Twelve percent (12%) of Ghanaians are food insecure, and climate-smart crops like sweet potatoes are required to help end poverty. Small-scale farmers in Ghana who produce low-technology, subsistence crops, such as sw...Twelve percent (12%) of Ghanaians are food insecure, and climate-smart crops like sweet potatoes are required to help end poverty. Small-scale farmers in Ghana who produce low-technology, subsistence crops, such as sweet potatoes, are more food secure than those who do not. This study was initiated to investigate the effect of chicken manure, compost, and cow dung on the growth and yield of “apomuden”, “SARI-Nyoriberigu”, “SARI-Nan” and “kufour” sweet potato under the Guinea Savannah agroecological zone of Ghana. Organic fertilizer increased leaf chlorophyll content and leaf area index. The application of cow dung, chicken manure and compost in 2015 significantly increased total storage root yield by 38%, 55% and 98%, 62%, 45% and 37%, 52%, 61% and 44%, and 33%, 36% and 28% for SARI-Nyoriberigu, Kufour, SARI-Nan and Apomuden, respectively, when compared to the untreated check. In 2016, and in comparison with the untreated check, the application of cow dung, chicken manure and compost increased total storage root yield by 42%, 61% and 93%, 69%, 49% and 41%, 57%, 67% and 48%, and 36%, 39% and 30% for SARI-Nyoriberigu, Kufour, SARI-Nan and Apomuden, respectively. Hence, the application of organic fertilizers will increase sweet potato yield, give higher returns to resource-poor smallholder farmers and contribute to enhancing food and nutrition security.展开更多
A multi-locational field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of increasing rates of nitrogen and phosphorus on sweetpotato growth and yield at Bawku and Nyankpala. Shoot yield increased by 31%, 63%, 94% a...A multi-locational field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of increasing rates of nitrogen and phosphorus on sweetpotato growth and yield at Bawku and Nyankpala. Shoot yield increased by 31%, 63%, 94% and 125% in Bawku and 49%, 98%, 148% and 197% in Nyankpala, when nitrogen was applied at 30, 60, 90 and 120 kg∙ha−1, respectively. When nitrogen was applied at 30, 60, 90 and 120 kg∙ha−1, storage root yield increased by 30, 46, 48, and 37% in Bawku and by 13, 17, 14 and 3% in Nyankpala, respectively. The optimum nitrogen required to maximize storage root yield were 80 and 62.5 kg∙ha−1 for Bawku and Nyankpala, respectively, in a split application at 2 and 6 weeks after planting. Storage root yield increased by 4%, 5%, 2% and −4% in Nyankpala and by 54%, 81%, 82%, 56% in Bawku, when 40, 80, 120 and 160 kg P were applied. Optimum phosphorus required to produce the highest storage root yield in this study are 67.5 and 101.3 t∙ha−1 for Nyankpala and Bawku, respectively. The maximum net return to investment occurred when 60 kg N∙ha−1 and 40 kg P∙ha−1 were applied at Bawku and Nyankpala, respectively.展开更多
The introduction of invasive insect pests across national borders has become a major concern in crop production. Accordingly, national plant protection organizations are challenge to reinforce their monitoring strateg...The introduction of invasive insect pests across national borders has become a major concern in crop production. Accordingly, national plant protection organizations are challenge to reinforce their monitoring strategies, which are hampered by the weight and size of inspection equipment, as well as the taxonomic extensiveness of interrupted species. Moreover, some insect pests that impede farmer productivity and profitability are difficult for researchers to address on time due to a lack of appropriate plant protection measures. Farmers’ reliance on synthetic pesticides and biocontrol agents has resulted in major economic and environmental ramifications. DNA barcoding is a novel technology that has the potential to improve Integrated Pest Management decision-making, which is dependent on the ability to correctly identify pest and beneficial organisms. This is due to some natural traits such as phenology or pesticide susceptibility browbeaten by IPM strategies to avert pest establishment. Specifically, Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) sequence information was applied effectively for the identification of some micro-organisms. This technology, DNA barcoding, allows for the identification of insect species by using short, standardized gene sequences. DNA barcoding is basically based on repeatable and accessible technique that allows for the mechanisation or automation of species discrimination. This technique bridges the taxonomic bio-security gap and meets the International Plant Protection Convention diagnostic standards for insect identification. This review therefore discusses DNA barcoding as a technique for insect pests’ identification and its potential application for crop protection.展开更多
Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L) consists of various beneficial components like stalks, seeds, leaves, fibers, oils, proteins, allelopathic chemicals, and fiber strands, among other things. Despite the numerous uses of t...Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L) consists of various beneficial components like stalks, seeds, leaves, fibers, oils, proteins, allelopathic chemicals, and fiber strands, among other things. Despite the numerous uses of the crop, there is little or no information on optimum agronomic practices such as planting date and N fertilization of the crop in the Upper East Region (UER) of Ghana where the crop is widely cultivated by smallholder farmers. Field experiments were therefore carried out in 2020 and repeated during the 2021 cropping season in the study area. The objective of the study was to determine appropriate planting date and N fertilization for increased kenaf productivity. In each year, the treatments consisted of 3 × 5 factorial combinations of three planting dates (1<sup>st</sup> July, 7<sup>th</sup> July and 14<sup>th</sup> July) and five levels of N (0, 20, 40, 60 and 80 kg/ha) replicated three times. The design of the experiment was a split-plot with the N fertilizer as the main plot and the planting date assigned to sub plot. The results showed that, planting kenaf in early (1<sup>st</sup>) July or N fertilization at the rate of 60 kg/ha increased plant density, stem height, stem diameter, dry bast and core yields in both cropping seasons.展开更多
