Journal of Basic and Applied Research International

Entomological Infestation and Evolution of Peanut Losses during Storage in Northern Côte d’Ivoire

Franceline Doh — 2026-10-17

Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is an important food commodity in Côte d’Ivoire, and its storage helps ensure its availability beyond the harvest period. However, stored peanuts are exposed to various insect infestations that may result in quantitative and qualitative losses. This study aimed to identify the main insect pests associated with stored peanuts in the Korhogo Department and to assess the evolution of infestation and losses during storage. A survey was conducted with 120 participants in the sector, including 90 producers and 30 traders, distributed across three villages and three markets. Shelled and unshelled peanut samples were then monitored for 90 days in an insectarium. Adult insects were collected at the beginning of storage and again after 45 and 90 days. A total of seven species belonging to two orders and seven families were identified: Caryedon serratus, Rhyzopertha dominica, Sitophilus zeamais, Tribolium castaneum, Cathartus quadricollis, Carpophilus dimidiatus, and Sitotroga cerealella. C. serratus was predominant, with a relative abundance of 93.02%, followed by T. castaneum (4.84%) and R. dominica (1.41%). The infestation rate, initially ranging from 6.90 to 10.74% in the unshelled samples and from 7.00 to 10.22% in the samples collected from the markets, reached 59.73–76.71% and 43.72–76.73%, respectively, after 90 days. Weight losses reached 20.91% of the samples studied. Diversity indices varied among sites, with the highest Shannon values recorded at Drogo (0.470) and the large Market (0.503). These results highlight the importance of C. serratus in the deterioration of stored peanuts and highlight the need to improve storage practices and develop integrated management strategies adapted to local conditions.

UV Photolysis and Neem-bark-assisted Removal of Crystal Violet from Aqueous Solutions

Acho Yapi Fulgence — 2026-10-22

Crystal Violet is a cationic triphenylmethane dye whose visible-band disappearance can result from adsorption, photochemical transformation, or other chemical reactions. This study examined direct ultraviolet (UV) irradiation under a nominal 253.7 nm low-pressure mercury lamp and a polychromatic mercury source, together with dye contact with chemically treated neem (Azadirachta indica) bark and combined bark/UV treatment. Nominal Crystal Violet concentrations of 7.35, 14.70, and 29.41 µmol/L were investigated. Residual solution colour was monitored spectrophotometrically near 590 nm. For direct irradiation at 7.35 µmol/L, apparent first-order coefficients were 0.021 and 0.012 min⁻¹ for the two lamps, respectively. Treated-bark contact produced rapid initial dye disappearance, and the apparent bark/UV constants across increasing nominal concentrations were 0.035, 0.024, and 0.016 min⁻¹. Different coupled-treatment comparisons yielded incompatible coefficient estimates, while uncertainty estimates, UV dose measurements, suitable separation controls, and transformation-product analyses were unavailable. Several stated endpoint concentrations also fell below the documented lower calibration concentration, limiting quantitative interpretation. Thus, the observations indicate apparent loss of visible Crystal Violet absorbance under the investigated conditions but do not establish mineralisation, chemical-product safety, catalytic activity, or a synergistic photochemical mechanism.

Stock Assessment of Hemichromis fasciatus (Peters, 1857) and Oreochromis niloticus (Linnaeus, 1758) of the Lôkpôhô Dam Lake (Ferkessédougou, Côte d'Ivoire)

KONÉ Tiéhoua — 2026-10-22

This study assessed the exploitation status of Hemichromis fasciatus and Oreochromis niloticus in Lôkpôhô Dam Lake, Ferkessédougou, northern Côte d’Ivoire, using fish collected monthly between September 2021 and August 2022. A total of 863 H. fasciatus and 1,098 O. niloticus specimens were examined. Length-frequency data were analysed with FISAT II to estimate mortality, exploitation rates, capture selectivity and population structure. For H. fasciatus, total mortality (Z), natural mortality (M) and fishing mortality (F) were 3.63, 1.94 and 1.69 year⁻¹, respectively. The corresponding estimates for O. niloticus were 1.37, 1.16 and 0.21 year⁻¹. Exploitation rates were 0.47 and 0.15, respectively, both below the conventional reference value of 0.5. The estimated exploitation rates producing maximum yield per recruit were 0.650 for H. fasciatus and 0.361 for O. niloticus. Optimal capture sizes were 10.54 cm and 14.10 cm, while lengths at 50% capture probability were 10.70 cm and 14.22 cm, respectively. Virtual population analysis indicated a higher abundance of smaller fish and a decline in abundance with increasing length. These findings suggest lower fishing mortality than natural mortality for both species during the sampling period. Nevertheless, the exploitation rate of H. fasciatus was comparatively close to the conventional threshold, supporting a cautious, species-specific interpretation of stock status and continued monitoring.

