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- ItemThe effect of starter-grower pigs fed diets containing varying levels of dried cashew (Anarcadium Occidentale L.) pulp (DCP)(2008-07-12) Armah, Ishmael Nii AduDried Cashew Pulp (DCP) was investigated for its nutritional quality. The DCP was obtained from Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG), Bole and was prepared from fresh ripe cashew apples by slicing the pulp into flakes after the juice has been extracted followed by sun drying to a moisture content of about 10 %. The crude protein, fat, ash, crude fibre in g kg-1 DM and digestible energy contents were 86.0, 99.6, 38.0, 116.0 and 14.38 MJ, respectively. In a subsequent feeding trial, twelve Large White starter pigs with an average initial weight of 13.3 kg were randomly allotted into four groups in a completely randomized design and fed diets containing 0, 50, 100 and 150 g DCP kg-1 to determine growth performance and carcass characteristics. Water and feed were provided ad-libitum. The level of DCP had no significant (P > 0.05) effect on feed intake but had a significant (P < 0.05) effect on weight gain. Final live weights were 58.67, 53.0, 59.67 and 48.67 kg for pigs diets containing 0, 50, 100 and 150 DCP g kg-1 respectively. Furthermore the dietary treatments did not have significant (P > 0.05) impact on the various carcass traits, except ham weight. In this study, there were no health-related problems nor deaths that could be attributed to the inclusion of DCP in the diet. Feed cost per diet decreased with increasing DCP levels. The cost of feed to produce a kg weight gain was lowest for the diet containing the 100 g DCP kg-1. It was concluded that up to 100 g DCP kg-1 diet had a positive effect on pig growth performance and that partial replacement of energy sources such as maize and wheat bran with DCP is possible.
- ItemThe assessment of market potential and marketing prospects of of organic fruits and vegetables in Kumasi Metropolis of Ghana(2009) Owusu, Michael AniforiOrganic products are considered to be superior in quality compared to conventionally produced products, since it has been proved that organic products help prevent several health and environmental hazards. Therefore, the demands for organic products are increasing all over the world, as well as in Ghana. Given this increasing demand for organic products, this study was conducted with the aim of estimating the market potentials and consumer willingness to pay for organic fruits and vegetables in the Kumasi metropolis of Ghana. Further, the study identifies the factors that influence the consumers‘ willingness to pay premium for organic fruits and vegetables. A face-to-face household-level survey of 450 respondents was conducted in Kumasi, Ghana in 2008 with a structured questionnaire. The double-bounded dichotomous choice contingent valuation method (CVM) was employed to elicit consumers‘ WTP information. The study found that, most consumers had positive perception on organic fruits and vegetables with benefit perception index (BPI) of 0.76, quality perception index (QPI) of 0.60 and environmental risk perception index (EPI) of 0.55. The empirical results revealed that consumers‘ willingness to pay (WTP) premium for organic fruits and vegetables were more than 20% of the prices of the conventional products. Also consumers were willing to pay 6% to 39% premium for organic fruits and vegetables in Kumasi. The estimated market potential for organic fruits and vegetables were GH¢839,407,549 (US$ 599,576,821) and GH¢ 3,714,112,152 (US$ 2,652,937,251) respectively. The empirical results also show that age, education, income, gender, and household size significantly influence consumers‘ WTP for organic fruits and vegetables. Also product characteristics such as colour, size, hardness, freshness and cleanliness statistically influence consumers‘ WTP for organic fruits and vegetables.
- ItemEffect of material and time of refilling on the growth, plant population and grain yield of maize under no-tillage system(2009-08-05) Akowuah, PatrickLow plant densities of maize are often observed on maize fields, especially in no-till farmers’ field and this may be partly due to low seeding rate or poor seedling emergence. A 2x3 factorial experiment in randomized complete block design with 4 replications was carried out at Wioso in the Atwima Nwabiagya district during the major season of 2007.The objectives of the study were to determine the right period of refilling maize field and the comparative effect of refilling with seed and seedling on the growth, optimum population density, and yield of maize. The factors were material for refill, which was either seeds or seedlings, and time of refilling either at 5, 10, and 15 days after planting. The results showed that refilling with seedlings produced the greatest effect in the number of leaves per plant, leaf length, leaf diameter, and plant height and stem girth. Furthermore, refilling with seedlings contributed more to the optimum plant population density. Total grain yield when seedlings were used as refill was 967kg more per hectare than when seeds were used as refill material. On the other hand, plants from seeds refill were weak, lodged more and allowed much solar radiation penetration to the ground. Grain yield from seed refill plants was 6%, whilst seedling refill plants contributed 34% to the total grain yield. Refilled at 5 days after planting induced greater growth than 10 or 15 days after planting, however, this could not be translated into grain yield. The results indicate that it is possible to do refilling in maize field by using seedling and this contributes more than the traditional method of using seeds.
