Phenotypic screening of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp) genotypes for resistance to cowpea viral diseases

Viruses are a major constraint to cowpea production in sub-Saharan Africa. Host plant resistance is the most effective and reliable method of managing viral diseases. In order to identify the source of resistance or tolerance, 38 cowpea genotypes were screened for virus infection under field conditions during the 2016 wet and dry seasons. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with four replications in both seasons. Disease severity was assessed fortnightly based on disease symptom using 1-5 visual scale (1=symptomless, and 5= very severe symptom). The cowpea genotypes exhibited varying reactions to viral infections with mean disease incidence ranging from 17.7% in the fourth week to 29.2% in the eighth week for the wet season and from 34.4% to 53.1% for the fourth and eighth week, respectively in the dry season. Symptoms observed were leaf mosaic (86.7%), leaf mottling (86.7%), chlorotic spots (34.2%), vein clearing (28.9%), leaf curl (26.3%), necrotic lesions (15.8%) and stunting (10.5%). Symptom severity in the rainy season ranged from symptomless (severity score of 1) in IT10K-819-4 and IT07K-297-13 to moderate symptom (severity score of 2.9) in Apagbaala. However, in the dry season, the symptom severity score ranged from 1.11 (mild symptom) in Marfo Tuya to a score of 2.4 (moderate symptom) in IT07K-298-9, thus demonstrating a significant genotype x season interaction effect. Incidence and severity were significantly higher in the dry season than in the rainy season. There was a strong positive correlation between the disease incidence and disease severity as well as AUDPC and no correlation between the cowpea incidence and the seed yield and plant height in the wet season. There was a negative correlation between the incidence and plant height in the dry season. Six genotypes (IT07-210-1-1, IT07K-297-13, IT08K-193- 14, IT09-456, IT10K-817-3 and IT10K-819-4) exhibited mild symptoms and gave high yields in both seasons, thus demonstrating a stable G x E interaction effect. These disease resistant genotypes could be evaluated further before release to farmers.Keywords: Area Under Disease Progress Curve, Host resistance, Vigna unguiculata, Viral disease

Traditional Institutions and Agenda Setting: The Case of the Adoption of the Ghana Education Trust Fund

This study applies agenda setting theory mostly used to examine policymaking in western countries to understand educational policymaking inGhana. It draws on a case study on the role of the Asante TraditionalCouncil and rulers in the adoption of the Ghana Education Trust Fund(GETFund), a program that allows the public to participate in the financingof education. The study finds that the outside initiation model, consolidation,pluralist concept of policymaking, and the policy streams metaphor help toexplain agenda setting for the adoption of the GETFund program. Inparticular, it argues that the enstoolment of Otumfuo Osei Tutu II and hisactivism in championing the idea of a public participation program infinancing education was an intervening event that opened the window for aproposal centering on that idea to gain agenda entrance and the passage ofthe GETFund bill by the Parliament of Ghana in 2000. Broadly, the studyhelps to understand the role of traditional institutions and rulers in publicpolicy making in Ghana

Challenges associated with ground water resources development in northern Ghana

It is estimated that groundwater contributes about 62 percent of the total water requirement of Ghana. It contributes an average of 67 percent to Northern Ghana’s domestic water needs. The groundwater resources of Northern Ghana are obtained from a variety of hard rock units, comprising basement complex (crystalline) systems and varying Neoproterozoic sedimentary rock types and, therefore, have varying hydrogeological characteristics. Some of the hard crystalline and Neoproterozoic rocks are overlain by a thick argillaceous overburden of high porosity and low permeability characteristics. Groundwater development in these hard rocks is structurally-controlled and successful boreholes are characterised by variable yields, which range from less than 0.2 m3 h-1 to 500 m3 h-1 at depths ranging from 40 - 160 m. The hard rock aquifers of Northern Ghana are generally discrete, giving rise to localised flows, thus, making regional aquifer evaluations rather challenging. Even though groundwater constitutes the main water supply sources, its development is fraught with challenges that range from exploration through drilling to water quality issues. These challenges have been noted to be highly related to the nature and characteristics of the underlying geological formations. This paper discusses some of the challenges that have been experienced during the long period of hydrogeological field practices in the northern part of the country