Environmental Patterns, Diversity, and Phytoplankton Composition in Urban Lakes of Yamoussoukro, Côte d'Ivoire

Nangoh Kouamé Martin — 2026-10-22

Urban lakes are exposed to environmental pressures that can influence phytoplankton communities and water quality. This study assessed the taxonomic composition, richness, abundance, diversity and relationships with physicochemical variables in eight urban lakes of Yamoussoukro, Côte d’Ivoire. Physicochemical measurements and phytoplankton samples were collected at 28 stations during 12 bimonthly campaigns between December 2015 and October 2017. Taxa were identified by light microscopy, and community patterns were examined using diversity indices, principal component analysis (PCA) and redundancy analysis (RDA). A total of 191 phytoplankton taxa belonging to 61 genera and five major phyla were recorded. Chlorophyta (69 taxa) and Euglenophyta (61 taxa) jointly accounted for 68.06% of taxonomic richness. Lake 5 exhibited the highest richness (103 taxa), whereas Lake 7 had the lowest (11 taxa). Rarefied richness, Shannon diversity and Pielou evenness were generally higher in Lakes 5, 6 and 8 and lower in Lake 7. Jaccard coefficients indicated limited compositional similarity between many lake pairs. Phytoplankton abundance, biomass and chlorophyll-a concentrations varied among lakes. The first two PCA axes accounted for 60.5% of physicochemical variability, while the first two RDA axes accounted for 65% of the reported variance. These analyses associated spatial differences in phytoplankton composition with gradients in nutrients, conductivity and dissolved oxygen. Overall, the findings indicate pronounced spatial heterogeneity among the studied lakes and support comparative phytoplankton assessments as a component of urban-lake monitoring.

Climate Variability and Agricultural Adaptations in Northern Côte d'Ivoire: Restructuring Crop Calendars in the Korhogo Department (North of Côte d’Ivoire)

Oulai Jean-Gautier Kpan — 2026-10-23

Background: Seasonal rainfall variability affects crop timing in the Korhogo department of northern Côte d’Ivoire, where agriculture depends substantially on rainfall.

Objective: This study examined hydroclimatic variability during 1982–2022 and developed revised agricultural calendars for rice, maize, cotton and cashew.

Methods: Daily rainfall and temperature records from the Korhogo Airport station were examined alongside agronomic technical sheets. Annual variability was assessed with the Nicholson precipitation index and a second-order Hanning filter. Rainfall breakpoints were evaluated using Pettitt’s test and Hubert’s segmentation, while rainfall and dry-spell criteria were applied to identify seasonal onset and cessation. Crop operations were subsequently aligned with the identified seasonal pattern and crop-specific requirements.

Results: The analyses identified a major rainfall regime breakpoint in 2000 and a shift in the onset of the rainy season from April to May. Decadal mean rainfall declined to 1,179.4 mm during 2002–2011 before recovering to 1,505.595 mm during 2012–2021. The revised schedules placed upland rice sowing between May and mid-June, lowland rice between 15 June and 15 August, maize between 15 June and 15 July, and cotton between 20 May and 30 June. Cashew transplanting was scheduled for July–September.

Conclusion: The proposed calendars reflect the observed rainfall timing and may inform crop scheduling in Korhogo. Their suitability under farm conditions remains to be evaluated.

Impact of Exogenous Application of Growth Regulators on Fruit Attributes and Yield of Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) cv. Winter Dawn

Bharat — 2026-10-26

Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) is an economically important fruit crop whose productivity and fruit quality are influenced by environmental conditions, cultivar characteristics and crop management practices. Although exogenous plant growth regulators and biostimulants have been investigated for improving strawberry production, their comparative effects on flowering, fruit attributes and yield of cv. Winter Dawn under the semi-arid subtropical conditions of Haryana remain inadequately documented.

