Variation in contents of crude protein and mineral elements in 32 cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp) accessions in Ghana

Thirty-two cowpea accessions were studied for variation in contents of protein and mineral nutrients (calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium). Cowpea flour from 40 wholesome dried seeds of each accession was used for the analysis. The wet oxidation method was used to determine the content of mineral nutrients. Nitrogen content was determined by the Kjeldahl procedure. Protein content ranged from 16.35 to 27.27 per cent. Sodium content ranged from 90.53 to 91.30 ppm, and potassium content from 30.33 to 71.30 ppm. Similarly, values for magnesium and calcium ranged from 146.73 to 968.20 ppm and from 43.33 to 171.20 ppm, respectively. Percent crude protein correlated significantly positively with sodium and negatively with calcium. Magnesium was correlated significantly with potassium. Black seeds generally recorded the highest percent crude protein on the average, while cream seeds had the highest magnesium and calcium contents, respectively. Trente-deux accessions de dolique étaient étudiées pour la variation en teneurs de protéines et de nutriments minérales (le calcium). La farine de dolique de quarante graines saines séchés de chaque accession était utilisée pour l'analyse. La détermination de nutriments minérales était par la méthode d'oxydation humide. La teneur d'azote était déterminée par la procédure de Kjeldahl. Teneur de protéine variait entre 16.35 et 27.27 %. La teneur de sodium variait entre 90.53 et 91.30 ppm, la teneur de potassium variait entre 30.33 et 71.30 ppm. De la même façon les valeurs pour le magnésium et le calcium variaient respectivement entre 146.73 et 98.20 ppm et entre 43.33 et 171.20 ppm. Le pourcentage de protéine brute corrélait considérablement positivement avec sodium en négativement avec calcium. Le magnésium était corrélé considérablement avec le potassium. Les graines colorées noires enregistraient en général le plus élevé du pourcentage de protéine brute en moyenne, alors que les graines colorées crèmes avaient les teneurs de magnésium et de calcium les plus élevées respectivement. Ghana Journal of Agricultural Science Vol. 39 (1) 2006: pp. 83-8

Age of Transplant and Row Spacing Effects on Growth, Yield and Yield Components of Chilli Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.)

Two field experiments were conducted for two years (2013 and 2014) at the Multipurpose crop nursery of the University of Education, Winneba, Mampong-campus from May to September to evaluate the effect of three transplanting ages (30, 37 and 44 days) and four row spacing (30 x 30 cm, 40 x 30 cm, 50 x 30 cm and 60 x 30cm) on growth, yield and yield components of pepper. The experimental design used was a 3 x 4 factorial in randomized complete block design with three replicates for both experiments. The results showed that 44 aged transplants had the highest yield during the 2013 cropping season, tallest plant in both cropping seasons, highest number of branches and canopy width for the entire 2014 cropping season. The 30 aged transplants differed significantly from the other aged transplants in number of fruits per plant and widest fruit diameter during the 2013 cropping season. The 40 x 30 cm row spacing had the tallest plant and highest number of branches from 8 to 10 weeks after transplanting in both cropping seasons. The 30 x 30 cm row spacing differed significantly from the 50 x 30 cm and 60 x 30 cm row spacing in fruit yield during the 2013 cropping season. The 60 x 30 cm row spacing had the longest fruit length and the heaviest fruit weight per plant during the 2013 cropping season. It is concluded that for high fruit yield, farmers are to transplant pepper seedlings at 44 days using 30 x 30 cm row spacing

Manure characteristics of small ruminants fed agro by-products in the guinea savannah agro-ecological zone of Ghana

A 90 day study on evaluating quantity and quality of manure from small ruminants in the Guinea Savannah agro-ecological zone of Ghana was conducted. 36 goats and 36 sheep were random­ly allotted to three dietary treatments - Basal diets of maize stover, cassava and yam peels as Treatment one (T1), T1 supplemented with cowpea residues as Treatment two (T2) and T1 supplemented with groundnut residues as Treatment three (T3) in a randomized complete block design. Feed composition and intake and manure characteristics were assessed and data ana­lyzed statistically using Generalized Linear Model procedures of SAS at 5% significance level. The Chemical composition of feed resources ranged from 3.2-17.3% crude protein, 82-97.2% organic matter and 2.8-18% ash. Total feed intake ranged from 519.55-659.72 g/day and 331.84-420.17 g/day for sheep and goats respectively. Sheep manure weighed 319.17-423.33 g/day and contained 20.74-29.01% carbon, 1.87-2.32% nitrogen, 0.77-3.00 potassium, 9.52-26.50% ash, 0.44-0.77 pH and C:N ratio of 10.98-15.53. Goat manure weighed 178.67-216.17 g/day with 19.58-30.61%, 1.56-2.21% nitrogen, 0.82-2.33% potassium, 10.75-19.80% ash, 0.37-1.47 pH and C:N ratio of 9.49-19.92. Results indicated that manure from small ruminants could serve as alternative source of fertilizer in Ghana since its characteristics compare well with chemical fertilizers. Keywords: sheep; goats; feed resources; manure; fertilizer

