Journal and Journal Articles: Recent submissions

Now showing items 661-680 of 5266

    • Field efficacy of two atoxigenic biocontrol products for mitigation of aflatoxin contamination in maize and groundnut in Ghana 

      Agbetiameh, D.; Ortega-Beltran, A.; Awuah, R.T.; Atehnkeng, J.; Elzein, A.; Cotty, P.J.; Bandyopadhyay, R. (2020-11)
      Biological control is one of the recommended methods for aflatoxin mitigation. Biocontrol products must be developed, and their efficacy demonstrated before widespread use. Efficacy of two aflatoxin biocontrol products, Aflasafe GH01 and Aflasafe GH02, were evaluated in 800 maize and groundnut farmers’ fields during 2015 and 2016 in the Ashanti, Brong Ahafo, Northern, Upper East, and Upper West regions of Ghana. Both products were developed after an extensive examination of fungi associated with ...

    • CRISPR/Cas9-based genome editing of banana for disease resistance 

      Tripathi, L.; Ntui, V.O.; Tripathi, J.N. (2020-08)
      Banana production is severely constrained by many pathogens and pests, particularly where a number of them are co-existing. The use of disease-resistant banana varieties is one of the most effective ways to mitigate the negative impacts of pathogens on banana production. Recent advances in new breeding techniques have the potential to accelerate breeding of banana for disease resistance. The CRISPR/Cas9 based genome editing has emerged as the most powerful tool for crop improvement due to its ...

    • Performance analysis of an improved solar dryer integrated with multiple metallic solar concentrators for drying fruits 

      Ssemwanga, M.; Makule, E.; Kayondo, S.I. (2020-07-01)
      Reducing postharvest losses (PHL) of fresh perishable agro-produce is a key strategic pathway to increasing incomes, food and nutrition security in East Africa. In response, an improved Hybrid Indirect Passive (HIP) solar dryer with a modified solar collector plate and drying cabinet, has been developed and presented as a better food drying alternative against the traditional open sun drying (OSD) method. A conventional active-mode Solar Photovoltaic and Electric (SPE) dryer with an auxiliary ...

    • Assessing countrywide soil organic carbon stock using hybrid machine learning modelling and legacy soil data in Cameroon 

      Silatsa, F.B.; Yemefack, M.; Tabi, F.O.; Heuvelink, G.B.; Leenaars, J.G. (2020-05-15)
      Countrywide estimates of soil organic carbon stock (SOCS) are useful to set up national strategies for sustainable land use management as well as to enhance the accuracy of global SOCS inventories. We appraised the spatial distribution of SOCS at five depth layers (0–15 cm, 15–30 cm, 30–100 cm, 0–30 cm and 0–100 cm) in Cameroon at 100 m spatial resolution, using a national harmonized legacy soil database (Camsodat 0.1) with 1432 georeferenced soil profiles. We assessed the prediction performances ...

    • Genotype x environment interactions of yield of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp) inbred lines in the Guinea and Sudan Savanna ecologies of Ghana 

      Owusu, E.Y.; Amegbor, I.K.; Mohammed, H.; Kusi, F.; Atopkle, I.; Sie, E.K.; Ishahku, M.; Zakaria, M.; Iddrisu, S.; Kendey, H.A.; Boukar, O.; Fatokun, C.; Nutsugah, S.K. (2020-06-08)
      The variable cowpea productivity across different environments demands evaluating the performance of genotypes in a breeding program prior to their release. The aim of this study was to assess yield stability of eight cowpea advanced breeding lines selected from participatory varietal selection in multilocational trials, and to identify mega-environments for cowpea production in Ghana. The genotypes were evaluated across five environments in 2016 and 2017 in randomized complete block design with ...

    • Developing the role of legumes in west Africa under climate change 

      Paliwal, R.; Abberton, M.; Faloye, B.; Olaniyi, O. (2020-08)
      West Africa is faced with significant challenges from climate change, including parts of the region becoming hotter with more variable rainfall. The Sahelian region in particular is already subject to severe droughts. To address this better adapted crop varieties (such as for cowpea) are clearly a central element, a complementary one is a greater use of resilient alternative crops especially underutilized legumes particularly Bambara groundnut, African yam bean, winged bean and Kersting’s groundnut. ...

