College of Basic and Applied Sciences
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Item 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.Item Exploring soil pollution patterns in Ghana’s northeastern mining zone using machine learning models(Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances, 2025) Kwayisi, D.; Kazapoe, R.W.; Alidu, S.; et al.This study assessed the pollution status and effectiveness of machine learning models in predicting pollution indices in soils from a mining area in Northeastern Ghana. 552 soil samples were analysed with an Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (ED-XRF) spectrometer for their elemental concentrations. Four pollution indices; Nemerow Integrated Pollution Index (NIPI), degree of contamination (Cdeg), modified degree of contamination (mCdeg) and Pollution Load Index (PLI). Additionally, the Multivariate Adaptive Regression Splines (MARS) machine learning approach were used. The high CV%, skewness, and kurtosis values show a high degree of variability and uneven distribution patterns which denotes dispersed hotspots that can be interpreted as an influence of gold anomalies and illegal mining activities in the area. V (120.86 mg/L), Cr (242.42 mg/L), Co (30.92 mg/L) Ba (337.62 mg/L), and Zn (35.42 mg/L) recorded values higher than the global and regional contaminant thresholds. The NIPI shows that 46.74% and 26.81% of samples are slightly and moderately polluted respectively. The Cdeg analysis supports these findings, with 36.96% and 41.49% of samples classified as having “moderate” to “considerable” contamination, respectively. The PLI indicates progressive soil quality deterioration (43.84%) of samples reflecting substantial environmental disturbance. The pollution indices show the effect of illegal mining on Shaega, Buin and other areas in the eastern boundary of the study. The MARS models developed for the study demonstrated high predictive capabilities with an R2 value of 0.9665 for model 1 (NIPI), and RMSE and MAE values of 0.8227 and 0.4287 respectively. For model 2 (Cdeg), R2 value of 0.9863, RMSE and MAE of 1.0416 and 0.6181, respectively. Model 3 (mCdeg) produced an R2 value of 0.9844, RMSE and MAE of 0.1225 and 0.0670. These findings suggest MARS models can be an integral tool for soil quality analysis in cooperation with pollution indices. The study suggests that remedial and legislative measures be implemented to address the issue of illegal mining in the area.Item The potential for index-based crop insurance to stabilize smallholder farmers' gross margins in Northern Ghana(Agricultural Systems, 2024) Adelesi,O.O.; Kim,Y.U.; Schuler,J.; Zander,P.; Njoroge,M.M.; Waithaka,L.; Abdulai,A.L.; MacCarthy,D.S.; Webber,H.Context: Smallholder farmers in semi-arid West Africa face challenges such as weather variability, soil infertility, and inadequate market infrastructure, hindering their adoption of improved farming practices. Economic risks associated with uncertain weather, production and market conditions often result in measures such as selling assets and withdrawing children from school, resulting in long-term impoverishment. To break these poverty traps, there is a need for affordable and sustainable risk management approaches at the farm level. Proposed strategies include risk reduction through stress-resistant crop varieties and diversification, additional investments transfer options like crop insurance and contract farming. Despite experimentation with insurance products in sub-Saharan Africa, low adoption persists due to many factors including high premiums, imperfect indices, and cognitive factors.Item Optimization of cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) grafting technique to enhance its adoption in cassava cultivation(MethodsX, 2024) Opoku-Agyemang, F.; Amissah, J.N.; Owusu-Nketia, S.; Ofori, P.A.; Notaguchi, M.Grafting techniques have been successfully adopted to improve resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses, increase yields, fruit quality and study systemic signaling in plants. This technique has not been fully explored in cassava and there is currently no standardized grafting method for this species published especially in Africa. This is the first report on cassava grafting protocol in Africa with valuable advantages including utilizing a cost-effective and environmentally friendly wooden healing chamber. In this study, we describe an optimized cleft grafting protocol for cas sava utilizing a wooden healing chamber and outline the step-by-step procedure with optimum conditions to generate a high grafting success rate. Using a top wedge grafting technique with high reproducibility and success rates, we developed a straightforward and robust grafting protocol for cassava (M. esculenta) cultivars. Grafting success was recorded and this