Description of the subject. The use of Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus licheniformis as probiotics, biostimulants, or biofertilizers provides numerous benefits for humans, animals, and plants. Their ability to form endospores grants them high resistance to extreme conditions. From an industrial perspective, endospore stability during manufacturing, storage, and transportation reduces costs by minimizing cold chain requirements. However, maximizing the conversion of vegetative cells into endospores presents significant industrial, economic, and biological challenges. Objectives. To construct a molecular reporter tool for monitoring Bacillus sporulation and optimizing the conversion of vegetative cells into endospores. Method. DNA manipulations and bacterial growth followed standard or Bacillus-specific protocols. The expression of the gfp-mut3 reporter gene, driven by the selected sporulation-specific promoter, was monitored via GFP fluorescence. Flow cytometry was used to analyze the bacterial cell population and highlight possible heterogeneity during sporulation initiation. Results. Sporulation-specific reporter promoters were identified using a combination of bibliographic and bioinformatics analyses. Among the three selected B. subtilis promoters regulating spo0A, spoIIE, and spoIIIAA, only the spoIIE promoter, when fused to gfp-mut3 and carried on a shuttle plasmid, enabled reliable monitoring of sporulation initiation through GFP fluorescence. This construct also allowed visualization of the transient expression of spoIIE during B. subtilis and B. licheniformis sporulation in flasks and fermenters. Conclusions. The tool developed in this study effectively identifies optimal growth conditions for high-yield Bacillus endospore production, facilitating process optimization and improving consistency in endospore production.
Stingless bees are native to tropical climates. Ecuador, located in South America, has more than 200 species of stingless bees and a long ancestral history of using products derived from them, such as pot-honey, pot-pollen, cerumen, and propolis. The value of stingless bees also includes their role as pollinators, which directly impacts the availability of food for humans. Like other pollinators around the world, they are exposed to both anthropogenic and natural threats, which have been increasing due to environmental changes. Meliponiculture is a practice that not only makes use of stingless bee products but also promotes the care and conservation of meliponines within sustainable agroecological systems.
Description of the subject. Women’s empowerment in sub-Saharan Africa, and particularly in Benin, remains limited, largely due to uncertainty about the key factors that could strengthen it. One crucial factor is women’s access to secure land tenure rights, especially in rural areas. Although current laws grant equal land rights, customary practices and village autonomy weaken these rights for women, exposing them to discrimination and higher land insecurity. Land ownership does not necessarily guarantee tenure security for women, an issue that has received little attention. Objectives. This study aims to analyze whether land rights (inheritance, purchase, gift) improve women’s empowerment in the agricultural sector in Benin. Method. The study uses data from 2,819 households, including 899 female-headed households, collected in 2021 across 44 communes in Benin. Women’s empowerment is measured using the Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index (WEAI), while its determinants are analyzed using a logit model. Results. Three key findings emerge. Only 4.78% of rural women participate in household decision-making. Women with full land ownership (through purchase, gift, or inheritance) show higher levels of empowerment. Income from owned land enhances tenure security and positively impacts women’s decision-making power. Conclusions. These results suggest that inclusive land policies strengthening tenure security are crucial not only for increasing women’s empowerment but also for improving the well-being of women, households, communities, and the rural economy, while helping to reduce gender gaps within families.
Description of the subject. The study of the spatial distribution of trees provides information on species ecology and forest dynamics. Such knowledge is important for the sustainable management of large African trees, including Prioria balsamifera (Vermoesen) Breteler and Prioria oxyphylla (Harms) Breteler. Objectives. This study aimed to (i) characterize the spatial distribution patterns of P. balsamifera and P. oxyphylla, (ii) highlight their intraspecific and interspecific relationships, and (iii) identify environmental factors that may explain their spatial structure. Method. Univariate and bivariate pair correlation functions were used to characterize spatial distribution patterns. Generalized linear models with a Poisson distribution, together with toroidal shift randomization tests, were applied to assess the effects of environmental factors on the spatial structure of Prioria. Results. Each Prioria species exhibits an aggregated spatial structure and spatial autocorrelation of trunk diameters, while sharing the same microhabitat. Their coexistence may be facilitated by functional trait differentiation, with P. balsamifera and P. oxyphylla displaying acquisitive and conservative resource-use strategies, respectively. An attraction between juveniles and adults of P. balsamifera was observed within a 500 m radius, with a less pronounced trend in P. oxyphylla. Finally, the abundance of individuals of both P. balsamifera and P. oxyphylla is significantly related to altitude. Conclusions. This study shows that the spatial distribution of these two Prioria species is linked to altitude, and that their coexistence is facilitated by some degree of ecological niche differentiation.
Description of the subject. Tree diversity is essential for maintaining ecological richness and the survival of threatened species. Identifying the factors that favour it is therefore necessary to better guide agricultural policies. Objectives. The aim of this study is to analyse the determinants of tree diversity in the cocoa-growing areas of Côte d'Ivoire Method. The data used come from a survey of 150 cocoa farmers selected in the localities of Bonon, Biankouma and Soubré. These sites were chosen according to an East-West gradient corresponding to the evolution of the cocoa loop in Côte d'Ivoire. Floristic inventories were carried out in the cocoa farms of the selected farmers in order to determine floristic diversity. A Kruskal-Wallis test was performed to compare the farms and multiple linear regression was used to identify the determinants of this diversity. Results. The Biankouma zone has a higher diversity index, both regionally (5.12) and by plot (3.47), compared with the other two zones, the Soubré zone (4.69 regionally and 3.11 by plot) and the Bonon zone (4.22 regionally and 2.98 by plot). This result reflects a decline in floristic diversity as a function of the history of cocoa production. Regression analysis reveals that experience in cocoa production and the density of associated crops have a negative influence on farm diversity. Conversely, the number of associated tree species, the level of education and the distance separating the fields from nearby towns have a positive impact on this diversity. Conclusions. This study recommends promoting agroforestry to diversify cocoa farms. Agroforestry programmes should also focus on farms close to urban centres, to reconcile production goals with biodiversity conservation.
