Review of vegetative propagation of cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) by rooted cuttings. 2. Environmental and technical considerations

ABSTRACT The paper reviews the unfavourable environmental factors and technical difficulties that have limited the extensive use of vegetative propagation by rooted cuttings in multiplying cacao. Important among the external factors affecting rooting of cacao cuttings are light, temperature, humidity, and the air-moisture relations of the rooting media. The most important technical factors that affect rooting of cuttings are hormonal treatment, wounding, etiolation, and exogenous supply of carbohydrates and minerals to cuttings. These factors may influence rooting success in isolation or in combination with each other because it is often impossible to separate the effect of one factor from the other. The light intensity at which rooting occurs is dependent on temperature. The relative humidity within the propagation set-up is related to the light intensity and associated temperature. The effects of various media on rooting of cuttings are usually closely influenced by the temperature and water relations. The most effective hormonal treatment for cacao is a mixture of indole butyric acid (IBA) and naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) in equal proportions at a concentration dependent on the dipping time and the size of cutting. Wounding and etiolation are treatments which have been reported to improve rooting in most tree species, but have not had wider application in cacao propagation. Exogenous application of carbohydrates may improve rooting of cuttings. The need is for an effective manipulation of the external environment and a wider exploitation of some technical factors to improve on rooting in cacao. . Cet article fait une révision de facteurs environnementaux favorables et les diffecultés techniques qui ont limité l'utilisation extensive de propagation végétative pour la multiplication de cacao. Inclus dans les facteurs extérieurs importante influençcant l'enracinement de boutures de cacao saont: la lumière, la température, l'humidité et les relations d'air-humidité de substances de la prise de raines. Les facteurs techniques les plus importants qui influencent la prise de racines par les boutures sont le traitement hormonal, la coupe blessante, étiolement et la provision exogène de hydrates de carbone et de minérals. Ces facteurs pourraient influencer le succès de la prise de racines en isolement ou en combinaison l'un evec l'autre comme ce n'est pas souvent possible de séparer l'effet d'un facteur de l'autre. L'intensité de lumière à laquelle la prise de racines se produit dépend de la température. L'humidité relative à l'intérieur de l'instensité de la lumière et à la température associés. Les effets des différents substances sur le plus souvent étroitement influencés par les rapports de température et d'eau. Le traitement hormonal le plus efficace pour le cacao et une mèlange de IBA et NAA à parts égales d'une concentration dépendant de temps d'enfoncement et les dimensions des boutures. La coupe blessante et l'étiolement sont des traitements qui ont été annoncé d'améliorer la prise de racines en plusieurs espèces d'arbre mais qui n'ont pas réalisé de plus grande application de propagation de cacao. L'application exogène de hydrates de carbone pourrait améliorer la prise de racines de semis. Il y a la nécessité d'une manipulation efficace de l'environnement extérieur et une exploitation plus grande de quelques facteurs techniques pour améliorer la prise de racines de cacao. Ghana Journal of Agricultural Science Vol. 39 (2) 2006: pp. 217-22

Review of vegetative propagation of cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) by rooted cuttings. 1. Physiological considerations