- ItemGrowth and yield performance of four groundnut varieties in response to seed size(2009-08-08) Martinson, StephenField experiments were conducted at the Plantation Crops section of the Faculty of Agriculture, KNUST, Kumasi (6˚ 43′N, 1˚ 36′W) during the major and minor seasons of 2007 to determine the influence of seed size on the growth and yield of four groundnut varieties. The varieties were Adepa, Azivivi, Jenkaah and Nkosour (all improved varieties maturing in 110 to 120 days. the seed sizes were small (<5mm diameter or 37g mean 100- seed weight), medium (5.1-8mm diameter or 53g mean 100- seed weight) and large (8.1-10mm diameter or 67g mean 100-seed weight) the The field experiments were laid out in a Split plot arranged in a randomized complete block design. The main plot factor was the groundnut varieties and the seed size as the sub plot factor. Under field in the major and minor seasons, plants from the large seeds had Under field in the major and minor seasons, plants from the large seeds had higher establishment rate than the medium and small seed sizes of the same variety. The accumulation of dry matter during early seedling growth showed that the shoot fresh and dry weights of plants from large seeds were higher than small seeded plants in the major season. The difference between the number of pods and seeds produced by plants from the different seed sizes were higher in the minor season than in the major season. Plants from the large seeds had the least number of pods per plants in the major season but in the minor season plants from the large seed size showed superiority over the other seed sizes. The seed dry weight of plants from large seeds was almost 10% greater than plants from the medium seeds. Varietal differences were mostly significant in the minor season where rainfall was low and productivity increased with seed size. In general at both seasons, plants from the large seed size were superior in terms of height, number of leaves, number of seeds, shoot dry weight and pod yield over the other seed sizes, especially during the minor season of cultivation. Farmers are recommended to use the large seed size for cultivation especially during the minor season.
- ItemUse of thermotherapy and tissue culture to free diseased cassava cultivars from cassava mosaic disease.(2009-3) Acheremu, KwabenaFour(4)field-infected local cassava (Manihot esculent Crantz) cultivars "Afisiafi", "Amakuma","UCC-Bankye" and "Esi-Abaya", showing differential symptoms of African cassava mosaic virus (ACMV) disease on leaves were assessed for index of severity of symptoms (ISS) for the presence of the disease on shoots to determine their infection status....
- ItemAnalysis of Primary Stakeholders Participation in Forest Resources Management: The Case of the Krokosua Hills Forest Reserve, Ghana(2010-06-19) Adams, Marshall AlhassanGhana’s forest resources are vital for the country’s sustainable development and various forestry reform initiatives have been implemented to improve governance in the forestry sector. Participatory approach such as collaborative forest management in Ghana aims at achieving representation of a broad segment of primary stakeholders, especially most vulnerable groups. The study aimed at analyzing primary stakeholders participation in forest resources management at various levels of participation. The link between primary stakeholders participation in forest resources management of the Krokosua Hill Forest Reserve in Juaboso District of Ghana and a set of socio-demographic factors was analyzed. The communities studied include five forest-dependent communities around the Krokosua Hills Forest Reserve. A sample of 407 primary stakeholders was selected by the use of the proportional random sampling method. Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) tools which included key informant interviews and direct observation were employed in the study. Household questionnaire interview were also conducted. The data were analyzed by the use of participation index and descriptive statistics such as frequency and cross-tabulation using chi-square. The study found the average participation index of primary stakeholders participation in forest resources of Krokosua Hills Forest Reserve to be 0.3. The index for their involvement in planning, implementation and monitoring stages was 0.3 and that for benefit sharing of benefit accrued from the reserve was 0.2. Significant associations were found between the following variables: primary stakeholders participation in planning and gender (p = 0.055), and education (p = 0.001); primary stakeholders participation in implementation and distance (p = 0.001); primary stakeholders participation in monitoring and age (p = 0.001), and distance (p = 0.001); and primary stakeholders participation in benefit-sharing and age (p = 0.018), and education (p = 0.001). The study concludes that participation of primary stakeholders in forest resources management is still low and depends on the socio-demographic profile of an individual and proximity of forest-dependent communities from the forests. These findings have implications on the sustainability of forest resources in Ghana. The main policy implication drawn from the findings are that resource managers should and policy makers need to be sensitive to create more practical right-based participatory strategies to secure meaningful representation and participation from forest-dependent communities. The success of the collaborative system approach relies heavily on a positive relationship between the forest-dependent community and the resource manager. In designing participatory management activities, differences in socio-demographic variables and empowerment interventions should be considered by resource managers and policy makers to ensure broad representation of primary stakeholders.
