Browsing by Author "Akesse-Ransford, G."
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Item Arthropod diversity of cocoa farms under two management systems in the Eastern and Central regions of Ghana(Springer, 2021) Akesse-Ransford, G.; Owusu, E.O.; Kyerematen, R.; Adu-Acheampong, S.Diversity of insect communities can be used as bioindicators for change in the environment especially in farms under different management systems. In line with that, we conducted a research on insect species associated with cocoa under organic and conventional management systems in the Eastern and Central regions of Ghana. Insect collection was done using Hand height visual count, Canopy, and ‘‘Knock down’’, pitfall, coloured bowl and fruit-baited traps. A total of 13,742 individual insects belonging to 138 species from 63 families and 12 orders were recorded in the study. Insect abundance and diversity were generally higher in organic farms compared to conventional farms with Oecophylla longinoda as the most dominant species in both management systems and especially more dominant in organic cocoa farms Our study revealed that most of the insect species recorded were known cocoa pests although there was high abundance of beneficial insects too. Some of the pest species were Planococoides njalensis, Salh bergella singularis, Helopeltis spp and Pseudococus spp, while some of the beneficial insects recorded were Pheidole spp, Tegenaria spp, Camponotus spp, Cre matogaster spp. We can conclude that cocoa farms are potential habitats for insect biodiversity conservation. We recommend that management and/or agronomic practices used in cocoa farms should be geared towards protecting beneficial organisms for instance pollinators and natural enemies by effectively sup pressing insect pest populations while enhancing good seed production.Item Insect Diversity Of Cocoa Under Different Management Systems In Central And Eastern Regions Of Ghana(University of Ghana, 2016-07) Akesse-Ransford, G.Cocoa is Ghana's dominant cash crop and the major economic activity for over 800,000 households, with around 6.3 million Ghanaians but insect pest is causing devastating effect on yield. This study sought to obtain information about insect diversity, to generate species list of entomofauna in cocoa farms, to compare the diversity and abundance of the insect and to determine the monthly variation of insect species under differently managed systems in Semi-Deciduous Rain Forest (Suhum) and the Coastal Savanna (Dunkwa) agro-ecological zones of Ghana. The two farming systems are organic and inorganic farms at Suhum and Dunkwa respectively. Each system was replicated three times each of an acre size and one hundred cocoa trees selected. Methods such as Hand height visual count method, Canopy method, and Knockdown method were used and other sampling methods such as pitfall, coloured bowl trap and fruit baited trap were also employed during the data collection. A total of 13,742 individual insects belonging to 138 species from 63 families and 12 orders were recorded and identified. Several species of insects were common to both sites but notwithstanding, other were specific to cocoa farm of a peculiar agro-ecological zone. Relatively more individual insect species were associated with the cocoa farms in the Semi-Deciduous Rain Forest than Coastal Savanna but in terms of numbers Coastal Savanna recorded highest using the Shannon- Weiner, Pielous evenness, Simpson dominance and Equitability diversity indices. Generally, Oecophylla longinoda was the most dominant species in both sites. Aside that, Planococoides njalensis was the dominant species in Suhum whilst Sahlbergella singularis was also dominated in Dunkwa. There was significant correlation between climatic factors and insect abundance in both zones. Insect interaction led to damage of fruits, leaves, and stems and also exposed fruits and tree trunk to pathogenic infection such as Phytopthora. However, predators and other natural enemies were observed protecting some of the cocoa trees.