protocol produced a high grafting success of 90 % and its reproducibility makes it suitable for mass production thereby addressing the need for efficient cassava propagation. This grafting protocol requires less special ized equipment and expertise making it more accessible to farmers and researchers with limited resources to promote the use of grafting for cassava growth, yield improvement and advanced studies such as systemic long-distance signaling in plants. • Optimization of cleft grafting method obtains a high success grafting rate of cassava. • A wooden healing chamber provides a controlled environment for graft healing. • Promoting cassava grafting; a priority to produce new cultivars and explore breeding research prospects.Item The African Plant Breeders of Tomorrow(African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development, 2019) Mumm, R.H.; Danquah, E.Y.Advances in agricultural productivity in Africa have lagged, as reflected by the fact that varieties have often popular with farmers for more than 14 years (Walker et al. 2015). The distribution and adoption of improved crop varieties has been stymied in part by an insufficient number of plant breeders on the continent. Would-be plant breeders often chose to pursue MS- and PhD-degree programs in the USA or Europe, and more than half of these did not return to Africa to practice their profession once graduated (Ali et al. 2007). The University of Ghana determined to change this by establishing the West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement (WACCI) in 2007, in partnership with Cornell University, to offer quality education and training in Genetics and Plant Breeding to African students. Supported by the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) as part of a strategy to launch a Green Revolution in Africa, WACCI aimed to create a sizeable, innovative workforce to increase agricultural productivity and ensure food security, especially for the people of west and central Africa. Professor Eric Yirenkyi Danquah, a visionary leader, was appointed to establish and direct WACCI. He determined to create a pathway from BS to MS to PhD in plant breeding at the University of Ghana to serve students from both English-speaking and French-speaking countries and to attract both men and women into the program, to establish WACCI as a leading institution for plant breeding education on the global stage.Item Development Of Appropriate In Vivo Technique For Rapid Field Multiplication Of Plantain (Musa Aab) Using Coconut (Cocos Nucifera L.) Water And Indole-3-Acetic Acid(African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development, 2020) Mintah, L.O.; Arhin, L.Plantain production in Ghana is challenged by inadequate healthy and uniform-sized planting materials for cultivation. In vitro and rapid field multiplication techniques of plantains have been developed to overcome the problem of obtaining many vigorous and uniform suckers free from pests and diseases. However, in vitro techniques require expensive equipment and expertise that are unavailable to most plantain farmers in Ghana. Therefore, an appropriate and inexpensive technique has to be developed in vivo to increase the multiplication rate of plantain planting materials. This study investigated the effects of coconut water (CW) alone or in combination with varying concentrations of auxin (indole-3-acetic acid, IAA) on axillary bud initiation, growth, and development of plantain (cv. Asamienu). Coconut water from fully matured dried fruits (13 months old) was supplemented with three different indole-3-acetic acid concentrations, 10-4 M, 10-3 M, and 10-2 M to produce five different coconut water: IAA ratios (v:v), viz: 8:0, 6:2, 4:4, 2:6, 0:8. Distilled water was used as control. These treatment solutions were then injected into the base of developing suckers of plantain. Three weeks after injection treatments, the highest number of well-differentiated buds was obtained from 2 ml of coconut water and 6 ml of 10-2 M IAA (2:6 ratio). Eight ml of coconut water alone (8:0 ratio) also produced the highest number of fully differentiated plantlets. One month after the application of the bud manipulation technique, the highest number of additional well-differentiated axillary buds and fully developed plantlets were produced with 2 ml coconut water plus 6 ml 10-2 M IAA and 4 ml coconut water plus 4 ml 10-2 M IAA, respectively. The study generally showed that treatments with coconut water from fully matured dried fruits alone produced the largest and the most vigorously growing plantlets. On the other hand, coconut water from fully matured dried fruit combined with IAA induced significant proliferation of axillary bud and shoot formation of plantain significantly over the control treatment. These findings demonstrated the potential of