Vernon Henderson Kabambe

• Doctor of Philosophy
• Professor at Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources

Africa’s potential for scientific research is not yet being realized, for various reasons including a lack of researchers in many fields and insufficient funding. Strengthened research capacity through doctoral training programmes in higher education institutes (HEIs) in Africa, to include collaboration with national, regional and international res...

Parasitic angiosperm Alectra vogelii Benth is a growing problem in Malawi, particularly with the current emphasis on legume crops. Therefore, a pot experiment was conducted in Lilongwe, Malawi to evaluate the effects of site, A. vogelii dormancy-breaking period on Mkanakaufiti and IT82E-16 cowpea varieties. Varieties of cowpea were grown in A. voge...

Introduction Fall armyworm continues to disrupt smallholder farming systems across sub-Saharan Africa, with sporadic outbreaks and chronic cereal crop losses. Smallholders have been adapting to the pest by increasing crop surveillance for targeted control measures and developing low-cost solutions. For example, some report placing soil or ash in ma...

Iodine deficiency disorders (IDD) in sub-Saharan African countries are related to low dietary I intake and generally combatted through salt iodisation. Agronomic biofortification of food crops may be an alternative approach. This study assessed the effectiveness of I biofortification of green vegetables (Brassica napus L and Amaranthus retroflexus...

Grain legumes are an important component of the food systems in Malawi. The parasitic legume witchweed species Alectra vogelii (Benth) is among the problem pests with serious infestations in groundnuts (Arachis hypogea), soybeans (Glycine max), cowpeas (Vigna unguiculata) and other legumes. A study was conducted in 2013/14 and ‘14/15 seasons to eva...

Maize (Zea mays L.) is a staple food crop in Malawi, with average yields of 1.8-2.2 t ha-1 compared to potential yields of 5 to 10 t ha-1. In some areas, soil acidity is a serious constraint in crop production. The current recommendation is to apply 2.0 t ha-1 of lime as pre-plant broadcast and incorporated into soils with pH W < 5.5. A pilot study...

Selenium (Se) is an essential element for human health. However, our knowledge of the prevalence of Se deficiency is less than for other micronutrients of public health concern such as iodine, iron and zinc, especially in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Studies of food systems in SSA, in particular in Malawi, have revealed that human Se deficiency risks...

Selenium biofortification of crops is a proven technology for improving dietary nutrition. This study used isotopically labelled selenate (>99% enriched ⁷⁷Se) to assess uptake and Se availability to two green vegetables, Brassica napus L (B. napus) and Amaranthus retroflexus L (A. retroflexus) grown in three contrasting Malawi soils: a Vertisol (ca...

A study was conducted from 2014 to 2017 in Malawi to elucidate the short-term effects of maize-legume intercropping and rotation systems under conservation agriculture (CA) and conventional tillage (CT) on crop productivity and profitability. Twelve farmers hosted on-farm trials per district, in three districts, with each farmer having six plots. T...

The fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is a recent invasive pest species that has successfully established across sub-Saharan Africa where it continues to disrupt agriculture, particularly smallholder cereal production. Management of FAW in its native range in the Americas has led to the development of resistance to...