Owusu Fordjour Aidoo

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Verified

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• PhD
• PostDoc Position at Washington State University

Pesticide residues historically represent a severe threat to public health and the environment. Several species worldwide are still in danger from pesticide residues, despite efforts to mitigate the adverse health effects of these pollutants. As agricultural output has increased and scientific understanding has advanced, new methods have emerged fo...

Insects are a significant source of food for millions of people worldwide. Since ancient times, insects in medicine have been contributing to the treatment of diseases in humans and animals. Compared to conventional animal farming, the production of insects for food and feed generates significantly less greenhouse gas emissions and uses considerabl...

BACKGROUND The Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Liviidae) is a destructive, invasive species that poses a serious threat to the citrus industry wherever it occurs. The psyllid vectors the phloem‐limited bacteria ‘Candidatus Liberibacter americanus’ and ‘Ca. L. asiaticus’, causal agents of the incurable citrus greenin...

BACKGROUND Present climate studies on invasive species imply that climate change will alter the habitat suitability of invasive pests, especially given the projected rise in average global temperatures by the end of 2100. However, globally, limited information exists on the habitat suitability of the mango stone weevil, Sternochetus mangiferae Fabr...

As a major setback to the global coconut industry, lethal yellowing disease (LYD), caused by phytoplasmas, continues to threaten coconut palms in the Americas, the Caribbean, Africa, and Oceania. Despite its economic impacts, limited information exists on LYD vectors, which impedes the prevention and management of the disease. Using double-sided ye...

Plants and insects have co-evolved over millions of years, resulting in complex and dynamic interactions that have shaped the biodiversity of our planet. Plant-insect relationships may exhibit features of mutualism, antagonism and commensalism. Plant-insect interactions have significant implications for agroecosystem functioning and services. Thus,...

Cape Saint Paul Wilt Disease (CSPWD) is a devastating phytoplasma-associated infection that severely impacts coconut trees in Ghana, threatening the livelihoods of coconut farmers, and impacting the country’s economy. Factors contributing to the spread and severity of CSPWD, including insect vector population, dynamic population of the associated p...

Pseudocercospora fruit and leaf spot (PFLS), also known as angular leaf spot of citrus, is a devastating fungal disease that poses a significant threat to citrus production, profitability and food security in sub-Saharan Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. In the present review, we explore current knowledge regarding PFLS management initiatives, incl...

Bacterial black spot (BBS) of mango, caused by the bacterium Xanthomonas citri pv. mangiferaeindicae , is an emerging disease affecting mango‐producing areas in Asia, Africa, Oceania, and the Americas. The disease spreads primarily through wind‐driven rain and farm implements, and its host range is limited, affecting mango, cashew, and pepper plant...

The impact of invasive species on biodiversity, food security and economy is increasingly noticeable in various regions of the globe as a consequence of climate change. Yet, there is limited research on how climate change affects the distribution of the invasive Asian citrus psyllid Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera:Liviidae) in Ghana. Using max...

One invasive species that decreases citrus fruit yield is the Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama. The psyllids are the carriers of Candidatus Liberibacter species, the pathogen that causes citrus greening disease (commonly called huan-glongbing, or HLB), which is the most devastating citrus disease in the world. Originally from Southea...

The rapid growth of the human population leads to a big concern about the food y and demand worldwide. However, due to the reduction in global arable land area, humans need to find alternative food sources to fulfil their needs. Consequently, edible insects have been identified as a promising solution to ameliorate food security and increase global...

In December 2019, an outbreak of a respiratory disease called the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by a new coronavirus known as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) began in Wuhan, China. The SARS-CoV-2, an encapsulated positive-stranded RNA virus, spread worldwide with disastrous consequences for people’s health,...

Buruli ulcer (BU), a neglected tropical disease (NTD), is an infection of the skin and subcutaneous tissue caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans. The disease has been documented in many South American, Asian, and Western Pacific countries and is widespread throughout much of Africa, especially in West and Central Africa. In rural areas with scarce medic...

In Africa, food insecurity seems to be a continual problem as a result of various factors such as extreme poverty, water scarcity, land degradation, and climate change. As a result, chronic hunger and malnutrition are still prevalent in many African countries. Consequently, the utilization of available and affordable natural food sources is needed...

Mango anthracnose disease (MAD) is a destructive disease of mangoes, with estimated yield losses of up to 100% in unmanaged plantations. Several strains that constitute Colletotrichum complexes are implicated in MAD worldwide. All mangoes grown for commercial purposes are susceptible, and a resistant cultivar for all strains is not presently availa...

African malaria mosquitoes (Anopheles gambiae sensu stricto) transmit a malaria parasite (Plasmodium falciparum) to humans. Te current control strategies for the vector have mainly focussed on synthetic products, which negatively impact the environment and human health. Given the potential use of environmentally friendly plant-derived volatiles as...

