Different Agro-ecological Zones In Ghana Research Articles

Morphometric characterization and comparison of the African rhinoceros beetle (AfRB) Oryctes monoceros Olivier (Coleoptera: Dynastidae) populations from different agro-ecological zones in Ghana

Morphometric characterization and comparison of the African rhinoceros beetle (AfRB) Oryctes monoceros Olivier (Coleoptera: Dynastidae) populations from different agro-ecological zones in Ghana

Duration of Cultivation Has Varied Impacts on Soil Charge Properties in Different Agro-Ecological Zones of Ghana

Agricultural expansion into natural habitats causes soil fertility decline after a period of cultivation. This study investigated changes in soil exchange properties in different farm types at Dompem and Adansam in the Forest and Forest–Savannah transition zones of Ghana as influenced by the duration of cultivation. Sixty farms were selected for soil sampling through a reconnaissance survey. The soils were subjected to physicochemical analysis. The results showed that the Dompem soils were loamic, had more amorphous Fe and Al oxides, were strongly acidic and had low contents of exchangeable acidity, a low sum of exchangeable bases (SEB), low effective cation exchangeable capacities (ECECs) and low available P. Conversely, the Adansam soils were arenic, slightly acidic and had relatively higher SEBs and ECECs. Interestingly, soil organic carbon (SOC) in the Dompem soils declined by >10% in relation to the duration of cultivation and showed rapid reductions within three years. Correspondingly, soil bulk density, CEC and SEB declined. In Adansam soils, only δpH declined in relation to the duration of cultivation. Soil organic carbon accounted for >50% of the ECEC and 49% of the SEB in Dompem soils but 36% of δpH in the Adansam soils. In conclusion, agricultural expansion, manifested in the duration of cultivation, mainly influenced soil charge properties through SOC decline.

Exposure and risk characterizations of ochratoxins A and aflatoxins through maize (Zea mays) consumed in different agro-ecological zones of Ghana

Mycotoxin contamination of foodstuffs is a serious food safety concern globally as the prolonged ingestion of these toxins has the tendency to worsen the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma. This study aimed at estimating ochratoxin A (OTA) and aflatoxin (AF) levels above international (European Food Safety Authority, EFSA) and local (Ghana Standards Authority, GSA) standards as well as the health risks associated with the consumption of maize (n = 180) sampled from six (6) regions representing the agro-ecological zones of Ghana. OTA and AF were measured with High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with a Fluorescence detector. Out of the 180 samples analyzed for total aflatoxins (AFtotal), 131/180 tested positive and 127 (70.50%) exceeded the limits of EFSA and ranged 4.27–441.02 µg/kg. While for GSA, 116 (64.44%) of samples exceeded this limit and ranged between 10.18 and 441.02 µg/kg. For OTA, 103/180 tested positive and 94 (52.22%) of samples between the range 4.00–97.51 µg/kg exceeded the tolerable limit of EFSA, whereas 89 (49.44%) and were in the range of 3.30–97.51 µg/kg exceeded the limits of GSA. Risk assessment values for total aflatoxins (AFtotal) ranged between 50 and 1150 ng/kg bw/day, 0.4–6.67, 0–0.0323 aflatoxins ng/kg bw/day and 1.62–37.15 cases/100,000 person/year for Estimated Daily Intake (EDI), Margin of Exposure (MOE), Average Potency, and Cancer Risks respectively. Likewise, ochratoxin (OTA) values were in the ranges of 8.6 × 10–3–450 ng/kg bw/day, 0.05–2059.97, 0–0.0323 ochratoxins ng/kg bw/day and 2.78 × 10–4–14.54 cases/100,000 person/year. Consumption of maize posed adverse health effects in all age categories of the locations studied since the calculated MOE values were less than 10,000.

Crops and farmers’ response to application of fecal sludge derived - Fortifer™ in different agro-ecological zones in Ghana

Fecal sludge (FS)-derived fertilizer material, Fortifer™ was used in farmers' field to cultivate different crops under varying soil and agro-climatic conditions in Ghana. The aim was to (1) create awareness among smallholder farmers for widespread use of Fortifer™ (2) observe the response of crops to Fortifer™ application by farmers in different agro-ecological zones (3) obtain farmers feedback on the FS-derived product to enhance further dissemination across the country. In total 95 farmers in six locations participated in the farmer-led pilots. Fortifer™ containing up to 3.0% nitrogen, 3.6% phosphorus, 1.3% potassium and 44.3% organic matter was applied to tomato, rice, maize and pepper in comparison to inorganic fertilizers at recommended rates. Subsequently, farmers' perception of, and willingness to use the product were studied. Crop yield was significantly higher (p ≤ 0.05) in the Fortifer™ plots compared to the inorganic fertilizer plots for all the selected crops. Yield was 12% higher for tomato, 27% for rice and maize and 30% for pepper under the Fortifer™ plots. Farmers indicated that, nutrient content was the most important factor they consider when making fertilizer purchasing decision.

