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Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) yield and financial return can be negatively affected by weeds and the combination of early leaf spot disease [ Passalora arachidicola (Hori) U. Braun] and late leaf spot disease [ Nothopassalora personata (Berk. & M.A. Curtis) U. Braun, C. Nakash., Videira & Crous] in Ghana. Research was conducted in southern Ghana to evaluate hand-weeding, herbicide applied preemergence (PRE) or herbicide applied postemergence (POST), a combination of PRE and POST herbicides, and PRE or POST herbicides supplemented with hand-weeding and disease management practices (i.e., no fungicide or a two sequential fungicide applications 45 and 60 days after planting). Although some differences in leaf spot severity were observed based on weed management, peanut pod yield and financial return based on yield and cost of pest management practices were affected by weed management and disease management practices individually but not the interaction of these treatment factors. The weed management practices with the highest financial return included a POST herbicide with or without hand weeding and a PRE herbicide followed by hand-weeding or a POST herbicide.

Two field experiments were conducted for two cropping seasons at the Multipurpose Crop Nursery of the Akenten Appiah-Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development Mampong-Ashanti, from August to November, 2015and June to September, 2016 to determine the response of cabbage (Brassica oleracea var capitata) to organic and inorganic fertilizers on growth, yield and incidence of insect pest. The experimental design used for the field experiment was a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The treatments were: poultry manure (20 t ha-1) + Cypermetrine (30 l ha-1), cow dung (20 t ha-1) + Cypermetrine (30 l ha-1), N.P.K (15:15:15) (300 kg) + Cypermetrine (30 lha-1), foliar + Cypermetrine (30 l ha-1), poultry manure (20 t ha-1) + neem leaf extract, cow dung (20 t ha-1) + neem leaf extract, N.P.K (15:15:15)(300 kg) + neem leaf extract, foliar + neem leaf extract and the control (no fertilizer and no insecticide). The result revealed that the application of organic manure (poultry manure and cow dung) and inorganic fertilization is a better option for soil fertility enhancement in cabbage production.High percentage crop establishment (>95%) was achieved across treatments with NPK + Cypermetrine, poultry manure + neem, N.P.K (15:15:15) + Neem or Foliar fertilizer + neem achieving 100% crop establishment. The application of Cow dung+ NLE produced the highest number of open leaves in both seasons. Application of poultry manure and N.P.K combined with Cypermetrine significantly improved head weight and cabbage yield.Application of poultry manure combined with Cypermetrine or neem leaf extract produced earliest head initiation and widest head diameter.In conclusion cabbage growers are encouraged to use poultry manure at 20 t ha-1 and N.P.K (15:15:15) (300 kg) combined with Cypermetrine at 30 l ha -1 and neem leaf extract for the improvement of cabbage growth, yield and incidence of insect pest.

Postharvest rot due to injury is a major contributing factor to the declining quality of stored seed yams (Dioscorea spp.). Among the several known injuries, the piercing effect of speargrass rhizomes has become a serious constraint for yam production in Ghana. The objective of this study was to assess injuries on seed yams resulting from piercing of speargrass rhizomes and their effects on postharvest rots in Ghana. Eighty farmer fields from Mem, Watro, Asanteboa and Abour in the Atebubu-Amantin Municipal in the Bono East Region of Ghana were screened for speargrass incidence and injury on harvested tubers, for laboratory analysis of pathogens in 2016 and 2017. The tubers were sorted into four categories of seed yam based on weight. Thirty seed yams each of two selected white yam cultivars (Dente and Kpamyo) with visible speargrass rhizome-pierced-tubers (VSRPT) and non-speargrass rhizome pierced healthy tubers (NSRPHT) were randomly selected and stored in a ban for weekly assessment of rot. The rotten tissues from the localised area of VPSRT were subjected to pathological investigations in the laboratory. The incidence of injury seemingly increased with increasing tuber weight. It was 0% for < 100 g samples and averagely 14% for > 1 kg samples, irrespective of cultivars and locations. Incidence of rot from NSRPHT sample was observed 5 weeks after storage (WAS) for both cultivars; and 2 WAS from the VSRPT sample and 40% higher than NSRPHT at 8 WAS. Eight and six known rot pathogens were isolated from the rotten tissues of VSRPT of Dente and Kpamyo, respectively. Injury from the piercing of speargrass rhizome significantly contributed to hastening of tuber rots; while tuber injury increased with increasing speargrass density. Appropriate management of speargrass is essential for commercial seed yam growers to reduce tuber damage which affects yam quality, storage and marketing. Key words: Dioscorea, postharvest, rot pathogen, speargrass rhizome