The current study was carried out during 2024–25 at K.L. Chadha Farm, SGT University, Gurugram, Haryana, to examine the impact of growth regulators on productivity and fruit quality parameters of strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) cv. Winter Dawn. The experiment was conducted using a randomised complete block design with three replications and nine treatments comprising salicylic acid (2.0 and 4.0 mM), triacontanol (5 and 10 μM), ascorbic acid (50 and 100 ppm), humic acid (0.2 and 0.4%) and an untreated control. Significant differences were observed among treatments for flowering, fruit setting and yield characteristics. Humic acid 0.4% resulted in the earliest initial flowering (53.35 days), the earliest final flower opening (68.05 days), the highest fruit set percentage (75.87%), the shortest flowering period (13.98 days). The same treatment also produced the highest number of fruits per plant (22.66), the greatest fruit length (4.53 cm) and the greatest fruit width (3.85 cm). Triacontanol 10 μM resulted in the earliest fruit ripening (92.28 days). Humic acid 0.4% also resulted in the highest fruit weight (17.77 g), the highest fruit volume (21.72 ml), the highest fruit yield per plant (380.46 g) and yield per hectare (11.52 t ha⁻¹). The highest number of achenes was also recorded following the application of humic acid 0.4% (234.19). Overall, pre-harvest application of humic acid 0.4% was the most effective treatment in enhancing flowering, fruit formation and productivity of strawberry cv. Winter Dawn under the semi-arid subtropical climate of Haryana.

Resurgence of Chandipura Virus Encephalitis in Western India, 2026: A Descriptive Surveillance Analysis of Test Positivity and Case Fatality, with Implications for Laboratory Diagnostics

Ajit Pal Singh — 2026-10-29

Introduction: Chandipura virus (CHPV) causes acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) and is associated with high mortality among children in central and western India. Following the major 2024 outbreak, Gujarat reported a resurgence beginning on 30 June 2026. This study characterised the course of the outbreak and quantified laboratory and mortality indicators with measures of uncertainty.

Methods: Descriptive secondary analysis of aggregated state health bulletins distributed through news services between 21 July and 28 August 2026. Cumulative and interval test positivity (confirmed cases divided by available results) and the crude case fatality rate (CFR) among confirmed cases were calculated with 95% Wilson confidence intervals (CIs).

Results: By 28 August, 324 suspected cases had been reported in Gujarat, of which 42 were confirmed; 28 deaths occurred among confirmed cases (crude CFR 66.7%, 95% CI 51.6-79.0). Cumulative positivity fell from 21.8% (12.9-34.4) to 13.4% (10.1-17.6). Interval positivity fell from 19.5% (13.4-27.6) for 21 July-4 August to 1.5% (0.3-7.9) for 14-28 August, when 67 new suspected cases yielded one new confirmed case. Cases occurred in 12 districts of Gujarat and three of Rajasthan. No vector sample tested positive.

Discussion: Confirmed cases plateaued while suspected case counts continued to rise, suggesting that many current AES cases may not be CHPV infections. Reporting delays, pending results and changes in case definitions cannot be excluded.

Conclusions: This was a severe regional outbreak with a very high crude CFR among confirmed cases. Prompt differential diagnosis, district-level molecular testing and line-listed reporting are required. National burden could not be determined.

Impact of Wind Speed on a Concentrating Solar Still

TRAORE Damus Abdoul Aziz — 2026-10-31

Access to freshwater remains a challenge in settings where conventional desalination may be difficult to deploy. Solar distillation offers a relatively simple approach, but the output of conventional stills is limited. This study numerically examines the influence of wind speed on a concentrating solar still comprising a double-slope basin still and a parabolic trough concentrator located beneath the evaporation basin. Heat-balance equations were formulated for the components and solved using the fourth-order Runge–Kutta method under climatic conditions representative of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. The numerical analysis assessed distillate productivity, the instantaneous performance factor, and overall, internal and exergy efficiencies across wind speeds of 0.5–3.0 m/s. The simulated results indicate that increasing wind speed is associated with lower operating temperatures and reduced performance for the configuration examined. The highest reported distillate productivity, 1.2 × 10⁻³ kg/m²/s, occurred at 0.5 m/s, while the corresponding reported value at 3.0 m/s was 5.0 × 10⁻⁴ kg/m²/s. The Results section gives a maximum overall efficiency of 46.99% at 0.5 m/s and a minimum of 20.08% at 3.0 m/s. The reported exergy efficiency also declined as wind speed increased. These results suggest that wind-driven heat exchange is an important consideration in numerical assessments of concentrator-assisted solar distillation. Experimental testing remains necessary to establish the accuracy of the predicted performance.

