Assessing the post – harvest performance of two yam varieties (dioscorea species) under two improved structures in the Ejura – Sekyedumase District of Ashanti Region
| dc.contributor.author | Tenadu, Edward Owusu | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2016-08-03T09:41:13Z | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2023-04-19T23:40:41Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2016-08-03T09:41:13Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2023-04-19T23:40:41Z | |
| dc.date.issued | JUNE, 2016. | |
| dc.description | A Thesis presented to the Department of Agricultural Engineering, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science And Technology, Kumasi in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the Degree of Master of Philosophy (MPhil) in Food and Post-Harvest Engineering. | en_US |
| dc.description.abstract | Post-harvest losses of yams in storage continue to be a great disincentive to the farming business. Every season, quite a sizeable and significant number of yam tubers undergo deterioration in storage due to sprouting, weight loss, rot and pest damage. This work therefore sought to assess and test the post-harvest performance of two newly constructed yam barns (Circular and Rectangular barn) on the storability of two local yam varieties; “Pona” and “Dente”. Two improved yam storage structures were constructed at Kasei; a farming village near Ejura. 480 yam tubers were marked and identified, weighed and stored in each barn with 240 tubers of each variety. The tubers were observed from 21st February, 2015 to 12th June, 2015 for the following parameters: Percentage tuber sprouts, Percentage tuber weight loss, Percentage tuber rots and Percentage rodent damage. Temperature and relative humidity in and outside both barns were monitored over the storage period. Results showed that, the average temperature and relative humidity in both Circular and Rectangular barns were 28.30°C and 66.7% and 28.9°C and 64.3% respectively while the ambient temperature and relative humidity recorded 31.2°C and 63.9 %, respectively. A survey was also conducted among farmers to find out the prevailing yam storage methods, farmers’ knowledge on post-harvest losses and to ascertain the yam variety mostly cultivated by farmers. After the set period, the survey revealed three traditional storage methods as the most prevalent in the yam growing areas; Traditional barn, Burial in the soil and Heap on floor covered with straw methods. The traditional barn was found to be used by the majority (56%) of the farmers. Farmers attributed the cause of storage losses to a number of factors such as decay, injuries, pests, weight loss and sprout, of which majority (40.82%) indicated rot as their major concern. In addition, it was noted that about 52.0% of farmers cultivate Dente whilst 48% grow Pona. The storage study conducted however recorded the following cumulative results in both the circular and rectangular barns respectively: weight loss (Pona: 21%, 28.6%; Dente: 30.8%; 32.2%); tuber sprouts (Pona: 40.4%, 42.9%; Dente: 54.6%; 54.6%); tuber rots (Pona: 5.8%, 5.4%; Dente: 0%; 0.42%); rodent and insect damage (Pona: 6.9%, 1.7%; Dente: 0.63%; 0%) after 120 days of storage. | en_US |
| dc.description.sponsorship | KNUST | en_US |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://ir.knust.edu.gh/handle/123456789/8891 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | en_US |
| dc.title | Assessing the post – harvest performance of two yam varieties (dioscorea species) under two improved structures in the Ejura – Sekyedumase District of Ashanti Region | en_US |
| dc.type | Thesis | en_US |
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