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The polyporales are a large order of pore fungi within the Basidiomycota (Kingdom Fungi). They are mostly found on decay wood with some edible and medicinal species and others causing diseases of trees. In Cameroon, the knowledge on the phylogeny of polyporales is limited, their historical uses as food, medicine, source of income and the sociological impacts are apparently threatened due to slow ethnomycology research drive. The aim of this study was to identify and determine the phylogenetic relationship of polyporales in the Bafut forest and document its uses to the local communities. DNA was extracted using CTAB method and amplified using primers ITS 1 and ITS4. Their identities were determined in GeneBank using BLAST and a phylogenetic analysis was done using MEGA version 7. For ethnomycological studies, a total of 180 semi structured questionnaires were used to collect information on traditional knowledge in four communities around the Bafut forest. Results from phylogenetic studies showed that, ten species were identified and belonged to seven genera comprising of the Microporus, Hexagonia, Ganoderma, Trametes, Favolus, Steccherinum and Cymatoderma which formed 7 independent monophyletic groups. Ethnomycological findings revealed that, polypores are used as food and medicine within these communities. Microporus xanthopus and Microporus vernicipes were used as food and medicine while all Trametes species were reported to be only medicinal. The Bafut people commonly called mushrooms “Boh” and those that grow on wood “Boh ti”. They usually differentiate the edible and nonedible mushroom using the term “yi kworu” and “yi tekworu”. Thus “Boh yi kworu” and “Boh yi tekworu” respectively. This study represents the first on the identification, phylogeny and uses of polyporales to the communities around the Bafut forest reserves and helps in their conservation.

Ageratum conyzoides (Asteraceae) is an annual plant with insecticidal activity against some insect pests. The present study was designed to evaluate the insecticidal activity of aqueous extracts (infusion and maceration) of A. conyzoides against the pest grasshopper Zonocerus variegatus (Orthoptera, Pyrgomorphidae). Concentrations of 0, 10, 30, 100 & 300 µg/ml were prepared and administrated through injection to grasshoppers. Mortality rate was recorded for adult grasshoppers each day until the 9th day of treatment. Results revealed a significant increase (p < 0.05) of mortality rate with increasing concentrations of the two plant extracts. Plant extracts at 300 µg/ml induced 100.00 ± 0.00 percent mortality of adults Z. variegatus after 4 and 5 days for A. conyzoides infusion and maceration respectively. No mortality was registered after treatment with 0 & 10 µg/ml of the two plant extracts. Male mortality rate tended to be higher than that of female at the same concentration. Also, infusion tended to significantly increase (p < 0.05) mortality rate than maceration at the same concentration. Phytochemicals screening have shown that the presence of saponins, tannins, triterpenoids and alkaloids in the A. conyzoides aqueous extracts may be responsible for the insecticidal activity of this plant. These phytochemicals may therefore be exploited and serve as suitable alternatives to synthetic insecticides against the grasshopper Z. variegatus.