Carbon storage in cocoa growing systems across different agroecological zones in Ghana

Shade grown cocoa systems have been credited with stocking high quantities of carbon and therefore possess the potential to mitigate climate change and help achieve targets of the United Nations Collaborative Program on Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+). This study quantifies and compares carbon stored as well as estimated cocoa yields in two shade management types (i.e., shaded and full sun) across three agroecological zones: Dry Semi-Deciduous Fire Zone (DSFZ), Moist Evergreen Zone (MEZ) and Upland Evergreen Moist Zone (UEMZ) in Ghana. Results show that Soil organic carbon (SOC) stored decreased with increasing soil depth across all agroecological zones. Cocoa farms with shade trees stored 6 times more soil carbon (35.90±1.56 Mg C ha-1) compared to the full sun systems (5.98±1.56 Mg C ha-1). Carbon stocks in the DSFZ and the MEZ were 61.73±1.02 Mg C/ha and 67.46±1.02 Mg C ha-1 respectively whiles the UEMZ recorded 85.10 Mg C ha-1. Across agroecological zones, pod count in the UEMZ and the MEZ were similar but varied from that of the DSFZ, which recorded the least. Wilting of pods and cherrelles, was minimal and similar in the UMEZ and the MEZ but was significantly higher in the DSFZ. It is recommended that farmers should be encouraged through strong policies to adopt the integration of shade trees in the production of cocoa in Ghana to mitigate the effects of climate change.

Aflatoxins in randomly selected groundnuts (Arachis hypogaea) and its products from some local markets across Ghana: Human risk assessment and monitoring.

A random assessment and human risk analysis were conducted on 80 groundnut pastes and raw groundnuts from some local markets across the different agroecological zones of Ghana. Total aflatoxins (AFtotal) and aflatoxins (AFB1, AFB2, AFG1, and AFG2) were analyzed using the High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) method. Out of 80 samples investigated, 49 (61.25 %) tested positive for AFB1 and ranged from 0.38 ± 0.04-230.21 ± 22.14 μg/kg. The same proportion was recorded for total aflatoxins (AFtotal) and ranged between 0.38 ± 0.02-270.51 ± 23.14 μg/kg. Limits of AFB1 and total aflatoxins (AFtotal) for the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) (5 and 10 μg/kg) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) (2 and 4 μg/kg), were used as checks. A total of 33 (41.25 %) samples were above the limits for both. Risk assessments recorded for Estimated Daily Intake (EDI), Margin of Exposure (MOE), potency, cancer risk, and population risks ranged 0.087-0.380 μg/Kg.bw/day, 1052.630-4597.700, 0-0.00396 ng Aflatoxins kg-1bwday-1 and, 1.5 × 10-3 - 7.9 × 10-4 respectively for total aflatoxins. While for aflatoxins B1 (AFB1), ranges of values of 0.068-0.300 μg/Kg.bw/day, 1333.33-5882.35, 0-0.00396 ng aflatoxins kg/bw/day and, 1.19 × 10-3 - 6.34 × 10-4 corresponded for Estimated Daily Intake (EDI), Margin of Exposure (MOE), potency, cancer risk, and population risk respectively. There were risks of adverse health effects involved in the consumption of groundnuts for all age groups investigated since MOE values were all below 10,000.

Evaluating productivity gaps in maize production across different agroecological zones in Ghana

This paper evaluates the performance of maize farmers in three agroecological zones in Ghana. A metafrontier model is used to estimate the average technical efficiencies and maize productivty gaps across the agroecological zones. The results shows that land, labour and fertilizer significantly influence maize production. Managerial performance of farmers is influenced by land ownership, access to credit, monocropping, and participation in farmer based organisations across the agroecological zones. Additionally, the maize production technology in the Forest zone was found to be superior. Accordingly, farmers in Guinea Savanna and Transition zones can increase productivity by adopting prevailing improved technologies and good agronomic practices in the Forest zone. Such effort can be enhanced through increasing farmers' access to extension, credit, and participation in farmer based organisations.