Human Factor Analysis Framework for Ghana’s Mining Industry

In an attempt to incorporate human factors into technical failures as accident causal factors, researchers have promoted the concept of human factor analysis. Human factor analysis models seek to identify latent conditions within the system that influence the operator’s action to trigger an accident.  For an effective application of human factor analysis models, a domain-specific model is recommended. Most existing models are developed with category/subcategory peculiar to a particular domain. This presents challenges and hinders effective application outside the domain developed for. This paper sought to propose a human factor analysis framework for Ghana’s mining industry. A comparative study was carried out between three dominated accident causation models and investigation methods in literature; AcciMap, HFACS, and STAMP. The comparative assessment showed that HFACS is suitable for incident data analysis based on the following reason; ease of learning and use, suitability for multiple incident analysis and statistical quantification of trends and patterns, and high inter and intra-coder reliability. A thorough study was done on HFACS and its derivative. Based on recommendations and research findings on HFACS from literature, Human Factor Analysis, and Classification System – Ghana Mining Industry (HFACS-GMI) was proposed. The HFACS-GMI has 4 tiers, namely; External influence/factor, Organisational factor, Local Workplace/Individual Condition and, Unsafe Act. A partial list of causal factors under each tier was generated to serve as a guide during incident coding and investigation. The HFACS-GMI consists of 18 subcategories and these have been discussed. The HFACS-GMI is specific to the Ghanaian Mines and could potentially help in identifying causal and contributing factors of an accident during an incident investigation and data analysis.   Keywords: Human Factor Analysis, Causal Factor, Causation Model, Mining Industr

Effect of Cleopatra mandarin rootstock age on bud ‘take’ of Late Valencia sweet orange

Cleopatra mandarin is preferred to rough lemon as rootstock material for budding because of the susceptibility of the latter to major citrus diseases such as gummosis and phytophtora infections. However, Cleopatra mandarin rootstocks have poor bud ‘take’. The experiment was conducted at CSIR-Plant Genetic Resources Research Institute, Bunso to determine the effect of Cleopatra mandarin rootstock age on bud ‘take’ of Late Valencia sweet orange variety. Cleopatra mandarin rootstocks of ages 9 months, 10 months, 11 months and 12 months were budded with Late Valencia sweet orange variety using the chip budding technique in a randomised complete block design. There were 25 budded seedlings for each age group and replicated four times. Results obtained indicated that younger Cleopatra mandarin rootstock favoured bud ‘take’more than older ones. Higher bud ‘take’ was recorded in the 9-month old rootstocks followed by the 10-month old ones. Bud ‘take’, however, decreased with age of the rootstock. Differences in bud ‘take’between younger rootstocks (9 and 10 months old) were insignificant. There were, however, significant differences between bud‘take’ of younger rootstocks and older rootstocks (11 and 12 months old)

STUDENTS’ AWARENESS OF AND ADHERENCE TO ENERGY MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN SELECTED STUDENTS' HALLS OF RESIDENCE AT KWAME NKRUMAH UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, GHANA

Energy management is one of the current policy directions of the Ghana government given the increasing challenges associated with energy generation to cope with the growing demand. A conscious attempt at adopting practices aimed at conserving energy is considered a sinequanonto coping with the current energy challenges in Ghana. However, an assessment of the awareness level of energy management practices is yet to be rigorously pursued as an agenda towards energy conservation in institutions and agencies perceived to be high energy consumers. Currently,the increasing growth in student numbers in the universities in Ghana and the high energy demands against the low level of energy generation to cope with these demands needs urgent attention. Consequently, adherence to effective energy management practices among students in these universities is considered a prima-facie in coping with the energy challenges in the country. The aim of this study was to assess the awareness and adherence levels of energy management practices of students in tertiary institutions in Ghana. Using KNUST as a case study, a questionnaire survey was carried out amongst students in residential accommodation on thecampus. Subsequently, mean score and one sample t-test analyses were employed to analyze the empirical data elicited. The findings revealed a generally low awareness and adherence level to the critical energy management practices amongst students. These findings have implications for energy policy formulation and innovations towards conservation and management.Keywords: Energy management; Ghana; Hostels; Student

Conservation Agriculture as Practised in Ghana

This case study presents the status of conservation agriculture in Ghana. It is one in a series of eight case studies about conservation agriculture in Africa, which were developed within the framework of a collaboration between CIRAD (French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development), FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations), RELMA-in-ICRAF (Regional Land Management Unit of the World Agroforestry Centre) and ACT (African Conservation Tillage Network)

