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Postharvest management of grain and seed is a challenge among smallholder farmers. Limited information is available on how smallholder farmers in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), who have been exposed to multiple conflicts, manage grain and seed after harvest. We interviewed 690 smallholder farmers in Lubero (Baswagha chiefdom) and Rutshuru (Bwisha and Bwito chiefdoms) territories of the North Kivu province of the DRC to assess how they dried and stored their crops. Results reveal that 95% and 80% farmers produced beans and maize, respectively. About half of respondents in Bwisha grew soybean, suggesting production diversification using conflict-resistant crops to minimize thefts and looting. Rotting and theft were the major challenges during field drying, while insects (81.3%) were the most important issue during storage. Sixty-six percent of farmers did not protect their grain during storage, exposing it to insect damage. Farmers producing beans in both Bwisha and Bwito, farmers storing beans and maize, and those storing for more than three months were more likely to protect their grains during storage. More than 70% of farmers saved seed for planting the next season but suffered significant weight losses of up to 50% due to insects. Storing grain in hermetic bags for six months had an estimated return on investments of up to 63% for maize in Baswagha and 54% for beans in Bwisha. Improved drying and storage technologies would help smallholder farmers to reduce their grain postharvest losses due to mold, theft, and insects. Smallholder farmers using these improved postharvest technologies have the opportunity to secure quality grain for home consumption and sale, and seed for planting.
Dieudonne Baributsa; Jorge R. Díaz-Valderrama; Déogratias Mughanda; André Lubanzadio; Jean Paul C. Nshombo; Louise Sperling; Ibrahim B. Baoua. Grain Handling and Storage in Lubero and Rutshuru Territories in the North Kivu Province, the Democratic Republic of Congo. Sustainability 2021, 13, 9580 .
AMA StyleDieudonne Baributsa, Jorge R. Díaz-Valderrama, Déogratias Mughanda, André Lubanzadio, Jean Paul C. Nshombo, Louise Sperling, Ibrahim B. Baoua. Grain Handling and Storage in Lubero and Rutshuru Territories in the North Kivu Province, the Democratic Republic of Congo. Sustainability. 2021; 13 (17):9580.
Chicago/Turabian StyleDieudonne Baributsa; Jorge R. Díaz-Valderrama; Déogratias Mughanda; André Lubanzadio; Jean Paul C. Nshombo; Louise Sperling; Ibrahim B. Baoua. 2021. "Grain Handling and Storage in Lubero and Rutshuru Territories in the North Kivu Province, the Democratic Republic of Congo." Sustainability 13, no. 17: 9580.
Farmers in Nepal lose up to one-third of stored grain to pests and diseases. This results in food insecurity and loss of income. To mitigate these losses, farmers use several approaches including pesticide applications on stored grains. We interviewed 241 farmers in Bagmati Province, Nepal, to assess the current on-farm grain storage practices and challenges to improve postharvest management. The results show that rice was the most stored crop (median 1150 kg). About half of farmers stored for at least nine months and grain was mainly used for home consumption. Grain was stored by 66.5 and 69.8% of farmers in granaries (rice) and plastic drums (legumes), respectively. Insects were the most important challenge during storage, and farmers used pesticides to control them. Farmers were more likely to use insecticide on grain (p = 0.000) if they stored rice, used traditional granaries, and had insect damage during storage. The use of improved storage methods (e.g., hermetic bags) was very low for rice (3.5%). There is a need to improve on-farm grain storage by disseminating storage innovations to address postharvest challenges in important crops such as rice.
Pragya Kandel; Kabita Kharel; Anastasia Njoroge; Bradley Smith; Jorge Díaz-Valderrama; Ram Timilsina; Gokul Paudel; Dieudonne Baributsa. On-Farm Grain Storage and Challenges in Bagmati Province, Nepal. Sustainability 2021, 13, 7959 .
AMA StylePragya Kandel, Kabita Kharel, Anastasia Njoroge, Bradley Smith, Jorge Díaz-Valderrama, Ram Timilsina, Gokul Paudel, Dieudonne Baributsa. On-Farm Grain Storage and Challenges in Bagmati Province, Nepal. Sustainability. 2021; 13 (14):7959.
Chicago/Turabian StylePragya Kandel; Kabita Kharel; Anastasia Njoroge; Bradley Smith; Jorge Díaz-Valderrama; Ram Timilsina; Gokul Paudel; Dieudonne Baributsa. 2021. "On-Farm Grain Storage and Challenges in Bagmati Province, Nepal." Sustainability 13, no. 14: 7959.
Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) is the most cultivated fodder crop in Peru with 172,000 ha cultivated (MINAM 2019), and Arequipa is the top producing region with 40% of the national production in 2015 (Santamaría et al. 2016). In January–April 2019 (av. 20°C and 70% RH), most alfalfa fields in Majes-Pedregal, Arequipa were affected by an unidentified foliar disease. One of the fields was located at the farm of the Universidad Nacional de San Agustín de Arequipa (16°19’29.6” S, 72°12’59.9” W). Symptoms appeared as elliptical light brown spots witdark brown borders (Fig. S1a and b). The field (~60 × 60 m) was divided into ~30 × 12 m sections and two plants in each section were collected (20 plants total). Plants were digitized and the leaflet diseased area was calculated with ImageJ 1.53a, from which an incidence of 100% and a severity of 38.7 ± 4.4 % were estimated. Microscopical observations at the leaflet spots revealed consistently the presence of oblong multiseptated conidia (23.6–42.8 × 16.5–25.2 µm; av. 33.3 × 20.9 µm; n = 40) of the genus Stemphylium (Simmons 1969; Woudenberg et al. 2017) (Fig. S1c). We obtained 10 pure cultures by placing conidia from the spots directly onto potato dextrose agar medium with the aid of stereoscope and sterile forceps. Two isolates (UNSA-StemV01 and UNSA-StemV02) were incubated further until ascospore production at room temperature with no special light stimulus. After 45 days of growth, globose pseudothecia and ellipsoidal ascospores (25.4–38.7 × 11.2–16.6 µm; av. 31.9 × 13.7 µm; n = 30) formation occurred (Fig. S1d and e). We extracted the DNA from these two isolates using Wizard® Purification Kit (Promega Corp., Madison, WI) and sequenced the internal transcribed spacer 1 and 2 intervening 5.8S rDNA subunit (GenBank accessions: MT371236–37), and the glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (MT375513–14) and the calmodulin (MT375515–16) genes, highly resolutive markers to identify Stemphylium species, following Woudenberg et al. (2017). We retrieved sequence data available from 43 isolates of nine Stemphylium species (Han et al. 2019; Woudenberg et al. 2017), and built a mid-point rooted phylogeny with the three-loci concatenated data set (Fig. S2). We identified our isolates as S. vesicarium (Fig. S2). Koch’s postulates were fulfilled by spray-inoculation with conidia from isolate UNSA-StemV01 suspended in sterile water (1×104 / mL) to two healthy 50-day old alfalfa plants growing on pots in the university greenhouse (av. 25°C and 70% RH). Two plants sprayed with sterile water without conidia served as control. Symptoms appeared after 21 days of inoculation, and when conidia were re-isolated, they were the same as originally obtained. No symptoms developed in the control plants. This confirmed that S. vesicarium is the causal agent of the alfalfa disease in Majes-Pedregal, identified as Stemphylium leaf spot. revious studies documented S. vesicarium on asparagus and onion in Peru (Castillo Valiente 2018; Vásquez Salas 2018; Vásquez Sangay 2013), but molecular characterization has only been applied to S. lycopersici from potatoes (Woudenberg et al. 2017). Stemphylium vesicarium has been documented in various crops, including alfalfa, and countries in Europe, North America, Africa, Asia and in Australia and New Zealand (Han et al. 2019; Woudenberg et al. 2017). This occurrence is the first report of S. vesicarium on alfalfa in Peru. The disease compromises the quality of this fodder crop, so actions need to be taken in Arequipa.
Jorge Ronny Díaz-Valderrama; Víctor Hugo Casa-Coila; Vladimir Sencia-Torres; Dennis Macedo-Valdivia; Jackeline Zanabria-Gálvez; Dieudonné Baributsa; Charles Woloshuk. First Report of Stemphylium Leaf Spot Caused by Stemphylium vesicarium on Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) in Peru. Plant Disease 2021, 105, 1196 .
AMA StyleJorge Ronny Díaz-Valderrama, Víctor Hugo Casa-Coila, Vladimir Sencia-Torres, Dennis Macedo-Valdivia, Jackeline Zanabria-Gálvez, Dieudonné Baributsa, Charles Woloshuk. First Report of Stemphylium Leaf Spot Caused by Stemphylium vesicarium on Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) in Peru. Plant Disease. 2021; 105 (4):1196.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJorge Ronny Díaz-Valderrama; Víctor Hugo Casa-Coila; Vladimir Sencia-Torres; Dennis Macedo-Valdivia; Jackeline Zanabria-Gálvez; Dieudonné Baributsa; Charles Woloshuk. 2021. "First Report of Stemphylium Leaf Spot Caused by Stemphylium vesicarium on Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) in Peru." Plant Disease 105, no. 4: 1196.
Cowpea production in Niger is constrained by biotic and abiotic factors that lead to lower yields and incomes for smallholder farmers. For decades now, efforts have been made to improve cowpea production, including the development and release of improved varieties that are high yielding and resistant or tolerant to pests and diseases. The present study assessed cowpea production constraints on 584 smallholders’ farms in Maradi and Zinder regions of Niger. Estimated parameters consisted of farm size, varieties used and pests and disease prevalence. We found that the average farm size for both regions was 2.10 ha. Local varieties (63%) and IT90K 372-1-2 (30.5%), an improved variety released 25 years ago, were the most-cultivated cowpea varieties. Two recently introduced varieties were planted on less than 4% of fields. Cowpea was grown in association with millet and sorghum on 96.6% of fields. Average cowpea yield for both regions was 253.4 kg ha−1. Five major insect pests and the plant parasite Striga, identified as major production constraints, were negatively correlated with cowpea yields. Diseases were significantly and negatively associated with cowpea yields. To increase cowpea productivity, there is a need to develop and/or promote adapted high-yielding varieties, and to disseminate good agricultural practices to minimize the incidence of pests and diseases.
Ibrahim Baoua; Mahamane Moctar Rabé; Larry L. Murdock; Dieudonne Baributsa. Cowpea production constraints on smallholders’ farms in Maradi and Zinder regions, Niger. Crop Protection 2021, 142, 105533 .