Pyrrolizidine alkaloids in floral honeys of tropical Ghana: a health risk assessment

ABSTRACTThere is a vast amount of information about the nutritional and medicinal properties of honey as a result of its numerous benefits. However, honeys have been found to be contaminated with hepatotoxic and carcinogenic pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) on account of bees foraging on PA-containing plants. This study deals with the analysis of PAs in tropical honeys emanating from different agro-ecological zones of Ghana in order to assess its potential health risk. PAs of 48 honey samples were analysed using high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MS/MS). The results show that a total of 85% of the honeys from various agro-ecological zones were PA positive including all honeys from supermarkets. The highest concentration of PAs was 2639 μg kg−1, while the average PA concentration of the samples was 283 μg kg−1. The study also found Chromolaena odorata pollens in majority of the honeys, thus indicating the plant as major source of PA contamination of honeys in the tropical regions.

Morphological and molecular characterisation of Scutellonema species from yam (Dioscorea spp.) and a key to the species of the genus.

SummaryThe yam nematode, Scutellonema bradys, is a major threat to yam (Dioscorea spp.) production across yam-growing regions. In West Africa, this species cohabits with many morphologically similar congeners and, consequently, its accurate diagnosis is essential for control and for monitoring its movement. In the present study, 46 Scutellonema populations collected from yam rhizosphere and yam tubers in different agro-ecological zones in Ghana and Nigeria were characterised by their morphological features and by sequencing of the D2-D3 region of the 28S rDNA gene and the mitochondrial COI genes. Molecular phylogeny, molecular species delimitation and morphology revealed S. bradys, S. cavenessi, S. clathricaudatum and three undescribed species from yam rhizosphere. Only S. bradys was identified from yam tuber tissue, however. For barcoding and identifying Scutellonema spp., the most suitable marker used was the COI gene. Additionally, 99 new Scutellonema sequences were generated using populations obtained also from banana, carrot, maize and tomato, including the first for S. paralabiatum and S. clathricaudatum, enabling the development of a dichotomous key for identification of Scutellonema spp. The implications of these results are discussed.

Variability of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides Isolates the Causal Agent of Anthracnose Disease of Cassava and Yam Plants in Ghana

Cassava and yam plants are important staple foods of millions of people in the tropical world and provide food security in most parts of sub-Saharan Africa. Their production however is affected by anthracnose disease caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, (Penz.) Penz. and Sacc contributing to 30-70% economic loss in both crops. A study was carried out to determine if variations exist between isolates of C. gloeosporioides on the two crops occurring in different agro-ecological zones of Ghana. Anthracnose-diseased samples of cassava and yam plant parts (leaves and stem/vine) were collected from four agro-ecological zones of Ghana (Forest, Forest-Savannah Transition, Guinea and Coastal Savannah). Isolations of the causal organism C. gloeosporioides were made. The isolates were investigated on the basis of growth characteristics on Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA): presence or absence of setae, colour of cultures, dimensions of conidia. Pathogenicity of isolates was determined and molecular analysis conducted using Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD). Results showed both similarities and variations in cultural, morphological and growth characteristics of the pathogen. Isolates from yam caused pathogenic lesions on cassava and yam plant sections and vice versa. Forty-four isolates of C. gloeosporioides from cassava and yam compared by RAPD analysis grouped the isolates into three main clusters. Within two of the clusters are six polymorphic sub-groups relating to host and geographical origin. The different polymorphic sub-groups indicated that there are several sub-populations of C. gloeosporioides isolates, which either singly or in association, involved in the yam and cassava anthracnose infections in the field. Isolates from different ecological zones, with similar morphological features, clustering in a polymorphic sub-group suggest a common origin for some of them.