The paper reviews physiological factors that affect rooting of cocoa stem cuttings, including clonal differences, leaf area, physiological age, anatomical features, nutritional and biochemical factors which exert the strongest influence. Upper Amazon and Trinitario clones root better than Amelonado clones, the causes of the differences being mainly nutritional. Rooting does not normally occur in cuttings without leaves, because they are deprived of their photosynthetic function. Rooting decreases in general with increasing age of the tree. Cuttings from trees in healthy and luxuriant vegetative growth are, therefore, preferable. No major differences are observed in rooting between orthotropic and plagiotropic cuttings of cocoa. Information on the anatomical condition of cuttings in rooting performance is limited. However, a clear relationship is noted between the position of cutting on the stock plant and rooting performance; rooting potential increases from the apex to the base of the shoot. Single-node cuttings take longer time to root than multinode cuttings. The physiological condition of cacao cuttings changes with changing seasons, and this in turn affects their rooting performance. Cacao shoot is in optimal condition for rooting immediately after the flush has matured. The interaction of two or more physiological factors determines the degree of success in rooting .Cet article fait une révision de facteurs physiologiques qui influencent la prise de racines des boutures de tige de cacao. Parmi les facteurs physiologiques influençant la propagation de cacao par les boutures de cacao, les différences du clonage, la surface foliaire, l'âge physiologique, les traits anatomiques, les facteurs nutritionnels et biochimiques exercent la plus forte influence. Les clones d'Upper Amazon et de Trinitario prennent les racines mieux que les clones d'Amelonado, les causes des différances étant nutritionnelles. Généralement la prise de racine ne se produit pas dans les boutures de tige privées de leur feuilles, les fonctions de la feuille pendant la prise de racines étant photosynthétiques implicites. La facilité de la prise de racine des boutures de cacao deminue en générale avec l'augmentation de l'âge de l'arbre. Les boutures des arbres en croissance végétative de bonne santé et luxuraint sont donc préférables. Il semble qu'il n'y a pas de différences majeures dans la prise de racines entre les boutures de cacao d'orthotropie et de plagiotropie. L'information sur la condition anatomique des boutures de cacao par rapport au résultat de la prise de racines est limitée dans la litérature. Toutefois il y a un rapport certain entre la position de la coupe sur le tronc de plante et le résultat de la prise de racine; avec le potentiel de la prise de racine augmentant du sommet au pied du tronc. Les boutures d'un seul nœud prennent de plus longue temps pour prendre les racines que les boutures de multinœud. La condition physiologique de boutures de cacao change avec le changement des saisons et ceci influence également leur résultat de la prise de racines. La pousse de cacao est en condition optimale pour la prise de racines sotôt après l'affleurement est mûr. L'interaction de deux ou plus des différents facteurs physiologiques détermine le degré de succès réalisé dans la prise de racine de boutures de cacao sous les différentes conditions de propagation. Ghana Journal of Agricultural Science Vol. 39 (2) 2006: pp. 209-21

Appraisal of some methods of weed control during initial establishment of cocoa in a semi-deciduous forest zone of Ghana

In appraising the effects of the quantum and quality of weed control required in establishment of young cocoa, six manual methods of controlling weeds were compared with chemical weed control at two stations of the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana. Growth of cocoa seedlings after 2 years in the field was superior (P < 0.05) in plots which were clean-weeded two or four times per year or treated with paraquat four times per year than when plots were slashed two or four times per year. There was strong evidence to suggest that treatments which ensured a weed-free environment to the cocoa over a long period were favourable to girth increments in the seedlings. Death of seedlings during establishment was generally lower in plots which were either clean-weeded or treated with paraquat. Labour requirement for controlling weeds with paraquat was considerably lower than that required for the other treatments. Considering the equipment and chemical input, paraquat application was expensive compared to high slashing with or without clean-line weeding two times a year, or clean weeding two times a year; but by virtue of its efficacy, it is recommended for cocoa establishment. En évaluant les effets du quatum et de la qualité de désherbage exigé dans la culture de jeune cacao, six méthodes de désherbage manuel étaient comparées avec le désherbage chimique à deux stations de l'Institut de Recherche en cacao du Ghana. La croissance de semis de cacao, après deux années, dans le champ était supérieure (P £ 0.05 ) dans les lots qui étaient complètement désherbés 2 ou 4 fois/an ou traités avec le paraquat 4 fois/an que dans les lots qui étaient entaillés 2 ou 4 fois/an. Il y avait de nombreuses preuves qui laissent penser que les traitements qui assuraient un environnement sans mauvaise herbe pour le cacao sur une longue période étaient favorables aux augmentations de circonférence des semis. La mort de semis pendant la culture était dans l'ensemble plus faible dans les lots, qui étaient soit complètement désherbés soit traités avec le paraquat. L'exigence de main-d'oeuvre pour maîtriser les mauvaises herbes avec le paraquat était considérablement plus faible que celle exigée pour les autres traitements. En ce qui concerne les matériels et les intrants chimiques, l'application de paraquat était chère que les entailles élevées avec ou sans le désherbage complet en ligne deux fois par an ou le désherbage complet deux fois par an mais en vertu de son efficacité il est recommandé pour la culture de cacao. Ghana Journal of Agricultural Science Vol. 40 (1) 2007: pp. 67-7

CONSUMER PREFERENCES AND PURCHASE INTENTIONS FOR RATTAN FURNITURE

Although research on consumer preference and purchase intentions has received significant attention, little research has been performed with respect to furniture products, particularly in the area of empirical hypothesis testing. This study used regression models to test hypotheses relating to positional goods consumption and environmental and sustainable consumption theories to investigate consumers’ preference for rattan cane furniture and their intentions to purchase the product. A questionnaire was administered to 750 staff and students from universities, polytechnics, and research institutions in Ghana. The results showed that social status, modernity, and environmental safety supported the preference and purchase intentions for rattan cane furniture, whereas mixed results emerged from sustainable consumption. The most important driver of preference for rattan cane furniture was modernity, followed byenvironmental safety, social status, and sustainable consumption. In the case of purchase intentions, social status emerged as the most important factor, followed by modernity, and then environmental consumption. Building a positive social, environmental, and sustainable image of rattan cane furniture will enhance the product’s value, and this will culminate in increasing consumers’ preference for the product and their intentions to purchase the product. The study concluded that through market segmentation, manufacturers, and marketers of rattan cane furniture can target consumers who are proenvironmentalists and those who want to use the product to enhance their social image, thereby attracting a price premium

