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Recent Submissions
EFFECTS OF LEGUME COVER CROPS ON SOIL PROPERTIES AND PRODUCTIVITY OF GRAFTED ORANGES (Citrus sinensis) IN THE COASTAL LOWLANDS OF KENYA
(2017-07) JACKSON MUEMA MULINGE
Orange (Citrus sinensis) is an important food and cash crop in coastal lowland of Kenya. The
average orange production in Kenya is 12 tones/ha Compared to world production of 16
tones/ha due to low soil fertility, diseases and high costs of inputs. There is, therefore, a need
to develop a sustainable and low input production system for increased orange productivity
and improved fruit quality in coastal lowland of Kenya. This study was tconducted at
KALRO-Matuga, Ganda and Vitengeni within the coastal region of Kenya from May 2012 to
April 2015. The effects of legume cover crops on soil moisture, orange feeder root
distribution, soil pH, plant nutrients, orange yield and fruit quality was evaluated. There were
four treatments; mucuna (Mucuna pruriens), cowpea (Vigna unguiculata), dolichos (Lablab
purpureus) cover crops and a fallow as the control. The experiment was laidout in a
randomized complete block design (RCBD) where the treatments were replicated four times
within four blocks in an existing grafted Valencia orange orchard. Soil and orange root
sampling was between 2m and 3m radius from the orange trees trunk at two depths topsoil
(0-20 cm) and sub-soil (20-40 cm). Fruit and leaf samples were taken from the orange trees.
Data collected was subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) at (P ≤ 0.05) using
procedures of R statistical analysis version 3.3.2. Mean separation was done using the least
significant difference (LSD) at (P ≤ 0.05) level of significance. Mucuna, dolichos and
cowpea increased soil moisture content in orange orchard for all the site topsoil while in the
sub-soil is only mucuna and dolichos increased moisture content in the soil. Mucuna and
dolichos increased orange root density in the top and sub-soils. Mucuna, cowpea and
dolichos increased soil nitrogen in the orange orchard top and sub-soil. Mucuna, cowpea and
dolichos increased soil organic carbon in the orange orchard top and sub-soil. Mucuna
increased phosphorous in the top and sub-soil of orange orchard. Dolichos increased
phosphorous in the topsoil of orange orchard.. Cowpea and dolichos increased phosphorous
in the sub-soil of orange orchard. Mucuna, dolichos and cowpea increased the potassium in
the topsoil of orange orchard while in the sub-soil, potassium increase due to mucuna and
cowpea. Mucuna dolichos and cowpea increased orange leaf chlorophyll content. The orange
fruit number increased due to mucuna and dolichos. Orange fruit weight increased due to
mucuna and dolichos. Fruits size increased due to mucuna and dolichos. Fruits juice
increased due to mucuna and dolichos. Orange fruit brix increased due to mucuna and
dolichos. In conclusion, mucuna, dolichos and cowpea are effective in improving soil
moisture, root distribution and nutrients in the soil and orange yield and fruit quality. The use
of mucuna however, had the highest increase and it is strongly recommended as a cover crop
in orange production. Further research is however recommended to evaluate the long term
(>3years) effect of the cover crops under different Agro-ecological zones.
MODERATING ROLE OF ENTREPRENEURIAL ORIENTATION ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY COMPETENCE AND FIRM PERFORMANCE IN KENYA
(International Journal of Professional Business Review,, 2017-12-27) Stanley Ndungu, Kenneth Wanjau, Robert Gichira, Waweru Mwangi
This study explored moderating role of entrepreneurial orientation on the relationship between Information
Technology Competence and firm performance in Kenya. The impact of IT on FP remains debatable to-date
because some results of previous studies have had high variations resulting from diversities in the
conceptualization of the key constructs and their interrelationship, coupled with the exclusion of intangible effect
of IT on performance. In Kenya, SMEs employ about 85 percent of the workforce. The need to link ITC with FP has
become vital for firms striving to achieve superior performance. However, limited attention has been paid to the
link and more so to the moderating role of EO on ITC- FP relationship model. To better understand this
relationship, this paper adopted a mixed methods research guided by cross-sectional survey design. Quantitative
and qualitative techniques were employed to analyze the collected data using SPSS, Ms-Excel, AMOS, SmartPLS,
STATA, R-GUI and ATLAS.ti analytical softwares. Analyses were conducted using a two-phase process consisting of
CFA and SEM models. The theoretical models and hypotheses were tested based on empirical data gathered from
94 SMEs in the 2013 Top 100 Survey. The study found that ITC had a positive relationship with FP. The results also
revealed that EO did not significantly moderate the relationship between ITC and FP in Kenya. However, when run
with the interaction term, the Technical (ITC and ISRA)*EO was statistically significant at 10% α-level. This study
will enhance the skill set in Kenyan SMEs and produce a more sustainable solution.