- ItemEffect of Moringa Leaf Meal (Molm) on Nutrient Digestibility, Growth, Carcass and Blood Indices of Weaner Rabbits(2010-07-15) Nuhu, FrederickThe study involved the cultivation of moringa and the use of the moringa leaf meal (MOLM) to determine its effect on nutrient digestibility, growth, carcass characteristics and haematological and biochemical indices of weaner rabbits. Five (5) treatment diets were formulated to contain MOLM inclusion levels of 0% (control), 5%, 10%, 15% and 20%. Thirty (30) weaner rabbits of mixed breeds and sexes were used for the experiment. They were randomly divided into 5 groups of 6 animals per treatment with 2 animals per replicate, in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD). Feed and water were provided ad libitum. Data obtained from the moringa cultivation showed that on dry matter (DM) basis, 425.10 kg/ha of moringa leaves could be produced at first harvest at 90 days of age using a planting spacing of 1.3 × 1.3 m. Elemental analysis of the moringa leaf meal (MOLM) on DM basis indicated that the leaves contained 24.65% DM, 29.25% CP, 2.23% EE, 19.25% CF, 7.13% ash, 41.98% NFE, 0.33% P and 8.64% Ca. The dry matter (DM) and CP digestibility values were affected (p<0.05) by dietary treatments whilst the CF and EE digestibility values were not (p>0.05). The average daily feed intake and FCR did not differ between dietary treatments (p>0.05), however, the average daily weight gain was higher (p<0.05) in rabbits on the MOLM based-diets (13.49, 13.69, 14.03, 15.01 g/d) compared to those on the control diet (11.71 g/d). Except for meat crude protein and ether extract, which were influenced by dietary treatment (p<0.01), the carcass characteristics studied did not differ between treatments (p>0.05). All the blood parameters studied did not vary between treatments (p>0.05). The cost of feed to gain a kilogramme weight, although not significant (p>0.05), was highest when soyabean meal (SBM) was completely replaced with MOLM due solely to the large price disparities between MOLM and SBM. The study revealed that the MOLM is rich in nutrients. It also showed that the MOLM could be used as a partial or total replacement for SBM without any adverse effect on the productive performance and blood indices of weaner rabbits.
- ItemEffect of fertilizer type and nodal pinching on growth, flowering pattern and yield of cucumber (Cucumis sativus)(2011) Frimpong, JoanaTwo field trials were conducted during the wet and dry seasons to study the effect of fertilizer type and pinching on the growth, flowering pattern and yield of cucumber (Cucumis sativus) at the Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) from May to August 2009 (Wet season) and from October to February 2010 (Dry season). The experiment was a 3 x 3 factorial in a Randomised Complete Block Design (RCBD) with 3 replications. Fertilizer type, as the first factor, comprised poultry manure, NPK (15-15-15) and no fertilizer. Pinching out of terminal bud which represented the second factor was made up of no pinching, pinching on 6th node and pinching on 10th node. Poultry manured treatments were fertilized with 1000kg ha-1 of the manure while NPK (15-15-15) treatments received 100kg ha-1 of the fertilizer. At the vegetative stage, with respect to the fertilizer types, plants fertilized with NPK (15-15-15) and poultry manure produced significantly more (P < 0.05) leaves, branches and taller plants than the control 21 days after germination for the two seasons. However, NPK (15-15-15) and poultry manured plants indicated comparable values for the number of leaves, branches and plants’ height during that period. Poultry manured plants produced significantly greater number of branches (P < 0.05) compared to plants fertilized with NPK (15-15-15) and the unfertilized plants 28 days after germination in the wet season. Plants pinched at the 6th node without fertilizer also produced significantly more (P < 0.05) branches than 10th node pinched plants and un-pinched plants (control) 28 days after germination for the two seasons. However, the interactions of the two factors could not produce significant differences with respect to the parameters taken at the vegetative stage. At the reproductive stage, NPK (15-15-15) plants produced significantly greater number of female flowers (P < 0.05) than the poultry manured plants and the control plants. The number of female flowers produced by the 6th node pinched plants also showed significant differences (P < 0.05) in comparison to those produced by the 10th node pinched plants and the control in wet season. Increase in number of branches by either fertilizer type or pinching treatments resulted in increase in flower production, fruits set and consequently increase in harvested fruits. However, adverse weather in both seasons resulted in fruit abortion which reduced the fruit yields in the NPK (15-15-15) treatments. Nutrient deficiency was also a contributing factor. With regard to marketable yields in the wet season, plants that received poultry manure produced the greater number of marketable fruits than the control (P < 0.05). In the dry season, significantly (P < 0.05) greater number of marketable fruits were produced by the two fertilizer treatments over the control. The highest number of marketable fruits for the wet and dry seasons (53,300 and 29,200 fruits ha-1 respectively) were produced by plants that received poultry manure and were pinched at the 6th node. In economic terms, application of 1000kg ha-1 of poultry manure and pinching at the 6th node resulted in the highest net profit for both wet (GH¢4,292.56) and dry (GH¢4,755.21) seasons. In conclusion, application of 1000kg ha-1 poultry manure and pinching at 6th node is recommended for adoption by farmers for high profit.
