Wendy-Ann Isaac

• Doctor of Philosophy
• Senior Lecturer at University of the West Indies, St. Augustine

Consumers’ preferences for healthier food products are increasing worldwide. Flatbread, a highly versatile product traditionally formulated with wheat flour (WF), offers significant potential for innovation and value addition through biofortification. Biofortification of flatbread was assessed with orange-flesh sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) flo...

India’s rapid industrialisation and burgeoning population have positioned the nation as a leading global carbon dioxide emitter primarily responsible for climate change. This study delves into various critical factors driving emissions and proposes actionable strategies for a sustainable green economy. This study examines the impact of the energy m...

India is one of the world's largest producers of tree nuts, yet it paradoxically remains a net importer of these commodities. This study aims to analyze the demand for imported tree nuts in India, motivated by the need to understand the factors contributing to this imbalance. The primary objective is to calculate income elasticities and own- and cr...

Over the last decade, there has been an increasing amount of scholarship focused on race and food inequity. Much of this research is focused on the United States and its densely populated urban centers. Looking deeply into Black women’s roles—economically, environmentally, and socially—in food and agriculture systems in the Caribbean, Africa, and t...

Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic and recent international crises including the Russia-Ukraine conflict have resulted in significant disruptions along multiple segments of the Caribbean’s agri-food system, thus compromising regional food security. These impacts are still ongoing with the potential to worsen. The aim of this study was to investigat...

Desde 1918, Trinidad y Tobago ha sido una rica fuente de agentes de control biológico y ha enviado numerosos enemigos naturales tanto a nivel regional como internacional. Programas de biocontrol clásicos exitosos que utilizan predominantemente depredadores y parasitoides comenzaron en serio en la década de 1970, inicialmente para Aeneolamia varia s...

The COVID-19 pandemic impacts have arguable been more pronounced in the developing world, such as the Small Island States (SIDS) of the Caribbean, where a plethora of geophysical and socio-political factors have led to increased vulnerability, particularly in fragile sectors such as agriculture. The pandemic added another layer of complexity to the...

Household food security coping strategies in five Small Island Developing States (SIDS) of the Caribbean – Barbados, Belize, Jamaica, The Bahamas, and Trinidad and Tobago – responded to the COVID-19 pandemic in different ways across the countries. This included minimal to small increases in mobility related to groceries and pharmacies above the bas...

Agricultural production in the Caribbean is being threatened by many factors such as decreasing availability of arable land, climate change effects such as increased incidences of flooding and drought, labour shortages, and competition from importers. However, one of the most important threats to agricultural production is the often under-recognise...

Low food production, combined with a high dependency on food imports, vulnerability to external economic shocks and climate change in the Caribbean, exacerbates the food security challenge the region faces. To confront the challenges facing regional food security, this chapter suggests policies emphasising their interconnectivity and how they would...

Since 1918, Trinidad and Tobago has been a rich source of biological control agents and has shipped numerous natural enemies both regionally and internationally. Successful classical biocontrol programmes using predominantly predators and parasitoids began in earnest in the 1970s, initially for Aeneolamia varia saccharina and then Diatraea sacchara...

Sheath blight disease has become a major constraint in cultivation of rice in Guyana inflicting significant yield losses. Eleven plant extracts, three biocontrol agents and five new generation fungicides were screened for their efficacy against sheath blight pathogen, Rhizoctonia solani under in vitro conditions. The extracts of lemon grass, thick...

Plant quarantine is a key strategy in international plant protection efforts. This study identified the areas for knowledge and skills improvement among 108 Caribbean plant protection personnel from 20 countries. The Borich (1980) model of needs assessment was used. Results showed that respondents perceived all areas assessed as very important to t...

Agriculture in Trinidad and Tobago is always challenging. The sector has always been under-resourced and more so in these recessionary times. Food and nutrition insecurity is compounded by increased vulnerability to changing weather events, disasters, land degradation, pests and disease incidences, inefficient and outdated technologies in food prod...

There is tendency to view agricultural diversification as crop diversification with the tenets of multiple cropping, crop rotation, and so on. Small island states which are characterized by being single crop producers for export in a protected market have realized that they must now compete in a hostile trading environment with limited resources. D...

Agricultural crimes or farm theft, commonly referred to as praedial larceny throughout the Caribbean, impacts significantly on food security through high levels of economic loss. This paper provides an overview of praedial larceny worldwide, losses in the Caribbean region and some evidence from Trinidad and Tobago where the situation is prevalent....

A study was conducted to determine the preferential feeding habits of the Giant African Snail (GAS) Achatina (Lissachatina) fulica (Bowdich) on selected crops and selected weeds found in Trinidad, West Indies. The intraspecific plant vulnerabilities such as vegetative (leaves) and reproductive structures (flowers and pods/fruits) of ochro, pumpkin,...

Information and communication technologies (ICTs) have been shown to be useful in agricultural knowledge systems to improve communication linkages among research, extension services, and farmers. The end result would be new information and technologies being made available to those who need it the most in larger numbers and in a timelier manner. Wh...

Agricultural production in the Caribbean is being threatened by many factors such as decreasing availability of arable land, climate change effects such as increased incidences of flooding and drought, labour shortages, and competition from importers. However, one of the most important threats to agricultural production is the often under-recognise...

The existence of the human race has created inevitable effects on our surrounding environment. To prevent further harm to the world's ecosystems, it becomes imperative to assess mankind's impact on and create sustainability initiatives to maintain the world's ecosystems. Environmental Sustainability and Climate Change Adaptation Strategies is a piv...

The development of sustainable agricultural systems is an imperative aspect of any country, but particularly in the context of developing countries. Lack of progress in these initiatives can have negative effects on the nation as a whole. Agricultural Development and Food Security in Developing Nations is a pivotal reference source for the latest s...

