Yield, biochemical properties and cooking quality traits of sweet potatoes (Ipomoea batatas) as affected by Nitrogen and Potassium Fertilizer rates

This study evaluated the effects of mineral fertilizer rates on biochemical properties, cooking quality traits and root yield of sweetpotatoes. The experimental design was 4 x 4 factorial in randomized complete block with three replications. The treatment factors were four varieties of sweetpotato (Ligri, Bohye, Dadanyuie and Apomuden) and four fertilizer amendments (T1: 30-30-30 kg /ha NPK, T2: 30-30-60 kg NPK+50 kg Muriate of Potash, T3: 30-30-90 kg/ha NPK+ 100 kg Muriate of Potash and T4: Control (No fertilizer). Results showed that the fertilizer rates did not influence root yield but variety had significant difference (P<0.05). Apomuden recorded the highest average root yield of 14.5 t/ha which was significantly higher than Ligri 5.1 t/ha. Ligri recorded the highest dry matter and sugar contents of 34.63% and 67.98% respectively while Apomuden recorded the lowest dry matter content and starch content of 23.75% and 50.00% respectively. However, it recorded appreciable amount of beta-carotene and sugar contents of 32.38 mg/100g and 28.04% respectively. There were significant variety × location interactions effect (P < 0.05) on average root yield and biomass yield. The significant varietal response observed in this study implies that choice of variety is an important factor to consider in sweetpotato production

An Assessment of Female Prisoners’ Perception of the Accessibility of Quality Healthcare: A Survey in the Kumasi Central Prisons, Ghana

Background: Accessibility of quality healthcare across the globe has generated a lot of attention among public health practitioners.Aim: This study explored the background characteristics of female  prisoners and how it influences their assessment of the quality of  accessible healthcare in the Kumasi Female Prison. Subjects and Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional survey was  conducted at the Female section of the Kumasi Central Prisons from June to December 2011. We used pretested questionnaires to obtain   quantitative data from all 39 inmates of the female Prisons. An in-depth interview was used to obtain qualitative data from the prison healthcare giver. Data were analyzed with Epi Info Version 3.5.1, (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), Excel, and Graph Pad Prism version 5.00 for Windows (Graph Pad software, San Diego California USA,   www.graphpad.com). Results: Using a 12.point scale inventory questionnaire, inmates with no formal education gave the highest mean health provision assessment score (6.0) whereas those with tertiary education gave the lowest (4.5). Females serving prison sentences gave the highest mean health  assessment score whereas remand prisoners gave the lowest. Single femalesf mean health assessment score was 5.7 whereas that of married inmates was 4.9. Unemployed inmates scored 5.8, informal 5.4 while civil servants scored 5.0.Conclusion: Access to quality healthcare was poor and demographic characteristics, marital status, educational background, and occupation influenced inmatesf perceptions of accessibility to quality healthcare. Inmates should be encouraged to be proactive in seeking healthcare irrespective of their background characteristics.Keywords: Accessibility, Female, Kumasi, Perception Prisons, Quality of health car

Crime prevention in urban spaces through environmental design: a critical UK perspective

Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) and the Defensible Space Theory have been adopted to enable the effective use of the built environment to reduce crime. The occurrence of crime is widely accepted to be context-specific. Some explanatory theories have focused on social disorder, alluding to the notion that if such disorders are eliminated from society then serious crime would be eradicated. Numerous approaches have considered the use of environmental design and spatial configuration as a possible solution to reduce crime. The main aim of this study is to gain further understanding of stakeholders’ perceptions of Brixton Town Centre (BTC) in London and thus advance the discourse of CPTED. Using a mixed methodology approach, a visual audit of CPTED, a critical analysis of police crime data, questionnaire surveys and semi-structured interviews were carried out to gauge the effectiveness of key CPTED intervention principles identified in BTC. It was revealed that since the interventionary measures began in BTC in 2011, there has been an increase in the crime rates for other parts of England and Wales whilst BTC in particular has experienced a decline. A positive correlation was found between length of residency in the area and fear of crime. Lighting was critical to people’s perception of feeling secure. Finally, the research findings revealed that although crime rates had fallen in BTC, stakeholders agree that further improvement was required. This research concludes with a proposal of further study that will theorize the phenomenon occurring at BTC

Economic Analysis of Rubber Agroforestry Systems in Ghana

Even though rubber contributes massively to Ghana’s economy, smallholder rubber farmers’ inability to wait for about 6-8 years to see the benefits constrains establishment and expansion of the rubber subsector. To lessen the waiting time to the benefits, an option exists to intercrop rubber with food crops. Cost benefits analysis of rubber/plantain intercropping system under different treatments on two experimental plots for sole crop plantain (P) and three intercropping treatments consisting of one (PR), two (PPR) and three (PPPR) rows of plantain each between two rows of rubber each were carried out to assess the most viable. Analysis using discounted cash flow was used to determine the benefit/cost ratio (BCR), net present value (NPV) in addition to internal rate of return (IRR) at 25 % interest rate. All the rubber/plantain intercropping systems (PR, PPR and PPPR) were found to be profitable from the results. The highest return of GHȻ40, 331 (USD 9,379) per hectare from plantain over the period of two years was realized from the PPPR cropping system. Additional analysis performed to assess the profitability of rubber/plantain intercropping systems by varying the price of plantain, discount rate and the total cost of production showed that the systems were all profitable. The PPPR was the most profitable with the highest income to smallholder farmers. Extension education by the government through the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and Ghana Rubber Estates Limited and support to rubber farmers to access credit can help in farmers’ adoption of rubber agroforestry system