- ItemAssessment of some traditional leafy vegetables of Upper East Region and influence of stage of harvest and drying method on nutrients content of spider flower (Cleome gynandra L.)(2011) Abugre, ClementTraditional leafy vegetables eaten in the Upper East region of Ghana were assessed. A survey was carried out to determine consumer perception of indigenous vegetables in the Upper East Region of Ghana. The survey was aimed at cataloguing a list of commonly eaten leafy vegetables in the Region and also obtaining information on level of production, harvest and postharvest practices such as: harvesting methods, transportation to market centres, level of losses to diseases and pests, processing and packaging methods used as well as its implication on quality. The research also studied the effect of stage of harvesting and drying method on nutritional composition of Cleome gynandra (Spider flower) grown in two (2) ecological zones. The study recorded 11 cultivated and 10 wild leafy vegetables commonly consumed in the region. The results of the survey indicated that majority of the leafy vegetable farmers (50.3 %) in the region had no formal education and were predominantly female (83.3%).The results also showed that traditional leafy vegetables are produced by 72.3 % and consumed by 98.3% of respondents in the region as against the exotic leafy vegetables. Harvesting of vegetables is done using varying methods (as indicated by 42 % of the respondents), and was mainly transported to and from the marketing centres using donkey carts (60 %). It was noted that vegetable farmers in the region lose up to 20 % of their vegetables to pests and diseases. Sun-drying (98.6 %) is the main method used in the region to process leafy vegetables to keep for future use. Processed leafy vegetables were mainly stored in polypropylene sacks (60 %). A common practice at the marketing centres was sprinkling of water (70.6 %) on the vegetables to maintain their freshness. In the second phase of the study, Spider flower (Cleome gynandra L.) was chosen due to its widespread use in the region at the beginning of the rainy season when grain stocks are depleted and grown in two different locations (Kumasi and Bolgatanga), harvested at two different harvest times (6 weeks and 7 weeks of age), processed with two different processing methods (sun and oven drying) and analyzed for proximate and mineral nutrients The study recorded varying results for proximate nutrient content in samples from the two locations. Harvesting at 6 weeks of age from both locations gave significantly (P< 0.05) higher levels of moisture (15.90 % and 16.47 %) on fresh weight basis for both locations (Kumasi and Bolgatanga) respectively than the 7th week harvest (14.57 %). Significantly higher levels were also recorded for crude fibre (15.67g/100g) in samples harvested in the 6th week from Kumasi and dried in the oven as well as carbohydrate (33.90 g/100 g) in samples harvested from Kumasi at week 6 and dried in the sun. Crude protein (29.80 g/100 g) in samples harvested from Kumasi at week 7 and dried in the oven, crude fat (3.50 g/100 g) in samples harvested from Kumasi at week 7 and dried in the sun and ash content (10.75 g/100 g) in samples harvested from Kumasi at week 7 all showed significant interaction. Analysis of spider flower harvested from Bolgatanga indicated significantly (P<0.05) higher levels of crude protein (32.10 g/100 g) and crude fat (3.50 g/100 g) in harvests at 6th week dried in the oven as well as ash content (13.50 g/100 g) in samples harvested at week 7 and dried in the oven, fibre (19.29 g/100 g) and carbohydrates (28.84 g/100 g) in that harvested at week 7 and dried in the sun as compared to the other treatments. Differences in time of harvest as well as drying method were not significant (P<0.05) with respect to mineral composition except for phosphorus content in the samples produced at Bolgatanga. Ranges recorded for the other test minerals in the study were; potassium (2.83 – 3.08 g/100 g), calcium (2.37 – 3.17 g/100 g), magnesium (1.72 - 2.17 g/100 g) and iron (3.3 - 13.8 mg/100 g). Generally oven drying resulted in better preservation of nutritional components (protein and crude fibre). The results of this study suggest that oven-drying should be the method of choice when it comes to protein and fibre preservation. However, as far as mineral content was concerned the drying method did not matter and that sun-drying was as good as oven-drying. Producers of C. gynandra could therefore use either drying methods for drying the vegetable without significant variation in mineral composition.