Application of phytoplankton community structure for ranking the major riverine catchments influencing the pollution status of a lake basin
(John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd, 2020-01-24) Christopher Mulanda Aura, Cyprian Odoli, Chrisphine S. Nyamweya, James M. Njiru, Safina Musa, Jared Babu Miruka, Monica Ochieng Owili, Reuben Omondi, Phillip Raburu, Julius Manyala, Job Mwamburi, Zachary Ogari, Emmanuel K. Mbaru
The present study demonstrates the application of a multi-metric Phytoplankton
Index of Biotic Integrity (PIBI) approach for ranking of major river catchments in the
Kenyan part of Lake Victoria on the basis of their pollution status. The index utilizes water quality and zooplankton data, phytoplankton diversity, abundance and
attributes, as well as literature information. The rivers were sampled from 2016 to
2018 during the wet season (March) and dry season (July). The separation power of
the Mann–Whitney U test (p < .05) qualified eight discriminant metrics for phytoplankton samples into a scoring system of 1, 3 and 5, based on high, fair and slight
deviation from the best site, respectively, in development of the final PIBI. The Kuja
and Sondu-Miriu rivers had the highest PIBI, signifying least pollution influence on
the lake. In contrast, the Yala and Nzoia rivers exhibited the lowest PIBI, representing the catchments with a higher pollution influence on the lake. The fair to poor
integrity classes for the major river catchments in the region signified a deteriorating
lakescape. The present study presents the preliminary results of using phytoplankton
metrics for development of the Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) approach in the region
as a decision-making support tool for the effective management and sustainable use
of water resources in the lake basin.
The Physico-Chemical Characteristics, Total Trace and Major Elements in Water and Surficial Sediments during Drought Conditions in the Highly Turbid Perennial Rivers, Hotspring and Lake Baringo, Kenya
(Asian Journal of Environment & Ecology, 2026-06-08) Job Mwamburi
Environmental degradation, climate change impacts and increasing water pollution exacerbates the challenges
and threats facing lotic and lentic ecosystems, resulting in the continued loss of aquatic habitats and
biodiversity, contamination of drinking water sources and reduced fisheries production. We collected surface
water and sediment grab samples during the dry conditions (March 2008 and February – March 2009) and
characterized the trace element contents, sources and distribution in major perennial rivers, hot-spring and
Lake Baringo, for better resource use planning and management. Dried sieved sediments and water sampled
were acid digested with Aqua-Regia and concentrated Nitric acid respectively, before metal analysis using
Original Research Article
Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer equipment. Cold vapour technique was used for mercury analysis.
Standard method were used for chloride and fluoride determination. Sediments accumulated higher trace
elements than those in aqueous phase. Mean F levels in lake (92% of samples) and warm spring (83%) water
were above the maximum allowable concentration for drinking water. Lake Baringo surficial sediments
exhibited depletion to minimal enrichment for Cr, Mn, Zn, Co, Pb, Ni, Hg and the geo-accumulation index
indicated moderate sediment pollution with respect to Ni, Hg, Co, Cu and Zn. River sediments were enriched
with Mn, Zn and Cd, Ni, The findings indicate that anthropogenic sources contribute to sediment Cd, Zn and
Mn contents in river and lake sediments, besides lithogenic sources. The Ramsar wetland area is sensitive to
climatic changes and the previous dry conditions greatly contributed to the changes in the hydrochemistry due
to increased processes of evaporative concentration.
Bio-pesticide composition for killing jiggers and other blood feeding insects and arachnid pests
(WIPO (PCT), 2022-03-03) Maurice Vincent Omolo,Vitman Mulicha Wafula, Reu Elondanga Andati, Joseph Odera Owino
Disclosed is a composition comprising, for the treatment of jumping insect infestation, nicotine and related compounds present in Nicotiana tabaccum as bio-pesticides and antitungosis of the jumping flea, Tunga penetrans. A single application of a 10% formulation of nicotine, nornicotine, anabasine, anatabine, continine and myosmine at the ratio of 85:2:4:7:1:1 respectively in a 90% petroleum jelly base and 1 g lemon eucalyptus oil on a jumping insect (6) infesting a foot of a victim (6) gives 100% pesticidal activity within 5-7 days as demonstrated by the foot having recovered (2B) and jumping insect scars (8). Said biochemical agents, alone or in combination with each other and/or other pesticides of natural or synthetic origin, show activity against jumping fleas among other blood-feeding insects and arachnids harmful to humans and animals. The invention also relates to a process for formulating the bio-pesticide composition consisting of nicotine and other extracts of biomolecules from Nicotiana tabaccum