AMA StyleIbrahim Baoua, Mahamane Moctar Rabé, Larry L. Murdock, Dieudonne Baributsa. Cowpea production constraints on smallholders’ farms in Maradi and Zinder regions, Niger. Crop Protection. 2021; 142 ():105533.
Chicago/Turabian StyleIbrahim Baoua; Mahamane Moctar Rabé; Larry L. Murdock; Dieudonne Baributsa. 2021. "Cowpea production constraints on smallholders’ farms in Maradi and Zinder regions, Niger." Crop Protection 142, no. : 105533.
Farmers continue losing substantial quantities of grain during storage due to damages from pests including insects. Hermetic bags, being promoted in Ethiopia, could be viable alternatives to traditional methods and insecticides that are commonly used by farmers to store grain. However, the economics and determinants behind farmers' decisions to use different storage methods are poorly understood. This study sought to ascertain the economics of hermetic grain storage technology among 450 representative small-scale maize farmers in northwestern Ethiopia. Gross margin (GM), and the marginal rate of return (MRR) were employed to estimate the economic costs and benefits of storage methods, while a multivariate probit regression model was employed to analyze the determinants of farmers' decision to store maize with a given storage method. The results show that farmers used a combination of different storage techniques: 19.6% did not store grain, 87.8% used traditional methods with pesticide, and 66.7% used Purdue Improved Crop Storage (PICS) hermetic bags. Farmers who used hermetic bags also used other mentioned storage techniques. PICS had the highest GM (US$21.77 100 kg−1) and MRR (3.196), indicating that they were the most profitable. Moreover, a household could obtain an additional net cash flow of US$5.02 100 kg−1 PICS bag per season after 9.6 months of storage. Farmers’ decisions to use PICS bags were influenced by several factors including access to information, the initial cost, and storage capacity of the technology. Thus, increasing awareness and improving supply chain efficiency to reduce the cost of the PICS bags would improve adoption rates.
Gashaw Tenna Alemu; Zerihun Nigussie; Nigussie Haregeweyn; Zewdu Berhanie; Beneberu Assefa Wondimagegnehu; Zemen Ayalew; Dessalegn Molla; Eric Ndemo Okoyo; Dieudonne Baributsa. Cost-benefit analysis of on-farm grain storage hermetic bags among small-scale maize growers in northwestern Ethiopia. Crop Protection 2020, 143, 105478 .
AMA StyleGashaw Tenna Alemu, Zerihun Nigussie, Nigussie Haregeweyn, Zewdu Berhanie, Beneberu Assefa Wondimagegnehu, Zemen Ayalew, Dessalegn Molla, Eric Ndemo Okoyo, Dieudonne Baributsa. Cost-benefit analysis of on-farm grain storage hermetic bags among small-scale maize growers in northwestern Ethiopia. Crop Protection. 2020; 143 ():105478.
Chicago/Turabian StyleGashaw Tenna Alemu; Zerihun Nigussie; Nigussie Haregeweyn; Zewdu Berhanie; Beneberu Assefa Wondimagegnehu; Zemen Ayalew; Dessalegn Molla; Eric Ndemo Okoyo; Dieudonne Baributsa. 2020. "Cost-benefit analysis of on-farm grain storage hermetic bags among small-scale maize growers in northwestern Ethiopia." Crop Protection 143, no. : 105478.
COVID-19 brings new challenges worldwide, including to smallholder farmers and their seed systems. In response, an escalating number of seed projects are being planned to deliver immediate aid or to alter current seed production programs. A Statement, prepared by diverse seed system experts, aims to steer both the immediate aid (next 1–2 seasons) and more developmental planning (next 1–3 years). The Statement includes 10 short-term and 4 medium-term recommendations, placing emphasis on all seed systems smallholders use: formal, informal, and integrated. It also looks beyond seed per se to the direct information and digital systems that shape remote assessments, data sharing and inclusive feedback. The Statement is prefaced by an introduction that helps contextualize the recommendations, reviews the history of humanitarian seed aid and summarizes the varied response forms that have unfolded over the last three decades.
Louise Sperling; Niels Louwaars; Orlando de Ponti; Melinda Smale; Dieudonne Baributsa; Jacob van Etten. Viewpoint: COVID-19 and seed security response now and beyond. Food Policy 2020, 97, 102000 .
AMA StyleLouise Sperling, Niels Louwaars, Orlando de Ponti, Melinda Smale, Dieudonne Baributsa, Jacob van Etten. Viewpoint: COVID-19 and seed security response now and beyond. Food Policy. 2020; 97 ():102000.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLouise Sperling; Niels Louwaars; Orlando de Ponti; Melinda Smale; Dieudonne Baributsa; Jacob van Etten. 2020. "Viewpoint: COVID-19 and seed security response now and beyond." Food Policy 97, no. : 102000.