As significant threats to global citrus production, Diaphorina citri (Kuwayama; Hemiptera: Psyllidae) and Trioza erytreae (Del Guercio; Hemiptera: Triozidae) have caused considerable losses to citrus trees globally. Diaphorina citri vectors “Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus” and “Ca. L. americanus”, whereas T. erytreae transmits “Ca. L. africanus”...

Trioza erytreae (Del Guercio) is a sap-sucking hemipteran pest of citrus. It vectors "Candidatus Liberibacter africanus" and "Ca. Liberibacter asiaticus", the phloem-limited bacteria implicated in citrus greening or huanglongbing (HLB). There is no economically effective cure for HLB, and resistant citrus varieties are not yet available. The transp...

The main component of the environment that is essential for human existence on earth is availability of quality water. As human activity has evolved, particularly in the industrial, household, and agricultural sectors, groundwater systems are exposed to various contaminants. Groundwater is one of the main sources of water at the University of Envir...

Black soldier fly (BSF), Hermetia illucens (L.) (Diptera: Stratiomyidae), is predominantly reared on organic wastes and other unused complementary substrates. However, BSF may have a buildup of undesired substances in their body. The contamination of undesired substance, e.g., heavy metals, mycotoxins, and pesticides, in BSF mainly occurred during...

Hermetic grain storage (HGS) bags are simple and appropriate to effectively protect stored grains against pests and aflatoxins in areas where effective facilities are lacking. This study assessed farmers’ knowledge and perceptions associated with current practices, awareness-facilitating agents, and HGS bags in interior southern Ghana. The main obj...

Entomotherapy, the use of insects for medicinal purposes, has been practised for centuries in many countries around the world. More than 2100 edible insect species are eaten by humans, but little is known about the possibility of using these insects as a promising alternative to traditional pharmaceuticals for treating diseases. This review offers...

The Asian citrus psyllid (ACP), Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Liviidae), is an efficient vector of “Candidatus Liberibacter” species, the causative agents implicated in citrus greening or huanglongbing (HLB). HLB is the most devastating citrus disease and has killed hundreds of millions of citrus trees worldwide. Classical biological contro...

The phloem-limited bacteria, “Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus” and “Ca. L. americanus”, are the causal pathogens responsible for Huanglongbing (HLB). The Asian citrus psyllid Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Liviidae) is the principal vector of these “Ca. Liberibacter” species. Though Tamarixia radiata Waterston (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) has...

As significant threats to global citrus production, Diaphorina citri (Kuwayama; Hemiptera: Liviidae) and Trioza erytreae (Del Guercio; Hemiptera: Triozidae) have caused considerable losses to citrus trees globally. Diaphorina citri vectors “ Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus” and “ Ca. L. americanus”, the causative agents implicated in Asian Huangl...

The African rhinoceros beetle (AfRB), Oryctes monoceros (Olivier) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), is a very destructive coconut pest in Africa and Asia. Proper identification of a target pest is essential for developing integrated pest management strategies. Therefore, we morphologically characterized and compared AfRB populations from Coastal savannah...

The impact of invasive alien pests on agriculture, food security, and biodiversity conservation has been worsened by climate change caused by the rising earth’s atmospheric greenhouse gases. The African citrus triozid, Trioza erytreae (Del Guercio; Hemiptera: Triozidae), is an invasive pest of all citrus species. It vectors the phloem-limited bacte...

The African coconut beetle Oryctes monoceros and Asiatic rhinoceros beetle O. rhinoceros have been associated with economic losses to plantations worldwide. Despite the amount of effort put in determining the potential geographic extent of these pests, their environmental suitability maps have not yet been well established. Using MaxEnt model, the...

Larvae of black soldier fly (BSF), Hermetia illucens (L.1758) (Diptera: Stratiomyidae), are increasingly being used as animal feed ingredients. Larvae are usually produced by placing eggs, obtained from adult rearing on growing substrates but can also be obtained by exposing substrates to naturally occurring BSF females. In the latter system, the s...

The African citrus triozid (ACT) Trioza erytreae (Del Guercio) (Hemiptera: Triozidae), is a principal vector of “Candidatus Liberibacter species”, the pathogens implicated in citrus greening disease, infecting millions of citrus trees annually. Unfortunately, present control measures are insufficient, necessitating the development of novel climate-...

As a significant threat to agriculture, pests have caused a great disservice to crop production and food security. Understanding the mechanisms of pests’ outbreaks and invasion is critical in giving sound suggestions on their control and prevention strategies. The African rhinoceros beetle, Oryctes monoceros (Olivier), as the most damaging pest of...