Effectiveness of a Planned Teaching Programme on Knowledge Regarding the Influence of Television on Behavioural Changes among High School Students in Jaipur: A Pre-experimental Study

Salman Khan — 2026-11-03

Background: Television and other screen-based media can influence adolescent knowledge, attitudes, emotions, daily routines, and behaviour. School-based health education may improve students’ awareness of these effects.

Objective: To assess baseline knowledge regarding the influence of television on behavioural changes among high school students and evaluate the effectiveness of a planned teaching programme.

Methods: A quantitative evaluative, pre-experimental one-group pre-test–post-test design was used. Sixty high school students in Jaipur were selected by purposive sampling. Knowledge was measured with a 25-item self-structured multiple-choice questionnaire. The tool underwent expert content validation and showed split-half reliability of 0.82. A planned teaching programme was delivered after the pre-test, and the post-test was conducted five days later. Data were analysed using frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, a paired t-test and a chi-square test.

Results: Before the intervention, 70.0% of students had poor knowledge and 30.0% had average knowledge; none had good knowledge. After the intervention, 73.3% had good knowledge, 26.7% had average knowledge, and none remained in the poor category. Mean knowledge score increased from 11.82 ± 2.63 to 19.82 ± 2.11. The paired t-value was -20.40 (df = 59; p < 0.05), indicating a statistically significant improvement. Among the demographic variables examined, only self-reported health disturbances related to television viewing showed a significant association with pre-test knowledge (χ² = 11.85, df = 1, p < 0.05).

Conclusion: The planned teaching programme was effective in improving high school students’ knowledge regarding the influence of television on behavioural changes. School and community health nurses may use structured media-literacy education as part of adolescent health-promotion activities.

Integrated Landsat 9 OLI, SRTM-DEM and Field-based Mapping of Regolith Regimes for Gold Exploration in Dabakala, Côte d’Ivoire

Konan Roger Assie — 2026-11-05

Extensive regolith cover and supergene weathering complicate the interpretation of gold anomalies in Birimian terrains of West Africa. This study integrates Landsat 9 Operational Land Imager (OLI) imagery, a 30 m Shuttle Radar Topography Mission digital elevation model (SRTM-DEM), field observations and soil geochemistry to map regolith regimes across a 564 km² area of Dabakala, Côte d’Ivoire. The B4/B2 and B6/B7 band ratios were used to examine iron-oxide- and clay-related spectral responses, while selective principal component analysis, Sobel directional filtering and geomorphological interpretation supported structural and regolith mapping. The B4/B2 index ranged from approximately 1.83 to 2.53, and B6/B7 ranged from 1.19 to 1.90. Three regolith regimes were distinguished: residual (approximately 65%), depositional (20%) and erosional (15%). Analysis of 498 extracted lineaments identified 121 structures in the 0°–30° orientation class and 106 in the 30°–60° class. The residual regime is widespread across northern and eastern sectors and shows a spatial association with structurally influenced gold anomalies. Erosional environments can redistribute weathered material, whereas depositional lowlands may contain transported geochemical signals displaced from their bedrock sources. The combined spectral, morphological, structural and geochemical interpretation provides a practical basis for distinguishing potentially local from redistributed anomalies and selecting areas for follow-up exploration. The findings support considering regolith regimes alongside geological structure when evaluating surface anomalies, rather than regarding individual spectral responses as direct evidence of mineralised bedrock.

Hygienic Meat-handling Practices among Butchers in the Cauvery Delta Region of Tamil Nadu: Knowledge Gaps and Training Needs

M. Anna Anandh — 2026-11-05

Hygienic meat handling at the retail level is essential to minimise contamination and protect consumer health. This cross-sectional survey assessed self-reported hygienic practices among 200 butchers in Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam and Mayiladuthurai districts of Tamil Nadu, India. Data were collected through personal interviews using a structured, pre-tested questionnaire and analysed using frequencies and percentages. Daily cleaning of cutting equipment was reported by 88.0% of respondents, followed by handwashing after handling meat (86.0%), use of clean water (84.0%) and handwashing before handling meat (82.0%). Regular shop sanitation and proper waste disposal were reported by 79.0% and 72.0% of respondents, respectively. The use of protective aprons (61.0%) and gloves (42.0%) was less common. Overall, 45.0% of respondents were classified as having good hygienic practices, whereas 34.0% and 21.0% were classified as having moderate and poor practices, respectively. Only 36.0% had received formal training in meat hygiene and food safety. The findings indicate that routine cleaning and hand hygiene were more commonly reported than the use of protective equipment. Practical training, improved waste management and periodic workplace hygiene assessments are recommended to strengthen hygienic meat-handling practices among retail butchers.

