The greenhouse technology is a booming segment of agriculture in the world, because it offers a favorable climate conditions which increase plants growth as the plants are grown in a controlled environment. This research assessed the present conditions of the Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) in Ghana and emphasized on issues that are paramount to Greenhouse vegetable production effectiveness. The general objective was to evaluate the current status for greenhouses in Ghana and p...
ABSTRACT There is growing awareness about the efficacy of essential elements in the maintenance of good health and prevention of diseases. Zinc plays a vital role in wound healing, immune system, reproductive system and nervous system. Zinc wades off oxygen free radicals and also aid in metabolism of carbohydrates by assisting insulin to function. Chromium lowers blood sugar and also works with insulin in metabolization of sugar, while copper is required for conversion of body’s Fe into ha...
ABSTRACT Vegetable production is one of the economic activities of farmers in the Northern Region of Ghana. It is an income generating activity from which most farmers meet their livelihood outcomes. Despite the fact that some of the vegetable farmers receive extension services from MoFA Agriculture Extension Agents with the expectations that yields of their vegetable would increase and their livelihood outcomes would have improved, the farmers still record low yields. This study therefore ai...
ABSTRACT Commonly sold vegetables within the Abuja Municipal Area Council, FCT Abuja were investigated for the prevalence of parasitic eggs. A total of 225 vegetable samples were collected and investigated for the presence of these parasites using standard methods, and quite a number of them were positive. Results obtained showed the parasitic infestation rates were 71.11%, 71.11%, 68.89%, 55.55% and 20% for water leaf, green, pumpkin, lettuce and carrot respectively. The parasites encountere...
ABSTRACT This study was carried out to isolate, characterize and identify Aeromonas spp. from Irrigation water and vegetables. Water and vegetable samples were collected and analyzed for physicochemical and microbiological analysis. Physicochemical parameters such as pH, Temperature, Total Dissolved Solid (TDS), Dissolved Oxygen and Biological Oxygen Demand were determined using standard methods for water samples only. Microbiological parameters such as Total Coliform count (TC), Faecal ...
Abstract: Nitrogen (N) deficit is one of the limiting factors to food security in most developing countries while the excessive use of N has resulted in environmental contamination. Timely N availability, at the right rate is crucial to improving crop yield and N use efficiency in farming systems. Therefore, understanding nitrogen dynamics under different farming systems is essential to improve N use and recovery efficiencies of crops and in addressing environmental impacts associated with i...
ABSTRACT The study investigated the nutrients and phytochemical compositions of some leafy vegetables in Nigeria (Hibiscus cannabinus, Adansonia digitata, Sesamum indicum and Cassia tora leaves) and the effects of their extracts on blood glucose and lipid profile of alloxan induced diabetic rats. Two kilogrammes of each of the vegetables were bought fresh, sorted by removing extraneous material, washed with deionized water and separately pulverized using Gallenkamp mixer Kenwood –MPR 201. A...
A BSTR A C T To enhance food security, crop losses due to disease and pest damage must be reduced. Improved technologies for pest control using appropriate and environmentally sound technologies to promote food security is a major priority for many developing nations. Integrated Pest Management, IPM (also referred to as Integrated Crop M anagement (ICM)) is one o f such approaches to promoting food security. Its adoption by farmers is therefore critical. In Ghana, few empirical evidence about...
ABSTRACT The concentrations of some trace metals (zinc, iron, copper, cadmium and lead) in 51 canned foods (fish, vegetable and fruit juice) samples purchased within Abuja Municipal Area Council (Nigeria) were determined using the flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry (FAAS). The wet oxidation procedure of HN03-H20 2 was used in the preparation of the samples. The ranges obtained for trace metals analyzed in ug/g are as follows: Canned fish: Zn (19.15±0.8-32.50±0.3), Fe (17.92± 1.2 --...
ABSTRACT Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is a major vegetable crops, and is ranked second at 14% of total value of exotic vegetables produced in Kenya after potato with a value of 55%. It is predominantly grown by small to medium scale growers in open fields. However, open field tomato production faces many challenges including weather extremes, diseases and insect pests. The whitefly (Bemisia tabaci Gennadius), is one of the major pests of tomato capable of causing up to 80% loss in yield....
ABSTRACT Biodiesel, defined as the monoalkyl esters of vegetable oils and animal fats, is becoming prominent among alternatives to conventional petro-diesel due to economic, environmental and social factors. Transesterification is the most preferred method of biodiesel production. Knowledge of transesterification reaction kinetic enables prediction of the extent of the chemical reaction (or the conversion) at any time under particular conditions. It is also essential in the optimization of op...
ABSTRACT Micronutrients are comprised of vitamin and mineral nutrients needed during pregnancy for fetus growth, development, maturation and reducing/preventing maternal complications. In the Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA) micronutrient rich foods (vegetables and fruits) are lacking due to restrictions on cultivation and unavailability of vegetables and fruits in the local markets. Therefore, the current study introduced a food basket intervention and assessed its effectiveness in addres...
ABSTRACT This study reports for the first time in Ghana long-term monitoring of heavy metal contamination of vegetables. As reliable residue data analysis resulting from monitoring programs in foods is of great value to the general populace; this could address the possible risk of heavy metal exposure to human health. In this study, monitoring of heavy metals (As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn) in consumable vegetables was assessed for a period of 2 years, 2013-2014. In all, a total o...
ABSTRACT The 2014 Kenya Demographic Health Survey (KDHS) and Micronutrient Survey reportshowed malnutrition among children aged 5-11 years in Kenya. In particular,malnutrition in Machakos County manifested as stunting (26.3 %), wasting (6.3 %),underweight (12.7 %), marginal vitamin A deficiency (VAD) (33.9 %), anemia (16.5%), zinc deficiency (82.5 %) and iron deficiency (9.4 %). African Indigenous Leafy Vegetables (AILVs) such as Vigna unguiculata and Amaranthus cruentus can be usedto fight ...
ABSTRACT The concentration of heavy metals such as Pd, Cd, Cu and Cr were studied using AAS on vegetable samples such as Tomato (fruit and leaf) and Onion bulb. Trace element as Cu showed high concentration. The concentration of heavy metal like Cu ranged from of 0.155 to 0.024mg/kg in tomato fruit; 0.120 to 0.057mg/kg in leafy tomato; 0.118 to 0.121mg/kg in onion bulb which were more than the maximum permissible limit according to the International organization like FAO and WHO. The conce...