    • Sustainable food production in Africa: turning African Countries into development catalysts, food reservoirs and exporters 

      Oyekanmi, E.; Coyne, D.; Fawole, B.; Adeoye, G. (2020)
      The myriad of challenges facing Africa, were considered in this paper, which include the nagging triplet problems of poverty, hunger and diseases. Africa is prominent in the world hunger map of Food and Agriculture Organization. Therefore, this paper identified poorly tapped natural and human resources, uneconomically viable policies and poor management as some of the banes of Africa’ setback. This work proffered proactive solutions to freeing Africa from the triplet perennial problems of poverty, ...

    • Differentiated Neogene bauxitization of volcanic rocks (western Cameroon): morpho-geological constraints on chemical erosion 

      Momo, M.N.; Beauvais, A.; Tematio, P.; Yemefack, M. (2020-11)
      Lateritic weathering of Miocene volcanic rocks from western Cameroon highlands formed duricrusted bauxitic profiles. Two weathering profiles on ca. 14 Ma basalt and ca. 16 Ma trachyte were studied using geochemical mass balance functions. Less mobile elements Ti and Zr were used as references to quantify volumetric change (strain, ε), element transfer rate (τ) and geochemical mass transfers during the bauxitization process of basalt and trachyte. Conversion of parent rocks to kaolinite and goethite ...

    • Maize–soybean intercropping effect on yield productivity, weed control and diversity in northern Ghana 

      Berdjour, A.; Dugje, I.Y.; Dzomeku, I.K.; Rahman, N.A. (2020-06-29)
      The cereal–legume cropping system is a common practice across the tropical world. However, there are limited quantitative data on the effect of cereal–legume intercropping on weed species diversity. A study was conducted in the Guinea savanna zone of Ghana to evaluate the effect of maize–soybean intercropping on yield productivity and weed species control. The treatments used include three maize maturity types (extra‐early: Abontem, early: Sammaz 27 and medium: Obatanpa) intercropped with soybean ...

    • Improving root characterisation for genomic prediction in cassava 

      Yonis, B.O.; del Carpio, D.P.; Wolfe, M.; Jannink, J.L.; Kulakow, P.; Rabbi, I. (2020-05-14)
      Cassava is cultivated due to its drought tolerance and high carbohydrate-containing storage roots. The lack of uniformity and irregular shape of storage roots poses constraints on harvesting and post-harvest processing. Here, we phenotyped the Genetic gain and offspring (C1) populations from the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) breeding program using image analysis of storage root photographs taken in the field. In the genome-wide association analysis (GWAS), we detected for ...

    • Review of solar dryers for agricultural products in Asia and Africa: an innovation landscape approach 

      Udomkun, P.; Romuli, S.; Schock, S.; Mahayothee, B.; Sartas, M.; Wossen, T.; Njukwe, E.; Vanlauwe, B.; Müller, J. (2020-08-15)
      Solar drying is one of the most efficient and cost-effective, renewable, and sustainable technologies to conserve agricultural products in Asian and sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries. This review paper presents the different types of solar dryers that are widely used in Africa and Asia. In addition, the pre-eminent effects of their use on product quality, as well as their economic, environmental, and social impacts, are highlighted. Since financial, external, and structural factors play a key ...

    • Identification of sources of resistance in cowpea mini core accessions to Aphis craccivora Koch (Homoptera: Aphididae) and their biochemical characterization 

      Togola, A.; Boukar, O.; Servent, A.; Chamarthi, S.; Tamo, M.; Fatokun, C. (2020-05-17)
      Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L. Walp) is an important grain legume for human and livestock nutrition, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. Aphid, Aphis craccivora Koch (Homoptera: Aphididae), is one of the most widespread and destructive insect pests of cowpea and host-plant resistance is an effective approach to minimize the pest damage at seedling stage. This study was aimed at identifying resistant sources to A. craccivora within the cowpea mini core collection, a set of accessions from the largest ...

    • Global priorities of environmental issues to combat food insecurity and biodiversity loss 

      Scherer, L.; Svenning, J.C.; Huang, J.; Seymour, C.; Sandel, B.; Mueller, N.; Kummu, M.; Bekunda, M.; Bruelheide, H.; Hochman, Z.; Siebert, S.; Rueda, O.; van Bodegom, P.M. (2020-08-15)
      Various environmental challenges are rapidly threatening ecosystems and societies globally. Major interventions and a strategic approach are required to minimize harm and to avoid reaching catastrophic tipping points. Setting evidence-based priorities aids maximizing the impact of the limited resources available for environmental interventions. Focusing on protecting both food security and biodiversity, international experts prioritized major environmental challenges for intervention based on three ...