- ItemInfluence of tithonia diversifolia,leafbiomass,n.p.kfertilizer,and poultry manure on the growth and yield of pepper (capsicum fructescens)(2011) Atta, Emmanuel OppongPopulation growth and high demand of food has led to increases in the cultivated areas at the expense of restorative bush fallow. In the process, the resource base is depleted as many tropical soils are fragile, quickly losing organic matter and nutrients when intensively cultivated. Therefore there is an urgent need to replace this destructive cycle with economically and ecologically farming practices. It is justified that inorganic fertilizer has been responsible for sustained increases for food production. Organic inputs are needed to maintain the physical condition of soil (Hsieh and Hsieh, 1996). As soil fertility depletion is the single most important constraint to food security in Ghana there is the need to adopt practices that can help sustain crop production while maintaining sol fertility. The objective of the study was to find out the influence of Tithonia diversifolia, NPK fertilizer and poultry manure on the growth and yield of pepper. The treatments consisted of control, Tithonia diversifolia, NPK fertilizer and poultry manure. These were applied in sole applications as well as in varying combination of different treatment as shown in the table below. viii TREATMENT PLANT HEIGHT NUMBER OF BRANGHES NUMBER OF FRUITS/ PLANT WEIGHT OF FRUITS Tithonia only 35.2b 5d 8d 5.6d MPK Fertilizer only 33.9b 5d 8d 5.7d Poultry manure only 54.4a 7c 14c 7.9b Lithonia +Poultry manure 55.8a 8b 23ab 8.6ab Lithonia + NPK 50.2a 6d 21b 8.0bc NPK + Poultry manure 52.9a 9a 25a 8.7ab Control 20.8c 3e 5e 3.7e The treatment was replicated three times in a Randomized Complete Block Design. The results showed that all fertilization treatments significantly, enhanced pepper growth parameters and yield compared to control. ix It also showed that, poultry manure and its combinations were most significant (P< 0.05) for growth and yield. It was concluded that, the combination of Tithonia and poultry manure (8.6 ab) can be an alternative to NPK fertilizer + poultry manure (8.7 ab). However, there was high fertilizing potential of the combination of poultry manure and NPK fertilizer which ranked best method for high soil productivity and pepper yield.
- ItemRole of intercrops in proliferation of armillaria root-rot of teak [Tectona Grandis (Linn. F.)] in Taungya Plantation: a case study at the Opro Forest Reserve(2011) Owusu, Edmund OseiTeak (Tectona grandis Linn. F.) is currently the most planted tree species in forest plantations in Ghana, with over 73,916 hectares of plantation established at the end of 2008. Majority of the plantations are established, using the taungya system with various intercrops. However, Armillaria (Fr.: Fr.) Staude root-rot symptoms have been observed on teak in teak taungya plantations, especially in the dry semi-deciduous forest zone. This study was conducted to identify the role of intercrops cultivated by the teak taungya plantation farmers in the Opro Forest Reserve of the Offinso Forest District of Ashanti Region in proliferation of Armillaria root-rot of teak and farming practices that could predispose teak to the disease. Mycoflora of rhizosphere soils of teak in teak plantation with only one intercrop (Pepper, Okra, maize, yam or cassava) were analyzed for Armillaria colonies in one to three-year-old plantations and compared with growth of teak and incidence of Armillaria root-rot infection of teak in the plantation. More Armillaria mellea (Vahl: Fr.) colonies were isolated from rhizosphere soils of teak intercropped than teak grown with no intercrops. There were significantly higher numbers of A. mellea colonies in rhizosphere soils of teak intercropped with cassava. Strong negative correlations existed between growth and incidence of Armillaria root-rot of teak and also between growth and number of A. mellea colonies isolated from rhizosphere soils of teak in one to three-year-old teak trees. However, infection of Armillaria root-rot of teak declined in the two and three-year-old plantations as less intercrops were involved. Farmers engaged in the teak taungya plantation in the Opro Forest Reserve had inadequate knowledge about Armillaria root-rot of teak and hence encouraged farming practices such as excessive pruning of teak and use of fire to control weeds in the plantation which predisposed teak to Armillaria root-rot infection.
- ItemAssessment of three different drying technologies (sun, solar and bin) used for the production of cassava (manihot esculenta crants) chips in Ghana(2011) Bentil, BenjaminAn experiment was conducted to assess three different drying technologies (sun, solar and bin) used for the production of cassava (Manihot esculenta Crants) chips in Ghana. The study was conducted at Caltech Ventures Limited, Hodzo – Ho, and the CSIR - Food Research Institute (FRI) in Accra in January, 2011. Parameter studied included moisture content, pH, total titratable acidity, starch yield, bulk density and pasting characteristics. From the results, bin drying at 4kg loading density had the lowest moisture content of 6.77%. pH value of 6.38 were recorded for bin drying at loading density of 2kg and 4kg respectively. The lowest total titratable acidity of 0.24 was recorded for 2kg loading density under bin and sun drying while solar drying was at 3kg loading density. The starch yield of the cassava flour was higher in the sun drying (67.74%) than bin drying. Loading density of 2kg under sun drying had the highest starch yield of 69.46%. Bulk density of the flour was high in bin drying (0.74g/cm3). Pasting characteristics of the flour showed that cooking temperature of the flour was lowest in bin drying (67.93oC). The cassava flour from sun drying technology had the highest final viscosity of 289.78BU. Loading density of 2kg recorded the highest final viscosity of 278.44BU. Solar drying at 4kg loading density also resulted in the highest final viscosity of 293.44BU. Bin drying at 4kg loading density recorded the highest breakdown of value 413.00BU. Among the technologies, the highest setback value of 108.22BU was recorded by the cassava flour produced by bin drying technology. Bin drying at 2kg loading density also recorded the highest setback value of 121.33BU. Generally, drying using sun and solar technologies produced flours of acceptable pasting qualities suitable for industrial use.