The production of freeze dried pumpkin powders was investigated using five cultivars of pumpkins. Pumpkin purees were frozen then dried in a vacuum freeze drier. The resulting dried 'cakes' were pulverized to produce powders, which were compared with purees dried in an oven at 65°C. For all cultivars, freeze dried powders were superior in colour co...

This chapter details the education, extension, and training interventions that are needed in this changing global climate situation, with a focus on Small Island Developing States (SIDS); new content will have to be taught, and innovative education and extension methods will have to be embraced. Actions will be needed at the highest levels of gover...

Studies were conducted to investigate the extent of physical, chemical and sensory quality changes in three pumpkin cultivars, ‘Bodles Globe’, ‘Future NP 999’ and ‘Crapaud Back’ before, during and after curing treatments. Fresh weights of pre-cured fruits were 6882.0, 4391.0 and 6394.5 g for ‘Bodles Globe’, ‘Future NP 999’ and ‘Crapaud Back’ respec...

Studies were conducted to investigate quality attributes of four tomato cultivars ('Caraibe', 'Summerstar', 'Striker' and 'Hybrid 61') grown in a Gable roof greenhouse in two types of soilless growth media (spent mushroom substrate (SMS) and coconut coir (CC) and stored at 20°C for 10 days. The cultivars were analyzed for marketable yield, colour,...

A greenhouse study was conducted to determine the effective dose of NeMax® (sesame extract), and to compare it with BioNeem® (neem extract) and Vydate® L (Oxamyl) for controlling root-knot nematode (RKN) in sweet pepper. From the results, NeMax® (80ml/L) was comparable to Vydate® L, reducing RKN by over 80% in the roots (P<0.05). BioNeem® (15ml/L)...

The incidence and impact of biological invasions are increasing with the effects of climate change and globalization. Apart from the problems that invasive species cause as pests in agricultural and native ecosystems, they impact directly or indirectly on all aspects of food security. Climate change is predicted to increase the vulnerability of Sma...

Without the proper collection, documentation and preservation the local knowledge and practices of the aging farming population of Trinidad and Tobago may soon be gone with them! The objective of the study was to capture the local control practices for pests and diseases by farmers 60 years and over in Trinidad and Tobago. The Snowballing technique...

The root-burrowing nematode, Radopholus similis is considered to be the most destructive nematode associated with banana production worldwide. This nematode can reduce plant growth and yield by more than 50% and decrease the productive life of banana fields. R. similis control in the Windward Islands banana industry has been based on the applicatio...

Engaged students are committed and more likely to continue their university studies. This paper details an experiential first-year practical skills course designed for students pursuing Bachelor’s degrees in Agribusiness Management and General Agriculture. The programme enables students to develop real products and services to sell on an organized...

Trinidad is almost self sufficient in the more popular vegetables consumed locally and many studies have pointed to the excessive use of sometimes dangerous pesticides in production. No regulations guide pesticide sale to agriculturists, and agrochemical retailers have been shown to be the main source of technical Information for fanners. Seventy f...

Commelina diffusa is a colonising species of banana orchard habitats in St. Vincent in the Windward Islands of the Caribbean. In the present study, the population dynamics of C. diffusa were investigated in response to mechanical weed management with either a rotary string trimmer or glufosinate in ruderal and banana habitats. The study focused on...

In recent years, grafting to improve salt-tolerance of vegetables has been studied extensively. The rootstock species, Solanum melongena cv Black Beauty, Solanum lycopersicum cv Akash and Solanum nigrum (bitter gumma), reportedly salt-tolerant, were evaluated for their graft compatibility with Capsicum chinense cv Scotch Bonnet. Grafted and non-gra...

In this study, farmers were engaged in a participatory research project and their attitudes evaluated. The purpose was to identify the characteristics of farmers who are favourably predisposed towards meaningful participation in the process. Several cover crops were tested for possible use in the management of watergrass (Commelina diffusa), a noxi...

Yet another attempt is being made in the Caribbean to modernize the agriculture sector through the adoption of technologies that have the potential of increasing the production and productivity of the vegetable sub-sector. The recent re-introduction of Greenhouse Technologies has once again generated heightened interest across the region. As in the...

Small farmers in the Windward Islands must urgently adopt alternative strategies to control noxious weeds, in particular, Commelina diffusa, the major weed and nematode host in banana (Musa sp.). These small farmers are constrained to comply with several regulations as outlined by Fairtrade, EurepGap and Tesco Nature Choice which seek to drasticall...

Alternatives to herbicides are needed for weed management in banana cultivated under the Fairtrade system in the Windward Islands. Field trials were conducted in established banana orchards under irrigated and non-irrigated regimes in the rainy and dry seasons, 2003–2004, to evaluate the effects of selected treatments on the weed composition respon...

Banana farmers in St. Vincent and the Grenadines must urgently adopt alternative strategies to control noxious weeds, nematodes and build soil fertility in order to meet Fairtrade criteria. A potential solution to the control of Commelina diffusa, the major weed and nematode hosts is to intercrop the banana with a fast, low growing shade tolerant C...

Management of weeds in Fairtrade banana without the use of herbicides is a major challenge to farmers in St Vincent and the Grenadines. A completely randomized field experiment with three replications was conducted on a clay loam soil at Evesham to evaluate the effectiveness of two live mulches (Mucuna pruriens and Desmodium heterocarpon), banana l...

A field study was conducted at Lincoln University during the 1999-2000 growing season to investigate the effect of crop species and sowing density on weed dynamics, productivity and species composition. Crops with a spreading (narrow-leafed lupin, Lupimus augustifolius and dwarf French bean, Phaseolus vulgaris), rosette (turnip, Brassica campestris...