Exposition of Discriminatory Variables in a Family of Hypertensive and Non hypertensive Diabetic Patients: A Case Study of Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital – Kumasi, Ghana

This study sought to expose variable(s) capable of predicting hypertensive status of diabetic patients. To this end, data on 260 diabetic  patients at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital’s Diabetic Centre in Ghana were collected using data extraction form. The majority (144) of the 260 diabetic patients representing about 55% were also hypertensive as against 116 (45%) who were not hypertensive. Frequency analysis also revealed female dominance as far as the two diagnoses (Diabetes with hypertension and diabetes without hypertension) were concerned. However, the percentage of females in diabetes with hypertension (77%) was greater than the percentage of females in diabetes without hypertension (67%). The minimum age of hypertensive diabetic patients was 30 years as against 11 years for those diagnosed as non-hypertensive diabetic. A discriminant analysis was adopted to expose the discriminatory variables as far as the two diagnoses were concerned. The study indicated a strong association between diagnosis (diabetes with hypertension and diabetes without hypertension) and body mass index (BMI), and to some extent, also between diagnosis and age. BMI and age were identified as principal discriminating variables for separating patients diagnosed with diabetes with hypertension from those with diabetes without hypertension. The index of discrimination (canonical correlation) associated with the resulting discriminant model was 0.42 (42%). This is good since it is greater than 30. The hit ratio, (or the percentage of cases correctly classified) is 0.654 or 65.4%. Also, leave-one-out cross-validation which was used instead of an independent holdout sample correctly classified 64.2% of the cases. Finally, it was concluded that ageing and extra BMI gained are risk factors for diabetic patients to develop hypertension. Therefore, the model was good for prediction. Keywords: Diabetes, Hypertension, Model, Discriminant Analysis, Ghan

A simple method for the extension of shelf life of cultures of Phytophthora species causing black pod disease of cacao (Theobroma cacao L.)

Black pod disease of cacao caused by Phytophthora palmivora and Phytophthora megakarya in Ghana take heavy toll of cacao production in the field. Intensive research has been carried out worldwide on these pathogens. However, viability of the cultures during prolonged storage has remained a major challenge in the research. This paper reports findings of assessment of six storage media viz sterilised distilled water (SDW), sterilised and unsterilized soil suspension (SSS and USS), vegetable 8 juice broth (V8JB), Oat Meal Agar slant under mineral oil (at 4°C) and empty tube. Viability of the cultures was assessed on V8JA and in tetrazolium chloride test. Ability of zoospores of the cultures to infect cacao leaf discs was used to assess growth vigour and pathogenicity. Phytophthora cultures stored in SDW (26 ± 2°C; alternating day light and night) were preserved for 60 days (5 years). Both P. palmivora and P. megakarya performed better on SDW and SSS than on USS due to removal of staling substances in the soil medium by the sterilisation. Vigour of growth and pathogenicity of the stored cultures required re-inoculation of host tissue (cacao pod) in order to maintain potency to continually infect host

Manufacturing Industry Competitiveness: the impact of socio-cultural factors on FDI inflows to Nigeria since 2000

The level of investment is a key driver in helping Multinational enterprises (MNEs) face the challenges of today’s fast and dynamic 21st Century global business environment. Prior studies reveal a significant decline in manufacturing industry output and its contribution to gross domestic product (GDP) in Nigeria since the mid-1970s. We use Dunning’s foreign direct investment (FDI) motives as basis for examining the impact of socio-cultural factors on FDI inflows to the Nigerian manufacturing industry since 2000. Between 2011 and 2015, we carried out a Questionnaire Survey of 925 respondents in Nigeria. The data analysis reveals that since 2000, the lack of a coherent and consistent ‘child protection mechanisms’ coupled with the lack of ‘consensus building on individual security matters’ led to a significant decline in FDI inflows to the Nigerian manufacturing sector. A key limitation of this study is the fact that, it does not critically address the strategic impact of the current Boko Haram insurgence in Nigeria; as such an area for further research would use Qualitative methods to examine the impact of child protection, gender inequality and ethnic tensions on FDI into the Nigerian manufacturing industry