Adoption of improved cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp) technologies in Ghana

The Ghana Grains Development Project has developed and disseminated improved cowpea production technologies to farmers in Ghana since 1985. These technologies were improved varieties, row planting, and the use of pre- and post-flowering insecticides. To assess the extent of adoption of these technologies by farmers, eight cowpea production districts were surveyed across four agro-ecological zones in 1995 in Ghana. A random sample of 313 cowpea farmers participated in the survey. Results indicated that 70 per cent used recommended pre-flowering insecticides, and 26 per cent adopted post-flowering insecticides across the ecological zones. The highest adoption rate for improved varieties was observed in the Forest Zone (97 %). The adoption of row planting was highest in the Forest Zone (100 %), followed by the Guinea Savanna Zone (92 %), and lowest in the Coastal Savanna Zone (58 %). Most farmers agreed that by adopting improved production technologies, their yields and overall production increased, and they made more profit from cowpea cultivation.The whole family participates in various activities associated with cowpea production. However, men do strenuous work like land preparation, weeding and spraying of insecticides, while women and children participate in less strenuous work such as planting, harvesting and threshing. Le Project de Développement des Grains du Ghana a developpé et disséminé les technologies de la production de dolique amélioré aux cultivateurs au Ghana depuis 1985. Ces technologies étaient les variétés améliorées, la culture en lignes et usage d'insecticides avant et après la floraison. Pour évaluer le degré d'adoption de ces technologies par les cultivateurs, un sondage a été entrepris en 1995 en 8 districts de production de dolique à travers quatre zones agro-écologique au Ghana. Un échantillon pris au hasard de 313 cultivateurs de dolique participaient au sondage. Les résultats indiquaient que 70% utilisaient les insecticides d'avant floraison recommandés et 26% adoptaient les insecticides d'après floraison à travers les zones écologiques. La proportion d'adoption la plus élevée pour les variétés améliorées était observée dans la zone forestière (97 %). L'adoption de la culture en lignes est la plus élevée dans la zone forestière (100 %) et suivi par la zone savane-guinéenne (92 %) et la plus faible dans la zone savane-littorale (58 %). La plupart de cultivateurs étaient du même avis que par l'adoption des technologies de production améliorée, leur rendements et la production globale augmentaient, et ils avaient tiré plus de bénéfice de la production de dolique. Toute la famille participent aux activités différentes liées à la production de dolique. Cependant le travail ardu tel que la préparation de terre, le désherbage et la pulvérisation d'insecticide sont faites par les hommes alors que les femmes et les enfants participent aux travaux moins ardus tels que la plantation, la moisson et la battage. Ghana Journal of Agricultural Science Vol. 39 (1) 2006: pp. 25-3

Influence of Mucuna pruriens Green Manure, NPK and Chicken Manure Amendments on Soil Physico "“ Chemical Properties and Growth and Yield of Carrot (Daucus carota L.)

Field experiments were conducted during the 2010 and 2011 growing seasons at the University of Education, Winneba, Mampong-Ashanti campus, located in the forest-savanna transitional zone of Ghana. The study evaluated the influence of Mucuna pruriens (MP) green manure, NPK (15:15:15) and chicken manure (CM) or their combinations on soil physical and chemical properties; and growth and yield of carrot. The six treatments, which were arranged in a RCBD included: 250 kg NPK ha-1, 20t CM ha-1, 30t MP ha-1, 125kg NPK ha-1 + 15t MP ha-1, 10t CM ha-1 + 15t MP ha-1 and no amendment (control). The application of MP green manure, CM, MP + CM,  and MP + NPK fertilizer  combinations significantly improved soil total porosity and gravimetric moisture content than the control. Soil bulk density was high in the control plots than the manures and their combinations with NPK. Compared with the control, the application of CM, MP green manure, NPK + MP and CM + MP significantly increased soil organic carbon, N, P, K, Ca, Mg, ECEC and percentage base saturation levels. Organic matter content, NH+4-N, NO-3-N and SO2-4-S were high in the amended plots than the control. Plant height, number of leaves per plant and canopy spread per plant for the 20t CM ha-1 treatment were significantly (P<0.05) higher than the other five treatments in both 2010 and 2011 seasons. All the amended plots produced longer carrot roots with larger diameter than the control in 2010 and 2011 seasons. The 20t CM ha-1 produced the highest root yields with the 10t CM ha-1 + 15t MP ha-1 following as the second highest in the 2010 and 2011 seasons. Root yield, and harvest index for all the amended plots were significantly higher than the control. The use of Mucuna pruriens green manure, chicken manure and the MP + NPK as well as the MP + CM combinations are recommended for improving soil fertility and increased yield of carrot