New technologies combined with improved genetics and farmer access are important components required to improve productivity and efficiencies of cropping systems. The ability of the public and private sector to provide these components to farmers often vary considerably and can be challenging because of limited resource allocation and investment in institutions designed to provide these services. Partnerships among national programs where resources are limited and external entities can provide an effective platform to deliver improved cultivars and production and pest management practices that increase crop yield and economic viability of resource-poor farmers. In this note, we describe a partnership between the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research-Crops Research Institute (CSIR-CRI) in Ghana, the International Center for Research in the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), the US Agency for International Development Peanut Collaborative Research Support Program (USAID Peanut CRSP), the Feed the Future Innovation Lab on Peanut Productivity and Mycotoxin Control (PMIL), and North Carolina State University (NCSU) that resulted in the release of two ICRISAT-derived lines as cultivars to farmers in Ghana. The cultivars Otuhia (Arachis hypogaea L.) and Yenyawoso (Arachis hypogaea L.) were released by CSIR-CRI in 2012 following evaluations of breeding lines beginning in 1999. This case study provides insight into the research focus and timeline that occurred with this partnership during the research and development process. A portion of the data obtained to support release of these cultivars is provided.

The agronomic response of four tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) varieties to fertilizer application was examined at the CSIR-Crops Research Institute, Kwadaso-Kumasi in the Forest agro-ecological zone of Ghana during the 2013 growing season. The four tomato varieties Shasta, Heinz, CRI POO and CRI 034 were evaluated on five different fertilizer types using a split plot arrangements in randomized complete block design with three replications. The Tomato varieties were the main plots, with the fertilizer treatments as the subplots. The CSIR-CRI breeding lines (CRI P00 and CRI P034) were able to yield higher than the exotic varieties. Using Winner fertilizer (6 g/plant at two weeks after transplanting (WAT) ) and Sulfan (3 g/plant at 4 WAT) CRI P00 produced the highest yield (26.4 t/ha) followed by chicken manure (250 g/plant at 2 and 4 WAT) (23.1 t/ha). CRI P00 with Winner + Sulfan fertilizer application also produced significantly (p≤0.05) higher fruit yield (26.4 t/ha). Fertilizer application however did not have any significant effect on the days to flowering over the control.Fertilizer application however, increased the number of branching for the tomato plants with Unik15 + Urea having significantly more branches compared to the control. Results from this study showed that tomato yields in the Forest zones in Ghana can be increased using improved varieties and recommended fertilizer rates.

Soil arthropods cause kernel and pod damage and can lower yields of peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) in Ghana, West Africa. On-station and on-farm experiments were conducted during 2007 and 2008 at Kwadaso and Hiawoannwu, respectively, using an improved peanut cultivar/line RRR-ICGU 88709 in a soil arthropod pests management trial. The trial included four treatments, i.e. chlorpyrifos (Dursban™) insecticide as a standard, three levels of granulated sugar as baits, and an untreated control. Soil arthropod pests observed in peanut plots during both years from the two locations were white grubs, millipedes, symphilids, termites, earwigs, and red ants while predators included centipedes and black ants. Termites and red ants were the predominant arthropod pests and predatory black ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) exceeded that of centipedes (Myriapoda: Chilopoda) in the two trial locations. The proportion of unfilled pods was high in the two locations during both years. Generally, the population of centipedes was lo...