using coconut water from fully matured dried fruits alone or in combination with IAA at ratios of (2:6) and (4:4) to improve the multiplication rate of plantain planting materials.Item Mobile Phone-Assisted Agricultural Extension Services: User Competency And Usage Frequency In Eastern Ghana(African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development, 2021) Nyaplue-Daywhea, C.; Adjei-Nsiah, S.; Ahiakpa, J.K.; et al.Adoption studies have mainly focused on econometric and quantitative modeling that usually assume smallholder farmers competently adopt agricultural technologies. This study provides novel insights on user competency and frequency of usage of mobile telephony for agricultural extension services among smallholder farmers and agricultural extension agents (AEAs) and key factors that impede the adoption process. The study examined users’ competencies and mobile phone usage frequency for access and delivery of agricultural extension services in Eastern Ghana. A multi-stage sampling procedure was used to select 95 AEAs and 330 smallholder farmers in five districts of the Eastern region of Ghana and data were collected through semi-structured interviews. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and regression analyses were performed to analyze the data. Results showed substantial differences between AEAs and smallholder farmers’ competency in the use of mobile phones for agricultural extension services. Socio-demographic characteristics of smallholder farmers and AEAs correlated with the usage frequency of mobile phones for access to extension services and delivery. Educational level, amount of weekly expenditure of money on mobile phone use, mobile phone network quality, income level, and age of both AEAs and smallholder farmers had positive and significant correlations with the frequency of usage of mobile phones. User competency differentially impacts the frequency of mobile phone use in agricultural extension services between AEAs and smallholders. High call tariffs and access to recharge cards are major challenges in using mobile phones for agricultural extension in the study areas. The study shows components of the adoption theory of compatibility, and complexity where an innovation fits within the socio-cultural framework and perceived difficulty of use. Thus, the frequent use of voice calls is indicative of the early stages of the diffusion process and may diversify into other applications in the future. Farmer-based organizations should be resourced to support the training of farmers to use mobile phones to improve access to agricultural information dissemination. Integrating voice-based agricultural information services (IVRs) into the current SMS-based agricultural extension services in Ghana could potentially boost extension service delivery to smallholder farmers in the Eastern region and across the country. The Ministry of Food and Agriculture may partner with key stakeholders and mobile service providers to offer hands-on capacity building to smallholder farmers and AEAs in video calling/conferencing, multimedia service, and social media to enhance their competencies for improved agricultural extension services.Item Exploring soil pollution patterns in Ghana’s northeastern mining zone using machine learning models(Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances, 2024) Kwayisi, D.; Kazapoe, R.W.; Alidu, S.; et al.This study assessed the pollution status and effectiveness of machine learning models in predicting pollution indices in soils from a mining area in Northeastern Ghana. 552 soil samples were analysed with an Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (ED-XRF) spectrometer for their elemental concentrations. Four pollution indices; Nemerow Integrated Pollution Index (NIPI), degree of contamination (Cdeg), modified degree of contamination (mCdeg) and Pollution Load Index (PLI). Additionally, the Multivariate Adaptive Regression Splines (MARS) machine learning approach were used. The high CV%, skewness, and kurtosis values show a high degree of variability and uneven distribution patterns which denotes dispersed hotspots that can be interpreted as an influence of gold anomalies and illegal mining activities in the area. V (120.86 mg/L), Cr (242.42 mg/L), Co (30.92 mg/L) Ba (337.62 mg/L), and Zn (35.42 mg/L) recorded values higher than the global and regional contaminant thresholds. The NIPI shows that 46.74% and 26.81% of samples are slightly and moderately polluted respectively. The Cdeg analysis supports these findings, with 36.96% and 41.49% of samples classified as having “moderate” to “considerable” contamination, respectively. The PLI indicates progressive soil quality deterioration (43.84%) of samples reflecting substantial environmental disturbance. The pollution indices show the effect of illegal