Name: Fly neuroscience workshop
Start: 2015-12-01
Location: KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana

About

John Abraham is a Plant Protectionist who focuses on general and applied entomology. His research interests are General Entomology, Plant Protection, Chemical Ecology, Forest and Agricultural Ecology and Insect Ecology. Specifically, he is interested in insect-plant interactions in agricultural and forest ecosystems, integrated pest management, olfactory response of insects to semiochemicals, insect behaviour and response to plant essential oils, plant response to insect herbivory, forest and agroecology, silviculture and forest management, biodiversity conservation and insect ecology. All his research are aimed at plant protection and biodiversity conservation. He obtained his PhD in Entomology from the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano in Italy after obtaining an MSc. in Forest Sciences and Forest Ecology from the Georg-August-Universität Göttingen in Germany and a BSc. (Hons) in Natural Resources Management with specialization in Silviculture and Forest Management from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Ghana.

Focus & expertise

Specializations

Chemical Ecology Forest and Agroecology General and Applied Entomology Plant Protection Silviculture and Forest Management

Academic interests · number = colleagues who share it

Chemoecology Of Insects and Plants General and Applied Entomology Insect Behaviour Insect-Plant Interactions in Agricultural and Forest Ecosystems Plant Protection4

Recent activity

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Conference Jul 2024

Promoting African edible insects for food and feed: The role of insects in ensuring food and nutritional security

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Conference Apr 2023

Validation of draft Pest Risk Analysis by Plant Protection and Regulatory Services Directorate (PPRSD) and Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International (CABI)

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Conference Feb 2023

Development and review of Pest Management Decision Guides facilitated by CABI

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Conference Nov 2022

Validation of Banana Bunchytop Disease facilitated by PPRSD and CABI

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Conference Aug 2022

Frontiers in Chemical Ecology: Contributed Presentations. Third joint meeting of the International Society of Chemical Ecology (ISCE) and the Asia-Pacific Association of Chemical Ecologists (APACE)

Background

🎓 Education & qualifications

Doctor of Philosophy in Entomology and Insect Chemical Ecology

Free University of Bozen-Bolzano

2014

Master of Science in Forest Sciences and Forest Ecology

Georg-August-Universität Göttingen

2009

Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources Management

Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology

2003

★ Career & positions

Departmental Registration & Exams Officer

Department of Conservation Biology and Entomology

Sep, 2020 to Jan, 2025

Teaching & projects

Every student has the ability to learn new skills and apply them correctly

Teaching philosophy

Projects

🧪

Towards biological control of fall armyworm: An investigation of the constitutive and Spodoptera frugiperda-induced volatiles of maize varieties in Ghana

Principal Investigator

August 2018 - May 2020

Publications ORCID 0000-0001-6049-6042 →

2025 Superparasitism and its effects on the fitness of the larval parasitoid, Coccygidium luteum (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) journal article

2024 Urban lawn vegetation structure impact arthropod abundance and cattle egret foraging success journal article

2024 Response of Odonata assemblages to disturbance in urban freshwater habitats journal article

2023 Population dynamics of fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) in mango orchards in the southeastern mango enclave of Ghana journal article

2023 Mass Trapping of Live Male Bactrocera dorsalis Hendel (Diptera: Tephritidae): Interaction between Trap Types and Period of Trapping journal article

2023 Basic Developmental Characteristics of the Fall Armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), Reared under Laboratory Conditions journal article

2023 Palm wine as a food-based bait for monitoring adult Ceratitis ditissima (Munro) (Diptera: Tephritidae) in citrus orchards journal article

2022 Editorial: Research Advances on Drosophila suzukii journal article

2021 Potential of neem extracts as natural insecticide against fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) journal article

2019 Soil Heavy Metal(loid) Pollution and Phytoremediation Potential of Native Plants on a Former Gold Mine in Ghana journal article

2018 Advances in the Chemical Ecology of the Spotted Wing Drosophila (Drosophila suzukii) and its Applications journal article

