Dr. Miriam Karwitha Charimbu
Lecturer, Egerton University
Division: Faculty of Agriculture
Directorate: Department of Crops, Horticulture and Soils
Section: Agronomy
Specialization: Crop Production and Protection
Biography
Dr. Miriam Charimbu is a crop pathologist with research interests in crop disease diagnostics, biotechnology, impact of climate change on the diversity of plant pathogens prospecting for biological agents for management of crop pests and diseases. Miriam works on evaluation of various crop germplasm for resistance to diseases and pests and climate smart crop protection technologies to develop resilience to climate change. She works with farmers, farmer groups and extension service providers to manage crop pests in order to reduce losses, increase food availability and improve the livelihoods. I aspire to be leader passionate in climate change issues related to crop protection.
Research Interests
My research interests are in crop disease diagnostics, biotechnology, impact of climate change on the diversity of plant pathogens prospecting for biological agents for management of crop pests and diseases.
Developing Human-Centred Designs to solve real problems for small holder women farmers and to participate in provision of extension services to small holder farmers in Kenya.
Academic Background
- 2011-2014: PhD. Plant Pathology :- Nanjing Agricultural University, China
Thesis title :- Determination of Complete Genome Organization, Rt-Lamp Detection And Hsp70 Gene Functional Analysis Of Tomato Chlorosis Virus Chinese Isolate. - 2005-2009: MSc Plant pathology :- Egerton University, Kenya
Thesis title :- Efficacy of Host Resistance, Seed sorting and Antifungal Plant Extracts in Management of Angular Leaf Spot of Common Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). - 1999-2005 BSc General (Botany, Zoology and Chemistry) :- Egerton University, Kenya
Projects
[Kennedy Gachuhi, Standard]
Exploring the Potential of Togotia as a Future African Leafy Vegetable for Nutritional Security In Kenya (RIS 13171324 / RIS 9901661) 2022-2023 Funded by Innovate UK KTN Award 2022
[africa-uninet]
Partnership Program in Integrated Agri-Aquaculture Systems for Food Security and Poverty Reduction in East Africa (P060) 2022-2024. Funded by AfricaUninet
[MDPI]
Sustainable scaling of climate-smart agricultural technologies and practices in east west and southern Africa: The case of Kenya Nigeria and Malawi (RC21593) 2021-2022. Funded by African Economic Research Consortium (AERC)
[Egerton University]
Support to Capacity building of Turkana County Extension Systems for strengthening of the Sorghum, Cowpea, Sorghum and Oil crops Value Chains 2020-2022 contracted by Food and Agriculture Organization in support of the [EUTF funded Enhancing self-reliance for refugees and host communities in Kenya Project (UNJP/KEN/085/EC) and the IKEA Foundation funded A value chain approach for economic integration and self-reliance of refugees & host communities in East Africa (MTF/SFE/006/IKF)].
[Kenya News Agency]
Sustainable Participatory Enhancement of Finger Millet value chain in Bomet, Kericho and West Pokot counties under Kenya Climate Smart Agriculture Project funded by world bank 2019-2022
[KALRO]
Pigeon pea Technologies, Innovations, Management Practices for Enhancing Productivity, Food and Nutrition Security of Smallholder Communities in Kenya under Kenya Climate Smart Agriculture Project funded by world bank2019-2022
[Kenya Climate Innovation Center]
Production of Kenyan Indigenous Mushrooms at Egerton University. Botanic Garden, Funded by mushroom initiative Hong Kong 2009-2011
[WWf]
Use of mycorrhizae to enhance reforestation of Mau water catchment in Kenya funded by mushroom initiative Hong Kong 2009-2011
Publications
- 1. Austin T. Phiri, Sarah Edore Edewor, Miriam Karwitha Charimbu and Elias Gaveta. 2022. Sustainable Scaling of Climate Smart Agricultural Technologies and Practices in Africa: The Case of Kenya, Nigeria and Malawi. Policy brief by African Economics Research Consortium October 2022 / No. CCEDA-006
- 2. Austin Tenthani Phiri, Miriam Charimbu, Sarah Edore Edewor and Elias Gaveta. 2022. Sustainable Scaling of Climate-Smart Agricultural Technologies and Practices in Sub-Saharan Africa: The Case of Kenya, Malawi, and Nigeria. Sustainability 2022, 14, 14709. View
- 3. Gidraf Onduru Okeyo, Miriam Karwitha Charimbu, Jane Nyaanga & Thiago Mendes. 2022. Determination of Bioactive Compounds Against Bacterial Wilt of Potato (Ralstonia pseudosolanacearum sp. nov.) in Psidium guajavaand Pelargonium zonale Leaf Extracts. Journal of Agricultural Science; Vol. 14, No. 11; 2022 ISSN 1916-9752 E-ISSN 1916-9760. View
- 4. G. Onduru Okeyo, M.K. Charimbu, J. Nyaanga, T. Mendes. 2022. Antibacterial activity of guava, moringa, camphor bush and pelargonium extracts on bacterial wilt (Ralstonia pseudosolanacearum sp. nov.) of potato. Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences. View
- 5. Grace W. Wanyoike, James O. Owuoche, Miriam K. Charimbu, Godwin Macharia, Mandeep S. Randhawa. 2022. Evaluation of Kenyan wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars for rust resistance, yield and yield components. Australian Journal of Crop Science. AJCS 16(05):587-595 (2022). doi: 10.21475/ajcs.22.16.05. p3558.