Assessment of Genetic Diversity in Pepper (Capsicum sp.) Landraces from Ghana Using Agro-morphological Characters

Aims: To examine the genetic diversity and relatedness among pepper accessions using agromorphological markers. Study Design: Augmented design with single rows of each genotype. Place and Duration of Study: Research field, CSIR-Savanna Agricultural Research Institute, Nyankpala-Tamale, Ghana, May to October, 2012. Methodology: Fifty local pepper genotypes from different agro-ecological zones in Ghana were characterized using 35 agro-morphological (11 quantitative and 24 qualitative) traits using standard descriptors for Capsicum sp. For quantitative traits, measurements were recorded on ten tagged plants and the mean value used while four tagged plants were scored for the qualitative traits. Results: The first three principal components accounted for 59.61% of the total genetic variance among the genotypes with the larger part of the variance explained by fruit pedicel width, fruit Original Research Article Agyare et al.; AJEA, 12(1): 1-16, 2016; Article no.AJEA.25186 2 weight, fruit length, plant height, stem diameter, fruit pedicel length and fruit width. For qualitative traits, the first three principal components contributed to 51.65% of the total genetic variance with leaf pubescence density, fruit position, calyx annular constriction and filament colour as the most important parameters. The study showed a great variation in fruit traits revealing six fruit shapes and four fruit colours. Fruit weight exhibited positive and significant correlations with yield components such as fruit length and fruit width. Conclusion: The study has shown that morphological markers are effective tools in studying genetic diversity in Capsicum species. This observed diversity among the pepper genotypes would therefore be used for improving pepper through hybridization and selection.

Abundance and Diversity of Insects Associated with Citrus Orchards in Two Different Agroecological Zones of Ghana

Abundance and Diversity of Insects Associated with Citrus Orchards in Two Different Agroecological Zones of Ghana

Caregivers’ nutrition knowledge and attitudes are associated with household food diversity and children’s animal source food intake across different agro-ecological zones in Ghana

Caregivers' nutrition knowledge and attitudes may influence the variety of foods available in the household and the quality of children's diets. To test the link, this study collected data on caregivers' (n 608) nutrition knowledge and feeding attitudes as well as the diets of their household and of their 2-5-year-old children in twelve rural communities nested in the three main agro-ecological zones of Ghana. Household foods and children's animal source foods (ASF) consumed in the past 7 d were categorised into one of fourteen and ten groups, respectively. About 28 % of caregivers believed that their children needed to be fed only 2-3 times/d. Reasons for having adult supervision during child meal times, feeding diverse foods, prioritising a child to receive ASF and the perceived child benefits of ASF differed across zones (P<0·001). Households with caregivers belonging to the highest tertile of nutrition knowledge and attitude scores consumed more diverse diets compared with those of caregivers in the lowest tertile group (11·2 (sd 2·2) v. 10·0 (sd 2·4); P<0·001). After controlling for the effect of agro-ecological zone, caregivers' nutrition knowledge and feeding attitudes positively predicted household dietary diversity and the frequency and diversity of children's ASF intakes (P<0·001). The number of years of formal education of caregivers also positively predicted household dietary diversity and children's ASF diversity (P<0·001). A key component to improving child nutrition is to understand the context-specific nutrition knowledge and feeding attitudes in order to identify relevant interventions.

Variations in Oil Content and Biodiesel Yield of Jatropha Curcas from Different Agro-Ecological Zones of Ghana

Jatropha curcas is a perennial, deciduous, shrub, which produces seeds rich in oil that is easily convertible into biodiesel. The major constraint in achieving higher biodiesel yield of J. curcas is insufficient information about its climatic variability. The objective of the current work therefore was to evaluate the oil content and biodiesel yield of J.curcas from different climatic conditions in Ghana. Jatropha seeds were collected from six different agro-ecological zones of Ghana. Oil from each sample was obtained by employing soxhlet extraction using n-hexane. Base-catalyzed transesterification reaction was used to transform the oil into biodiesel. The free fatty acid content and moisture content of the jatropha oil and its biodiesel were determined according to the Association of Official Analytical Chemist method. The seed moisture content ranged from 6.00 to 8.40%, free fatty acid ranged from 2.79 to 4.96% and the oil content ranged from 44.20 to 49.70%. The biodiesel yield ranged from 82 to 90%. The least value was recorded in the Evergreen forest zone whilst the highest value was recorded in the Transition Savanah zone. Climatic condition based on rainfall, seed moisture content and free fatty acid characters studied presented highly negative correlation with biodiesel yield. It can therefore be concluded that in selecting seeds for either biodiesel production or for plantation establishment, selection should be geared towards minimal values for these parameters studied which automatically raise the biodiesel yield in J. curcas seeds. The results of this study could provide the development of active bioenergy enterprise that aim at biodiesel production from J. curcas plant in Ghana.

