Browsing by Author "Asare, D.K."
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Item Impact of Fall Armyworm on Farmer’s Maize: Systemic Approach(Systemic Practice and Action Research, 2019-05-20) Banson, K.E.; Asare, D.K.; Dery, F.D.; Boakye, K.; Boniface, A.; Asamoah, M.; Awotwe, L.E.Fall armyworm (FAW) infestation in African countries presents significant threats to maize production. Such infestation has major economic implications in terms of the cost of measures taken at individual and international levels. Today’s problems cannot be solve with the same thinking which created them. Past interventions have generally resulted in policy revision from The MDGs to SDGs with little success. The complex nature of agri-business has necessitated the use of a systemic approach in solving operational problems. The study used a systemic approach to develop systems models that determine the components of current systems and its interaction with policies, social, environmental and economic dimensions of the agriculture industry. Results indicates that only by increasing our appreciation for “systemic approach” that addresses the needs of the present while safeguarding earth’s life-support system, can our social institutions achieve some modicum of effective control and stability. The systems models will help governments and agricultural proponents to anticipate the long-term consequences of their decisions and actions, as well as help to avoid any unintended consequences of policies and strategies such as ‘silo mentality’ and ‘organizational myopia’. As demonstrated in the aforementioned CLD and archetype, agriculture projects will continue to be the engine that develops and empowers the emerging and existing commercial business, and nation building across Africa. This systems thinking approach will provide more clarity in dealing with the complex management challenges and gradually replace the traditional theoretical approach of dealing with agricultural project management.Item Productivity and Water Use by Rain-Fed Early Maturing Cassava (Manihot Esculenta Crantz) Varieties Grown at Different Plant Densities in a Coastal Savannah Environment(University of Ghana, 2016-06) Amanor, E.N.; Asare, D.K.; University of Ghana, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, Department of Nuclear Agriculture and Radiation ProcessingThe production of cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) under rain-fed conditions at the Kwabenya-Atomic area in the coastal savannah environment is constrained by low and erratic rainfall events. Improving cassava production in the area requires the use of cassava varieties which are efficient in the use of limited soil moisture. The objective of the study was to evaluate the response of two early maturing cassava varieties to three (3) planting densities to TDM, RY, and WUE. The actual evapotranspiration was also partitioned into crop transpiration and soil evaporation using LAI data. The field experiment was conducted at Biotechnology and Nuclear Agriculture Research Institute (BNARI) research farm, Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC), Kwabenya-Atomic in 2015. The split plot design in three replicates was used. The two (2) cassava varieties, Bankye Hemaa and Capevars Bankye, were assigned to the main plots and three (3) planting densities: 10,000, 13,333 and 20,000 plants ha-1 to the subplots. Plants were sampled each month and moisture in the 120 cm soil profile monitored every two weeks using the neutron probe (CPN 503 Hydroprobe). Soil moisture data were used to estimate actual evapotranspiration (AET) using the water balance approach. Root yield (RY) for Bankye Hemaa and Capevars Bankye, ranged from 2.8 to 15.1 t/ha-1 for the 10,000 plants ha-1, 4.2 to 18.1 t/ha-1 for the 13,333 plants ha-1 and 5.1 to 21.3 t/ha-1 for the 20,000 plants ha-1. Additionally, water use efficiency in term of total dry matter (WUETDM ) for the two cassava varieties ranged from 1.7 to 11.6, 2.3 to 12.8 and 3.7 to 12.4 kg ha-1 mm-1 for the 10,000, 13,333 and 20,000 plants ha-1 planting density, respectively. Bankye Hemaa grown at 20,000 plants ha-1 produced the highest root yield of 21.3 t/ha-1 and WUETDM of 12.4 kg ha-1 mm-1, because of the comparatively lower soil evaporation which led to increased available soil water for crop use and higher crop transpiration, leading to enhanced yield and water use efficiency. A good positive correlation existed between TUERY and RY for both cassava varieties grown at the planting density of 20,000 plants ha -1 with Bankye Hemaa producing a near perfect linear relation (TUERY = 0.0011RY + 13.492, r2 = 0.97; P ≤ 0.01**). Additionally, a linear model sufficiently describes the relation between the combined total dry matter (TDM) and its associated water use efficiency for Bankye Hemaa and Capevars Bankye grown at all three planting densities: 10,000 plants ha-1 (WUETDM = 0.0011TDM + 1.4628, r2 = 0.90; P ≤ 0.01**) , 13,333 plants ha-1 (WUETDM = 0.0012TDM + 2.8, r2 = 0.90; P ≤ 0.01**) and 20,000 plants ha-1 (WUETDM = 0.0001TDM + 2.6754, r2 = 0.90; P ≤ 0.01**) . Furthermore, a strong and positive correlation existed between WUERY and RY for both cassava varieties grown at all three planting densities: 10,000 plants ha -1 (WUERY = 0.0012RY + 3.1252, r2 = 0.94; P ≤ 0.01**), 13,333 plants ha -1 (WUERY = 0.001RY + 4.052, r2 = 0.92; P ≤ 0.01**) and 20,000 plants ha -1 (WUERY = 0.001RY + 4.7749, r2 = 0.97; P ≤ 0.01**).Item Study of the reproductive characteristics of nine cassava accessions(West African Journal of Applied Ecology, 2013) Nunekpeku, W.; Amoatey, H.M.; Oduro, V.; Klu, G.Y.P.; Asare, D.K.; Danso, K.E.Reproductive behaviour of two cultivars (AF and AN) and seven breeding lines (BA, AS, LA, BS-1, HO-008, ME and SE) of cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) was studied to obtain information pertaining to flowering habits and other reproductive characteristics of these potential parents required for future hybridization programmes. The accessions were grown on the Research Farm of the Biotechnology and Nuclear Agriculture Research Institute in the coastal savanna agro-ecological zone of Ghana between April 2008 and December 2009. For each accession, 40 stem cuttings, each bearing five to eight nodes, were prepared from the mid-section of healthy cassava stems and planted at a spacing of 1.5 m x 1.0 m while accessions were separated by a distance of 2 m. Ten plants were tagged per accession for the collection of data on key reproductive characteristics. All accessions flowered, suggesting that flower production may not be a limiting factor under the prevailing climatic conditions. Light microscopy revealed that one accession (BA) produced dysfunctional male flowers which were devoid of pollen. Mean days to flowering and fruiting varied significantly (P < 0.05) among the accessions, indicating the need to use different planting dates for different accessions to ensure synchronization of flowering. The accessions also differed significantly (P < 0.05) with respect to plant height at various levels of branching, as well as number of inflorescences, staminate and pistillate flowers, and fruit produced per branching level. There was also variation in percent seed set, embryo formation and fruit drop. The extensive variability observed among the accessions provides breeders with immense opportunities for carrying out cross combinations to generate new genotypes to meet specific objectives.