Effect of Rationing on Oreochromis niloticus (Linnaeus, 1758) Tilapia Larvae Reared in Happas (Dabou, Ivory Coast)

Kouamé Marcel N'dri — 2026-11-06

Effective feeding-rate management remains an important concern in tilapia larval culture in Côte d’Ivoire. This study examined the effects of three daily biomass-based feeding rates on the growth and survival of Oreochromis niloticus larvae reared in happas at the Layo Experimental Aquaculture Station. The 35-day trial was conducted from 10 March to 14 April 2025. A total of 225 larvae, with an initial mean weight of 30.67 ± 7.40 mg and mean length of 12.63 ± 0.57 mm, were distributed among nine 50-L happas, with 25 larvae per happa. Feeding rates of 10%, 20% and 30% of biomass were each tested in triplicate. The larvae received a commercial feed containing 47% protein, distributed three times daily. Ten larvae from each happa were randomly selected, weighed and measured weekly. Survival was recorded, and water physicochemical parameters were monitored. At the end of the trial, the 20% group achieved the highest mean final weight (1,745.33 ± 297.71 mg) and length (45.00 ± 2.50 mm), with 100% survival. Mean final weights were 1,574.15 ± 381.57 mg and 1,712.00 ± 250.70 mg in the 10% and 30% groups, respectively. Differences in survival among treatments were not statistically significant. Under the conditions investigated, feeding at 20% of larval biomass was associated with the most favourable combined growth and survival outcomes. Further assessment during the grow-out phase, including economic evaluation, is warranted.

Development, Quality Evaluation and Storage Stability of Chicken Papad Incorporated with Spent Hen Meat Powder

P. Gokulakrishnan — 2026-11-09

Spent hens are an underutilized poultry resource, partly because meat from older birds is generally less tender than broiler meat. Converting spent hen meat into spent hen meat powder (SHMP) and incorporating it into convenience foods may provide a practical route for value addition. This study developed chicken papad containing cooked SHMP, evaluated four formulations containing 15%, 20%, 25% and 30% SHMP, and assessed the quality and storage stability of the selected product. Cooked SHMP was prepared by pressure-cooking minced meat at 15 psi for 30 min, drying at 60 ± 1°C for 20 h, grinding, and sieving through a 500-µm mesh. Papad formulations were prepared with varying SHMP and tapioca-starch levels while the other ingredients were held constant. The dough was steam-cooked, sheeted, dried at 60 ± 1°C for 4 h, packed in aluminium foil–low-density polyethylene (LDPE) laminate pouches, and stored at 25 ± 2°C for up to 60 days. Formulation B, containing 20% SHMP, had the highest overall acceptability score (7.35 ± 0.09) and was selected for further analysis. During storage, water activity, thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS), peroxide value, free fatty acids (FFA), yellowness, and chroma increased, whereas pH and several sensory scores showed small numerical declines. Total plate count (TPC), Staphylococcus aureus and yeast and mould count (YMC) remained relatively low; coliforms and Salmonella were not detected at the reported sampling intervals. The findings indicate that cooked SHMP can be incorporated into chicken papad at 20% with good initial sensory acceptance and that the product retained broadly acceptable measured quality attributes over the 60-day observation period. This research highlights the high potential of utilising spent hens to mitigate poultry industry co-product waste while offering a highly acceptable, novel animal-protein source for convenience food applications.

Action–Period Consistency, Twist and Separatrix Asymptotics of the Integrable Nonlinear Pendulum