A Review of the Epidemiology of Gastrointestinal Nematode Infections in Sheep and Goats in Ghana

In this paper, the gastrointestinal nematode parasites infecting small ruminants (sheep and goats) in Ghana and the epidemiological factors influencing their prevalence are reviewed and discussed. Twelve nematode species belonging to six families have been reported to infect these livestock in the country with Haemonchus contortus being the most prevalent helminth parasite in both animals. Parasitic gastroenteritis is caused by mixed infection of several nematode species. Management /husbandry practices, climate and host influence are found to be the main factors that affect gastrointestinal nematode infections in sheep and goats. Seasonal changes in the level of infective strongylate nematode larvae on pasture in the different agro-ecological zones of Ghana are reviewed. The number of infective larvae on pasture is reported to be directly related to the pattern of rainfall. Consequently, rainfall could be relied on to predict the rate of transmission of infection in grazing animals. Finally, the relevance of epidemiological knowledge in the development of efficient measures for controlling gastrointestinal nematode infections in sheep and goats in Ghana is discussed.

Numerical Taxonomy and Morphological Variation of Cultivated Okra Species (&lt;i&gt;Abelmoschus Esculentus&lt;/i&gt; and &lt;i&gt;A. Caillei&lt;/i&gt;) in Ghana

A numerical taxonomic study was conducted to investigate the patterns of morphological and phenological variations in 45 okra accessions from different agroecological zones of Ghana dur-ing the rainy season of 2005. The results of the study showed that there were two main phenetic groupings of okra accessions in Ghana based on both 14 quantitative and 17 qualitative mor-phological and phenological characteristics. These two phenetic groupings could be tentatively linked to the taxonomic descriptions of A. esculentus and A. caillei accessions. Morphological and phenological characters like stem diameter, leaf length, petiole length, fruit positions and days to flower opening were identified as diagnostic characters that could be used to separate okra accessions in Ghana into A. esculentus and A. caillei. The study also indicated that there was a weak agroecological adaptation among the 45 okra accessions and therefore agroecologi-cal origins of the various accessions could not be used as one of the criteria in the development okra core collection in Ghana.

Influence of variety and growth environment on β-amylase activity of flour from sweet potato ( Ipomea batatas)

In order to select a suitable Ghanaian variety of sweet potato as enzyme source for the production of glucose syrups, four varieties of sweet potatoes – Sauti, Santom pona, Faara and Okumkom – cultivated in two different agro-ecological zones of Ghana were evaluated for β-amylase activity. Faara and Okumkom varieties harvested at 5 months maturity from the forest zone showed the highest β-amylase activity and consequently the most suitable potential enzyme source for the hydrolysis of starchy materials in glucose syrup production. Enhancing β-amylase levels in sweet potatoes has potential cost efficiency advantages in glucose syrup production.

Evaluation of sweetpotato for early maturity across different agro-ecological zones in Ghana

Multilocational trials were conducted in the coastal savanna, forest and forest/savanna agro-ecologies of Ghana in 1996 and 1997 to identify early-maturing sweetpotato varieties. Seven genotypes (including a local check) were evaluated in five locations. Plants were sampled for tuber yields and other characteristics at 3, 4, 5 and 6 months after planting (MAP). Sweetpotato is normally harvested at 4 MAP, so the fresh and dry tuber yields and biomass production of the genotypes at 3 MAP gave an indication of their early -maturity potential especially when compared with the yields of the local variety (the check) at 4 MAP. Using these criteria, TIS 8266, TIS 84/0320, TIS 86/0350, TIS 3017, Sauti and Dugbadza were identified as early-maturing in the coastal savanna agro-ecology. In the forest agro-ecology, all the genotypes except TIS 86/0350 were also early maturing. In the forest/savanna transition zone, there were no significant tuber yield differences between the genotypes at 3 MAP and the local variety (Local Red) at 4 MAP. Similar results were obtained with the dry tuber yields and biomass production in the three agro-ecologies. They could, therefore, be considered as early maturing. Percent dry matter in all genotypes were high from the earliest to the latest harvesting (three to six months after planting) in all agro-ecologies. Key Words: Ghana, harvest index, Ipomoea batatus, maturity period, tuber yield (African Crop Science Journal 2001 9(1): 25-32)

Structural Adjustment and Economic Efficiency of Rice Farmers in Northern Ghana

Structural Adjustment and Economic Efficiency of Rice Farmers in Northern Ghana