- ItemThe Efficacy of Ethanolic Root and Leaf Extract of Chromolaena Odorata in Controlling Sitophilus Zeamais in Stored Maize(2011-06-19) Amenga, Denis AbugriSitophilus zeamais Motschulsky is among the important pests which attack stored maize. It is listed in addition to Prostephanus truncatus as the two most damaging species of maize in West Africa. In Ghana about 15% of maize grains harvested is lost to S. zeamais. A laboratory study was conducted at the Entomology laboratory of the Faculty of Agriculture of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, to determine the efficacy of Chromolaena odorata (L) R. M. King and H. Robintson ethanolic root and leaf extract for Sitophilus zeamais control. The bioactivity of these extracts was assessed under average laboratory conditions of 26 °C and relative humidity of 80%. The leaf and root extracts at four dosage levels (0.0, 2.5, 5.0 and 10.0 ml) were mixed with 50 g of disinfested MAMABA maize variety in 750 ml plastic containers and the effect on insect mortality, progeny production and grain damage were assessed. The repellent action of these extracts at 0.0, 5.0, 10.0, 20.0 ml on Sitophilus zeamais was also evaluated. The leaf extract showed significant difference between 10.0 and 5.0 ml on one hand and 2.5 and control on the other hand. The 10.0 ml that recorded the highest mortality could inflict only as low as 8.75% after 7 days. There was no significant difference between the different levels of the root extract on mortality. The maize grain treated with the various dosage levels of the leaf extract showed much promise by significantly reducing the number of progeny produced by S. zeamais as compared with the control. Grain weight loss in leaf extract treated grains was dose dependent ranging from 3.51% in the highest dose to 11.34% in the control with significant differences. There were no significant differences in progeny production and grain weight loss with root extract treatments. Both the leaf and root extracts were not repellent to the weevil. The correlation between grain weight loss and progeny production was very strongly positively correlated in the leaf extract effect.
- ItemThe effect of forest plantation projects on the livelihood of forest-fringe communities in Northern Region of Ghana (A case study in Kenikeni and Yirada Forest Reserves)(2011-12-18) Vifa, Isaac KofiAgroforestry projects have been practiced in the Northern Region of Ghana since the introduction of agroforestry initiatives in the 1980s. The study was a case study with the main aim of providing information on the effects of plantation projects on the livelihood of the Forest-Fringe communities in Northern Region. The effect of these plantation projects on the livelihoods of rural households’ in the area is limited making it difficult for one to ascertain or recommend their importance for further improvement for the peoples’ livelihoods. It was in the light of this that the research was conducted. The study area wasconducted in two districts of the Northern Region of Ghana. Results of the study indicated that the agroforestry plantation project have great potentials of contributing to households’ income (25 percent), food (3 percent) as well as access to education (1 percent). It was found out that the plantation was the only source of accessible land for the landless inhabitants including landless female-headed households in the area. Statistically gender of household heads with main livelihood before the introduction of the plantation project showed that there were significant differences between the variables (Pr = 0.001). Lack of access to education was also found to be the major cause of illness and other livelihood problems which affect agroforestry of rural households in the area (Pr = 0.001). Agriculture is the main source of livelihood of rural residents of the area; therefore it is recommended that the government of Ghana through the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources (MLNR) and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) can collaborate to promote modern agroforestry methods to improve on agricultural production in the area. To achieve this, existing agroforestry technologies have to be improved, followed by the introduction of modern and more beneficial agroforestry technologies like entomoforestry to improve household’s income levels. Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA)and other developmental NGOsshould be encouraged to channel their resources towards improving the livelihood conditions of the people in the forest-fringe communities in this part of Ghana.
