Browsing by Author "Mdangi, M. E."
Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
- Results Per Page
- Sort Options
Item Effectiveness of the domestic cat (Felis silvestris catus) urine extracts odour against commensal rodents(COSTECH, 2017) Mulungu, L. S.; Ngowo, V.; Mdangi, M. E.; Magadula, A. J. J.; Kapingu, M.; Mbukwa, E.; Mgina, C. A.; Mwatawala, M. W.; Kichuki, M.; Mwakalobo, A. S.; Mgode, G. F.The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of an extract of cat urine odour as a repellant of commensal rodents in houses. Cat urine was drawn and stored frozen in universal bottles at -20 0 C until use. The stored cat urine was then thawed and mixed with maize starch to form a thick dough and then granulated and dried at room temperature before being packed in a hermetically closed jar. Initially, rodent foot marks on tracking soot coat tiles were used to estimate the rat population before the cat urine extracts application. Twenty households with high and low rodent activities were selected purposively in the study area. Ten houses were treated with the urine extracts and ten others were kept untreated (control). Both treated and untreated houses were categorized at two levels (i.e. low and high rodent activities) as determined by the tracking tile foot prints. One tracking tile was placed in each of the selected houses and rodent foot marks were counted. Collected data were subjected to analysis of variance and the results showed a significant difference in rodent activities which however, depended on the sex of the cat that donated the urine base. Female cat urine extract repelled significantly more commensal rodents as compared to male cat urine extract. The repellent effect was observed from day 1 to 4; but not beyond. Our findings suggest that cat urine odour has the potential to repel commensal rodent pest species; with female cat urine being more effective than male cat urine.Item Effectiveness of the Domestic Cat (Felis silvestris catus) Urine Extracts Odour against Commensal Rodents(Huria Journal, 2017) Mulungu, L. S.; Ngowo, V.; Mdangi, M. E.; Magadula, A. J. J.; Kapingu, M.; Mbukwa, E.; Mgina, C. A.; Mwatawala, M. W.; Kichuki, M.; Mwakalobo, A. S.; Mgode, G. F.The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of an extract of cat urine odour as a repellant of commensal rodents in houses. Cat urine was drawn and stored frozen in universal bottles at -20 0 C until use. The stored cat urine was then thawed and mixed with maize starch to form a thick dough and then granulated and dried at room temperature before being packed in a hermetically closed jar. Initially, rodent foot marks on tracking soot coat tiles were used to estimate the rat population before the cat urine extracts application. Twenty households with high and low rodent activities were selected purposively in the study area. Ten houses were treated with the urine extracts and ten others were kept untreated (control). Both treated and untreated houses were categorized at two levels (i.e. low and high rodent activities) as determined by the tracking tile foot prints. One tracking tile was placed in each of the selected houses and rodent foot marks were counted. Collected data were subjected to analysis of variance and the results showed a significant difference in rodent activities which however, depended on the sex of the cat that donated the urine base. Female cat urine extract repelled significantly more commensal rodents as compared to male cat urine extract. The repellent effect was observed from day 1 to 4; but not beyond. Our findings suggest that cat urine odour has the potential to repel commensal rodent pest species; with female cat urine being more effective than male cat urine.Item Evaluation of sweet wormwood (artemisia annua l.) as stored grain protectant against maize storage weevil (sitophilus zeamays, motschulsky) and larger grain borer (prostephanus truncatus, horn) on stored maize grains(African Journal of Science and Research, 2016) Mwalilino, J. K.; Mwendo, M. M.; Mdangi, M. E.; Mulungu, L. S.The objectives of the study were to evaluate the effects of Artemisia annua powder on the mortality of S. zeamays and P. truncatus in the treated maize grain. The experiments were set up as a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with three replications. The experiments were conducted in SUA Pest Management Centre(SPMC) for 8 weeks. The treatments consisted of different levels of natural protectant A. annua powder (viz: 0.5 g, 1.0 g and 10 g) and untreated control. Actellic Super Dust was included as a standard insecticide control. The data collected included the number of dead and live insects, number of damaged maize grains and percentage damage. Grains treated with Actellic dust, and A. annua powder at all tested levels had significantly controlled S. zeamays insect. Maize seeds treated with Actellic Super Dust surpassed other treatments in controlling P. truncatus due to lower number of live insects and damaged seeds. Artemisia annua at 1.0 g and 10 g had an effect on number of damaged seeds and dead insects as compared to the control. Generally, A. annua powder is effective in controlling these tested storage pest species of maize grains.Item Survival and recruitment of the multimammate mouse, Mastomys natalensis (smith 1834), in a rice agro-ecosystem(Mammalia, 2016) Mulungu, L. S.; Ngowo, V.; Mdangi, M. E.; Katakweba, A. S.; Tesha, P.; Mrosso, F. P.; Mchomvu, M.; Massawe, A. W.; Monadjem, A.; Kilonzo, B.; Belmain, S. R.We investigated the recruitment and survival of the multimammate mouse, Mastomys natalensis, within irrigated rice and fallow field habitats at different time periods related to rice crop growth stages. Capture-Mark- Recapture data were collected for M. natalensis each month from June 2010 to May 2012, and both recruitment and survival were estimated in relation to land use (irrigated rice or fallow field) within the agro-ecosystem. Higher recruitment and survival were observed in rice fields than in fallow fields suggesting the relationship was compensatory when there was a higher quality food resource. In terms of management, farmers in the study area should implement management strategies in rice fields at both transplanting and maturity stages of crop growth in order to maintain recruitment and survival at low levels.