The range of abdominal surgical emergencies in children older than 1 year at the komfo anokye teaching hospital, Kumasi, Ghana

Background : Acute abdominal conditions are a common reason for emergency admission of children. Little is available in the literature about such conditions in our subregion, especially Ghana. Objective : The aim of this study was to investigate the range of emergency abdominal surgical conditions amongst children in the subregion, with particular reference to Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana. A prospective survey of all children older than 1 year undergoing an emergency abdominal surgery was carried out. Methods : Details of all children (except infants) operated for an acute surgical abdominal condition over a 5-year period were entered into a specially designed form, capturing patient characteristics, surgical causes of the emergency, operative procedure, complications, morbidity and mortality rates. Results : Nine hundred fifty-five children aged &gt; 1 year but &lt; 15 years were enrolled in the study. The mean age was 8.8 \ub1 3.2 years. The leading causes of surgical abdominal emergencies were typhoid perforation (TP) of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), 68%; acute appendicitis, 16%; abdominal trauma and intestinal obstruction (including intussusception), 4.7% each; irreducible external hernias, 2.5%; primary peritonitis, 1.0%; gallbladder disease and gastric perforation, 0.8% each. Many children died from the TP group; case fatality for TP alone was 12.6%. The overall mortality was 9.7%. Morbidity was influenced by the presence of major peritoneal contamination, continuing peritonitis and surgical site infections (SSIs), which led to long hospital stay. Conclusions : In our hospital, TP of the GIT, acute appendicitis, intestinal obstruction, irreducible external hernias and primary peritonitis were the most common abdominal emergencies encountered in children after infancy. The high morbidity and mortality in TP is attributable to ignorance, poor sanitation and delay in reporting to hospital for treatment

Diabetes and Other Disorders of Glycemia in a Rural South African Community: Prevalence and associated risk factors

OBJECTIVE—The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of diabetes, impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), impaired fasting glycemia (IFG), and associated risk factors in a rural South African black community

The Role of Mobile Phones in Governance-Driven Technology Exports in Sub-Saharan Africa

This study assesses how the mobile phone influences governance to improve information and communication technology (ICT) exports in Sub-Saharan Africa with data from 2000-2012. The empirical evidence is based on Generalised Method of Moments and three main governance concepts are used, namely: (i) institutional (comprising the rule of law and corruption-control); (ii) political (involving political stability/no violence and voice & accountability) and (iii) economic (including regulation quality and government effectiveness) governance. The following findings are established. First, there are positive net effects on ICT goods exports from independent interactions between mobile phones and ‘political stability’ ‘voice and accountability’ and corruption-control. Second, significant net effects are not apparent from independent interactions between mobile phones and government effectiveness, regulation quality and the rule of law. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed

IgG1 Fc N-glycan galactosylation as a biomarker for immune activation.

Immunoglobulin G (IgG) Fc N-glycosylation affects antibody-mediated effector functions and varies with inflammation rooted in both communicable and non-communicable diseases. Worldwide, communicable and non-communicable diseases tend to segregate geographically. Therefore, we studied whether IgG Fc N-glycosylation varies in populations with different environmental exposures in different parts of the world. IgG Fc N-glycosylation was analysed in serum/plasma of 700 school-age children from different communities of Gabon, Ghana, Ecuador, the Netherlands and Germany. IgG1 galactosylation levels were generally higher in more affluent countries and in more urban communities. High IgG1 galactosylation levels correlated with low total IgE levels, low C-reactive protein levels and low prevalence of parasitic infections. Linear mixed modelling showed that only positivity for parasitic infections was a significant predictor of reduced IgG1 galactosylation levels. That IgG1 galactosylation is a predictor of immune activation is supported by the observation that asthmatic children seemed to have reduced IgG1 galactosylation levels as well. This indicates that IgG1 galactosylation levels could be used as a biomarker for immune activation of populations, providing a valuable tool for studies examining the epidemiological transition from communicable to non-communicable diseases