- ItemEffect of three pre-drying treatments and two drying methods on the quality of scotch bonnet (capsicum chinense) grown in the Tolon/Kumbungu District of Northern Ghana(2012-07-25) Sualihu, AlhassanThis study was conducted to assess the effects of different pre-drying treatments (raw steaming, blanching in water and blanching in water containing vegetable oil) and drying methods (sun and solar drying) on the physical and chemical attributes of scotch bonnet (Capsicum chinense). The study revealed that blanching technology followed by the two drying methods influenced proximate composition of pepper in varying levels.. The control sample dried under sun contained the following: 50.63% moisture, 5.45mg/100Vitamin C,14.37% proteins, 4.43% fat, 13.93% Ash, 30.45% crude fiber and 22.47% Nitrogen Free Extract. Pepper blanched in water alone and dried under sun contained the following: 12.85% moisture, 4.93mg/100 Vitamin C, 13.73% protein, 3.17% fat, 12.17% Ash, 23.85% crude fibre and 33.93% Nittrogen Free Extract. Blanched pepper in water containing oil and dried under sun contained the following: 6.08% moisture, 6.08mg/100 Vitamin C, 10.97% protein, 15.03% fat, 6.03% Ash, 20.62% crude fibre and 33.50% Nitrogen Free Extract. The control sample dried in solar contained the following: 34.55% moisture, 4.63mg/100 Vitamin C, 13.43% protein, 2.87% fat, 13.87% Ash, 25.44% crude fibre and 29.74% Nitrogen Free Extract. Pepper blanched in water alone and dried in solar contained the following: 12.69% moisture, 4.07mg/100 Vitamin C,11.98% protein, 3.17% fat, 16.17% Ash, 23.50% crude fibre and 32.03% Nitrogen Free Extract. The pepper sample blanched in water containing oil and dried in solar contained the following: 6.98% moisture, 4.83mg/100 Vitamin C, 11.15% protein, 12.27% fat, 5.77% Ash, 20.36% crude fibre and 35.30% Nitrogen Free Extract. This study revealed that blanching in water with oil and drying scotch bonnet (Capsicum chinense) resulted in good moisture content for storage and maintenance of its nutritional level.
- ItemPhenotypic and molecular characterization of released and elite sweetpotato varieties in Ghana compared with virus-tested putative ramets(2012-08-15) Amankwaah, Victor AcheampongFollowing release of Ghanaian sweetpotato varieties which are selections from exotic introductions, no effort was made to maintain true-to-type virus-tested foundation seed stocks. Original exotic virus-tested plants of Ghanaian released and elite varieties obtained from CIP were introduced and compared with putative ramets using morphological descriptors and molecular markers, yield and quality attributes and severity of virus symptoms with time. Planting materials of cultivars and introduced virus-tested materials of same genotypes were field multiplied at Fumesua, Ghana, before planting in replicated trials at two locations during the 2011 major growing season. Standard morphological descriptors and molecular markers were used to assess similarity of genotypes, while yield and virus symptoms during growth were used to determine benefits of using virus-tested planting material. The Ghanaian released varieties Otoo and Sauti were found to be closely related with original source material. Conversely, Faara and Okumkom were found not to be closely related with original source material. The recently introduced virus-tested genotypes, Mogamba and Kenya, yielded significantly (p < 0.05) higher than putative ramets and could be used as a source of clean planting material. On the contrary, TIS 3017 and TIS 8266 also introduced recently, produced significantly (p < 0.05) lower yields than putative ramets. These varieties should be cleaned locally using in vitro tissue culture techniques. Mogamba was found to be the genotype with the lowest expression of virus symptoms and recorded the highest yield. More attention should be given to maintenance of seed quality of virus-free stocks and continuous selection for trueness to type.
- ItemUsing morphological and physiological factors to evaluate six cowpea varieties for drought tolerance(2012-08-29) Abdou, Razakou Ibrahim B.Y.A potted experiment was conducted from August to October 2011, in a planthouse at Soil Research Institute (SRI), Kwadaso/Kumasi. The objective was to evaluate the performance of cowpea varieties for drought tolerance using morphological and physiological traits. A completely andomized design replicated three times with two water treatments (control and water-stressed conditions) and six cowpea varieties was used. Data collected included biomass (BM), water use efficiency (WUE), relative water content (RWC), plant height (PHT), number of leaves per plant (NL), stem diameter (SD), root dry mass (RDM) and leaf senescence (LS). There were significant differences among the cowpea genotypes, as regards the water treatments and their interaction for these morpho-physiological parameters. Water stress significantly decreased growth and development of cowpea genotypes, and the variety Dan illa showed no significant difference between the two water regimes in relative water content, plant height, number of leaves per plant and stem diameter. Highly strong positive relationships were obtain between biomass and water use efficiency, and between water use efficiency and number of leaves per plant among water-stressed cowpea varieties with r2 = 0.92 and r2 = 0.82, respectively. With relatively better performance under water-stressed condition, as indicated by the drought susceptibility index, the three varieties Dan illa, TN88-63 and Asontem were the genotypes recommended to be used as source for drought tolerance in a cowpea breeding programme.