Rubber and plantain intercropping: Effects of different planting densities on soil characteristics

Two field experiments were conducted at Ellembelle and Jomoro districts in the Western region of Ghana where rubber cultivation is a predominant farming activity. The objective of the study was to assess the effect of rubber and plantain intercropping systems on selected soil properties. The experiment was arranged in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with 3 replications. The treatments were the sole crop rubber (R), sole crop plantain (P) and three intercrop systems comprising an additive series of plantain: one row of plantain to one row of rubber (PR), two rows of plantain to one row of rubber (PPR) and three rows of plantain to one row of rubber (PPPR). Generally, agroforestry systems improved the soil hydraulic properties considerably, with the highest cumulative infiltration rates of 5.16 and 8.68 cm/min observed under the PPPR systems at the Ellembelle and Jomoro sites, respectively. Microbial biomass C (Cmic), N (Nmic) and P (Pmic) was significantly improved (P < 0.05) under the agroforestry than the monocrop systems. The Cmic, Nmic and Pmic values were highest under the PPPR system at both Ellembelle (Cmic, = 139.9 mg/kg; Nmic = 36.26 mg/kg and Pmic = 87.6 mg/kg) and Jomoro (Cmic = 78.7 mg/kg; Nmic = 80.3 mg/kg and Pmic = 3.45 mg/kg) sites

Effect of pod maturation on vegetative growth, fruit yield and seed germination of Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench)Effet de la maturation des gousses sur la croissance vegetative, la production des fruits et la germination des graines du gombo (Abelmoschus esculentus (L) Moench)

An experiment was conducted to determine the effect of stage of pod maturity on vegetative growth, yield and seed germination of three varieties of okra; Accra No. 2, Clemson Spineless and Labadi Dwarf. Pods were harvested 6,12,18,24 and 30 days after anthesis. Fresh fruit yield of plants harvested 6 days after anthesis was two times those harvested 30 days after anthesis. Percentage germination however, increased with pod age, with mean percentage germination of 0.0, 4.0, 38.0, 79.0, and 84.0 obtained from pods harvested at 6,12,18,24 and 30 days after anthesis, respectively. Plants on which pods were allowed to dry showed stunted growth. It is therefore recommended that pods should be harvested at 6 days after anthesis for fresh fruits and 24 days for seed production. Keywords: pod maturity, pod yield, seed germination, okra, Abelmoschus escunlentus (L.) Moench Agricultural and Food Science Journal of Ghana Vol. 3 2004: 227-23

Practices and constraints in Bambara Groundnut’s production, marketing and consumption in the Brong Ahafo and Upper East Regions of Ghana

A study was undertaken to understand the practices and major constraints in bambara groundnut production, marketing and consumption in the Brong Ahafo (Transition) and Upper East (Guinea Savannah) Regions of Ghana. A total of 200 bambara producers, 33 marketers and 68 consumers were randomly chosen and interviewed from the Brong Ahafo and the Upper East Regions of Ghana. Three bambara groundnut growing districts in the Transition agro-ecology; Nkoranza, Wenchi East and Wenchi West and four districts in the Guinea Savannah agro-ecology; Bawku West, Kasena Nankana, Talensi Nabdam and Builsa were studied between August 2006 and January, 2007. Three separate questionnaires were developed to target producers, marketers and consumers in this study. The study confirmed more females (63%) produced bambara than males (37%). More farmers produced bambara solely for cash in the Transition (73%) whereas in the Guinea Savannah most farmers produced for cash and subsistence (78%). Most farmers (65%) depend on farmer saved seeds for planting. Sellers and consumers preferred white or cream seeds with large sizes. The major problem with bambara is the long cooking time of mature seeds

Performance of five bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.) landraces in the trasition agroecology of Ghana under different sowing dates

Drought associated with climate change is a potential threat to agriculture and food security in many sub-Saharan African countries. The need to promote drought tolerant crop cultivars acceptable to consumers cannot be overemphasized. Bambara groundnut is an underutilized and until lately, under researched crop. Its ability to produce some yields where other crops such as groundnut fail has been established. The balanced nutritional quality of the crop coupled with its tolerance to drought makes it a crop of choice to achieve food security especially in the dry areas of Africa. With the threat of climate change and its attendance drought coupled with the drying up of water bodies even when irrigation facilities are available, research on crops with inherently drought tolerant characteristics cannot be overemphasized. Sowing dates have been identified to affect the yield of the crop. Experiments were conducted in 2007 in Wenchi in the Transition agroecology of Ghana to determine the effect of sowing dates on the yield of bambara groundnut landraces namely; Burkina, NAV 4, NAV Red, Black eye, Tom, Mottled Red and Ada. Sowings were done in a factorial arrangement in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Pod and seed yields ranged between 600 kg/ha to 5.5 t/ha and 420 kg/ha to 3.8 t/ha, respectively for the various sowing dates. Pod yield of over 5 t/ha was produced by Burkina and Black eye. Pod harvest indices ranged from 0.12-0.53. Minor rainy season sowing of bambara groundnut in Ghana produced more pod yield than major rainy season sowing as shown by the August sowing. Tom was a highly vegetative landrace. Where irrigation is available, sowing bambara groundnut just before the rains in February in the Transition agro-ecology of Ghana produce high pod yields. Crop growth rate was highest for NAV Red (0.089 t/ha/d) and least with Tom (0.059 t/ha/d).Keywords: Bambara groundnut, Transition agro-ecology, landraces, sowing dat