Journal of Basic and Applied Research International

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.

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.