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Although studies on relationships between entry qualification and academic performance show that students who excelled academically in entry qualification often perform better than those with low entry qualification in subsequent examinations, this argument has been questioned. This study explored the relationship between entry grades of undergraduate students and academic performance in public universities in Uganda in the first and final years of their studies. A retrospective cohort analysis of data for undergraduate students of Gulu and Makerere Universities using a sample of 2825 academic records from 2013-2016 was conducted. Descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation analysis were used for analysis. Results revealed a significant relationship between entry scores and students’ academic performance for those admitted on national merit, district quota, affirmative action schemes and private sponsorship schemes in four university programs. However, there was no significant correlation between entry scores and students’ academic performance in the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery programs. Although male students joined with lower grades than females, their performance in the final year was better than their female counterparts. Therefore, this study confirms that the entry qualification score predicts academic outcomes in the early and exit stages of the university. These findings support the current Government entry criteria for public universities, provide important information for the admission committee decisions, and may have implications for admission policies. However, the lack of a significant correlation between entry qualification scores and students’ academic performance in Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery could indicate the need to revisit admissions criteria for this program. Future studies should go beyond the commonly used GPA to measure academic performance by including non-cognitive factors such as practical skills, clinical skills, and professionalism. Furthermore, the role of background and sociodemographic factors in influencing academic performance at public universities should be considered alongside the pre-entry qualification score

Background Food safety is a major public health issue, particularly in developing countries. Ready-to-eat street-vended foods contribute to daily dietary life, but with elevated food safety burden. Here, hygiene and food safety practices as well as the microbial contamination in Uganda's edible grasshopper value chain was evaluated. Methods This was a cross-sectional mixed methods study with both qualitative and quantitative approaches. A face-to-face administered questionnaire and observational checklists were used to collect data. A total of 29 households (Kampala; 12 and Masaka; 17) participated, and grasshopper samples collected along the value chain. Indicator pathogens were analysed using standard microbiological methods. Results Sociodemographic characteristics reveal that two-thirds of households in Kampala and 53% in Masaka were female headed. In Kampala and Masaka, respectively, 50% and 12% of households had earth or sand floors. All households in Kampala were one or two-roomed dwellings with no separate room as a kitchen, and shared a toilet compared to 43%, 65% and 53%, respectively, in Masaka. 83% households in Kampala and 56% in Masaka obtained drinking water from public taps. Handwashing was inadequate and none of the actors was observed to wash their hands after taking a break or handling waste. Only 8.3% respondents had raised racks for drying utensils. For vendors, wearing protective clothing was not common, with only 28.5% in Kampala and 30.8% in Masaka wearing an apron. Containers for vending grasshoppers were largely uncovered and the utensils (spoon or cup) for measuring the grasshoppers were left mainly uncovered during the observation period. Indicator organisms, E. coli and Salmonella typhimurium, were detected. E. coli was the most common contaminant, but with lower levels in Masaka compared to Kampala. Salmonella typhimurium was mainly a burden in Kampala. Conclusions Our findings demonstrate that there are enormous contributors to poor hygiene and sanitation along the value chain. The existence of pathogenic bacteria such as E. coli in ready-to-eat foods imply that their consumption pose a health risk. There is an urgent need to create awareness among the actors,through regular trainings on food safety and personal hygiene practices in food handling and inspection to prevent foodborne disease outbreaks.

Background Climate change poses severe threats to smallholder farmers' agricultural livelihoods and food security in Sub Saharan Africa. Understanding long-term rainfall trends of variability and extremes at local scales and perceptions regarding long-term changes in climate variables is important in planning appropriate adaptation measures to climate change. This paper examines the perception of farmers in Apac district regarding long-term changes in climate variables and analyzes the trend of occurrence in seasonal and annual rainfall in Apac district, northern Uganda. A cross-sectional survey design was employed to collect data on farmers' perceptions regarding long-term changes in climate from 260 randomly selected smallholder farmers’ households across two sub-counties in Apac district by administering semi-structured questionnaires in February 2018. Monthly rainfall data sets from the Uganda Meteorological Authority (UMA) for the period 1980 to 2019 for Apac district were also used to analyze trends of occurrences in seasonal and annual rainfall in the study area. The non-parametric Sequential Mann–Kendall (SMK) tests were employed at a 5% significance level to detect mean seasonal rainfall trends and abrupt change points. Results The majority of the respondents (87%) perceived a decrease in precipitation over the past 39 years. The plot of forward regression u(ti) values and backward regression u’(ti) values showed interactions indicating rainfall trends, rainfall lower and upper limits and abrupt change points in the different cropping seasons. Analysis of historical series of mean monthly and annual rainfall showed an abrupt change in rainfall in March, April, May (MAM) season in 1982. Although the September, October and November (SON) season did not show a significant abrupt change, there was a significant (p Conclusion The mean seasonal rainfall for MAM and SON cropping seasons in Apac district were highly variable from different time points within the past 39 years (1980–2019), while June, July, and August (JJA) did not realize a significant change in rainfall within the same study period that the two cropping seasons (MAM and SON) in the district experienced remarkable variations in rainfall. This, therefore, provides a basis for the government to strengthen the provision of an effective climate tailored agricultural advisory service to aid farmers’ adaptation planning at the local level and to assist smallholder farmers and land-use managers in developing effective adaptation management strategies to the effects of climate change.

Ruspolia differens (Serville) (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae), also known as the ‘edible grasshopper’, ‘African edible bush-cricket’, and ‘nsenene’, is regarded as one of the most promising edible insect species that can be used for food, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. However, there is insufficient information on suitable diets and their effects on survival, adult weight, fecundity, and developmental time of this species, which are preconditions for large-scale production. In this study, we experimentally evaluated the effects of 12 diets (wheat bran, rice seed head, finger millet seed head, soya bran, maize bran, fresh maize comb, millet flour, chicken feed egg booster, simsim cake, sorghum seed head, powdered groundnut, and germinated finger millet), that are known to be accepted by R. differens, on their growth and reproductive parameters. The survival rate, developmental time, and adult weight varied considerably on the various diets. The highest nymphal survival rates, shortest development times, and highest adult weights were recorded for both sexes when fed fresh maize comb and germinated finger millet diet. Lifetime fecundity of females fed on germinated finger millet also was, on average, more than twice higher compared to other diets. The present study demonstrated that relatively inexpensive and locally available germinated finger millet, fresh maize seed (at the silking stage on the comb), sorghum seedhead, and finger millet seedhead could be successfully used to rear and sustain populations of R. differens. Our findings contribute to the future design of an effective mass-rearing system for this economically important edible insect.