Santosh Kumar — 2026-11-12

The conservative simple pendulum is a completely integrable one-degree-of-freedom Hamiltonian system, for which the libration period is unique at the separatrix, but the enclosed canonical action remains finite. Here, the transition is coordinated using a common action coordinate, and an asymptotic consistency hierarchy is obtained between the finite action deficit and the diverging exact period. This study examines the consistency of the libration period, canonical action, nonlinear twist and waveform diagnostics using a common action coordinate.The action-period identity is immediately obtained from the elliptic-integral representation. The corresponding nonlinear twist is shown to be consistently negative everywhere along the librational branch and singular at the separatrix. Eliminating the logarithmic separatrix variable gives first- and second-order action-deficit correlations. The equivalent relative errors at a release angle of 175 degrees are 1.55 × 10^-4 and 1.42 × 10^-7, respectively. The independent DOP853 integration reproduces the exact Jacobi-elliptic trajectory to within 4.69 × 10^-9 radians. The Hamiltonian drift and action-quadrature variations are less than 9.67 × 10^-11 and 2.82 × 10^-11, respectively. Additional interrelated diagnostics include the action-ordered harmonic ratios, constant-basis Fourier entropy, and phase-space area. The benchmark developed here separates characteristic separatrix sensitivity from chaos and provides a consistent reference for perturbed, dissipative and discretised pendulum models.

Past Dynamics and Projection to 2050 of Land Cover in the Marahoué Region (Central-West Côte d’Ivoire)

Yapi Assa Fabrice — 2026-11-12

Land-cover change was evaluated for the Marahoué region of central-western Côte d’Ivoire (9,092.48 km²) using Landsat TM (1986), ETM+ (2002) and OLI (2019) imagery and a conditional spatialised Markov-chain projection to 2050. Five classes were mapped: water, settlements and bare soil, agricultural land, shrub savanna and dense forest. Field observations collected in 2017–2019 and a 2018 socio-economic survey supplied contextual information. Reported overall classification accuracies were 98.79%, 97.61% and 93.79%, with Kappa values of 0.98, 0.97 and 0.92 for 1986, 2002 and 2019, respectively; detailed validation matrices were not reported. Between 1986 and 2019, the mapped shares of settlements and bare soil increased from 12.49% to 18.58%, whereas the water class decreased from 19.23% to 15.64%. The modelled 2050 scenario assigns 25.74% of the region to settlements and bare soil and 38.40% to agriculture, compared with 18.58% and 30.11% in 2019. Dense forest, shrub savanna and water decline in this scenario. The retrospective 2019 comparison indicates a 2.01-percentage-point minimum redistribution between simulated and observed class totals but does not establish spatial prediction accuracy. The scenario therefore illustrates possible continuation of historical land-cover transitions rather than a climate-driven forecast. The findings are relevant to regional land-use monitoring, subject to uncertainties in classification and model validation.

Sucking Insect Pests of Mulberry and Their Integrated Management for Sustainable Sericulture

K. Sriram — 2026-10-17

Mulberry leaf production is constrained by sap-feeding and cell-content-feeding insect pests, whose damage may reduce both the availability and suitability of foliage for silkworm rearing. This narrative review examines aphids, thrips, whiteflies, pink hibiscus mealybug and papaya mealybug, with particular attention to Indian sericulture and evidence available through 2026. Published taxonomic investigations, pest-management studies and institutional reports were assessed for pest identity, injury patterns, management outcomes and implications for silkworm safety. Recent surveys indicate that mulberry-associated thrips in southern India form a species complex, making species-level identification important when interpreting damage and selecting interventions. Evidence on papaya mealybug demonstrates the value of parasitoid-based biological control, although outcomes depend on local conditions and the time required for natural enemies to become established. Field studies of insecticides illustrate why reductions in pest populations must be considered alongside the effects of treated leaves on silkworm development. Hyperspectral measurements offer potential for detecting pest-associated leaf stress but cannot yet substitute for confirmed insect identification. An integrated approach should combine clean planting material, regular scouting, selective sanitation, appropriate crop nutrition and conservation of natural enemies. Chemical interventions require authorised use and locally validated intervals before harvested leaves are fed to silkworms. Further research should establish crop-specific action thresholds and assess usable leaf yield, pesticide residues and cocoon traits under replicated field conditions.

Self-sacrificial Gall Repair in Social Aphids: Mechanisms, Behaviour and Evolutionary Significance

