Institute of Applied Science and Technology

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    Seed quality and relative lignan profiles of sesame prospected from northern Ghana
    (Heliyon, 2024) Sintim, H.O.
    The sesame seed contains oil, protein, dietary fibre, and several minerals and it is also a store of lignans. Lignans are key selection factors for sesame quality due to their health, nutritive and market value. In Ghana sesame growers rely on wild or undocumented planting seeds which are of mixed colouration and its lignan content is ambiguous. The objective of this study was to segregate street sesame seeds into component colour fractions and subsequently evaluate the consistency of lignans in the seed fractions. Sesame seeds were collected from street vendors in northern Ghana and were segregated into seed fractions based on the pericarp colour. The viability of seed fractions stored at different temperatures (ambient, 5 ◦C, 0 ◦C) over time and lignan contents of single or bulk mixed seeds were verified. The collected seeds were of mixed colouration with approximately 4 % debris, 40 % white, 36 % cream, and 20 % dark coloured seeds by weight. The viability of the seeds was 67–85 % depending on pericarp colour. White seed fractions which had the highest proportion by weight had a significantly (p = 0.0275) higher viability (85 %) than the dark seeds which had the least viability (67 %). The seeds lost viability over time. However, seeds stored at 0 ◦C maintained a viability of 77 % at the fourth year. There were differences in the relative abundance of lignans for both bulk seeds and, single seeds with different pericarp colours. The most abundant occurring lignans in the seeds were sesamin, ses amolin and sesaminol and its downstream glucosides. The source of seed or pericarp colour was not predictive of seed viability or lignan composition. These findings provide baseline data on seed quality including an improved storability under cold environments. It also gives an insight into how mixed seeds of variable pericarp colours can have distinct characteristics. Although the mixed coloured seeds had no implications for varied quality including lignan content, the in ternational market for sesame requires that seeds are of consistent colour.
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    Seed quality and relative lignan profiles of sesame prospected from northern Ghana
    (Heliyon, 2024) Sintim, H.O.
    The sesame seed contains oil, protein, dietary fibre, and several minerals and it is also a store of lignans. Lignans are key selection factors for sesame quality due to their health, nutritive and market value. In Ghana sesame growers rely on wild or undocumented planting seeds which are of mixed colouration and its lignan content is ambiguous. The objective of this study was to segregate street sesame seeds into component colour fractions and subsequently evaluate the consistency of lignans in the seed fractions. Sesame seeds were collected from street vendors in northern Ghana and were segregated into seed fractions based on the pericarp colour. The viability of seed fractions stored at different temperatures (ambient, 5 ◦C, 0 ◦C) over time and lignan contents of single or bulk mixed seeds were verified. The collected seeds were of mixed colouration with approximately 4 % debris, 40 % white, 36 % cream, and 20 % dark coloured seeds by weight. The viability of the seeds was 67–85 % depending on pericarp colour. White seed fractions which had the highest proportion by weight had a significantly (p = 0.0275) higher viability (85 %) than the dark seeds which had the least viability (67 %). The seeds lost viability over time. However, seeds stored at 0 ◦C maintained a viability of 77 % at the fourth year. There were differences in the relative abundance of lignans for both bulk seeds and, single seeds with different pericarp colours. The most abundant occurring lignans in the seeds were sesamin, ses amolin and sesaminol and its downstream glucosides. The source of seed or pericarp colour was not predictive of seed viability or lignan composition. These findings provide baseline data on seed quality including an improved storability under cold environments. It also gives an insight into how mixed seeds of variable pericarp colours can have distinct characteristics. Although the mixed coloured seeds had no implications for varied quality including lignan content, the in ternational market for sesame requires that seeds are of consistent colour.
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    Spatio-temporal variations in seaweed diversity and abundance of selected coastal areas in Ghana
    (Regional Studies in Marine Science, 2021) Akrong, M.O.; Anning, A.K.; Addico, G.N.D.; deGraft-Johnson, K.A.A.; Adu-Gyamfi, A.; Ale, M.; Meyer, A.S.
    The coast of Ghana is considered the most seaweed-endowed region in West Africa, although information on the local spatial and temporal distributions and abundance of seaweed species is limited. In this study, seaweed species were sampled monthly from five coastal sites in the Central (Elmina, Komenda, Mumford) and Western (Shama and Takoradi Fisheries) Regions of Ghana during low tides from 2017 to 2019 to determine their diversity and abundance (biomass). Sampling was conducted using two (2) transect lines and quadrats (each of dimension 0.25 m2) at each site. Thirtyfive (35) taxa were identified at the five sites: 15 belonging to Rhodophyta, 11 to Chlorophyta and 9 to Phaeophyta. The Komenda site recorded the highest species diversity index of 2.06 whereas the Takoradi Fisheries had the lowest value of 0.68. Ulva fasciata, Padina durvillaei, Sargassum vulgare, Hydropuntia dentata and Hypnea musciformis were the most dominant species at the sites. A mean monthly biomass of 2.19 g dry wt m−2 was recorded for all five sites during the study period, with the greatest recorded at Takoradi Fisheries (3.53 dry wt m−2) and the least at Komenda (1.10 g dry wt m−2). The greatest biomass of the highly economic important species, H. musciformis, was recorded at Shama. The highest mean monthly biomass was recorded between August and October while the least was observed from December to February. Results from this study indicate considerable spatial and temporal variability in the diversity and abundance of seaweeds across the studied sites. These findings provide important baseline information for conservation and utilization of seaweeds, particularly their cultivation along the Ghanaian coastal waters as an alternate source of livelihood for the local communities.