Background African trypanosomiasis, caused by protozoa of the genus Trypanosoma and transmitted by the tsetse fly, is a serious parasitic disease of humans and animals. Reliable data on the vector distribution, feeding preference and the trypanosome species they carry is pertinent to planning sustainable control strategies. Methodology We deployed 109 biconical traps in 10 villages in two districts of northwestern Uganda to obtain information on the apparent density, trypanosome infection status and blood meal sources of tsetse flies. A subset (272) of the collected samples was analyzed for detection of trypanosomes species and sub-species using a nested PCR protocol based on primers amplifying the Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) region of ribosomal DNA. 34 blood-engorged adult tsetse midguts were analyzed for blood meal sources by sequencing of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase 1 (COI) and cytochrome b (cytb) genes. Results We captured a total of 622 Glossina fuscipes fuscipes tsetse flies (269 males and 353 females) in the two districts with apparent density (AD) ranging from 0.6 to 3.7 flies/trap/day (FTD). 10.7% (29/272) of the flies were infected with one or more trypanosome species. Infection rate was not significantly associated with district of origin (Generalized linear model (GLM), χ2 = 0.018, P = 0.895, df = 1, n = 272) and sex of the fly (χ2 = 1.723, P = 0.189, df = 1, n = 272). However, trypanosome infection was highly significantly associated with the fly’s age based on wing fray category (χ2 = 22.374, P T. vivax (6.62%), T. congolense (2.57%), T. brucei and T. simiae each at 0.73%. Blood meal analyses revealed five principal vertebrate hosts, namely, cattle (Bos taurus), humans (Homo sapiens), Nile monitor lizard (Varanus niloticus), African mud turtle (Pelusios chapini) and the African Savanna elephant (Loxodonta africana). Conclusion We found an infection rate of 10.8% in the tsetse sampled, with all infections attributed to trypanosome species that are causative agents for AAT. However, more verification of this finding using large-scale passive and active screening of human and tsetse samples should be done. Cattle and humans appear to be the most important tsetse hosts in the region and should be considered in the design of control interventions.

Mixing of diets is a notable dietary practice that is believed to improve performance-related characteristics such as growth, survival rate and egg-laying potential among insect herbivores. However, currently there is limited information regarding the performance of edible insects either on artificial and natural diets or their mixtures. This chapter reviewed recent literature on performance of a seasonally harvested and a widely consumed edible grasshopper, Ruspolia differens (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) reared on various artificial and natural diets. Our aim is to highlight diets and diet mixtures that results in the highest R. differens production. The results of the review show that R. differens performs better on mixed diets than on single or less diversified diets. In all reviewed studies, edible grasshoppers fed mixed diets either of natural plants or artificial diets achieved highest final weights, highest survival, highest fecundity and fastest development times than less diversified diets. The information is useful in designing technologies for large-scale rearing program for this species.

Background Tuberculosis (TB) caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis is the 13th leading cause of death worldwide. The emergence of multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) poses a major health security threat. Plants have traditionally been used as a source of medicine, since olden days and 80% of the communities in Africa still rely on herbal medicines for their healthcare. In many parts of Uganda, some plants have shown ethno-pharmacological prospects for the treatment of TB, and yet they have not been fully researched. Aim This study aimed to document plant species used traditionally by the herbalists and non-herbalist communities of Kitgum and Pader districts for managing symptoms of TB. Methods An ethnobotanical study was carried out in 42 randomly selected villages in Kitgum and Pader districts between August 2020 and January 2021. Information was obtained by administering semi-structured questionnaires to 176 respondents identified by snowball and random sampling methods. Data were analysed and presented using descriptive statistics and Informant Consensus Factor (ICF). Results Overall, only 27% of the respondents were knowledgeable about plants used for managing symptoms of TB. Nine plant species belonging to six families (Mimosaceae, Apiaceae, Lamiaceae, Rutaceae, Loganiaceae and Rubiaceae) were used to manage symptoms of TB. The most representative family was Rutaceae with three species, followed by Rubiaceae (two species) and the rest of the families were represented by one species each. The most frequently recorded species were Steganotaenia araliacea Hochst. (8.5%), Gardenia ternifolia Schumach. & Thonn (6.8%) and Albizia adianthifolia (Schum.) W.Wight (6.8%). Most of the medicinal plants were trees, and roots (69%) were the most frequently plant part used, followed by the bark (16%) and leaves (15%). The most common method of preparation was by pounding and mixing concoction with water. The administration of the concoctions was mostly done orally. Conclusions The results established the existence of few medicinal plants for managing symptoms of TB among the Acholi communities which could be used in developing new, effective plant-based antimycobacterial drugs. The few plants mentioned might face conservation threats due to exploitations of the roots. Phytochemical and toxicological studies are recommended to identify active compounds responsible for antimycobacterial activity.

The edible katydid, Ruspolia differens (Serville), is an economically and nutritionally important insect species that is common and widespread in Africa. Currently, there are aims to develop mass-rearing methods suitable for this species, but a critical first step would require a suitable oviposition medium to ensure economic and easy production of eggs with high hatchability. The objective of the present study was to determine the oviposition preference and egg hatchability in different oviposition media. Based on preliminary testing of a wide range of different materials, two oviposition media, namely, artificial (folded plastic cloth) and natural medium (leaf sheath of Pennisetum purpureum Schumach attached to a stem), were selected for a detailed experiment. A two-choice laboratory experiment was conducted in which R. differens females were able to select between the folded plastic cloth (one side covered with short fleece) and a leaf sheath of P. purpureum (wrapped in polyester fiber). The results show that R. differens laid almost three times more eggs on the plastic cloth (mean ± SE, 169.3 ± 18.0) than on the natural substrate, P. purpurem (69.0 ± 13.9). However, the hatchability (overall mean% ± SE, 56.5 ± 4.7) of eggs in the two media did not differ. Folded plastic cloth, therefore, provided a more effective medium for egg laying by R. differens, and is thus a promising oviposition medium for getting natural populations to start laying eggs in future mass rearing.