Little is known about the major issues leading to postharvest losses in Peru, which are estimated to be 15–27%. We surveyed 503 farmers from the lowlands and Andean regions of Arequipa to learn more about the major grains produced and issues encountered during drying and storage. Rice, common bean, and quinoa were the most grown crops in the lowlands while starchy maize was the most cultivated crop in the highlands. Most farmers (90%) dried their crops in-field directly on the ground, which exposes them to rodents, birds, and insect pests. The majority of farmers (92%) used subjective methods to assess grain moisture content. About 77% of farmers identified insects as a major challenge during storage but only 44% said they used preventive measures such as the application of insecticides. Among farmers who stored grain, the main reason was for household consumption (61%); while among those who did not store, the main reason was the need for immediate cash at harvest (75%). Farmers who experienced insect problems, who stored seed or grain for sale, who stored longer, or farmers from the lowlands were more likely to apply insecticides on their stored products. These findings provide an opportunity for researchers, development organizations, and government agencies to improve postharvest handling and storage in Arequipa by disseminating drying technologies, moisture assessment tools and hermetic storage solutions among farmers.
Jorge R. Díaz-Valderrama; Anastasia W. Njoroge; Dennis Macedo-Valdivia; Nancy Orihuela-Ordóñez; Bradley W. Smith; Victor Casa-Coila; Nelly Ramírez-Calderón; Jackeline Zanabria-Gálvez; Charles Woloshuk; Dieudonne Baributsa. Postharvest practices, challenges and opportunities for grain producers in Arequipa, Peru. PLOS ONE 2020, 15, e0240857 .
AMA StyleJorge R. Díaz-Valderrama, Anastasia W. Njoroge, Dennis Macedo-Valdivia, Nancy Orihuela-Ordóñez, Bradley W. Smith, Victor Casa-Coila, Nelly Ramírez-Calderón, Jackeline Zanabria-Gálvez, Charles Woloshuk, Dieudonne Baributsa. Postharvest practices, challenges and opportunities for grain producers in Arequipa, Peru. PLOS ONE. 2020; 15 (11):e0240857.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJorge R. Díaz-Valderrama; Anastasia W. Njoroge; Dennis Macedo-Valdivia; Nancy Orihuela-Ordóñez; Bradley W. Smith; Victor Casa-Coila; Nelly Ramírez-Calderón; Jackeline Zanabria-Gálvez; Charles Woloshuk; Dieudonne Baributsa. 2020. "Postharvest practices, challenges and opportunities for grain producers in Arequipa, Peru." PLOS ONE 15, no. 11: e0240857.
Cowpea stored on smallholders’ farms suffers serious losses to insect pests. A study conducted in Niger compared five postharvest technologies marketed in sub-Saharan Africa to protect stored grain. Naturally-infested cowpea stored for eight months showed adult Callosobruchus maculatus (F.) mortality of 97% to 100% in the hermetic bags (PICSTM, SuperGrainbagTM, AgroZ®, EVAL™, and ZeroFly® bags). There was no change in grain damage and weight loss of cowpea stored in hermetic bags. There was, however, a loss of up to 10 to 16% in germination when the grain was stored in hermetic bags. Results observed for grain stored in ZeroFly® bags impregnated with deltamethrin were substantial and similar to those in control woven bags. In both ZeroFly® and woven bags, (1) adult C. maculatus population augmented by 35.7% and 78.6%, (2) increased weight losses of 27.3% and 25.2%, and (3) reduced germination of 37.0% and 28.8%, respectively. After opening the bags, abrasions were noted on the liners of hermetic bags, potential damage that could limit their reuse if they only have a single liner. Smallholder farmers in the Sahel can safely store their cowpea in all the hermetic bags tested. However, further research is needed to mitigate insect damage on liners of hermetic bags to improve their performance and reusability.
Ousmane N. Bakoye; Baoua Ibrahim; Haoua Seyni; Laouali Amadou; Larry L. Murdock; Dieudonne Baributsa. Comparative Study of Cowpea Storage Technologies in the Sahel Region of Niger. Insects 2020, 11, 689 .
AMA StyleOusmane N. Bakoye, Baoua Ibrahim, Haoua Seyni, Laouali Amadou, Larry L. Murdock, Dieudonne Baributsa. Comparative Study of Cowpea Storage Technologies in the Sahel Region of Niger. Insects. 2020; 11 (10):689.
Chicago/Turabian StyleOusmane N. Bakoye; Baoua Ibrahim; Haoua Seyni; Laouali Amadou; Larry L. Murdock; Dieudonne Baributsa. 2020. "Comparative Study of Cowpea Storage Technologies in the Sahel Region of Niger." Insects 11, no. 10: 689.
Several postharvest technologies are currently being commercialized to help smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa reduce grain storage losses. We carried out a study in Northern Benin to compare the effectiveness of five technologies being sold to protect stored grain. Maize that had been naturally infested by insects was stored in four hermetic storage technologies (SuperGrainbag™, AgroZ® bag, EVAL™, and Purdue Improved Crop Storage-PICS™ bags), an insecticide impregnated bag (ZeroFly®), and a regular polypropylene (PP) woven bag as control. Oxygen levels in hermetic bags fluctuated between 0.5 ± 0.0 (v/v) and 1.0 ± 0.3 (v/v) percent during the seven months of storage. No weight loss or insect damage was observed in grain stored in any of the hermetic storage bags after seven months. However, grain stored in ZeroFly® and PP woven bags had weight losses of 6.3% and 10.3%, respectively. These results will help farmers and development agencies when making decisions to use and/or promote storage technologies to reduce postharvest grain losses.
