Characterisation of Metarhizium majus (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae) isolated from the Western Cape Province, South Africa

Entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) are important soil-dwelling entomopathogens, which can be used as biological control agents against pest insects. EPF are capable of causing lethal epizootics in pest insect populations in agroecosystems. During a survey of the orchard soil at an organic farm, different EPF species were collected and identified to species level, using both morphological and molecular techniques. The EPF were trapped from soil samples taken from an apricot orchard. The traps, which were baited in the laboratory, used susceptible host insects, including the last-instar larvae of Galleria mellonella (wax moth larvae) and Tenebrio molitor (mealworm larvae). The potential pathogenicity of the local Metarhizium majus isolate was tested and verified using susceptible laboratory-reared last-instar T. molitor larvae. The identification of the M. majus isolated from South African soil was verified using both morphological and molecular techniques. The occurrence of M. majus in the South African soil environment had not previously been reported.

Characterisation of Metarhizium majus (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae) isolated from the Western Cape province, South Africa

Entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) are important soil-dwelling entomopathogens, which can be used as biocontrol agents against pest insects. During a survey of the orchard soil at an organic farm, the EPF were identified to species level, using both morphological and molecular techniques. The EPF were trapped from soil samples, taken from an apricot orchard, which were baited in the laboratory, using susceptible host insects. The identification of Metarhizium majus from South African soil, using both morphological and molecular techniques, is verified. The occurrence of M. majus in the South African soil environment had not previously been reported.

Relating the South African soil taxonomy to the World Reference Base for soil resources

The South African Taxonomic soil classification system (SAT) is well established and utilised in South Africa. However, it is not internationally well known and therefore the need arose to provide a tool by which South African soil taxonomists can convert South African soil classifications and profile descriptions to the international classifications of the World Reference Base (WRB) for soil resources. The diagnostics and tacit knowledge presented in this publication are therefore based on the SAT and the WRB. When necessary, further substantiation was derived from the Land Type Survey of South Africa. The adopted procedure is effective in providing a reasonable classification based on the South African soil forms and families, while excluding certain WRB soil groups and qualifiers, because these are irrelevant to South African taxonomy. Lastly, this publication also highlights some peculiarities, omissions and inconsistencies observed between the SAT and WRB.

Modi Meets Mohandas

This chapter examines the complex relationship between diaspora and citizenship. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi famously developed his tactic of satyagraha on South African soil, cementing a deep relationship with India. Against this background, this chapter examines new diasporic connections between Indian South Africans and India, buoyed by the Indian government’s introduction of a number of measures such as a new ministry, an annual official diaspora convention in India, and the offer of special status for members of the Indian diaspora, but fell short of granting dual citizenship, arguably over concerns about security. This chapter provides a detailed examination of the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to South Africa in 2016. This politically and strategically important visit of 2016 generated intense debates over the relationship between India and its diaspora, India and South Africa, Indians and Africans, and Hindus and Muslims.