The edible Ruspolia differens (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) is a widely-consumed insect in East Africa but surprisingly little is known of its host plant use in the field. We studied host plants used by non-swarming R. differens for 15 months, in central Uganda. In particular, we assessed the use of host plant species with respect to host cover in the field and host parts used by R. differens, also recording their sex, developmental stages, and colour morph. Ruspolia differens were found on 19 grass and two sedge species and they were observed predominantly (99% of 20,915 observations) on seven grasses (namely, Panicum maximum, Brachiaria ruziziensis, Chloris gayana, Hyparrhenia rufa, Cynodon dactylon, Sporobolus pyramidalis, and Pennisetum purpureum). Ruspolia differens was most frequently observed on the most common grass of each study site but P. maximum, and S. pyramidalis were used more frequently than expected from their cover in the field. Furthermore, R. differens were observed predominantly on inflorescences (97% of feeding observations) and much less frequently on the leaves (3.0%), stems (0.1%), and inflorescence stalks (0.1%) of grasses and sedges. Host use was not independent of sex, developmental stage, or colour morph. Panicum maximum was the preferred host of the youngest nymphs of R. differens. Overall, our findings indicate that a continuous supply of diverse grass resources with inflorescences is necessary for the management and conservation of wild populations of R. differens.

Groundnut leaf miner (GLM) [Aproaerema modicella (Deventer)] is a serious problem for soybean cultivation in Uganda causing yield losses of up to 100%. The use of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] cultivars resistant to GLM attack is an important strategy in the integrated pest management program. The aim of this study was to determine the environment × genotype interaction influence on the soybean resistance traits to GLM attack. Eighteen soybean genotypes were evaluated for resistance to GLM attack. The experiment was set up using randomized complete block design replicated three times under natural pest infestation in Budaka (Eastern) and Arua (Northern) districts in Uganda. Data were subjected to analysis of variance, Pearson’s phenotypic correlation and cluster analysis. Highly significant (p < 0.001) differences among the genotypes were recorded for all the studied traits, except the number of pupae per plant which was significant (p < 0.05). GLM incidence and severity had significant negative correlations with rainfall and relative humidity. However, there were significant positive correlations between minimum temperature and GLM incidence as well as severity for most of the genotypes. Soybean genotypes VI046160 and VI046167 could be used as parents in breeding for resistance to GLM pest. Areas with high rainfall and humidity would be recommended for soybean production to minimize infestation by GLM. Key words: Grain yield, Gelechiidae, incidence, Lepidoptera, natural infestation, severity, weather parameters.

There are increasing interests in rearing edible insects in Africa, but information on how the feeds modify their fatty acids is largely lacking. In this work, the influence of artificial diets on the fatty acid contents and composition in the edible Ruspolia differens (Serville, 1838), in Uganda was assessed. R. differens was reared on the mixtures of six gradually diversified diets of two, three, four, six, eight and nine feeds. The diets were formulated from rice seed head, finger millet seed head, wheat bran, superfeed chicken egg booster, sorghum seed head, germinated finger millet, simsim cake, crushed dog biscuit pellet and shea butter. Fatty acid methyl esters were prepared using direct transesterification method, and analysed using gas chromatography. The contents of saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acid differed significantly among the diets. The more diverse diets resulted in increased content of the polyunsaturated fatty acids. The n6:n3 ratio differed significantly among the diets and between the sexes, with R. differens fed on the four-feed diet having a higher n6:n3 ratio than those fed on other diets. Also, the fatty acid composition differed significantly among the diets, and diet diversification corresponded with the proportions of polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially linoleic acid. Overall, our results demonstrate that higher levels of essential fatty acids can be achieved by rearing R. differens on highly diversified diets. These findings are important in informing the design of future mass-rearing program for this edible insect.

Background: In the Acholi sub-region, consumption of wild edible plants is still an integral part of the food culture, particularly during times of food shortage. However, much of indigenous traditional knowledge has not been documented due to the history of prolonged civil war in the area. We conducted an ethnobotanical survey to document the wild plants utilized by the Acholi communities in northern Uganda.Methods: Data was collected using semi-structured questionnaires administered to 1,353 respondents between November 2017 and February 2018 and 65 focus group discussions.Results: Seventy-three edible plants from 39 families were identified to species level while three species were unidentified. Vitex doniana (0.72), Aframomum alboviolaceum. (0.70), Saba comorensis (0.45), Hibiscus surattensis (0.42), and Borassus aethiopum (0.39) had the highest relative frequencies of citation. Fabaceae (7) and Euphorbiaceae (5) had the highest number of plant species. Most of the edible plants were herbs (34%) and trees (31%). Fruits were the major parts consumed (57%), followed by leaves (37%). Only 34% of species were cooked before eating, while 60% were eaten raw. Sixty-seven percent of the species were harvested during the rainy season and 22% in the dry season.Conclusion: There is a rich diversity of wild edible plants in the Acholi sub-region. Conservation and domestication of these plants will provide a buffer crop and enhance the food security of the locals in the face of recurrent droughts and climate change.Keywords: Wild edible plants, Indigenous knowledge Ethnobotany, Food security.

Universities world over mostly base their decisions to admit their new students on the applicant’s pre-university academic results. However, there is yet no concrete evidence that the students’ pre-university academic accolades determine their performances at university level. In this article, we explored the findings of earlier studies that examined the relationships between entry grades and the academic performance of university students. The study was undertaken to collate the literature on the relationships between the students’ entry grades and their university academic performance in order to validate earlier assertions, if any, as well as to identify opportunities for further research in this field. During the study, we carried out a systematic review of 59 articles that we drew from different online electronic databases including, among others, the Free Scientific Publication, the Worldwide Science.org, and the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ). The majority of these reviewed studies were drawn from America and Europe. Only a few of them were conducted in Asia, Latin America and Africa. Of the 59 reviewed articles, only 53 of them met our inclusion criteria and our key findings showed, among others, that out of the 53 reviewed articles, 26, 4 and 13 of them revealed the existence of positive, negative, and mixed correlations respectively between the entry grades and the academic performance of university students. The remaining 10 articles, however, did not reveal any significant correlations between the two variables; instead, they alluded to the existence of difference in these relationships between male and female students; thus, suggesting for the need for affirmative action schemes. Overall, the study revealed that there is yet no consensus over whether pre-university academic performances of students predict their performances at university level; thus, indicating the need for further research in this field.

