Theses
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A long essay or dissertation or thesis involving personal research, written by postgraduates of University of Ghana for a university degree.
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Item Laboratory Studies on Forest and Savannah Populations of Bulinus (Physopsis) Globosus in Ghana(University of Ghana, 1972-11) Kuma, E.E.Studies on laboratory colonies of Bulinus globosus from forest, savannah and transition zones have been carried out. The morphology, growth and reproduction of such snails have been oompared. Crosses between single snails from the three zones have been carried out and the effect of overcrowding on growth and reproduction has been investigated. Certain aspects of their behaviour such as mating, pattern of oviposition, feeding and distribution in a culture dish have been described. The effect of temperature on the snails' oviposition has a1so been studied. Finally, the problem of desiccation has been looked at end the esterase fractions of' the snails have been compared.. \Item Nutritional Studies with Specific Reference to Thiamine on Koko a Ghanaian Cereal Product(University of Ghana, 1970-09) Andah, A.'Koko' was prepared in the laboratory from Ghanaian maize. The effect of grinding and sieving on the protein content wa3 determined. Protein losses were highest with the coarsest grinding. Starters were used in the fermentation and were found to increase the rate of acid production. Preservation of 'Koko' was carried out by Roller-drying, Spraydrying, Freeze-drying and Canning. The volatile constituents of the flavours were lost during Roller-drying and Spray-drying. Freese- • drying was very successful but it would be too expensive for commercial processing of 'Koko'. It could, however, be used in the laboratory for research, work. Canning of 'Koko' was also successful, though more work on its microbiological aspect is needed to give conclusive results. Thiamine and Riboflavin contents were determined at various stages in the preparation of 'Koko'. Slight losses of these two vitamins occurred during steeping of maize. Fermentation increased Thiamine considerably although only very slight increases were recorded for Riboflavin. The significance of these results are discussed.Item Effect of Maturity on Dry Matter Accumulation and Quality of Forage from Natural Grassland and Three Introduced Grasses in the Accra Plains, Ghana(University of Ghana, 1977-12) Fianu, F.K.; Winch, J.E.; University of Ghana,College of Basic and Applied Sciences School of Agriculture Department of Animal Science.EFFECT OF MATURITY ON DRY MATTER ACCUMULATION AND QUALITY OF FORAGE FROM NATURAL GRASSLAND AND THREE INTRODUCED GRASSES IN THE ACCRA PLAINS, GHANA Francis Kwasivie Fianu, Supervisor: University of Guelph, 1977 Dr. J.E. Winch Two studies were conducted in Legon, Ghana, in 1974 and- 1975 to characterize the dry matter accumulation and quality of a natural grassland sward (dominated by Sporobolus and Heteropogon) and of introduced giant star grass (Cynodon plectostachyus (k . Schum) Pilger), buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris L. cv. biloela) and pangola grass (Digitaria decumbens Stent.). The natural grassland study was a split plot experiment with pretreatment slashing, grazing and burning in the main plots and.ten harvest dates during the major rainy season in the subplots. Each of the ten subplots was subdivided into three parts and harvested sequentially at the end of the rainy season, mid-dry season and at the end of the dry season. Pretreatments did not affect the botanical composition, dry matter accumulation during the growing season or regrowth during the ensuing dry period. Sporobolus p.yramidalis Beauv. grew faster than Heteropogon contortus (L.) Beauv. at the early stages, dominated the sward and flowered at 3-6 weeks. Heteropogon initially grew slowly and flowered from week 6. By week 7 Heteropogon became the dominant species of the sward. Cenchrus sp., Bothriochloa sp. and Setaria sp. flowered within 4-fc weeks but gamba grass (Andropogon gayanus Kunth.) did notflower during the study. Dry matter accumulation in the natural grassland sward and its dominant species continued after flowering until the end of the rainy season. Leaf production, and the In Vitro digestibility as well as nitrogen content of Sporobolus and Heteropogon were not affected by pretreatment. While Sporobolus maintained a high percentage of leaf throughout the growing season, leaf proportions dropped in Heteropogon at the mature stages. Leaves were more digestible and contained more nitrogen than stems in both species. Heteropogon tended to be more digestible than Sporobolus. The two species were similar in leaf and whole plant nitrogen, but Sporobolus stems contained more nitrogen than those of Heteropogon. In the study on introduced grasses, giant star and buffel were harvested at ten dates during the minor rainy season of 1974 (September 16 - December 3l)j during the major rainy season of 1975≫ pangola grass was included in the experiment. Pangola was sensitive to moisture stress during early growth and failed to grow during the minor rainy season of 1974* Buffel, on the other hand, was drought tolerant and grew even under light showers. Buffel flowered from week 3 in both seasons while giant star flowered only during the minor rainy season at week 6 , and pangola flowered in week 6 during the major rainy season. Growth continued in all three grasses after flowering. In buffel, senescent leaves were retained on the plant whereas in the stoloniferous grasses, they were stripped off by rainfall. During the minor rainy season, giant star and buffel produced similar dry matter yields. In the major rainy season, however, buffel was superior in yield to the prostrate grasses which showed np consistent differences. Leaf dry matter yield increased until week 8-9* Buffel and giant star produced more leaf dry matter than pangola grass. Leaf proportions in the plant declined steeply with maturity in buffel grass but slowly in the prostrate grasses. During the minor rainy season, whole plant In Vitro digestibility and nitrogen were similar in giant star and buffel during the minor rainy season, but