Diamondback moth, scientifically referred to as Plutella xylostella and also popularly known ‘cabbage moth’, has been a source of concern to farmers not only in Africa but to most parts of the world including the US. It is one of the few crop insects that is known to be resistant to DDT and has also shown resistance to a dozen more synthetic insecticides applied in the fields to control it. Studies to find the best and less costly approaches on how to control it are still underway.
Natural insecticides
Siphokazi Valencia Msengana, is one of those also involved in the search for the insecticides that can help resolve this destructive pest. She recently gave an engaging and insightful presentation on the cost-effective natural and ways in which the pest can be controlled. The costs of the current artificial insecticides are not only prohibitive but they are also destructive to the environment. Msengana’s presentation won first place at the national three minutes thesis presentation commonly known as #3MT competition. Currently, Msengana is with the department of entomology and chemistry at Rhodes University.
#3MT competition
The concept of ‘Three-Minute Thesis’ competition first originated from the University of Queensland, Australia. It has since gained traction and it is currently held in 200 universities across the globe. The University of the Free State Postgraduate School is the first to bring the competition to Africa. It is open to PhD and master’s students and challenges participants to present their research in just 180 seconds. The idea is that the presentation should be done in such a way that is understood by an audience with no background in the research area.
According to the originators, its key objective is to help participants develop presentation, research, and academic communication skills, as well as to support the development of research students’ ability to effectively explain their work.
Overall winner
Msengana was adjudged the overall winner and received a R15 000 cash prize for her presentation which was considered imaginative and contributing to the existing body of knowledge on the problem. Professor Sioux McKenna, director of Rhodes’ centre for post-graduate studies hailed Msengana: “This is only the second year we have entered the competition, and both times we won first place. I think this says a lot about the research calibre of our students and the University as a whole,”
Anti-intellectualism
According to Professor McKenna, public communication of science is particularly important in an era of fake news and anti-intellectualism. She says sharing valuable and scientific knowledge on credible platform such as this competition will help prevent the possibility of disseminating fake news. “So, opportunities to share our work with a broader audience are more important than ever,” she adds.
She also claims that their university “foregrounds the responsibility of producing knowledge as a contribution to the public good, adding that their studies must result in knowledge that can contribute to social justice and environmental sustainability and to the building of fields of study. The entries in this year’s competition demonstrated exactly this commitment, she says.