BackgroundClimate change poses a threat to the sustainability of food production among small-scale rural communities in Sub-Saharan Africa that are dependent on rain-fed agriculture. Understanding farmers’ adaptations and the determinants of their adaptation strategies is crucial in designing realistic strategies and policies for agricultural development and food security. The main objectives of this study were to identify the adaptation strategies used by smallholder farmers to counter the perceived negative effects of climate change in northern Uganda, and factors influencing the use of specific adaptation strategies. A cross-sectional survey research design was employed to collect data from 395 randomly selected smallholder farmers’ household heads across two districts by the administration of a semi-structured questionnaire. Binary logistic regression was used to analyze the factors influencing farmers’ adaptation to climate change.ResultsThe three most widely practiced adaptation strategies were planting of different crop varieties, planting drought-resistant varieties, and fallowing. Results of the binary logit regression model revealed that marital status of household head, access to credit, access to extension services, and farm income influenced farmers’ adoption of planting drought-resistant varieties as an adaptation strategy while access to credit, annual farm income, and time taken to market influenced adoption of planting improved seeds. Gender of household head and farm income had a positive influence on farmers’ adoption of fertilizer and pesticide use. Farming experience, farm income, and access to extension services and credit influenced farmers’ adoption of tree planting. Household size, farming experience, and time taken to market had positive influence on the use of fallowing, while size of land cultivated significantly influenced farmers’ planting of different crop varieties as an adaptation strategy.ConclusionFindings of the study suggest there are several factors that work together to influence adoption of specific adaptation strategies by smallholder farmers. This therefore calls for more effort from government to strengthen the provision of agricultural extension services by improving its climate information system, providing recommended agricultural inputs and training farmers on best agronomic practices to enhance their holistic adaptation to the effect of climate change.

Background Karamoja region of Uganda previously classified as low malaria transmission zone is currently experiencing significant upsurge of malaria incidences. Long lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) impregnated with pyrethroids constitute a major tool for malaria control in this region. Efficacy of this tool can be hampered by resistance to the pyrethroids in the Anopheles mosquito vectors. Resistance status of these mosquitoes in this region is poorly understood, effectively hampering better understanding of the impact of LLINs in the malaria control initiative. Here, we assessed susceptibility of the Anopheles arabiensis from the region to deltamethrin, permethrin (pyrethroids) and pirirmiphos-methyl (organophosphate) insecticides. Method We collected anopheline mosquito larvae from their natural habitats and reared them to adult emergence in situ field insectary in Karamoja region. We then identified them morphological to species level and exposed 513 emerge adult female An gambiae s.l., mosquitoes to diagnostic dosages of deltamethrin (0.05%), permethrin (0.75%) and pirimiphos-methyl (0.25%) pyrethroids exposure using the standard WHO insecticide susceptibility test assay. Synergic assays using piperonyl butoxide (PBO) were done to check for the involvement of detoxification enzymes in pyrethroid resistant populations. We then screened for knockdown resistance (KDR) and mosquito species diversity using Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). Results Majority (96%) of the mosquitoes we sampled were identified as An. arabiensis and 4% as An. gambiae sensu stricto . We observed cross-resistance to both deltamethrin (11.9%) and permethrin (47%) but susceptibility (100% mortality) to pirimiphos-methyl in An. arabiensis . The pre-exposure to PBO ameliorated the resistance to both pyrethroids. We detected homozygous KDR -eastern variant in 1.8 and 50% of the An. arabiensis and An. gambiae s.s. respectively. Conclusion Anopheles arabiensis and An. gambiae s.s. are the malaria vector in Karamoja region with An. arabiensis predominating. Both species are susceptible to pirimiphos-methyl but resistant to both deltamethrin and permethrin, through a metabolic process (phenotype). Mosquotoes with genetic (kdr) mutations for resistance were minimal and hence have minimal contribution to the pyrethroid resistance profile. An. arabiensis can thus be controled in Karamoja region using deltamethrin and/or permethrin impregnated mosquito nets integrated with PBO and/or through indoor residual spraying of sprayable human dwellings with pirimiphos-methyl.

Background: Malaria is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in most developing countries, and in Uganda over 95% of the country is endemic with malaria. Given the increasing widespread resistance to current drugs, the high cost of procurement of antimalarial drug combination therapy, the use of herbal medicines is seen as a sustainable solution to malaria treatment. This study documented medicinal plants that are traditionally used for the treatment of malaria in Budondo sub-county, Eastern Uganda. Methods: The ethnobotanical survey was conducted between December 2017 to January 2018. A total of 273 household members were interviewed on knowledge and use of anti-malarial plants, using semi-structured questionnaires administered in five parishes of Budondo sub-county. Voucher specimen of each plant species were preserved at the Makerere University herbarium, Uganda. Results: Overall, 97.5% of the respondents had adequate knowledge regarding the plants used to treat malaria. A chi-square analysis shows a significant association between respondents’ knowledge regarding anti-malarial plants and gender (p-value =0.008) and occupation (p-value =0.025) but not with age (p-value =0.379), educational status (p-value =0.066), average monthly income (p-value =0.419), and religious affiliation (p-value =0.064) of respondents. A total of 37 plant species, belonging to 25 plant families were used to treat malaria. The most cited plant was Vernonia amygdalina Delile (64.8%) , followed by Aleo vera (L.) Burm.f. (41.9%) , Callistemon citrinus (Curt.) Stapf (29.3%), Mormodica feotida Schumach (22.0%) , Cyphostemma adenocaule (A.Rich) wild & Drumm. (16.1%) and Eucalyptus globulus Labill. (15.4%). Among the plant parts, stem/bark (99.6%) and leaves (90.8%) were the most frequently used. The habits of the plants encountered were shrub, tree, herb, rhizomes and climber. The commonest modes of preparation included boiling in water, squeezing fresh leaves, crushing and pounding, and chewing. Oral route/drinking was the most common mode of administration, followed by steam inhaling of vapours from the aqueous extracts and skin bathing. Conclusion: The present study shows that the people living in Budondo sub-county traditionally use diverse flora to treat malaria. Further investigations are required to evaluate the potential toxicological effects and to isolate the active components of the reported plants which could be developed into effective, safe and affordable anti-malarial medicines in the future.