文摘Twelve percent (12%) of Ghanaians are food insecure, and climate-smart crops like sweet potatoes are required to help end poverty. Small-scale farmers in Ghana who produce low-technology, subsistence crops, such as sweet potatoes, are more food secure than those who do not. This study was initiated to investigate the effect of chicken manure, compost, and cow dung on the growth and yield of “apomuden”, “SARI-Nyoriberigu”, “SARI-Nan” and “kufour” sweet potato under the Guinea Savannah agroecological zone of Ghana. Organic fertilizer increased leaf chlorophyll content and leaf area index. The application of cow dung, chicken manure and compost in 2015 significantly increased total storage root yield by 38%, 55% and 98%, 62%, 45% and 37%, 52%, 61% and 44%, and 33%, 36% and 28% for SARI-Nyoriberigu, Kufour, SARI-Nan and Apomuden, respectively, when compared to the untreated check. In 2016, and in comparison with the untreated check, the application of cow dung, chicken manure and compost increased total storage root yield by 42%, 61% and 93%, 69%, 49% and 41%, 57%, 67% and 48%, and 36%, 39% and 30% for SARI-Nyoriberigu, Kufour, SARI-Nan and Apomuden, respectively. Hence, the application of organic fertilizers will increase sweet potato yield, give higher returns to resource-poor smallholder farmers and contribute to enhancing food and nutrition security.
文摘A multi-locational field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of increasing rates of nitrogen and phosphorus on sweetpotato growth and yield at Bawku and Nyankpala. Shoot yield increased by 31%, 63%, 94% and 125% in Bawku and 49%, 98%, 148% and 197% in Nyankpala, when nitrogen was applied at 30, 60, 90 and 120 kg∙ha−1, respectively. When nitrogen was applied at 30, 60, 90 and 120 kg∙ha−1, storage root yield increased by 30, 46, 48, and 37% in Bawku and by 13, 17, 14 and 3% in Nyankpala, respectively. The optimum nitrogen required to maximize storage root yield were 80 and 62.5 kg∙ha−1 for Bawku and Nyankpala, respectively, in a split application at 2 and 6 weeks after planting. Storage root yield increased by 4%, 5%, 2% and −4% in Nyankpala and by 54%, 81%, 82%, 56% in Bawku, when 40, 80, 120 and 160 kg P were applied. Optimum phosphorus required to produce the highest storage root yield in this study are 67.5 and 101.3 t∙ha−1 for Nyankpala and Bawku, respectively. The maximum net return to investment occurred when 60 kg N∙ha−1 and 40 kg P∙ha−1 were applied at Bawku and Nyankpala, respectively.
文摘The introduction of invasive insect pests across national borders has become a major concern in crop production. Accordingly, national plant protection organizations are challenge to reinforce their monitoring strategies, which are hampered by the weight and size of inspection equipment, as well as the taxonomic extensiveness of interrupted species. Moreover, some insect pests that impede farmer productivity and profitability are difficult for researchers to address on time due to a lack of appropriate plant protection measures. Farmers’ reliance on synthetic pesticides and biocontrol agents has resulted in major economic and environmental ramifications. DNA barcoding is a novel technology that has the potential to improve Integrated Pest Management decision-making, which is dependent on the ability to correctly identify pest and beneficial organisms. This is due to some natural traits such as phenology or pesticide susceptibility browbeaten by IPM strategies to avert pest establishment. Specifically, Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) sequence information was applied effectively for the identification of some micro-organisms. This technology, DNA barcoding, allows for the identification of insect species by using short, standardized gene sequences. DNA barcoding is basically based on repeatable and accessible technique that allows for the mechanisation or automation of species discrimination. This technique bridges the taxonomic bio-security gap and meets the International Plant Protection Convention diagnostic standards for insect identification. This review therefore discusses DNA barcoding as a technique for insect pests’ identification and its potential application for crop protection.
文摘Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L) consists of various beneficial components like stalks, seeds, leaves, fibers, oils, proteins, allelopathic chemicals, and fiber strands, among other things. Despite the numerous uses of the crop, there is little or no information on optimum agronomic practices such as planting date and N fertilization of the crop in the Upper East Region (UER) of Ghana where the crop is widely cultivated by smallholder farmers. Field experiments were therefore carried out in 2020 and repeated during the 2021 cropping season in the study area. The objective of the study was to determine appropriate planting date and N fertilization for increased kenaf productivity. In each year, the treatments consisted of 3 × 5 factorial combinations of three planting dates (1<sup>st</sup> July, 7<sup>th</sup> July and 14<sup>th</sup> July) and five levels of N (0, 20, 40, 60 and 80 kg/ha) replicated three times. The design of the experiment was a split-plot with the N fertilizer as the main plot and the planting date assigned to sub plot. The results showed that, planting kenaf in early (1<sup>st</sup>) July or N fertilization at the rate of 60 kg/ha increased plant density, stem height, stem diameter, dry bast and core yields in both cropping seasons.