- 6. Justus Anyieni Obara, Richard Mulwa, Maurice Oyoo, Miriam Karwitha. 2022. Somatic embryogenesis and optimization of regeneration system from immature embryos in maize inbred lines. Research in Biotechnology 2022, 13: 1-10.2, 13: 1-10. doi: 10.25081/rib. 2022.v13.749
- 7. Kaisha Victor Ambula a, Owuoche James a and Miriam Karwitha Charimbu. 2022. Evaluation of Advanced Kenyan Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) Genotypes for Resistance to Stem Rust (Puccinia graminis Pers:.Pers. f.sp tritici Eriks. & E. Henn.) Race Ttksk and Its Variants. Journal of Experimental Agriculture International. 44(9): 10-20, 2022; Article no. JEAI.86992. ISSN: 2457-0591.
- 8. Kaisha Victor Ambula, Owuoche James and Miriam Karwitha Charimbu. 2022. Evaluation of yield and yield components of advanced Kenyan barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) genotypes. African Journal of Biological Science. Afr.J.Bio.Sc. 4(1) (2022) 46-56 View
- 9. Norbert Iraboneye, Miriam K. Charimbu, and Nancy W. Mungai. 2021. Effect of Canola and Compound Fertilizer on Potato (Solanum Tuberosum L.) Bacterial Wilt Management. European Journal of Agriculture and Food Scienceswww.ejfood.org. View
- 10. Norbert Iraboneye, Nancy W Mungai, Miriam K Charimbu. 2020 Effects of compound fertilizer and canola green manure on nutrient use efficiency, growth and yield of potato tuber (Solanum tuberosum L.) in Nakuru, Kenya. Fundamental and Applied Agriculture Vol. 5(4), pp. 537–554: 2020 View
- 11. Emmaculate Akinyi Ogutu and Miriam Karwitha Charimbu. 2020 Assessment of Adult Plant Resistance for Stem Rust (Puccinia graminis f.sp tritici) in Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Mutant Lines. American Journal of Agriculture and Forestry. 8(1): 30-39. View
- 12. Emmaculate Akinyi Ogutu, Miriam Karwitha Charimbu and Peter Njoroge Njau. 2017. Evaluation of stem rust (Puccinia graminis f.sp tritici) seedling resistance in kenyan induced bread wheat (Triticum aestivum l.) Mutant lines. World journal of agricultural research. Vol. 5, No. 5, 279-283. DOI:10.12691/wjar-5-5-5
- 13. Miriam Karwitha, Zhi-Ke Feng, Yan Shen, Walter Essendi, Wen-Na Zhang, Jin-Yu Li and Xiao-Rong Tao. 2015. Rapid Detection of Tomato chlorosis virus from Infected Plant and Whitefly by One-step Reverse Transcription Loop-mediated Isothermal Amplification. Journal of Phytopathology. View
- 14. Miriam Karwitha, Zhike Feng, Min Yao, Xiaojiao Chen, Wenna Zhang, Xiaofan Liu and Xiarong Tao. 2014. The Complete Nucleotide Sequence of the RNA 1 of a Chinese Isolate of Tomato chlorosis virus. Journal of Phytopathology J Phytopathol 162 (2014) 411–415. DOI: 10.1111/jph.12203.
- 15. Yan Shen, Xiaohui Zhao, Min Yao, Chun Li, Karwitha Miriam, Xue Zhang, Xiaorong Tao. 2014. A versatile complementation assay for cell-to-cell and long distance movements by cucumber mosaic virus based agro-infiltration. Virus Research 190 (2014) 25–33 View
- 16. Jin-yu Li, Qi-wei Wei, Yong Liu, Xin-qiu Tan, Wen-na Zhang, Jian-yan Wu, Miriam Karwitha Charimbu, Bai-shi Hu, Zhao-bang Cheng, Cui Yue, Xiao-rong Tao. 2013. One-step reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification for the rapid detection of Cucumber green mottle mosaic virus. Journal of Virological Methods 193:583– 588. View
- 17. Zhongze Hu, Tianqi Zhang, Min Yao, Zhike Feng, Karwitha Miriam, Jianyan Wu, Xueping Zhou, Xiaorong Tao. (2012). The 2a protein of Cucumber mosaic virus induces a hypersensitive response in cowpea independently of its replicase activity. Virus Research journal View
- 18. 1Qi wei Wei Cui Yu, Shuya Zhang Cuiyun Yang Karwitha Miriam and Wenna Zhang. (2012). One-step detection of Bean pod mottle virus in soybean seeds by the reverse-transcription loop mediated isothermal amplification. Virology Journal 2012, 9:187 View
Awards
- Visiting J-1 research scholar :- Alliance for African Partnership at Michigan State University, 2021-2022
- One Planet candidate Laureate for the One Planet Fellowship :- African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD), 2019 to 2022
- Doctorate scholarship :- Chinese scholarship council, 2011-2014
- 8th Prize Short Put :- Nanjing Agricultural University China, 2013
- 1st Prize Soft Ball :- Nanjing Agricultural University China, 2013
- Honor as the ten excellent athletes :- 41st University Track and Field sports, Nanjing Agricultural University China, 2013
- Honor as Excellent international student :- Nanjing Agricultural University China, 2013
- Outstanding single event award :- Nanjing Agricultural University China, 2012
- Postgraduate students research funds :- Egerton University, 2008
Get in Touch
Contact Details
- Phone: +254704245163
- Email: miriam.charimbu@egerton.ac.ke
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