Ruspolia differens (Serville) (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) is a highly valued edible grasshopper species in Africa. However, the effects of plant diets on lipid content and fatty acid composition of R. differens are not well understood. We tested the effects of four diets on the total lipid content and fatty acid composition of R. differens. Sixth instar nymphs of R. differens were reared on one, and mixtures of two, three, and six natural plant inflorescences. Individuals collected from the field constituted a control treatment. We extracted lipids and analyzed the fatty acid methyl esters using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. We analyzed if the total lipid content, body weight, and fatty acid composition differed among diets and between the sexes using two‐way ANOVAs and a PERMANOVA model, respectively. The total lipid content and weight of R. differens did not differ among the diets. The nine common fatty acids were palmitic (mean across treatments, 26%), oleic (22%), palmitoleic (18%), linoleic (13%), stearic (7%), myristic (6%), myristoleic (4%), α‐linolenic (2%) and arachidic acid (1%). The composition of fatty acids and the proportion of essential fatty acids significantly differed among the diets. The proportion of essential fatty acids was highest in the control treatment (21%) but low in less diversified (one to three feed) diets (12–13%). This study demonstrates that the fatty acid composition in R. differens can be influenced through diet. Thus, with dietary manipulations, using local plants in Africa, it is possible to produce R. differens with preferred high quality essential fatty acids for human consumption.

The bruchid, Callosobruchus maculatus (F.) is one of the most destructive pests and causes substantial losses to cowpea during storage in tropical and subtropical regions. The development of successful breeding strategy requires knowledge on gene action and trait inheritance in local and improved sources. In this study, the mode of inheritance, the types of gene action and maternal effects of cowpea resistance to bruchid was investigated. Nine parental lines and their 72 F2 segregating populations, created in a full diallel Griffing’s method 1 approach, were evaluated for resistance to bruchid attack in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. Data were recorded on number of eggs laid by the bruchid (NE), adult bruchid emergence (NEI), median development period (MDP) and Dobie Susceptibility index (DSI) was computed. Genotype had highly significant effects on NE, NEI and MDP and DSI. General combining ability (GCA) effects of parents, specific combining ability (SCA) effects of crosses, and maternal and reciprocal effects were highly significant for all the traits. The ratios of GCA to SCA for all the traits were greater than 50% suggesting the preponderance of additive over non-additive gene action in the expression of the traits. Narrow sense heritability estimates were 64.12, 77.69 and 80.99% for NE, NEI and MDP, respectively. Parents 2419, TVu-2027 and IT84s-2246 were identified as promising general combiners for resistance to bruchid and the seven best selected crosses based on their SCA and DSI values were, IT84s-2246 × 2419, 2419 × MU9, TVu-2027 × SECOW2W and 2419 × IT90K-76, 2419 × WC69, 2419 × SECOW5T and 2419 × SECOW2W. The selected parents and/or crosses could be valuable genetic materials for breeding cowpea resistance to bruchid in Uganda or similar environments. Key words: Additive gene action, heritability, median development period, reciprocal effects.

Ruspolia differens (Serville) (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae, Conocephalinae) (its common names including ‘African edible bush‐cricket’, ‘edible grasshopper’, and ‘nsenene’) is an important source of food for humans in East Africa, but its ecology and biology are poorly understood. We explored the host plants of R. differens with a series of no‐choice and multiple‐choice laboratory experiments using 18 local common grass and sedge species in Uganda. In no‐choice experiments, the degree of acceptance differed significantly among the studied plant species, but in only three species were leaves rejected and in one species were inflorescences rejected. The pattern of acceptance among plant species was different in the local vs. swarming populations. Leaves were generally more accepted by the local population, whereas inflorescences were generally more accepted by the swarming population. Both leaves and inflorescences were more readily accepted by males than by females. According to the multiple‐choice experiments, R. differens preferred inflorescences over leaves. Our results demonstrate that R. differens is a facultatively oligophagous grass‐specialist, which has a clear preference for certain grass or sedge species (especially inflorescences), but it accepts many host plants if the preferred ones are not available. To preserve viable natural populations of R. differens in East Africa in the long term, our results draw special attention to the availability of grasslands where accepted and preferred host plants are available year‐round.

The edible grasshopper Ruspolia differens (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) gathered seasonally from the wild is a highly valued and an economically important edible insect, particularly in East Africa. To reduce the pressure on wild populations, a sustainable mass production technique needs to be developed. Unfortunately, however, basic biological know-how on feeding habits of R. differens is poorly understood, which poses a constraint on the development of mass-rearing technology. Here, we evaluated the acceptance and feeding preference of R. differens for 16 cultivated or processed foods using no-choice and multiple-choice laboratory bioassays. The results indicated that adultR. differens can eat a wide variety of foods but does not necessarily accept all the foods equally. Furthermore, our experiments showed that R. differens has high ability to select diet among those available. The order of decreasing preference was wheat bran > germinated finger millet > rice seed head > finger millet seed head > chicken feed egg booster > sorghum seed head. Finally, our study indicated that sex and color morph are not associated with the order of acceptance and preference of diets in R. differens. These results show potential foods that could be utilized for developing future mass-rearing methods for R. differens.

Diet mixing is a common feeding habit among polyphagous insect herbivores and is believed to be advantageous for performance-related factors like growth, survival and oviposition. However, relatively little is known about the influence of artificial diet or their mixtures on the performance of edible insects. We examined the effects of artificial diet mixtures on the developmental and reproductive performance (survival, developmental time, fresh adult weight and female fecundity) of an edible grasshopper, Ruspolia differens (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae). We raised individuals from eggs and reared newly hatched nymphs to adult stage on six different dietary treatments consisting of a single diet, and mixtures of two, three, five, six and eight artificial diets. More diversified diets resulted in shorter development time and greater adult fresh weight and female fecundity compared to the single diet or less diversified diets. Even with slight diet diversification, survival to adult stage was greatly improved. Overall, these results highlight the potential of diet mixtures in achieving maximum adult weights and female fecundity and shortening development time, information which could be used when designing mass-rearing programs for this edible grasshopper.

