News and Events
“Smart maize” summons bodyguards against stemborers
Scientists have discovered that certain “smart” maize varieties have the ability to defend themselves against stemborers by summoning natural enemies of the pest. The researchers have also determined the genetic markers in such plants that are associated with this “call for help”, presenting strong possibilities for developing maize varieties that are resistant to the pests.
icipe research confirms nutritional superiority of insect oils
Researchers from the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe) have provided evidence on the nutritional superiority of insects oils. These findings, which were published recently in Foods journal (paper link: https://bit.ly/2Ym8Z3V), strengthen the case for the incorporation of insects and their additives into food and animal feed.
Insect of the Month (July): Brown ear tick, Rhipicephalus appendiculatus
Ticks are obligate blood‐sucking arthropods found throughout most regions of the world. They infest every class of terrestrial vertebrates. Ticks and tick-borne diseases cause economic losses in Africa of close to 2 billion USD. The frequencies of several tick‐borne diseases and their geographical distribution are increasing, in part due to climatic changes, human population pressure, movement of animal hosts, and association between domestic and wildlife.
A brief history of icipe@50
Dear Colleagues and Friends,
This year, 2020, marks the 50th anniversary of the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe). As part of our golden jubilee commemoration, we are most delighted to present a special publication that provides the first comprehensive narrative of the Centre; from inception to present, and a forecast of future goals. Click here to download report
‘Suicidal Hatch’ a potential management strategy for potato cyst nematodes
12 June 2020: It may be possible to manage potato cyst nematodes (PCN), currently a key threat to potato production in eastern Africa, by inducing ‘suicidal hatching’ of the pests using naturally occurring chemicals in crop roots.