that could be impacted by burial leakage and associated human health risks in Benin City, Nigeria. A total of thirty groundwater samples were collected from two cemeteries and analysed for pH, alkalinity, chloride, sulphate, nitrate, phosphate, ammonia- N, calcium, sodium, potassium, BOD₅, COD, Mn, Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn and Fe. The concentrations of the parameters were compared to national and international standards.

Effects of long-term feeding by spotted lanternfly (Hemiptera: Fulgoridae) on ecophysiology of common hardwood host trees.

While the invasive spotted lanternfly, Lycorma delicatula (White) [Hemiptera: Fulgoridae], continues to expand its range in the United States, there remains a knowledge gap regarding the economic threat that this pest presents to forest ecosystems and production nurseries. L. delicatula uses several common hardwood trees as hosts and a previous study found that short-term feeding can reduce growth of young maple saplings.

Impacts of short-term feeding by spotted lanternfly ( on ecophysiology of young hardwood trees in a common garden.

Spotted lanternfly (SLF; White; Hemiptera: Fulgoridae) invaded the US from Asia and was first detected in 2014; currently, populations have established in 14 states primarily in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. It feeds voraciously on phloem sap from a broad range of host plants, with a preference for tree of heaven ( [Sapindales: Simaroubaceae]), grapevines ( spp. [Vitales: Vitaceae]), and several common hardwood tree species.

Impact of Planting Date and Insecticide Application Methods on (Hemiptera: Aphididae) Infestation and Forage Type Sorghum Yield.

Studies on the management of the invasive are essential to refining integrated pest management strategies against in forage sorghum in the USA. The objective of this study was to determine the impact of planting date (early planting and late planting) and in-furrow and foliar insecticide application of , on infestation and forage sorghum yield in Tifton, Georgia and Florence, South Carolina, USA, in 2020 and 2021. Early planted sorghum supported slightly higher aphid density and severity of infestation as evident in the greater cumulative insect days values in the early planted sorghum at both Florence and Tifton in 2020 and 2021.

Host plant resistance, foliar insecticide application and natural enemies play a role in the management of (Hemiptera: Aphididae) in grain sorghum.

The invasive (Theobald; = Zehntner) is a serious pest of sorghum production in the southern USA. Demonstration of technologies that provide effective control is key to management of this pest. Here, we investigated the effect of host plant resistance (resistant cultivar: DKS37-07 and susceptible cultivar: DKS53-53) and a single foliar insecticide (flupyradifurone: Sivanto Prime) application on infestations and the role of natural enemy populations in grain sorghum production across five locations in four states in southeastern USA.

Interventions to Reduce Pesticide Exposure from the Agricultural Sector in Africa: A Workshop Report.

Despite the fact that several cases of unsafe pesticide use among farmers in different parts of Africa have been documented, there is limited evidence regarding which specific interventions are effective in reducing pesticide exposure and associated risks to human health and ecology. The overall goal of the African Pesticide Intervention Project (APsent) study is to better understand ongoing research and public health activities related to interventions in Africa through the implementation of suitable target-specific situations or use contexts. A systematic review of the scientific literature on pesticide intervention studies with a focus on Africa was conducted.

The benefits to sub-Saharan Africa of the biological control of weeds: already considerable, but could be far greater.

Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is climatically diverse, with many biomes. Many species of invasive alien plants (IAPs) are present, with severe negative impacts that largely remain unquantified. Importation biological weed control (IBWC) has been practiced on the continent since the early 20th century, with some notable successes.

Performance and host association of spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) among common woody ornamentals.

Lycorma delicatula (spotted lanternfly) has a broad host range with a strong preference for the invasive host plant from its native range, tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima); it had long been speculated that L. delicatula could not develop or reproduce without access to tree of heaven. In 2019, we found that this assumption was incorrect, but fitness was reduced in the absence of A.

Light environments affect herbivory patterns but not reproductive performance of a multivoltine specialist moth, Pareuchaetes pseudoinsulata.

Unravelling the responses of insect herbivores to light-environment-mediated variation in the traits of their host plants is central to our understanding of the nutritional ecology of, and factors driving the population dynamics in, these species. This study examined the effect of light environment (shaded vs full-sun habitat) on leaf toughness and leaf nutritional quality in Chromolaena odorata (an invasive species in West Africa) and related these attributes to the abundance, herbivory patterns and reproductive performance of a multivoltine specialist moth, Pareuchaetes pseudoinsulata (a biological control agent). In this system, plants growing in shaded areas in the field experienced more herbivory and had higher herbivore abundance than those growing in full-sun.

Dispersal of Lycorma delicatula (Hemiptera: Fulgoridae) Nymphs Through Contiguous, Deciduous Forest.

Spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) is a recently introduced pest in the United States, where it threatens the wine, timber, and ornamentals industries. Knowledge of the dispersal ability of L. delicatula is key to developing effective management strategies for this invasive pest.

Spotted Lanternfly (Hemiptera: Fulgoridae) Can Complete Development and Reproduce Without Access to the Preferred Host, Ailanthus altissima.

Despite its broad host range, the spotted lanternfly Lycorma delicatula (White), is known to have a marked preference for Ailanthus altissima. However, whether this polyphagous phloem feeder can complete its life cycle in the absence of A. altissima is unknown.

Flavonoids isolated from the South African weed Chromolaena odorata (Asteraceae) have pharmacological activity against uropathogens.

Background: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) caused by opportunistic pathogens are among the leading health challenges globally. Most available treatment options are failing as a result of antibiotic resistance and adverse effects. Natural sources such as plants may serve as promising alternatives.

Exposure of the African mound building termite, Macrotermes bellicosus workers to commercially formulated 2,4-D and atrazine caused high mortality and impaired locomotor response.

Recent empirical evidence suggests that herbicides have damaging effects on non-target organisms in both natural and semi-natural ecosystems. The African mound building termite, Macrotermes bellicosus, is an important beneficial insect that functions as an ecosystem engineer due to its role in the breakdown of dead and decaying materials. Here, we examined the effects of 2,4-D amine salt (2,4-D) and atrazine based herbicides viz.

Developmental and reproductive performance of a specialist herbivore depend on seasonality of, and light conditions experienced by, the host plant.

Host plant phenology (as influenced by seasonality) and light-mediated changes in the phenotypic and phytochemical properties of leaves have been hypothesised to equivocally influence insect herbivore performance. Here, we examined the effects of seasonality, through host plant phenology (late growth-season = autumn vs flowering-season = winter) and light environment (shade vs full-sun habitat) on the leaf characteristics of the invasive alien plant, Chromolaena odorata. In addition, the performance of a specialist folivore, Pareuchaetes insulata, feeding on leaves obtained from both shaded and full-sun habitats during autumn and winter, was evaluated over two generations.