Dieudonne Baributsa; Ousmane Nouhou Bakoye; Baoua Ibrahim; Larry L. Murdock. Performance of Five Postharvest Storage Methods for Maize Preservation in Northern Benin. Insects 2020, 11, 541 .
AMA StyleDieudonne Baributsa, Ousmane Nouhou Bakoye, Baoua Ibrahim, Larry L. Murdock. Performance of Five Postharvest Storage Methods for Maize Preservation in Northern Benin. Insects. 2020; 11 (8):541.
Chicago/Turabian StyleDieudonne Baributsa; Ousmane Nouhou Bakoye; Baoua Ibrahim; Larry L. Murdock. 2020. "Performance of Five Postharvest Storage Methods for Maize Preservation in Northern Benin." Insects 11, no. 8: 541.
Food security is a continuing challenge in Haiti. The demand for food far exceeds local supply. As a result, Haiti imports nearly 50% of its national food needs. Postharvest management is an often neglected link in the grain value chain that has potential to improve food availability. We interviewed 214 farmers in three departments in July–August 2017 to assess postharvest handling and storage of grains and gender roles in Haiti. Results showed that among the respondents: 64% were male; 55% were over the age of 40 years; and about half had attended secondary school. Maize and beans were the most grown and stored crops. The average production for maize and beans was 288 kg and 88 kg, respectively. About 75% of the respondents stored less than 100 kg of either crop. Rodents and insects were the main causes of loss during storage. Farmers who produced more grain, stored longer, and experienced losses during drying and seed storage were more likely to use insecticides on stored products. Postharvest management practices were gendered at the lower end of the value chain; where women played a key role in marketing the grain. Addressing postharvest management challenges, through targeted interventions, to increase food availability while investing in maize and bean production can improve food security in Haiti.
Hannah Quellhorst; Anastasia Njoroge; Taisha Venort; Dieudonne Baributsa. Postharvest Management of Grains in Haiti and Gender Roles. Sustainability 2020, 12, 4608 .
AMA StyleHannah Quellhorst, Anastasia Njoroge, Taisha Venort, Dieudonne Baributsa. Postharvest Management of Grains in Haiti and Gender Roles. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (11):4608.
Chicago/Turabian StyleHannah Quellhorst; Anastasia Njoroge; Taisha Venort; Dieudonne Baributsa. 2020. "Postharvest Management of Grains in Haiti and Gender Roles." Sustainability 12, no. 11: 4608.
Hermetic storage technologies (HSTs) have been disseminated in Sub-Saharan Africa (including Kenya) to reduce grain storage losses among farmers. We carried out a study in three counties in eastern Kenya to assess the use and profitability of HSTs among farmers. Data were collected from 613 farmers using a semi-structured questionnaire and Kobo Toolbox via android tablets. Results showed an increase in use of HSTs among farmers from 53.7% in 2015 to 91.2% in 2017. PICS was the most used hermetic bags by farmers (84%) in 2017. Majority of farmers (73.5%) received training in the use of HSTs from extension agents and agro-dealers. About 40% of respondents purchased additional (one to five) bags after their first experience using them. The quantity of grain produced made up about half of the farmer’s decision to store. The primary reason (87%) farmers used hermetic bags was the need to manage insect pests. Maize and beans were the most produced and most stored crops; but maize was the most stored in HST. Grain price seasonality showed a near doubling effect between the lean and harvest seasons. Estimates of the return on investments (ROI) ranged between 13 and 80% for all crops and maize stored in hermetic bags had the highest ROI. Awareness and trainings are key in increasing adoption and proper use of HSTs.
D. Baributsa; A.W. Njoroge. The use and profitability of hermetic technologies for grain storage among smallholder farmers in eastern Kenya. Journal of Stored Products Research 2020, 87, 101618 .
AMA StyleD. Baributsa, A.W. Njoroge. The use and profitability of hermetic technologies for grain storage among smallholder farmers in eastern Kenya. Journal of Stored Products Research. 2020; 87 ():101618.
Chicago/Turabian StyleD. Baributsa; A.W. Njoroge. 2020. "The use and profitability of hermetic technologies for grain storage among smallholder farmers in eastern Kenya." Journal of Stored Products Research 87, no. : 101618.
Hermetic technologies are being promoted in Africa as safer and more effective methods of grain storage on smallholder farms. However, farmers and policy makers lack knowledge of their efficacy in controlling major stored grain pests. An on-station study was conducted to evaluate the triple layer Purdue Improved Crop Storage (PICS) airtight bags against two major storage insect pests. Two sets each of PICS, jute and polypropylene bags were filled with 50 kg maize grain per bag. Each set was replicated four times. One set of PICS bags was each infested with 50 insects each of the larger grain borer P. truncatus and the maize weevil S. zeamais; while the other set was not. One set of jute and polypropylene woven bags was treated with a cocktail of 1.6% Pirimiphos methyl and 0.3% Permethrin, serving as positive controls; while the remaining sets with untreated maize grain formed negative controls. Gas analysis in the PICS bags followed the expected trend with oxygen levels falling sharply below 10% and carbon dioxide increasing to almost 10% after 12 weeks hence resulting in insect death. After 16 weeks, increase in oxygen levels may be attributed to perforation of the bags from outside by the P. truncatus. Results showed that PICS bags were significantly (P < 0.05) superior to treated and untreated controls of polypropylene and jute bags in suppressing insect development, maize grain damage and weight loss during storage. Weight loss in polypropylene and jute bags reached 40% and 41%, respectively, at 24 weeks after storage compared to PICS (2.4–2.9%). These results demonstrate that PICS bags can be used to store maize against P. truncatus and S. zeamais attack.