Pundalik D. Pammar — 2026-10-31

Gall-forming social aphids live inside plant-derived nests that provide food and shelter but become a liability when breached by tunnelling caterpillars, browsing vertebrates or other agents of damage. In the East Asian aphid Nipponaphis monzeni, first-instar soldier nymphs respond to a breach by discharging their own body fluid onto the wound and kneading it into a plug that solidifies rapidly, after which plant tissue around the breach proliferates and closes the hole. This behaviour has become a reference case for extreme altruism in insects, yet the relevant evidence is scattered across behavioural, physiological, plant-developmental and evolutionary studies and has not been critically integrated. This review examines what is known about self-sacrificial gall repair, how securely it is known, and what the phenomenon implies for theories of social evolution. Literature was identified through structured searches of international and regional scholarly databases supplemented by backward and forward citation tracing, and sources were appraised qualitatively for design, replication, mechanistic directness and independence. The synthesis indicates that the behavioural sequence and its colony-level benefit are well documented for a single species, that the plaster is a two-stage clot in which a lipid-rich soft plug is reinforced by enzyme-mediated cross-linking, and that the underlying cellular and metabolic machinery represents an exaggerated and redirected form of ordinary insect wound sealing. Repair in other aphids is mechanistically different and largely non-lethal, ranging from plugging with wax and shed skins to soldier-associated regrowth of gall tissue. Evolutionary explanations based on clonal relatedness, low residual reproductive value and the high value of long-lived galls are plausible, but none has been tested quantitatively for the repairing species. Confidence is further constrained by reliance on one species, one research programme and few field localities, by experimental breaches that may not mimic natural damage, and by the absence of individual-level cost estimates. Gall repair is therefore best regarded as a well-described but evolutionarily under-tested model of how individual immunity can be co-opted for colony defence, and comparative, field-based and genetically resolved studies are needed before general conclusions are drawn.

Economic Implications of Post-harvest Losses and Mitigation Strategies among Smallholder Farmers in Nigeria

Emmanuel, Mathew — 2026-11-04

Post-harvest losses affect the quantity and quality of food reaching markets and households and may reduce earnings among smallholder farmers in Nigeria. This review examines the economic implications of these losses and discusses mitigation strategies that may support household food security. Drawing on secondary literature, it considers losses across cereals, fruits and vegetables, and roots and tubers, with attention to harvesting, handling, drying, storage, transport and processing. The reviewed evidence associates losses with mechanical damage, microbial spoilage, unsuitable temperature and humidity, inadequate marketing and transport systems, limited access to equipment, and gaps in farmer training and extension services. These problems can reduce saleable output, impair food quality and constrain farmers' incomes while limiting the amount of food available for consumption. Storage is identified as an important point of loss, particularly for cereals. The literature reports that improved drying, airtight or hermetic storage, appropriate packaging, careful handling and timely processing can reduce deterioration; interventions combining storage technologies with farmer training have also been associated with better food-security outcomes. The review therefore emphasises the complementary roles of practical farm-level measures, extension services, better storage and transport infrastructure, and improved access to suitable facilities. Addressing post-harvest losses may support farmers' incomes and food availability, although the extent of these benefits depends on the crop, context and intervention.

Home-based Physical Activity, Parent–child Interaction, and Play Participation: Associations with Emotional Regulation in Preschool Children

Amita Verma — 2026-11-06

Emotion regulation develops rapidly during the preschool years and is shaped by children’s opportunities for movement, play and responsive interaction with caregivers. Yet research frequently conflates emotion regulation with behavioural compliance, executive function or broad psychosocial symptoms, obscuring the specific contribution of home-based physical activity. This critical narrative review integrates developmental, family-systems, play and physical-activity research to examine how movement opportunities, parent–child interaction and play participation may relate to regulation of emotional experience and expression in children approximately three to six years of age. Peer-reviewed empirical studies, intervention trials, longitudinal cohorts and relevant systematic reviews published by 25 August 2026 were critically appraised, with foundational work included where conceptually necessary. Physical activity and global self-regulation show generally small, heterogeneous associations, but experimental evidence for improvements in emotional regulation itself is less consistent than evidence for cognitive or behavioural regulation. Longitudinal play studies offer some temporal evidence, whereas observational dyadic research suggests that parental sensitivity, synchrony and repair of interactional mismatches may be central to how play experiences become regulatory opportunities. Family-based movement interventions can increase activity and parent–child co-participation, but seldom assess validated emotional outcomes. Divergent results may reflect differences in play type, timing, relational quality, developmental stage, measurement method and family circumstances. An integrated interpretation therefore treats activity exposure, play affordances and relational co-regulation as interacting but non-equivalent processes rather than interchangeable treatments. Future research requires factorial and longitudinal designs, context-sensitive multimethod assessment, greater inclusion of fathers and diverse caregivers, and direct tests of mechanisms and equity. The current evidence supports accessible, responsive and child-led opportunities for movement and play as developmentally reasonable practices, without establishing a specific causal prescription for improving emotion regulation.