Esterase, total protein and seed storage protein diversity in Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L. Moench)

Twenty-two accessions of okra (Abelmoschus esculentus), maintained at the Plant Genetic Resources Centre, Bunso, Ghana, were assayed for diversity in esterases, and total and storage proteins. A total of 34 reproducible and easily scorable bands were exposed with the number of bands per accession ranging from one to 21. All but nine of the bands were polymorphic. Storage proteins were the most diverse while esterases revealed the least diversity. Similarity matrices were calculated using the Jaccard coefficient, and input into cluster analysis. The phenogram produced by the UPGMA of the Jaccard similarity matrix from the pooled data of the esterases, and total and storage proteins revealed three major clusters at the 55% level of similarity. Accession 5 collected from Nyinguto was relatively distant from the other main clusters and separated at the 42% level of similarity. The second and third clusters comprised 11 and 10 accessions, respectively. It was observed that 18 out of the 22 accessions were distinct accessions. Similarity indices ranged from 29% to 100%. The wide range of similarity indices, coupled with the clustering of accessions, suggests useful variability in the collection for genetic conservationists and plant breeders

Phenotypic and seed protein analysis in 31 Lima bean (Phaseolus lunatus) accessions in Ghana

Phenotypic and seed protein analyses were performed on 31 accessions of Lima bean assembled in Ghana. Data on 16 phenotypic characters consisting of eight quantitative and eight qualitative were analysed. There were significant differences among the accessions based on the eight quantitative characters. Seed protein analysis showed 17 bands with relative mobility of bands, which ranged from 0.01 to 0.86. An ordinal logistic regression analysis showed significant evidence for seed coat, pod beak shape and seed size association. Cluster analysis based on both phenotypic and protein data provided evidence for differences among the accessions. Quantitative characters were associated with some specific clusters

Molecular markers associated with a new source of resistance to the cassava mosaic disease

The predominant source of resistance to the cassava mosaic disease (CMD) is known to be polygenic requiring evaluation in multiple environments to characterise resistant genotypes, which makes the detection of genes for resistance using segregation analysis inefficient. Recently, some landraces have been identified which exhibit high levels of resistance to CMD. In this study, molecular markers associated with resistance to CMD in a resistant landrace were identified, using F1 progenies derived from a cross between the CMD resistant landrace TME7 and the susceptible line TMS30555, as a first step in marker assisted breeding for CMD resistance. Bulk segregant analysis (BSA) on the parents, resistant and susceptible DNA pools, using simple sequence repeat (SSR) and amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers revealed that an SSR marker, SSRY28-180, donated by the resistant parent was linked with resistance to CMD. Marker-trait association detected by regression analysis showed that the marker, accounted for 57.41% of total phenotypic variation for resistance. The analysis furthershowed that another SSR marker, SSRY106-207 and an AFLP marker, E-ACC/M-CTC-225, accounted for 35.59% and 22.5% of the total phenotypic variation for resistance, respectively. The implication of the results in breeding for resistance to CMD is discussed

Effect of a cowpea mild mottle virus isolate on growth and yield of bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea L.)

No Abstract. Ghana Journal of Agricultural Science No. 1, 2005: 63-7

Plant pathology in Ghana: Past,present and future

No Abstract

Genomic heterogeneity within cowpea bradyrhizobia isolated from Ghanaian soils

No Abstract

Morphological and agronomic characterization of some tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) germplasm in Ghana

In a study of morphological and agronomic characteristics of eight tomato accessions, a high variability was detected in plant height at flowering, fruit set, number of fruits per plant, fruit weight, number of locules per fruit, and yield. The variation in percent total soluble solids (3.9-5.0) and pH (3.9-4.4) was very small. The pH of the fruits in most of the accessions was close to 4.0 which is suitable for canning; however, the total soluble solids was below the 8 per cent required for canning. All of the accessions were highly sensitive to the high temperatures (28.6-32.2 oC) which prevailed during the period, resulting in low percentage fruit set (21.9-63.7). The overall correlations between number of fruits per plant, number of fruits per truss, fruit weight and yield were positive but very low (0.12-0.26). Some individual accessions, however, showed very high positive correlations between number of fruits per plant and yield (0.76-0.86) and number of fruits per truss and yield (r=0.63-0.89). The cultivar Wosowoso had a high negative correlation (-0.67) between number of fruits per truss and yield. Ghana Jnl agric Sci. Vol.32(2) 1999: 169-17

Genetic structure at the isocitrate dehydrogenase and malate dehydrogenase enzyme gene loci in cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L) Walp) accessions

No Abstract Available Ghana Jnl agric. Sci, Vol.36 2003: 53-6