This paper uses cross-sectional data collected from 126 small scale tomato farmers in the forest, forest-savannah transition and the guinea savannah agro-ecological zones in 2011 to examine the characteristics of tomato based producing households in Ghana. It involved a description of the demographic characteristics of sampled farmers and an investigation of the production practices. This study further investigated the determinants of technical efficiency in tomato production among small scale farmers in Ghana. Descriptive statistics was used to present the characteristics of tomato producing households and the stochastic frontier analysis was used to estimate the determinants of technical efficiency and the inefficiency effect models. Results indicated that majority of the sampled tomato farmers were males. Almost half of the farmers had formal education at least up to the basic level. Almost half of the farmers cultivated tomato in both the major and minor seasons. Most of the varieties cultivated are exotic. Pests and diseases were predominant on the farms of majority of the sampled households. Consequently the use of pesticide to control pests and diseases is very common among sampled household. Our analysis further suggests average technical efficiency of 85.4%. In addition, factors such as extension services, land, frequency of weeding and fertilizer positively influenced technical efficiency of tomato farmers. Conversely, factors such as pesticide, labour and the frequency of pesticide application had negative effects on technical efficiency. The findings reveal the need for an effective and sustainable integrated approach to pest and weed management to enhance technical efficiency and productivity in tomato production. Key words: Tomato, production practice, technical efficiency, stochastic frontier production function, pests, diseases, Ghana.

A survey to document peanut farmers' weed management practices was conducted in the Ashanti, Brong Ahafo, Eastern, and Volta regions of Ghana, West Africa during 2001. Peanut was planted as the only crop in 64% of fields surveyed. Land preparation method was related to land tenure system. The slash and burn system constituted 72% of farmers surveyed. In Brong Ahafo region, 80% of the farmers planted on ridges while peanut was planted flat primarily in the Volta region. Planting flat or on ridges was variable in Ashanti and Eastern regions. Cogongrass [Imperata cylindrical (L.) Beauv.] was ranked as the worst weed by 41% of farmers. Wild poinsettia (Euphorbia heterophylla L.) was ranked second by 38% of farmers. Difficulty in weeding, interference with peanut, rapid growth, and profuse seeding were reasons given by farmers for ranking these weeds as the two most pernicious in Ghana. Weed control was perceived as poor by 65% of farmers, fair by 24% of farmers, and good by 12% of farmers. Sixty-nine...

Ninety farmers from three villages in the Ejura-Sekyedumasi district of the Ashanti Region of Ghana were surveyed during September 2003 to determine practices used to produce peanut. Surve...

A survey was conducted during 1999 and 2001 in Ashanti, Brong Ahafo, Eastern, and Volta regions of Ghana, West Africa, to identify nematode pests of peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.). Information from the survey is being used to formulate appropriate integrated pest management (IPM) strategies for peanut production in these regions. Ten genera of plant parasitic nematodes belonging to three Orders were identified. Population density and distribution of genera varied in the four peanut-growing regions. Six genera, Helicotylenchus, Meloidogyne (juveniles), Paratrichodorus, Pratylenchus, Rotylenchulus, and Xiphinema were found in all four regions. Hoplolaimus was found only in the Eastern region. Trichodorus and Tylenchorhynchus were absent from Ashanti and Brong Ahafo regions but present in Eastern and Volta regions. Nematode genus Rhignema of the Order Rhigonematida was isolated from millipedes sampled from the rhizosphere of peanut. Twenty-one peanut cultivars and experimental lines were assembled fro...

A study was conducted to determine the prevalence of Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) and Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) in some major tomato growing areas in Ghana as part of a comprehensive strategy for the management of viral diseases on tomato. The lateral flow immunoassay technique (the immunostrip test of Agdia Inc.) was used to assay for TMV and CMV in samples with symptoms of virus infection collected from some major tomato growing areas in Ghana; Vea, Tono and Pwalugu (Upper East region-UE), Agogo and Akumadan (Ashanti region-AR) and Tanoso and Tuobodom (Brong-Ahafo region-BA) in 2011 and 2012. In the UE, TMV and CMV were both detected at Vea, Tono and Pwalugu. In the AR, CMV and TMV were both detected at Akumadan while only CMV was detected at Agogo. In BA, TMV and CMV were both detected at Tanoso and Tuobodom. Field incidence of TMV was higher in the UE which had higher average daily temperatures. The serological identification of TMV in the three regions is the first of this virus in Ghana. This is also the first report of the use of this lateral flow immunoassay technique to detect these viruses in the country. The identification of TMV and CMV in Ghana gives an indication of the need to focus efforts for virus disease management on these virus in addition to the already known begomoviruses like Tomato yellow leaf curl Mali virus (TYLCMV)(Delete), Tomato leaf curl Kumasi virus and Tomato leaf curl Ghana virus.