- ItemAn assessment of water re-use and feed on the growth performance of tilapia and pond water quality(2012-10-29) Obeng, PhilomenaThis study was conducted to evaluate the effect of the quality of water (re-use and fresh) and feed (formulated and farm-made) on the growth performance of tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). It was conducted between March and October, 2011, at Oseibros farms, Kubease in Ashanti Region and Sefwi Asawinso in the Western Region. Complete randomized block design was used with four treatments (New water and farm-made feed; (NWL), new water and formulated feed: (NWR), re-use water and farm-made feed: (OWL), and re-use water and formulated feed: (OWR) in two blocks, each block containing four plots. Two of these plots (OWR and OWL) contained re- use water and the other two plots (NWR and NWL) contained fresh water. All-male tilapia fingerlings (5g) were stocked at 3 fish m-2 and sampled every two weeks using seine net. pH, DO, temperature and TDS were monitored with a Hanna 9828 multi-parameter probe. Water samples were collected at 30cm above the surface and 30cm from the bottom of the pond and was analysed for phosphorus and total dissolved nitrogen. Data was analysed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) with Graph-pad prism 5 package. Results indicated that, ponds that received farm-made feed and filled with re-used water (OWL: 150.7g) although not significant, had higher growth than fresh water (NWL: 143.7g). With regard to formulated feed, fish cultured in fresh water (197.5g) were larger than those grown in re-use water (164.2g). At Asawinso, the specific growth rate (1.25% day−1) and daily weight gain (1.11g/day) were better than those at Kubease, specific growth rate (0.81% day−1) and daily weight gain ( 0.84g/day). There were no differences in pH and temperature among treatments, however, differences in DO, phosphorus, total dissolved nitrogen and TDS were observed (p<0.05). At the end of the study, it was realized that fish in ponds that contained re-use water appear to exhibit better growth if fed with farm-made feed than with formulated feed while the growth of fish in ponds that contained fresh or renewed water appear to be promoted if fed with formulated feed.
- ItemA study of the movement in service of the wood of ten Ghanaian lesser used timber species(2012-11-04) Brentuo, BridgetteMovement in service of wood causes the tightening of joints, reduction of actual finished sizes and widening of gabs between joints of furniture, cupboards, doors and windows due to changes in atmospheric temperature and humidity...
- ItemEvaluation of Insecticides and Fungicides for the Management of Insect Pests and Diseases of Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.)(2013) Garmonyou, Aloysius SamStudies comprising a survey conducted in Agogo in the Ashanti region to gather information on farmers’ perceptions on tomato production and field experiments conducted in 2012 and 2013 at the Plantation Crops Section of the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, (KNUST) were undertaken to evaluate the efficacy of two insecticides (Lambda Super and Cymethoate) and two fungicides (Shavit F and Kocide 2000) for the management of insect pests and diseases of tomato. Results from the survey showed that males dominate tomato production in Agogo. Majority (74.3 %) of the farmers aged between 31 – 50 years and most of them had no formal education. Majority of them obtained their seeds from agrochemical shops. The survey also revealed that whiteflies, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius); Thrips, Thrips tabaci (Lindeman); Aphids, Aphis gossypii (Glover); and Tomato fruitworm, Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner) were the most important insect pests that attack tomato in the area. Septoria leaf spot, Blight, Fusarium wilt and rot were identified by farmers as the major diseases of that affect tomato. About 45.7 % of the farmers reported that pesticides were not effective, with 48.6 % of them reporting of their effectiveness. The field experiments had the following treatments: Lambda Super 2.5 EC (Lambda-cyhalothrin a.i.) at 1.5 ml / 0.5 L of water; Cymethoate Super EC (Cypermethrin & Dimethoate a.i.) at 0.25 ml / 0.5 L of water; Control, (water only); Shavit F 71.5 WP (Folpet + Triadimenol a.i.) at 6.25 g / 2.5 L of water and Kocide 2000 (Copper Hydroxide a.i.) at 100 g / 15 L of water. vi In the experiment in 2012, there were no significant differences among the insecticide - treated plots and the control with respect to the densities of B. tabaci, A. gossypii, Liriomyza sp. and H. armigera. Cymethoate recorded significantly lower number of T. tabaci than the control. In the experiment in 2013, the control plots recorded significantly more aggregations of B. tabaci, H. armigera and A. gossypii than the Lambda Super and Cymethoate treated plots. There were no significant differences in the number of leaf miners, Liriomyza sp. and T. tabaci in the insecticides treated plots. In the experiment in 2012, there were no significant differences among fungicide treatments with respect to Blight, Fusarium wilt, Leaf mould and Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus (TYLCV) disease. Significant difference was however observed in Septoria leaf spot between treatments. In the experiment in 2013, there were no significant differences among fungicide treatments with respect to the diseases. There were no significant differences among the insecticides and fungicides treatments with respect to number of fruits plant-1, mean fruits weight plant-1, mean % damaged fruits and mean yield (kg ha-1). No significant difference was observed among treatments with respect to mean shoot dry weight. The implications of these results were discussed.