Climate change is expected to have a significant influence on species range expansion, habitat shifts, and risk of biological invasion due to changes in survival rates, and rapid reproduction. This will tend to affect their geographical distribution and dispersal patterns, thereby threatening agriculture production and food security. Therefore, it...

1. The coconut mite Aceria guerreronis Keifer (Acari: Eriophyidae), is a destructive mite pest of coconut, causing significant economic losses. However, an effective pest management strategy requires a clear understanding of the geographical areas at risk of the target pest. 2. Therefore, we predicted the potential global distribution A. guerreroni...

Coconut production is significantly constrained by a wide variety of pests. Anecdotal evidence also suggests that management of these pests is influenced by gender differences. Therefore, there was a need to assess farmers' knowledge about coconut pests, farm-level pest management strategies, and institutions offering training to farmers to develop...

The African citrus triozid (ACT), Trioza erytreae Del Guercio (Hemiptera: Triozidae), is the major vector of the ‘Candidatus Liberibacter africanus’, associated with the African citrus greening disease [huanglongbing (HLB)]. Although T. erytreae is a very destructive pest in citrus production with yield losses up to 100%, there is limited informati...

Coconut is recognized for its popularity in contributing to food and nutritional security. It generates income and helps to improve rural livelihood. However, these benefits are constrained by lethal yellowing disease (LYD). A clear understanding of climate suitable areas for disease invasion is essential for implementing quarantine measures. There...

Mango (Mangifera indica L.), is one of the economically most important crops in Ghana. It is recognised for its popularity in contributing to food and nutritional security. Despite its economic importance, mango tree decline disease, caused by Lasiodiplodia theobromae, poses a serious threat to the mango industry in the country. The objective of th...

Coconut is recognized for its popularity in contributing to food and nutritional security. It generates income and helps to improve rural livelihood. However, there is a rise in the number of plant diseases due to globalization, including lethal yellowing-like diseases (LYD). A clear understanding of climate-suitable areas for disease invasion is e...

The African citrus triozid Trioza erytreae Del Guercio (Hemiptera: Triozidae) is the most destructive citrus pest. Presently, biological data on T. erytreae are insufficient for important parameters like distribution, seasonal dynamics and entomopathogens. Therefore, we determined the temporal dynamics of T. erytreae along three different altitudin...

The African citrus triozid (ACT), Trioza erytreae (Del Guercio), is the primary vector of Candidatus Liberibacter africanus (CLaf), the causative agent of Africa citrus greening disease (ACGD). This study evaluates the diversity of ACT parasitoids and further characterizes endosymbionts associated with both T. erytreae and its parasitoids that coul...

• The African citrus triozid (ACT) Trioza erytreae (Del Guercio) (Hemiptera: Triozidae) and the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) Diaphorina citri (Kuwayama) (Hemiptera: Liviidae) are primary vectors of the ‘Candidatus ’ Liberibacter spp. ACT is associated with ‘Candidatus Liberibacter africanus’ (CLaf) causal agent of the African citrus greening disease...

African citrus greening disease (ACGD) is considered as one of the major diseases of citrus threatening citrus production in East Africa. Our study aimed for the first time to assess the incidence, severity, and distribution patterns of ACGD in Kenya and Tanzania. In total, 105 citrus orchards were assessed in 13 regions representing low, mid, and...

The African citrus triozid (ACT), Trioza erytreae Del Guercio, is a destructive pest particularly on citrus, and vectors, "Candidatus" Liberibacter africanus (CLaf), which is the causal agent of the African citrus greening disease. Our study seeks to establish the distribution and host-plant relationship of ACT across citrus production areas in Ken...

African citrus greening (ACGD) and huanglongbing (HLB) diseases are the most damaging diseases of citrus worldwide. Currently, the disease has no cure and has been attributed to the collapse of the citrus industry in several countries. In Africa, the causative agent “Candidatus” Liberibacter africanus is vectored by African citrus triozid (ACT) Tri...

BACKGROUND The African citrus triozid (ACT) Trioza erytreae Del Guercio (Hemiptera: Triozidae) is one of the most devastating pests of citrus with a well‐known role as a vector of the phloem‐limited bacteria (Candidatus Liberibacter africanus) associated with huanglongbing (citrus greening disease), currently considered the world's most serious dis...

Pollinators such as honey bees greatly impact global food production and biodiversity as most of the crop species that provide 90% of food worldwide are honey bee-pollinated. The rapid global decline of honey bee colonies witnessed in the last few decades poses a threat to pollination and food security. While a myriad of factors have been implicate...

We investigated the abundance and diversity of entomofauna associated with citrus orchards in two different agroecological zones of Ghana. Malaise traps, flight interception traps, pitfall traps, chemical ʽʽknock down'' and visual observation were used for data collection. We recorded a total of 20, 285 individual insects belonging to 387 species f...