Browsing by Author "Baysah, Nataline Sonnie"

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    Assessing the Effect of Seed Quality Characteristics on the Growth and Yield of Four Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L) Walp) Varieties
    (2013-12-18) Baysah, Nataline Sonnie
    A study was conducted to investigate how the parameters of variety, seed size, seed health and some biochemical qualities of the seed affect the growth, yield and viability of the harvested cowpea seeds. Field and laboratory experiments were carried out from November 2012 to March 2013 at the Crops Research Institute of the Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR-CRI) at Fumesua near Kumasi in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. Results of the study showed that there were no significant differences among varieties and seed size in terms of germinability for both original and harvested seeds. However, Nhyira large and Asontem small seed sizes had significant higher germination before planting. Nine (9) and ten (10) seed borne fungi were however, identified on the original and harvested seeds respectively, after conducting seed health test using the blotter method. On the effect of the incidences of seed-borne pathogens on seeds tested for germinability, a regression analysis showed that Macrophomina phaseolina and Corynespora cassiicola were predominant seedborne pathogens that had major effect on germination. The study also showed that plants from small seeded cowpeas emerged earlier when compared to large cowpea seeds. Small seed size of all the varieties emerged earlier when compared to large seed sizes of the same varieties. Higher seedling establishment was found in large cowpea seeds planted (95%) when compared to that of small seeds (88.6%). Plants from the large seeds were taller than plants from small seeds from 2 to 3 weeks after planting but did not have any advantage from week four up to the end of the growing period . Among varieties, Asontem had the highest height and Soronko recorded the least. There were no differences in pod and seed yields among varieties as well as in seed sizes. Large seeds planted produced larger seeds compared to small seed size. There were also no differences in proximate composition among varieties for original and harvested seeds. Large seed size had the higest proximate composition and that was significantly different from small seed size except for carbohydrate content which was high in small seeds than large seeds.