Kimondo Mutambuki; Hippolyte Affognon; Paddy Likhayo; Dieudonne Baributsa. Evaluation of Purdue Improved Crop Storage Triple Layer Hermetic Storage Bag against Prostephanus truncatus (Horn) (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae) and Sitophilus zeamais (Motsch.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). Insects 2019, 10, 204 .
AMA StyleKimondo Mutambuki, Hippolyte Affognon, Paddy Likhayo, Dieudonne Baributsa. Evaluation of Purdue Improved Crop Storage Triple Layer Hermetic Storage Bag against Prostephanus truncatus (Horn) (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae) and Sitophilus zeamais (Motsch.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). Insects. 2019; 10 (7):204.
Chicago/Turabian StyleKimondo Mutambuki; Hippolyte Affognon; Paddy Likhayo; Dieudonne Baributsa. 2019. "Evaluation of Purdue Improved Crop Storage Triple Layer Hermetic Storage Bag against Prostephanus truncatus (Horn) (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae) and Sitophilus zeamais (Motsch.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)." Insects 10, no. 7: 204.
Acoustic monitoring was applied to consider hermetic exposure durations and oxygen levels required to stop adult Callosobruchus maculatus activity and economic damage on cowpea. A 15-d study was conducted with six treatments of 25, 50, and 100 C. maculatus adults in 500 and 1000 mL jars using acoustic probes inserted through stoppers sealing the jars. Acoustic activity as a result of locomotion, mating, and egg-laying was measured by identifying sound impulses with frequency spectra representative of known insect sounds, and counting trains (bursts) of impulses separated by intervals of <200 ms, that typically are produced only by insects. By the end of the first week of storage in all treatments, oxygen levels declined to levels below 4%, which has been demonstrated to cause mortality in previous studies. Concomitantly, insect sound burst rates dropped below an acoustic detection threshold of 0.02 bursts s−1, indicating that the insects had ceased feeding. Statistically significant relationships were obtained between two different measures of the acoustic activity and the residual oxygen level. Based on the experimental results, a simple equation can be used to estimate the time needed for oxygen to decline to levels that limit insect feeding damage and thus grain losses in hermetic storage containers of different insect population levels and various volumes.
Anastasia W. Njoroge; Richard W. Mankin; Bradley W. Smith; Dieudonne Baributsa. Oxygen Consumption and Acoustic Activity of Adult Callosobruchus maculatus (F.) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Bruchinae) during Hermetic Storage. Insects 2018, 9, 45 .
AMA StyleAnastasia W. Njoroge, Richard W. Mankin, Bradley W. Smith, Dieudonne Baributsa. Oxygen Consumption and Acoustic Activity of Adult Callosobruchus maculatus (F.) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Bruchinae) during Hermetic Storage. Insects. 2018; 9 (2):45.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAnastasia W. Njoroge; Richard W. Mankin; Bradley W. Smith; Dieudonne Baributsa. 2018. "Oxygen Consumption and Acoustic Activity of Adult Callosobruchus maculatus (F.) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Bruchinae) during Hermetic Storage." Insects 9, no. 2: 45.
Insect pests such as Callosobruchus maculatus Fabricius and Plodia interpunctella Hübner cause substantial losses to grain during postharvest storage. In the last few years, hermetic storage technologies have been successfully used by smallholder farmers in Africa and Asia to protect their harvested grain against insect pests. Hermetic technologies owe much of their effectiveness to restricting oxygen availability to insects confined in the containers. There is a need to better understand the biology of specific storage insect pests and their responses to hypoxia. We employed a novel and non-invasive analytical technology, the OxySense 5250i, to measure oxygen levels in closed containers, and evaluated its effectiveness in measuring the total oxygen consumption of two insect pests during their development: C. maculatus and P. interpunctella. The total amount of oxygen consumed by C. maculatus during its larval development period determined with the OxySense apparatus was not different from that previously recorded using another instrument, the Mocon Pac Check 325 gas analyzer. Using the OxySense 5250i, we found that P. interpunctella consumes nearly three times as much oxygen per insect over its larval-to-adult developmental period compared to C. maculatus. Information on the lifetime oxygen consumption of insects provides relevant information to the effectiveness and ability of hermetic technologies to protect stored products against insect pests.
Hannah E. Quellhorst; Scott B. Williams; Larry L. Murdock; Dieudonne Baributsa. Cumulative oxygen consumption during development of two postharvest insect pests: Callosobruchus maculatus Fabricius and Plodia interpunctella Hübner. Journal of Stored Products Research 2018, 77, 92 -95.
AMA StyleHannah E. Quellhorst, Scott B. Williams, Larry L. Murdock, Dieudonne Baributsa. Cumulative oxygen consumption during development of two postharvest insect pests: Callosobruchus maculatus Fabricius and Plodia interpunctella Hübner. Journal of Stored Products Research. 2018; 77 ():92-95.