Understanding of how biodiversity can recover after anthropogenic disturbances, such as selective logging, is important for planning conservation strategies for tropical forests and for more sustainable timber harvest regimes. However, the knowledge of insect community compositions in regenerating logged forests is still limited, especially in the Afrotropics. Here, we evaluated the recovery patterns of fruit-feeding butterfly communities in four different-aged secondary forest compartments and one primary forest compartment in the Budongo Central Forest Reserve, Uganda. In each compartment, butterflies were sampled monthly for five consecutive months in 2017 using traps baited with fermented bananas. A total of 3,778 individuals, representing 82 species (78 identified at the species level and four morphogroups) were recorded. The fruit-feeding butterfly community composition differed among forest compartments and study months. Fruit-feeding butterfly communities of the oldest 72-year-old secondary forest compartment were similar to the primary forest compartment. In the younger secondary forest compartments the seasonal variation was large; especially the communities of the “core” rainy season months were distinct from the communities in primary and oldest secondary forest. The majority of individuals captured from both primary and secondary forests represented forest-dependent species. Primary forests are irreplaceable for preserving the diversity of tropical forests in the long-term. Nevertheless, our study demonstrates that selective logging can allow fruit-feeding butterfly community composition to recover if enough time (>70 years) is allowed for recovery.

Edible insects have been suggested as an alternative and sustainable source of fats, proteins and vitamins for humans. However, their nutritional content may largely depend on the diets offered for insects. Diet-based manipulation of fatty acids in edible insects shows promise to possibly increase their essential and long-chained polyunsaturated fatty acid content and thus further enhance human diets. We reared the edible grasshopper, Ruspolia differens, under various diets with manipulated content of fatty acids, proteins and carbohydrates. The manipulated diets dramatically altered the insects’ content and composition of fatty acids, especially the content of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Dietary fatty acids were stored largely unaltered in insects. Artificial diets with high content of linoleic, α-linolenic, eicosapentaenoic or docosahexaenoic acids, increased the content of these fatty acids in the insect tenfold. The manipulated diets also affected the omega-6/omega-3 (n-6/n-3) fatty acid ratio and developmental performance. Lack of protein and fats in the diet prolongs the development and leads to lower final weight. To achieve required n-6/n-3 ratio for human consumption and to maximise biomass gain and weight, diverse diets with a source of n-3 fatty acids and protein should be used when rearing R. differens. These results demonstrate the potential for improving human nutrition in an effective and sustainable way by producing edible insects with designed nutritional content.

The relative importance of different bottom-up-mediated effects in shaping insect communities in tropical secondary forests are poorly understood. Here, we explore the roles of vegetation structure, forest age, local topography (valley vs. hill top) and soil variables in predicting fruit-feeding butterfly and tree community composition, and tree community composition in predicting fruit-feeding butterfly community composition, in different-aged naturally regenerating and primary forests of Kibale National Park, Uganda. We also examine which variables are best predictors of fruit-feeding butterfly species richness or diversity. Butterflies (88 species) were sampled with a banana-baited trap and trees (98 taxa) with a 40 × 20-m sampling plot at 80 sampling sites. The environmental variables explained 31% of the variation in the tree community composition, the best predictors being local topography, forest age and cover of Acanthus pubescens (a shrub possibly arresting succession). The fruit-feeding butterfly community composition was better predicted by tree community composition (explaining 10% of the variation) rather than vegetation structure, local topography or soil factors. Environmental variables and tree species richness (or diversity) were poor predictors of butterfly species richness (or diversity). Our results emphasize the importance of tree community to recovery of herbivorous insect communities in tropical secondary forests.

Background: Diarrhoea remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality in children < 5 years in sub-Saharan Africa. Uganda has the worst mortality rate in children < 5 years among the three East African countries, with 22% of these deaths attributed to diarrhoea. For proper planning and implementation of control interventions, an understanding of the prevalence and determinants of the disease is crucial. This study assessed the prevalence of diarrhoea and related risk factors among children aged < 5 years in Pajule sub-county in Pader district in northern Uganda. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted covering 244 randomly selected households having children < 5 years old in the study area. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to interview the households about diarrhoeal history in their children in the last two weeks preceding the survey, and on the risk factors predisposing children to diarrhoeal infections. Descriptive statistics was used to summarize the risk factors whereas bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses (95% confidence interval and p < 0.05) were used to identify the risk factors associated with childhood diarrhoea.Results: We found a prevalence of diarrhoea of 29.1% among children < 5 years of age in Pajule sub-county during the two weeks preceding the survey. Multivariate logistic regression revealed significant associations between diarrhoeal prevalence and use of unprotected water sources (adjusted Odd Ratio, aOR=2.866, 95% CI: [1.431 – 5.741]), presence of animals in respondents’ homes (aOR=3.950, 95%CI: [1.399 – 11.156]) and infrequent hand washing practices (aOR=2.737, 95% CI: [1.304 – 5.743]). Conclusion: The present study identified a high prevalence of diarrhoea among children < 5 years of age in Pajule sub-county, higher than the Ugandan national average. Extensive use of unprotected water sources, animals’ presence in homes and poor hand washing practices had significant associations with diarrhoeal occurrence. These findings underscore the need for continuous community health promotion emphasizing good hand washing practices and interventions that target improvement of hygiene practices at homes as the best methods for fighting childhood diarrhoea in the study area.