Environmental influences on the growth, development and yield of pinto beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)

The effect of the environment (sowing dates and seasons), irrigation and inoculation on the growth, development and yield of pinto beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) cv. Othello was investigated in two seasons on a Wakanui silt loam soil in Canterbury, New Zealand. In 1994/95, the pinto beans were sown on 27 October and 24 November under no and full irrigation and three inoculation treatments. In 1995/96, Othello was sown at four sowing dates ranging from 1 November to 13 December, with no or full irrigation. Seed yield was markedly affected by sowing date, and was mainly associated with differences in total dry matter (TDM) production as harvest index was stable. Fully irrigated mid to late November (last two weeks of November) sown crops produced the maximum yields (351 to 378 g m⁻² ). Averaged over both seasons, the fully irrigated mid to late November sown crops yielded 361 g m⁻² , about 15 % greater than yields of fully irrigated late October to early November and December sown crops. The unirrigated mid to late November sown crops yielded on the average 217 g m⁻² compared with 208 g m⁻² for the late October to early November and December sown crops in both years. Generally, seed yield of fully irrigated crops, averaged over both seasons, was 337 g m⁻² , about 50 % higher than the yield of unirrigated crops. However, for the optimum sowing time of mid to late November, irrigation increased yield about 70 % over the unirrigated crops. Irrigation increased seed yield by increasing TDM production, the number of pods per plant and mean seed weight. Generally, there was no significant response of TDM and seed yield to inoculation. Accumulation of TDM was highly dependent on cumulative intercepted PAR for all irrigation and sowing date treatments. Full irrigation increased TDM by increasing intercepted PAR due mainly to a larger leaf area index (LAI) and duration (LAD) and by increasing the utilization coefficient. Similarly, the mid to late November sown plants had more TDM than the other sowing dates due to an increased utilization coefficient and/or total intercepted PAR, LAI and LAD. Over both years, 1.20 g DM per MJ intercepted PAR was produced. The rate of phenological development from emergence to flowering was strongly dependent upon temperature. There was a weak influence of photoperiod on the rate of development. All phenological stages considered depended upon accumulated thermal time (Tt). Accumulated Tt of 204 and 659°C days above a base temperature (Tb) of 10°C were required for flowering and crop maturity, respectively. Accumulated Tt above a Tb of 10 °C also allowed accurate prediction of pinto bean development in Canterbury. A dry bean growth, development and yield model, BEANMOD was developed from the version of lentil model developed in Canterbury. The model uses weather input data as well as soil and crop management data. The model successfully predicted crop phenology (emergence, flowering and physiological maturity), leaf area index, total dry matter accumulation and seed yield. It could be of practical value to determine potential grain yields at different sowing dates or possible effects of irrigation on yield. The model however, needs further validation in regions outside Canterbury

A partial male sterlie mutant in cowpea

(African Crop Science Journal, 1998 6(1): 97-102

Improving bambara groundnut productivity using gamma irradiation and in vitro techniques

In recent times efforts are being made to improve the productivity of bambara groundnut. Studies were initiated (i) to characterise and evaluate landraces and to select superior ones for irradiation, (ii) to induce genetic variation through gamma irradiation and (iii) to use biotechnological approaches to shorten the generation cycle. The results of the study indicated that gamma irradiation induced higher genetic variation of up to four times within the varieties used in the study compared to the unirradiated control. Bambara groundnut yield could be increased through selection for number of pods per plant. Using the in vitro plus in vivo system and embryo axis explants, over four generations per year were obtained compared to 1 or 2 in the field. All the plants were morphologically normal and fertile. The shorter duration, high efficiency and genotype independency makes this system well suited for wider biotechnological applications in bambara groundnut. This novel approach is being applied to the variants/mutants obtained from gamma irradiation

Regime changes in international securitized property markets

Journal of Real Estate Portfolio Management112147-16