ABSTRACT The reactive nature of phosphorus leads to the formation of insoluble Fe, Al and Ca bound phosphate compounds in highly weathered tropical soils, thus limiting P availability for plant uptake. Biochar with its heterogeneous surface properties can influence phosphorus dynamics in tropical soils. To examine phosphorus fractions in a biochar-amended Plinthaqualf, samples were taken from low yielding soils in northern Ghana that had three cycles of vegetable production under clean and w...
ABSTRACT A field trial was started in August 1994, during the minor cropping season to investigate the efficiency of four Landforms in the production of maize with special emphasis in phosphorus (P) management in Vertisols at three localities in the Accra Plains of the Coastal Savanna zone of Ghana. The four Land forms were: Flat, Ridged, Ethiopian and Cambered beds. Generally, the soils were low in available P. Raising available P levels in the soil by the addition of fertilizer led to sign...
ABSTRACT It has been estimated that globally a lot of forest is lost in the tropics annually to agriculture. The removal of the forest cover has been cited as one of the main contributors of greenhouse gases. Tree plantations are advocated as carbon (C) sink, however, little is known about rates of C turnover and sequestration into soil organic matter under tropical tree plantations particularly oil palm. One of the commonest management practices adopted by farmers on oil palm plantations inv...
ABSTRACT The need to feed the projected world population of 9.7 billion by 2050 has received much attention and increased food production has been recommended to address the problem. Soybean and pigeonpea are important global commercial and food legumes that have been recommended for food security and sustainable agriculture particularly in tropical and subtropical regions where the majority of the world’s resource poor live, and where agricultural production is constrained by low soil fert...
GENERAL ABSTRACT The reactive nature of phosphate leads to the formation of insoluble Fe, Al and Ca bound P compounds in highly weathered tropical soils. Biochar amendments can change the surface chemical properties of highly weathered tropical soils, and hence affect phosphorus retention and distribution in soils. The overall objective of this study was to investigate P reactions with biochar and biochar amended soils of Ghana for effective P management. To achieve this, three major experime...
ABSTRACT The properties of similar soils under two agroforestry systems, a sole Leucaena leucocephala woodlot and alley (one with cassava and the other maize in between Leucaena leucocephala hedgerows) were compared at two depths (0 - 15 cm and 15 30 cm) to assess the relative changes in soil properties due to the agroforestry practices. Similar soils under conventional tillage, adjacent natural fallow and forest reserve were also used in the study for comparison of data and evaluation of imp...
ABSTRACT Plant nutrition holds the key to increased and sustained yields and the production of good quality pineapple fruit. Potassium plays a vital role in obtaining higher yields and good quality fruit. A good knowledge about the nutrient status of the plant is important for the correction of nutrient deficiencies and/or imbalances which tend to influence yield and quality of the fruit. This study was initiated to determine the appropriate leaf segment; viz. the nonchlorophyllous, chloroph...
ABSTRACT In Ghana approximately 318,000 ha of arable land in the Volta region is affected by salt and excess sodium. This aspect of chemical land degradation has adversely affected agricultural productivity in this part of the country. The application of gypsum (CaS04 (2H2O)) to soils affected by salt is widely used because it is easy to apply, easy to acquire and economical. It is against this background that the physico-chemical properties and agronomic performance of NERICA L19 rice was i...
ABSTRACT The amendment of oil-contaminated soils with nutrient elements, especially nitrogen and phosphorus, is a crucial factor for the enhancement of the growth of the indigenous microbes involved in the biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons. The present study investigated the(i) effects of nitrogen and phosphorus on diesel oil degradation in four Ghanaian soils, Beach sand (Haplic Arenosol), Toje series (Rhodic Kandiustalfs), Nyankpala series (Plinthic Lixisol), and Oda series (Eutric G...
ABSTRACT The use of atrazine (1-Chloro-3-ethylamino-5-isopropylamino-2, 4, 6-triazine) and paraquat (1, 1’-Dimethyl-4, 4’-bipyridinium dichloride) as alternatives to manual or mechanical weeding in the developing world is becoming inevitable. The frequent application of these two pesticides has led to contamination of soils with dire attendant environmental consequences.A study was therefore, conducted to evaluaate the ability of cocoa and rice husk-derived biochar types to enhance the re...
ABSTRACT Climate change is a major stressor that would adversely affect tropical agriculture, which is largely rainfed. Available evidence shows that associated with climate change is an increasing trend in temperature and in some locations, decline in rainfall leading to repeated droughts during the growing season. In this study, the effects of increased temperature and drought on soybean, a C3 plant, was investigated under greenhouse conditions. An understanding of how soybean would respon...
Abstract Various methods have been proposed for the improvement and maintenance of soil structure. In Ghana, the effects of agroforestry in the improvement of soil physical properties have not attracted much attention. This study seeks to determine the effects of agroforestry on the chemical and physical properties of soils in the semi-deciduous ecological zone. Three plots under Alley cropping and one plot under Woodlot (Leucaena leucocephala) were used. The soil properties determined includ...
ABSTRACTCrop production in peasant cropping systems in the semi-arid areas of West Africa is generally constrained by low and uncertain rainfall, poor soil fertility and lack of credit facilities to purchase inputs such as fertilizers and improved varieties. In this study, two field experiments (September to November 1996 and March to June 1997) were conducted on an Ultisol (Bekwai series) at Kwadaso, Kumasi in the semi-deciduous forest zone of Ghana. An assessment was made of production pote...
ABSTRACT Maize farmers accrue low yields due to poor weather, lack of certified seeds and farm inputs. The crop cutting method used by MoFA in yield estimation is tedious, labour intensive and most information are not adequately captured for decision making and policy. This study explores an additional method of scaling farmer-level yield to Tolon District level yield. The DSSAT-CERES maize model was used to simulate farmer-level yields where weather, soil and crop management data from select...
ABSTRACT The use of inorganic fertilizers in crop production in Sub Saharan Africa is very low due to exorbitant cost. Coincidentally nitrogen which is a limiting nutrient in sub Saharan African soils is locked up in organic waste with the waste breeding flies and having become an environmental nuisance in most towns in the sub region. Composting these organic wastes to be used as organic amendment has been proposed as one of the ways of improving on the low fertility status in soils and rid...