Objective: The aim of this cross-sectional study was to determine the prevalence, infection intensity and associated risk factors of intestinal schistosomiasis among primary school children in Lira district, Uganda. The study was conducted among 532 primary school pupils aged 6-16 years from eight randomly selected primary schools (March-May 2017). Stool samples were collected and examined for schistosomiasis using Odongo-Aginya method. Data on socio-demographic characteristics and risk factors were obtained using questionnaires. Results: The overall prevalence of Schistosoma mansoni was 35.7% indicating a moderate infection. Both males and females were equally affected with S. mansoni . Ogur sub county had highest prevalence (42.1%) than others. Akangi and Akano primary schools both had highest (21.1%) prevalence compared to the others. Individuals aged 14-16 and 10-14 years had heavy infections (mean epg) of 600 and 565 eggs, respectively than those aged 6-9 years. With regard to risk factors, source of drinking water, sub-county location and primary school were associated with infection. Participants who fetch water from spring (85,44.7%) had higher infection than those who fetch from other sources. The study recommends provision of safe water, periodic treatment of school-aged children with praziquantel and public health education to reduce prevalence of S. mansoni .

Objective World Health Organisation recommends Kato-Katz technique for quantitative diagnosis of Schistosoma mansoni and other soil transmitted intestinal parasites in field research. However, for better visibility especially in hard stool specimens, the prepared slides in Kato-Katz technique are mostly examined after 1-2 hours. This longer clearing time over clear the eggs of parasites with thin cell walls in glycerine and morphology of the eggs are not often preserved in Kato-Katz method. These disadvantages are overcome using Odongo-Aginya method as illustrated by parasite eggs in the results. Result The Odongo-Aginya method uses compound stains of 7.5% nigrosin in 10% formalin and 0.5% eosin yellow in 10% formalin mixed 1:1 ratio. A drop of 50µl of the compound stain is added on 41.7mg of stool and stirred. This method illustrated the morphological appearance of S. mansoni and other soil transmitted intestinal parasites clearly when prepared and six weeks after preparation. The prepared slides maintained the morphological appearance including the eggs of hookworm after being kept in cool dry place for a long time. This method is reliable, reproducible, cost effective, easy to learn, quick and safe because of the base formalin, especially when handling specimens from Human Immunodeficiency virus infected patients.

Graphical abstract, Highlights • We assessed the levels of aflatoxin, total ochratoxin and deoxynivalenol contamination in 105 samples of food grains in northern Uganda. • The total aflatoxin limits in the foods analysed varied from not detected to 68.2 μg/Kg while ochratoxin levels ranged between 0.1 to 16.4 μg/Kg, whereas DON was from not detected to 2606 μg/Kg. • 46.5% of the sorghum consumed in both districts exceeded the maximum tolerable limit of 10 μg/Kg for Uganda national regulatory limit. • 86.1% of the sorghum consumed in both districts exceeded European Union maximum tolerable limit of 4 μg/Kg. • In conclusion, consumption of cereals cultivated in this region poses no health risk of mycotoxins exposure since HI values obtained were less than 1., Mycotoxin contamination of cereals is a significant health risk for humans and animals, particularly in developing countries. To gain insight into food safety related to agricultural practices, we assessed levels of mycotoxin contamination in 105 samples of food grains raised and stored for consumption by rural households in the post-conflict districts of Kitgum and Lamwo in Northern Uganda. Aflatoxin, ochratoxin and deoxynivalenol (DON) contamination was assessed by quantitative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Total aflatoxin in the foods analyzed varied from nd (not detected) to 68.2 μg/Kg. Ochratoxin ranged from 0.1 to 16.4 μg/Kg. DON ranged from nd to 2606 μg/Kg. The mean concentration of total aflatoxins was significantly higher (P = 0.002) in sorghum than in millet, maize and sesame seeds. Frequency of co-occurrence of two mycotoxins ranged from 8.3 to 100%, with the highest being aflatoxin and ochratoxin in sorghum. Co-occurrence of all three mycotoxins ranged from 8.3 to 35.3%, with the highest again being in sorghum. Mean levels of aflatoxins concentration in sorghum samples were 11.8 μg/Kg, exceeding the Ugandan national regulatory limits of 10 μg/Kg. Furthermore, 46.5% of the sorghum consumed in both districts exceeded this limit, and 86.1% of sorghum samples exceeded the European Union (E.U.) maximum tolerable limit of 4 μg/Kg. The Estimated Daily Intake (EDI) and Hazard Indices (HI) values were in the range of 1.2 × 10−5–91.521 and 1.3 × 10−7 to 0.0059, respectively. In conclusion, our results provide evidence of high levels of mycotoxin contamination and co-occurrence in food grains in Northern Uganda with aflatoxins and ochratoxins at high levels in all the cereal types analyzed. Consumption of cereals cultivated in this region poses no health risk of mycotoxins exposure since HI values obtained were less than 1.

Active restoration of rainforests is essential in enhancing the recovery of biodiversity in many tropical regions suffering from deforestation. However, the value of actively restored rainforests for birds is still relatively poorly understood because of the short history of active restoration programs. Here, we studied the recovery of bird communities in Kibale National Park, Uganda. We sampled birds along a restoration gradient consisting of six restoration areas (3–16 years old) and used five primary forests as reference areas. We found that bird community compositions changed in an orderly fashion along the restoration gradient. The abundance of arboreal insectivore frugivores and forest specialists increased, while that of foliage-gleaning insectivores, granivores and forest visitors decreased towards older sites. The similarity of the bird communities of the restored forests to those of the nearby primary forests increased linearly with time. If this recovery rate is extrapolated to the future, the bird communities could reach a pre-disturbance state after only approximately 20 years of active restoration. However, previous studies have shown that recovery is typically a non-linear process, and the time needed for bird communities to recover is more likely longer than this. Nevertheless, our study provides evidence that bird communities benefit from active rainforest restoration after human-induced deforestation.

