Hydrological and Physical Changes of Soils Under Cocoa Plantations of Different Ages During the Dry Season in the Transition Zone of Ghana

The study was conducted at the University of Education, Winneba, Mampong Campus from October, 2007 to March, 2008 to assess the hydrological and physical changes that take place in soils under cocoa plantations of different ages as climate changed through the dry season. The treatments were T1 (control, representing an adjoining grass fallow land), T2 (5-year old cocoa plantation), T3 (4-year old cocoa plantation) and T4 (3-year old cocoa plantation). The parameters measured were: Bulk density, Total porosity, organic matter, gravimetric moisture content, potential evaporation and Net Litter Accumulation (NLA) of the plants. From the results, T2 recorded the highest gravimetric moisture content, porosity, litter fall, organic matter and lowest bulk density and potential evaporation. T1 recorded the lowest and highest values for gravimetric moisture content (3.5%) and evaporation loss of water (249.0mm), respectively, at day 84. Correlation analysis revealed that soil moisture was highly influenced by bulk density, total porosity, potential evaporation and net leaf litter accumulation. Soil moisture storage negatively correlated with potential evaporation (r = -0.987) and bulk density (r = -0.985) but positively correlated with Total porosity (r =0.984) and net litter accumulation (r = 0.941). The proper manipulation of these parameters would ensure good soil moisture retention and better adaptations of cocoa to unfavourable conditions driven by climate change in the Transition Zone of Ghana. Keywords: Gravimetric moisture, potential evaporation, porosity, leaf litter, correlatio

Dissolution of rock phosphate in animal manure soil amendment and lettuce growth

A study was conducted in pots on the field to assess the effect of different quantities of poultry manure (PM), cattle manure (CM) and pig manure (PG) on the release of available phosphorus from Togo rock phosphate (RP) and lettuce growth. There were eleven (11) treatments which were: Control (soil only); 2.5g RP; 2.5g CM; 2.5gRP + 2.5g CM; 2.5gRP + 5gCM; 2.5gPM; 2.5gRP + 2.5gPM; 2.5gRP + 5gPM; 2.5gPG; 2.5gRP + 2.5gPG; 2.5gRP + 5gPG, applied per kg soil, using the Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with three replications. Available phosphorus and other parameters were assessed using standard methods. Results were statistically analyzed using the the GenStat (11th Edition) statistical software package. The amount and type of animal manure in the amendment affected the amount of the available P released. The addition of 2.5g manure to 2.5g RP in a kg of soil significantly (P<0.05) increased available P by 4 to 7 times over the sole 2.5g RP/kg soil treatment. Doubling the amount of manure in the amendment (5g manure + 2.5g RP) almost doubled the amount of P released, with the poultry manure combinations being more significant. The amount of available P in the soil positively related to the plant height (R2=63), leaf area (R2=0.55), dry weight (R2=0.73) and the percentage P in the leaf (R2=0.88) of lettuce. The PM at 2.5gRP + 5gPM recorded the highest significant (P<0.05) values. The study has provided further basis for manure selection and quantities to be used in enhancing the release of P from rock phosphate. However, investigations need to be continued using nuclear techniques

Using drones to transport suspected COVID-19 samples; experiences from the second largest testing centre in Ghana, West Africa.

BackgroundThe declaration of COVID-19 as a pandemic on March 11 2020, by the World Health Organisation prompted the need for a sustained and a rapid international response. In a swift response, the Government of Ghana, in partnership with Zipline company, launched the use of Unmanned Automated Vehicles (UAV) to transport suspected samples from selected districts to two foremost testing centres in the country. Here, we present the experiences of employing this technology and its impact on the transport time to the second largest testing centre, the Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR) in Kumasi, Ghana.MethodsSwab samples collected from suspected COVID-19 patients were transported to the Zipline office by health workers. Information on the samples were sent to laboratory personnel located at KCCR through a WhatsApp platform to get them ready to receive the suspected COVID-19 samples while Zipline repackaged samples and transported them via drone. Time of take-off was reported as well as time of drop-off.ResultsA total of 2537 COVID-19 suspected samples were received via drone transport from 10 districts between April 2020 to June 2021 in 440 deliveries. Ejura-Sekyedumase District Health Directorate delivered the highest number of samples (765; 30%). The farthest district to use the drone was Pru East, located 270 km away from KCCR in Kumasi and 173 km to the Zipline office in Mampong. Here, significantly, it took on the average 39 minutes for drones to deliver samples compared to 117 minutes spent in transporting samples by road (pConclusionThe use of drones for sample transport during the COVID-19 pandemic significantly reduced the travel time taken for samples to be transported by road to the testing site. This has enhanced innovative measures to fight the pandemic using technology