Chicago/Turabian StyleHannah E. Quellhorst; Scott B. Williams; Larry L. Murdock; Dieudonne Baributsa. 2018. "Cumulative oxygen consumption during development of two postharvest insect pests: Callosobruchus maculatus Fabricius and Plodia interpunctella Hübner." Journal of Stored Products Research 77, no. : 92-95.
Experiments in Niger assessed whether extreme environmental conditions including sunlight exposure affect the performance of triple-layer PICS bags in protecting cowpea grain against bruchids. Sets of PICS bags and woven polypropylene bags as controls containing 50 kg of naturally infested cowpea grain were held in the laboratory or outside with sun exposure for four and one-half months. PICS bags held either inside or outside exhibited no significant increase in insect damage and no loss in weight after 4.5 months of storage compared to the initial values. By contrast, woven bags stored inside or outside side by side with PICS bags showed several-fold increases in insects present in or on the grain and significant losses in grain weight. Grain stored inside in PICS bags showed no reduction in germination versus the initial value but there was a small but significant drop in germination of grain in PICS bags held outside (7.6%). Germination rates dropped substantially more in grain stored in woven bags inside (16.1%) and still more in woven bags stored outside (60%). PICS bags held inside and outside retained their ability to maintain internal reduced levels of oxygen and elevated levels of carbon dioxide. Exposure to extreme environmental conditions degraded the external polypropylene outer layer of the PICS triple-layer bag. Even so, the internal layers of polyethylene were more slowly degraded. The effects of exposure to sunlight, temperature and humidity variation within the sealed bags are described.
Ibrahim B. Baoua; Ousmane Bakoye; Laouali Amadou; Larry L. Murdock; Dieudonne Baributsa. Performance of PICS bags under extreme conditions in the sahel zone of Niger. Journal of Stored Products Research 2018, 76, 96 -101.
AMA StyleIbrahim B. Baoua, Ousmane Bakoye, Laouali Amadou, Larry L. Murdock, Dieudonne Baributsa. Performance of PICS bags under extreme conditions in the sahel zone of Niger. Journal of Stored Products Research. 2018; 76 ():96-101.
Chicago/Turabian StyleIbrahim B. Baoua; Ousmane Bakoye; Laouali Amadou; Larry L. Murdock; Dieudonne Baributsa. 2018. "Performance of PICS bags under extreme conditions in the sahel zone of Niger." Journal of Stored Products Research 76, no. : 96-101.
Hermetic storage is used to protect grain against insect pests, but its utility is not limited to whole grains. We evaluated hermetically-sealed, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles for preserving wheat and maize flour against red flour beetle (RFB, Tribolium castaneum, Herbst) population growth. Flours infested with RFB and kept in sealed PET bottles experienced much less weight loss over a three-month storage period than infested flour kept in unsealed bottles. RFB populations in wheat flour kept in sealed bottles did not increase, while populations in unsealed bottles grew about 50-fold during the same three-month period. Flour in sealed bottles had lower levels of oxygen and moisture than flour stored in unsealed bottles. Similar trends were observed for oxygen and moisture levels in maize flour held in hermetically sealed bottles. Hermetically-sealed bottles were effective in preventing RFB population growth and preserving maize and wheat flour. Farmers, consumers and food processors can safely store grain flour in hermetic sealed containers.
Yan Yan; Scott B. Williams; Larry L. Murdock; Dieudonné Baributsa. Hermetic storage of wheat and maize flour protects against red flour beetle (Tribolium castaneum Herbst). PLOS ONE 2017, 12, e0185386 .
AMA StyleYan Yan, Scott B. Williams, Larry L. Murdock, Dieudonné Baributsa. Hermetic storage of wheat and maize flour protects against red flour beetle (Tribolium castaneum Herbst). PLOS ONE. 2017; 12 (9):e0185386.
Chicago/Turabian StyleYan Yan; Scott B. Williams; Larry L. Murdock; Dieudonné Baributsa. 2017. "Hermetic storage of wheat and maize flour protects against red flour beetle (Tribolium castaneum Herbst)." PLOS ONE 12, no. 9: e0185386.
We conducted an experiment in Niger to evaluate the performance of hermetic triple layer (Purdue Improved Crop Storage- PICS) bags for the preservation of shelled and unshelled groundnut Arachis hypogaea L. Naturally-infested groundnut was stored in PICS bags and woven bags for 6.7 months. After storage, the average oxygen level in the PICS bags fell from 21% to 18% (v/v) and 21%–15% (v/v) for unshelled and shelled groundnut, respectively. Identified pests present in the stored groundnuts were Tribolium castaneum (Herbst), Corcyra cephalonica (Stainton) and Cryptolestes ferrugineus (Stephens). After 6.7 months of storage, in the woven bag, there was a large increase in the pest population accompanied by a weight loss of 8.2% for unshelled groundnuts and 28.7% for shelled groundnut. In PICS bags for both shelled and unshelled groundnuts, by contrast, the density of insect pests did not increase, there was no weight loss, and the germination rate was the same compared to that recorded at the beginning of the experiment. Storing shelled groundnuts in PICS bags is the most cost-effective way as it increases the quantity of grain stored.
