ABSTRACT Field experiment was conducted on naturally Striga hermonthica infested field in the Kassena-Nankana East District of the Upper East Region during the 2018 cropping season. This was to investigate effects of Striga tolerant pearl millet varieties intercropped with cowpea on S. hermonthica, crop yield and yield components. The study was a 4 x 3 factorial experiment consisting of four pearl millet varieties (Akad kom, Kaanati, Naad kohblug and Waapp naara) and three cropping patterns (...
ABSTRACT Drought stress and striga parasitism are major constraints to maize (Zea mays L.) production in Northern Ghana. Two experiments were conducted to screen some genotypes of maize for tolerance to drought and Striga hermonthica at Nyankpala in the Guinea Savanna agro ecological zone of Ghana. In Experiment 1, seeds were planted in pots of 0.01 m3 volume arranged in rows on a platform in a screen house at Nyankpala. Genotypes were replicated three times in a completely randomized desig...
ABSTRACT The pulse beetle, Callosobruchus maculatus (F.) is a key pest to stored cowpea. There is limited information on host plant resistance management of this pest on cowpea in Northern Ghana. A laboratory experiment was conducted to test for varietal resistance of some improved varieties against this pest in cowpea. The experiment was laid out in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD). Seven varieties of cowpea namely; Padi-tuya, Songotra, Apagbaala, Zaayura, Bawutawuta, Marfo-tuya and a lo...
ABSTRACT Anthracnose is the most serious leaf and vine epiphytotic disease of yam that causes yield loss. Severe infection results in vine dieback, defoliation, and tuber rot. Aqueous extracts of Azadirachta indica A Jus seed (Neem tree seed), Jatropha curcas ( L) seed (Jatropha plant seed) and Nicotiana tabacum (L) leaf (Tobacco plant leaf) extracts were evaluated for the control of anthracnose disease of yam (Dioscorea rotundata Poir). The pathogen was isolated, identified and its growth w...
ABSTRACT The use of cassava stems as planting materials is limited by scarcity, poor quality, high cost and inappropriate field techniques (land preparation, planting spacing, and field maintenance). To enhance the supply of stem for planting cassava varieties, the existing production practices were evaluated and techniques for increasing the number and quality of cassava planting materials were investigated. Seventy-four cassava farms, purposively selected in 11 major cassava growing S...
Stem borers are among the major biotic stresses limiting the grain yield of maize, an important cereal crop in Africa. Breeding for multiple resistance to maize stem borers has been reported to be a promising method of control. Understanding the genetic variability of crop populations will help in improving them for pest resistance. Thus, genetic variability for dual resistance to two stem borer species were determined in a white (DMR ESR-W) and a yellow (DMR ESR-Y) maize populations to ...
ABSTRACT Successful land management for tree crop production requires good knowledge of the soil variation and suitability for specific tree crops. Most of the traditional rubber growing areas in Nigeria have not been evaluated for their suitability and production potential. Characterisation and evaluation of the land for rubber production was therefore conducted. Soils of two rubber producing areas: Iyanomo, Edo State and Akwete, Abia State were characterised and evaluated using local, Unite...
ABSTRACT Stem borers are among the major biotic stresses limiting the grain yield of maize, an important cereal crop in Africa. Breeding for multiple resistance to maize stem borers has been reported to be a promising method of control. Understanding the genetic variability of crop populations will help in improving them for pest resistance. Thus, genetic variability for dual resistance to two stem borer species were determined in a white (DMR ESR-W) and a yellow (DMR ESR-Y) maize populations...
ABSTRACT Use of single soil specific extractants to determine plant available phosphorus and exchangeable potassium for crops such as bell pepper, are costly, laborious and time wasting. Bell pepper, rich in antioxidants, requires phosphorus and potassium for high quality fruit yield. Mehlich-3 (M3), a multi-purpose extractant could extract phosphorus and potassium simultaneously. However, M3 has not been evaluated and adapted for Nigerian soils. Therefore, M3 as a multi-purpose extractant of...
ABSTRACT Pepper a perishable seasonal fruit, requires storage to extend its shelf-life. Appropriate postharvest handling and storage prolong longevity and preserve quality of Pepper Fruit (PF). However, there is dearth of information on its handling and storage in Southwest Nigeria. Therefore, the effects of postharvest handling methods and storage conditions on storability of PF were investigated. Two hundred Pepper Fruit Marketers (PFM) were randomly selected from pepper markets in Ibadan, ...
ABSTRACT Soil erosion is a major threat to sustainable agriculture in the humid tropics. Management practices adopted to control soil erosion and improve soil quality include mulching and the use of Vetiver Grass Strips (VGS). Integrating VGS with mulch could be more effective in controlling soil erosion than VGS or mulching alone. However, information on the effectiveness of combined utilisation of VGS and Vetiver Mulch (VM) in controlling soil erosion and improving crop yield is scanty. The...
ABSTRACT A field experiment was carried out at the Federal University of Technology Teaching and Research Farm, Owerri, to ascertain the responses of Cucumber (Cucumis sativus) to poultry manure and NPK fertilizers during the 2013 cropping season. The experiment was laid out as a 3x3 factorial in Randomized Complete Block Design replicated three times. The treatments were: poultry manure rates of 0, 5 and 10 ton/ha while N.P.K. rates were 0,200 and 400 kg/ha. Data on various growth and y...
Successful land management for tree crop production requires good knowledge of the soil variation and suitability for specific tree crops. Most of the traditional rubber growing areas in Nigeria have not been evaluated for their suitability and production potential. Characterisation and evaluation of the land for rubber production was therefore conducted. Soils of two rubber producing areas: Iyanomo, Edo State and Akwete, Abia State were characterised and evaluated using local, United St...
Stem borers are among the major biotic stresses limiting the grain yield of maize, an important cereal crop in Africa. Breeding for multiple resistance to maize stem borers has been reported to be a promising method of control. Understanding the genetic variability of crop populations will help in improving them for pest resistance. Thus, genetic variability for dual resistance to two stem borer species were determined in a white (DMR ESR-W) and a yellow (DMR ESR-Y) maize populations to ...
Use of single soil specific extractants to determine plant available phosphorus and exchangeable potassium for crops such as bell pepper, are costly, laborious and time wasting. Bell pepper, rich in antioxidants, requires phosphorus and potassium for high quality fruit yield. Mehlich-3 (M3), a multi-purpose extractant could extract phosphorus and potassium simultaneously. However, M3 has not been evaluated and adapted for Nigerian soils. Therefore, M3 as a multi-purpose extractant of P a...