Predicting the recovery processes in tree communities after logging is critical when developing conservation strategies. We assessed the patterns in tree communities in logged and primary forests in Kibale National Park, Uganda, representing 9- to 19-year-old clear-cuts of former conifer plantations, 42- to 43-year-old logged forests and primary forests. Species density and diversity were lower and dominance higher in the 9- to 19-year-old forests compared to the 42- to 43-year-old forests or primary forests. The tree species density, diversity and dominance of 42- to 43-year-old forests did not differ significantly from primary forests. However, they had a lower stem density, and higher cover of Acanthus pubescens, a shrub known to arrest the succession in Kibale. The tree community compositions of 9- to 19-year-old, 42- to 43-year-old and primary forests differed from each other. A large group of tree species (21) were primary forest indicators, that is, they were either missing or relatively rare in logged forests. The results of this study show that even after four decades of natural recovery, logged Afrotropical forests can still be distinguished from primary forests in their tree community compositions, emphasizing the slow community recovery and the important role of primary forests when preserving the tree communities in tropical rainforests. Resume Il est essentiel de pouvoir predire les processus de restauration de communautes d'arbres apres les coupes lorsque l'on developpe des strategies de conservation. Nous avons evalue les schemas de communautes d'arbres dans des forets exploitees et primaires dans le Parc National de Kibale, en Ouganda, a savoir des coupes a blanc de 9 a 19 ans d'anciennes plantations de coniferes, des forets exploitees il y a 42–43 ans et des forets primaires. La densite et la diversite des especes etaient plus faibles et la dominance plus elevee dans les forets de 9–19 ans que dans les forets de 42–43 ans ou dans les forets primaires. La densite, la diversite et la dominance des especes d'arbres des forets de 42–43 ans ne differaient pas significativement de celles des forets primaires. Mais elles avaient une densite de troncs plus basse et une plus grande couverture d’Acanthus pubescens , un arbuste connu pour arreter la succession a Kibale. La composition des communautes d'arbres des forets de 9–19 ans, 42–43 ans et primaires differait de l'une a l'autre. Un grand groupe d'especes d'arbres (21) etaient des indicateurs de foret primaire, a savoir qu'ils etaient soit manquants, soit relativement rares dans les forets exploitees. Les resultats de cette etude montrent que meme apres quatre decennies de retablissement naturel, les forets afrotropicales exploitees peuvent encore etre distinguees des forets primaires par la composition de leurs communautes d'arbres, ce qui montre bien la lenteur du retablissement de ces communautes et le role important des forets primaires lorsqu'il s'agit de preserver les communautes d'arbres dans des forets pluviales tropicales.

Objectives To develop successful mass-rearing programs of edible insects, knowledge of the feeds and their influence on nutritional content is critical. We assessed the influence of natural food plants (grass inflorescences) and their mixtures on fatty acid profiles of edible Ruspolia differens. We reared neonate nymphs to adult on six dietary treatments consisting of one, and mixtures of two, three, five, six and eight plants. Results The contents of saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, omega-6/omega-3 ratio, and adult body weight did not differ among dietary treatments. However, the composition of fatty acids differed significantly among insects fed on six dietary treatments, but only for the rare fatty acids. Our results demonstrate that even if natural diets (grass inflorescences) do not strongly modify fatty acid contents or compositions of R. differens, when reared from neonate nymphs to adults, their n − 6/n − 3 fatty acid ratio is generally low and thus good for a healthy human diet.

Groundnut leaf miner (GLM) (Aproaerema modicella) (Deventer) is one of the most destructive pests of soybean and groundnuts. In this study, the mode of inheritance, general combining ability (GCA), specific combining ability (SCA) effects, maternal effects of resistance to GLM and grain yield ha−1 were determined. Thirteen soybean parental genotypes and 81 F2 populations were evaluated for resistance to GLM in a 5 × 19 alpha lattice diallel design with two replications under natural GLM infestation in northern (Arua) and eastern (Iki-iki) Uganda during September to December 2016 rainy season. Highly significant differences were observed among parental genotypes and F2 populations for GLM incidence, severity, and grain yield. The estimates of GCA effects were significant for GLM incidence and severity scores but not for the number of larvae per plant and grain yield ha−1. SCA effects were non-significant for all the studied traits, suggesting that GCA effects were the major component responsible for soybean resistance to GLM with additive gene effects being more important for these traits. Baker’s ratio ranged from 0.44-1.0 for most of resistant traits except number of larvae per plant and grain yield ha−1. The results indicated also that cultivars Maksoy1 N, PI615437, PI578457A and NIIGC4.1-2 were good combiners against GLM incidence and severity. Parent PI615437 was a good combiner for grain yield and Maksoy1 N × PI615437 was a superior cross for grain yield and against GLM incidence. There were no maternal effects for the inheritance of resistance to GLM. The study provides a basis for understanding patterns of inheritance of soybean resistance to groundnut leaf miner for an efficient breeding program.

Objective Nodding syndrome (NS) is a type of epilepsy characterized by repeated head-nodding seizures that appear in previously healthy children between 3 and 18 years of age. In 2012, during a WHO International Meeting on NS in Kampala, Uganda, it was recommended that fungal contamination of foods should be investigated as a possible cause of the disease. We therefore aimed to assess whether consumption of fungal mycotoxins contributes to NS development. Results We detected similar high levels of total aflatoxin and ochratoxin in mostly millet, sorghum, maize and groundnuts in both households with and without children with NS. Furthermore, there was no significant association between concentrations of total aflatoxin, ochratoxin and doxynivalenol and the presence of children with NS in households. In conclusion, our results show no supporting evidence for the association of NS with consumption of mycotoxins in contaminated foods.

The edible Ruspolia differens (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) is a widely‐consumed insect in East Africa but surprisingly little is known of its host plant use in the field. We studied host plants used by non‐swarming R. differens for 15 months, in central Uganda. In particular, we assessed the use of host plant species with respect to host cover in the field and host parts used by R. differens, also recording their sex, developmental stages, and colour morph. Ruspolia differens were found on 19 grass and two sedge species and they were observed predominantly (99% of 20,915 observations) on seven grasses (namely, Panicum maximum, Brachiaria ruziziensis, Chloris gayana, Hyparrhenia rufa, Cynodon dactylon, Sporobolus pyramidalis, and Pennisetum purpureum). Ruspolia differens was most frequently observed on the most common grass of each study site but P. maximum, and S. pyramidalis were used more frequently than expected from their cover in the field. Furthermore, R. differens were observed predominantly on inflorescences (97% of feeding observations) and much less frequently on the leaves (3.0%), stems (0.1%), and inflorescence stalks (0.1%) of grasses and sedges. Host use was not independent of sex, developmental stage, or colour morph. Panicum maximum was the preferred host of the youngest nymphs of R. differens. Overall, our findings indicate that a continuous supply of diverse grass resources with inflorescences is necessary for the management and conservation of wild populations of R. differens.