D. Baributsa; I.B. Baoua; O.N. Bakoye; L. Amadou; L.L. Murdock. PICS bags safely store unshelled and shelled groundnuts in Niger. Journal of Stored Products Research 2017, 72, 54 -58.
AMA StyleD. Baributsa, I.B. Baoua, O.N. Bakoye, L. Amadou, L.L. Murdock. PICS bags safely store unshelled and shelled groundnuts in Niger. Journal of Stored Products Research. 2017; 72 ():54-58.
Chicago/Turabian StyleD. Baributsa; I.B. Baoua; O.N. Bakoye; L. Amadou; L.L. Murdock. 2017. "PICS bags safely store unshelled and shelled groundnuts in Niger." Journal of Stored Products Research 72, no. : 54-58.
The quality of maize offered for sale in West African public markets was evaluated by analysing 281 samples collected in 24 markets in Benin, Togo, Ghana and Burkina Faso from February to March 2014. Grain moisture content ranged from 8.5 to 14.4 percent (wt/wt), while extraneous matter content ranged between 0.0 and 2.0% and the proportion of mouldy grains between 0.0 and 0.6%. Insect pest infestations were noted in about one-fourth of the samples with Sitophilus sp., Cryptolestes ferrugineus Stephens, Tribolium sp. and Prostephanus truncatus Horn found at densities varying between 0 and 2.4 individuals per 500 g of grain. Aflatoxin levels exceeding the accepted USA standard of 20 ppb were recorded in only 4.6% of the samples across the four countries. In most locations, grain moisture was within the acceptable range for aflatoxin- and insect-safe storage of maize using hermetic technology such as PICS bags.
I.B. Baoua; L. Amadou; O.N. Bakoye; O. Abdoulaye; D. Baributsa; L.L. Murdock. Maize quality in markets in four West African countries. Journal of Stored Products Research 2016, 69, 26 -30.
AMA StyleI.B. Baoua, L. Amadou, O.N. Bakoye, O. Abdoulaye, D. Baributsa, L.L. Murdock. Maize quality in markets in four West African countries. Journal of Stored Products Research. 2016; 69 ():26-30.
Chicago/Turabian StyleI.B. Baoua; L. Amadou; O.N. Bakoye; O. Abdoulaye; D. Baributsa; L.L. Murdock. 2016. "Maize quality in markets in four West African countries." Journal of Stored Products Research 69, no. : 26-30.
Purdue Improved Crop Storage (PICS) bags are used by farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa for pest management of stored grains and products, including maize. These bags hermetically seal the products, preventing exchange with external moisture and gases. Biological respiration within the bags create an environment that is unsuitable for insect development and fungal growth. This study was conducted to determine the impact of routine opening of the storage bags for maize consumption on fungal growth and aflatoxin contamination. Maize with moisture contents (MC) high enough to support fungal growth (15%, 16%, 18% and 20%) was stored in PICS bags, which were opened weekly and exposed to humid conditions (85% RH) for 30 min over a period of 8 weeks and 24 weeks. Monitors indicated that oxygen defused into the open bags but did not reach equilibrium with the bottom layers of grain during the 30-min exposure period. Fungal colony forming units obtained from the grain surface increased 3-fold (at 15% MC) to 10,000-fold (at 20% MC) after 8 weeks. At both 8 weeks and 24 weeks, aflatoxin was detected in at least one bag at each grain moisture, suggesting that aflatoxin contamination spread from a planted source of A. flavus-colonized grain to non-inoculated grain. The results indicate that repeatedly breaking the hermetic seal of the PICS bags will increase fungal growth and the risk of aflatoxin contamination, especially in maize stored at high moisture content. This work also further demonstrates that maize should be properly dried prior to storage in PICS bags.
Timothy Tubbs; Dieudonne Baributsa; Charles Woloshuk. Impact of opening hermetic storage bags on grain quality, fungal growth and aflatoxin accumulation. Journal of Stored Products Research 2016, 69, 276 -281.
AMA StyleTimothy Tubbs, Dieudonne Baributsa, Charles Woloshuk. Impact of opening hermetic storage bags on grain quality, fungal growth and aflatoxin accumulation. Journal of Stored Products Research. 2016; 69 ():276-281.
Chicago/Turabian StyleTimothy Tubbs; Dieudonne Baributsa; Charles Woloshuk. 2016. "Impact of opening hermetic storage bags on grain quality, fungal growth and aflatoxin accumulation." Journal of Stored Products Research 69, no. : 276-281.
I.B. Baoua; L. Amadou; O. Bakoye; D. Baributsa; L.L. Murdock. Triple bagging hermetic technology for post-harvest preservation of paddy rice Oryza sativa L. in the Sahel of West Africa. Journal of Stored Products Research 2016, 68, 73 -79.
AMA StyleI.B. Baoua, L. Amadou, O. Bakoye, D. Baributsa, L.L. Murdock. Triple bagging hermetic technology for post-harvest preservation of paddy rice Oryza sativa L. in the Sahel of West Africa. Journal of Stored Products Research. 2016; 68 ():73-79.
Chicago/Turabian StyleI.B. Baoua; L. Amadou; O. Bakoye; D. Baributsa; L.L. Murdock. 2016. "Triple bagging hermetic technology for post-harvest preservation of paddy rice Oryza sativa L. in the Sahel of West Africa." Journal of Stored Products Research 68, no. : 73-79.