2018 Commercially formulated glyphosate can kill non‐target pollinator bees under laboratory conditions journal article

2018 Morphological characteristics of avocado (Persea americana Mill.) in Ghana journal article

2017 The Cry of “Sumampa”: A River in Mampong Ashanti in crisis journal article

2017 Volatile organic compounds of Thai honeys produced from several floral sources by different honey bee species journal article

2016 Quality assessment of River Offin along a canopy cover gradient journal article

2015 Behavioral and Antennal Responses of Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae) to Volatiles from Fruit Extracts journal article

2015 Biomedical Activity and Related Volatile Compounds of Thai Honeys from 3 Different Honeybee Species journal article

2015 Root damage to apple plants by cockchafer larvae induces a change in volatile signals below- and above-ground journal article

2014 Olfactory cues of mahogany trees to female Hypsipyla robusta journal article

Engagements

📅 Conferences attended

2015 Fly neuroscience workshop Invited Speaker · KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana

2015 International Conference on "Towards sustainable Production of Mahogany Species in Plantations in Tropical Africa and Training Workshop on Timber Verification Project" Invited Speaker · CSIR-FORIG, Kumasi, Ghana

2013 International Chemical Ecology Conference Presented two papers titled "Exploiting the scent of fruits to protect crops against Drosophila suzukii" and "Melolontha melolontha: a root feeding pest in apple orchards" · Melbourne, Australia

2013 5th International Symposium, German Forestry Alumni Network Presented a paper · Eldoret, Kenya

2016 European Conference of Tropical Ecology Presented a paper · Göttingen, Germany

2011 Insect Chemical Ecology Seminar Presented a paper · Alnarp, Sweden

2016 International DAAD Alumni Seminar Presented a paper · Göttingen, Germany

2013 Tropentag 2013: Agricultural development within the rural-urban continuum Presented a paper titled "Feeding damage of Pandemis heparana induces the release of specific volatile compounds from apple plants" · Hohenheim, Germany

2012 13th Student Conference on Conservation Science Presented a paper · Cambridge, England, UK

2010 XXIII IUFRO World Congress Presented a paper · Seoul, Korea Republic

2018 Fall Armyworm Symposium LOC member · Accra, Ghana

2015 Tropical Biology Association African Alumni Group (TAAG) Students' Conference in Conservation Science Chair of LOC · Accra, Ghana

2019 31st Biennial Ghana Science Association Conference Member, Venue LOC · Cape Coast, Ghana

2019 DAAD Alumni Seminar Participant · Koforidua, Ghana

2007 Tropentag 2007: Utilization of Diversity in Land Use Systems Participant · Witzenhausen, Germany

2021 DAAD Alumni workshop Participant · Kumasi, Ghana

2020 DAAD Alumni workshop Participant · Koforidua, Ghana

2020 DAAD Alumni workshop Participant · Accra, Ghana

2020 Write workshop for graduate students Speaker · Cape Coast, Ghana

2022 Frontiers in Chemical Ecology: Contributed Presentations. Third joint meeting of the International Society of Chemical Ecology (ISCE) and the Asia-Pacific Association of Chemical Ecologists (APACE) Online participant · Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

2021 International online symposium on “Insect Olfaction and Taste in 24 Hours around the Globe” Online participant · University of California, Davis, USA, Cardiff University, UK and La Trobe University, Australia

2024 Promoting African edible insects for food and feed: The role of insects in ensuring food and nutritional security Speaker · Winneba, Ghana

2023 Validation of draft Pest Risk Analysis by Plant Protection and Regulatory Services Directorate (PPRSD) and Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International (CABI) Participant · Winneba, Ghana

2023 Development and review of Pest Management Decision Guides facilitated by CABI Participant · Winneba, Ghana

2022 Validation of Banana Bunchytop Disease facilitated by PPRSD and CABI Participant · Accra, Ghana