mining on Shaega, Buin and other areas in the eastern boundary of the study. The MARS models developed for the study demonstrated high predictive capabilities with an R2 value of 0.9665 for model 1 (NIPI), and RMSE and MAE values of 0.8227 and 0.4287 respectively. For model 2 (Cdeg), R2 value of 0.9863, RMSE and MAE of 1.0416 and 0.6181, respectively. Model 3 (mCdeg) produced an R2 value of 0.9844, RMSE and MAE of 0.1225 and 0.0670. These findings suggest MARS models can be an integral tool for soil quality analysis in cooperation with pollution indices. The study suggests that remedial and legislative measures be implemented to address the issue of illegal mining in the area.Item Crustal evolution of alternating Paleoproterozoic belts and basins in the Birimian terrane in southeastern West African Craton(Journal of African Earth Sciences, 2024) Sakyi, P.A.; Kwayisi, D.; Nunoo, S.; et al.We present a comprehensive review of available geochemical, geochronological and isotopic data on granitoids from the Paleoproterozoic Birimian terrane of Ghana, aimed at providing an in-depth understanding of the geodynamic evolution of southeastern West African Craton. The focus is on plutonic magmatism, crustal recy cling and tectonic setting of the granitoids. The granitoids are mainly TTG suites, calc-alkaline granites, diorites, monzonites, two-mica granites and leucogranites. They are characterized by enrichments in LILE and LREE relative to HREE and HFSE. Their variable positive and negative Eu and Sr anomalies and depletions in Nb-Ta and Ti suggest the presence of residual minerals like hornblende and Fe-Ti oxides (e.g., rutile and ilmenite). The plutons probably formed by partial melting of hydrous basaltic/mafic crust metasomatized by slab-derived melts at different depths. The εHf (− 14.5 to +7.6) and εNd (− 5.3 to +3.5) values and Nd model ages (2.21–2.53 Ga) indicate their crystallization from juvenile magmas derived from a depleted mantle with significant recycling of older crustal material. The older (≥2200 Ma) and younger (<2100 Ma) ages recorded in both belt- and basin type granitoids indicate that magmatism in both types was contemporaneous. Nonetheless, the basins recorded younger peak emplacement ages compared to adjacent belts. The presence of inherited older zircon grains (Archean zircon cores?), is widespread in southeastern WAC. The granitoids formed in a continental arc setting via subduction–accretion processes. Furthermore, the magmatic time-span is more prolonged in southern Ghana, with the sedimentary basins recording the longest intervals of magma emplacement. The sub-chondritic εHf data and Hf model ages strongly suggest the existence of Neoarchean to Mesoarchean crustal material in eastern Ghana during the Birimian crust formation. We propose that the subduction-accretion processes during the Paleoproterozoic Eburnean orogeny in the WAC contributed to the formation of the Columbia supercontinent in the Late Paleoproterozoic-Mesoproterozoic.Item Determinants of under-fve mortality in informal settlements in Nairobi, Kenya from 2002 to 2018(BMC Public Health, 2024) Iddi, S.; Akeyo, D.; Sanya, R.E.; Wamukoya, M.; Asiki, G.Background Childhood mortality persists as a significant public health challenge in low and middle-income countries and is uneven within countries, with poor communities such as urban informal settlements bearing the highest burden. There is limited literature from urban informal settlements on the risk factors of mortality. We assessed under-five mortality and associated risk factors from the period 2002 to 2018 in Nairobi urban informal settlements. Methods We used secondary data from the Nairobi Urban Health and Demographic Surveillance System (NUH DSS), a longitudinal surveillance platform that routinely collects individual and household-level data in two informal settlements (Viwandani and Korogocho) in Nairobi, Kenya. We used Kaplan-Meier curves to estimate overall survival and the Cox proportional hazard model with a frailty term to evaluate the impact of risk factors on survival time. Results Overall under-five survival rate was 96.8% and this improved from 82.6% (2002-2006) to 95% (2007-2012) and 98.4% (2012-2018). There was a reduced risk of mortality among children who had BCG vaccination, those born to a married mother or a mother not engaging in any income-generating activity (both from 2007 to 2011), children from singleton pregnancy, children born in Viwandani slum and ethnicity of the child. Conclusion Under-five mortality is still high in urban informal settlements. Targeted public health interventions such as vaccinations and interventions empowering women such as single mothers, those with multiple pregnancies, and more impoverished slums are needed to further reduce under-five mortality in urban informal settlements.