buffel had the highest whole plant digestibility followed by pangola and giant star was the least digestible. The leaves were more digestible than stems, this difference being most striking in mature buffel grass. Leaf nitrogen levels were higher than stem nitrogen levels in all the grasses but species differences in nitrogen content were not consistent. The nitrogen content of whole plants would probably be adequate for the maintenance requirements of a steer until week 7 during the minor rainy season and week 11 in the major rainy season. In Vitro digestibility was highly correlated with nitrogen content of leaves, stems and whole plants of all species except giant star stem. It would appear that buffel grass should be harvested at 5 weeks and giant star at 7 weeks during the minor rainy season. In the major rainy season buffel would be harvested at 9 weeks and giant star and pangola at 8 weeks for optimum combination of nutrient yield during the rainy season and regrowth during the ensuing dry period. The natural grassland species and the introduced grasses were similar in digestibility at the early stages but the erect grasses -natural and introduced - declined more rapidly than the prostrate introduced ones. For high animal performance both the natural and the introduced species would have to be supplemented with concentrates.Item Modal Farm Plans for Tobacco Farmers in Ejuka and Wenchi Areas of Ghana(University of Ghana, 1971-12) Kueanchie, F.A.; University of Ghana, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, School of Agriculture, Department of Agricultural Economics and AgribusinessItem The Role of Adult Education in the Adoption of Innovations by Cocoa Growers in Ghana(University of Ghana, 1976-03) Opare, K.D; University of Ghana, College of Education, School of Information and Communication Studies, Department of Information StudiesThis study was designed to analyse the adoption of recommended cocoa practices among cocoa growers in Ghana and to relate it to the correctness of their knowledge of principles underlying the recommende practices, the growers' sources of cocoa husbandry information selected personal and economic characteristics of the growers; and to examine the relationships discovered and to draw recommendations which will assist the Ghana Government in programmes to increase cocoa production. In order to study these relationships, a personal interview, using a structured interview schedule, was employed to collect the data from a sample of 1,191 cocoa growers in Ghana. Statistically significant association? were found between the adoption of recommended cocoa practices and 1) the correctness of growers' knowledge of principles underlying a recommended cocoa practice; 2) adult education sources of information; and 3) individual grower's output of cocoa. The study indicated that although the possession of correct knowledge of principles was crucial to the adoption of the innovations, the mere possession was not always sufficient motivation to effect adoption. An equally important factor was adult education sources of information. In addition, there was no indication that the adoption of recommended practices was more closely linked with correctness of knowledge than with adult education sources of information. Among the personal and economic characteristics studied, number of wives, number of children, advisory role and number of years engaged in cocoa growing were positively associated with adoption of recommended practices. Male growers were more apt to adopt innovations than female growers. Age was not related to adoption. Literacy was positively associated with adoption of recommended practices. The study shows that possession of correct knowledge of principles is crucial to adoption of recommended cocoa practices. Thus, access to formal instructional activities could contribute to the improved performance of cocoa growers in Ghana. An obvious mechanism for improvement is adult education for the growers.Item The Interrelationship Between Scientific And Traditional Medical Systems. A Study Of Ghana.(University of Ghana, 1972) Twumasi, P.A.The study was devoted to the investigation of a common phenomenon in developing countries - i.e., the co-presence of scientific and traditional medical systems. The aim was to explicate the nature of the interrelationship between scientific and traditional medical systems, to discover the continuing functions of traditional medical practice, and to elucidate some of the determinants of the pattern of articulation between the medical systems and the larger society. The focus of the study was directed to Ghana, with implications for other developing countries. The study required a perspective which incorporated certain features of both a rational and a functionalist model. From the former the idea was developed that men plan consciously to take into account not only their successes but their recognized failures. From the latter, emphasis was placed upon the social system and its formally stated goals, considered as the main organizational ends. This perspective enabled us to focus upon one of the crucial problems in sociology: how a measure of integration, vis-a-vis the medical systems, is maintained in the face of inevitable changes from sources both external and internal to it. Methodologically, the study was limited to examination of published data; no primary field research has been carried out. The available data have been subjected to preliminary analysis in terms of the concepts and problems of contemporary social science. Four conclusions were reached: (1) that traditional medicine or its functional equivalent would never wholly disappear from the Ghanaian scene; (2) that the limited utility of scientific medicine in the area of psychosomatic disorders leaves a relatively permanent area of chronic ills within which traditional medicine may survive at least in the rural setting; (3) that an interaction occurs in the traditional setting between the two medical systems which tends to create a division of function between traditional and scientific medical practices; and (4) that a kind of pragmatism acts as a selective principle to help determine which method of treatment is chosen.