    • Chemical, functional and pasting properties of starches and flours from new yam compared to local varieties 

      Effah-Manu, L.; Wireko-Manu, F.D.; Agbenorhevi, J.K.; Maziya-Dixon, B.; Oduro, I. (2022)
      The potential uses of starches and flours depend on their physicochemical and functional properties. The chemical composition, functional and pasting properties of starch and flours obtained from some newly developed yam varieties from the Crops Research Institute (CRI), Ghana were evaluated, and compared with the existing local varieties. The results showed that the physicochemical and functional properties varied among the varieties studied. The CRI varieties were grouped in a principal component ...

    • Antiviral and cytotoxic activity of different plant parts of banana (Musa spp.) 

      Panda, S.K.; Castro, A.H.F.; Jouneghani, R.S.; Leyssen, P.,; Neyts, J.; Swennen, R.; Luyten, W. (2020-05-15)
      Chikungunya and yellow fever virus cause vector-borne viral diseases in humans. There is currently no specific antiviral drug for either of these diseases. Banana plants are used in traditional medicine for treating viral diseases such as measles and chickenpox. Therefore, we tested selected banana cultivars for their antiviral but also cytotoxic properties. Different parts such as leaf, pseudostem and corm, collected separately and extracted with four different solvents (hexane, acetone, ethanol, ...

    • Characterization of some fungal pathogens causing anthracnose disease on yam in Cross River State, Nigeria 

      Okon, N.I.; Markson, A.A.A.; Okon, E.I.; Ita, E.E.; Uyoh, E.A.; Ene-Obong, E.O.E.; Ntui, V.O. (2022)
      Yam anthracnose is one of the most serious fungal diseases affecting white and water yam production. Screening of available landraces for new sources of durable resistance to the pathogen is a continuous process. In the present study, the pathogens causing anthracnose in Dioscorea alata and Dioscorea rotundata farms in Cross River State yam belt region were characterized. Diseased yam leaves with anthracnose symptoms collected from the farms were used in the isolation, purification and, identification ...

    • Effects of traditional processing techniques on the nutritional and microbiological quality of four edible insect species used for food and feed in east Africa 

      Nyangena, D.N.; Mutungi, C.; Imathiu, S.; Kinyuru, J.; Affognon, H.; Ekesi, S.; Nakimbugwe, D.; Fiaboe, K.K. (2020-05-04)
      Edible insects are increasingly being considered as food and feed ingredients because of their rich nutrient content. Already, edible insect farming has taken-off in Africa, but quality and safety concerns call for simple, actionable hazard control mechanisms. We examined the effects of traditional processing techniques—boiling, toasting, solar-drying, oven-drying, boiling + oven-drying, boiling + solar-drying, toasting + oven-drying, toasting + solar-drying—on the proximate composition and ...

    • Maize production under combined conservation agriculture and integrated soil fertility management in the sub-humid and semi-arid regions of Kenya 

      Mutuku, E.A.; Roobroeck, D.; Vanlauwe, B.; Boeckx, P.; Cornelis, W.M. (2020-09-01)
      Crop production in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is constrained by rainfall variability and declining soil fertility. This has over time led to a decrease in crop yield, among them also maize. This decrease is also experienced in the sub-humid and semi-arid locations of Kenya. Among the commonly used soil and water management practices in SSA are Conservation Agriculture (CA) and integrated soil fertility management (ISFM). Crop response to these management practices is influenced by the existence of ...

    • Spatial-temporal trends of rainfall, maximum and minimum temperatures over west Africa 

      Muthoni, F. (2020-05-25)
      This article investigates the magnitude and significance of spatial-temporal trends of 37 years' time series of the gridded data for rainfall, maximum (Tmax) and minimum (Tmin) temperature for West Africa. A modified Mann-Kendall test and Theil-Sen's slope estimator were utilized to test the significance and the magnitude of trends, respectively. The magnitude of significant trends for three variables between six agroecological zones (AEZs) was compared. Gridded climate data represented gauge data ...

    • Motivational factors influencing farming practices in northern Ghana 

      Mellon-Bedi, S.; Descheemaeker, K.; Hundie-Kotu, B.; Frimpong, S.; Groot, J.C.J. (2020-12)
      Socio-economic factors that influence the adoption of management practices and technologies by farmers have received wide attention in the adoption literature, but the effects of socio-psychological farmer features such as perceptions and motivations have been analysed to a lesser extent. Using farm household survey data from three regions in northern Ghana, this study explores farmers’ motivations and perceived adoption impediments for three sustainable intensification practices (SIPs): improved ...