ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Response of Cacao (Theobroma Cacao) seedlings to different soil amendment ratios and watering regimes.

A study was conducted in a gauze house of the Physiology Division at the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG), New Tafo-Akim, from August 2013 to February 2014 to determine the response of cacao (Theobroma cacao) seedlings to different soil amendment ratios and watering regimes. Sawdust obtained from the plant species Emeri (Terminalia ivorensis) was used as the soil amendment. This was mixed with topsoil. Three different sawdust mixing ratios and a control (no sawdust) formed the first treatment (M). The field capacity (F.C) of the topsoil to be used was determined. The field capacity determined, was halved (0.5 F.C) and quartered (0.25 F.C) to obtain the second treatment (W). Reduced water supply (0.25 F.C) significantly affected stomatal conductance, transpiration rate and plant leaf area. This affected the photosynthetic activity of plants especially for the control (no sawdust). The addition of sawdust to the soil helped retain soil moisture and this increased plant growth in those treatments compared to the control (no sawdust). Differences observed in vegetative and physiological parameters measured due to varying watering regimes and the addition of sawdust eventually affected the final total dry matter produced and partitioned. The results suggest that sawdust could be used as a soil amendment during cacao establishment.

Source: KNUST
The response of broiler chickens to dietary inclusion of Alternanthera sessilis leaf meal (ASLM)

Two phases of experiment were conducted with the aim of assessing the possibility of using dried Alternanthera sessilis leaf meal (ASLM) in broiler starter and finisher diets. Five diets were prepared with ASLM inclusion levels of 0% (T0), 5% (T1), 7.5% (T2), 10% (T3) and 12.5% (T4) and 225 Cobb commercial broiler birds were used in each experiment. The ASLM substituted varying levels of soya bean meal and wheat bran. Complete Randomised Design was used for the study. In Phase One, as the inclusion level of ASLM increased signs of ill–health and mortalities increased even though there were no significant (P>0.05) differences among treatment means. In Phase Two, however there were no signs of ill–health or mortalities. In Phase One, there was no significant (P>0.05)difference between T0 and T4 with respect to feed intake. Significant (P<0.05) differences were also observed between T1, T2 and T3, and T4. The control (T0) had the highest gain and T4 had the lowest gain. No significant (P>0.05) difference was seen between T0 and T1 but there were significant (P<0.05) difference between T0 and, T2, T3 and T4. In addition, there were significant (P<0.05) differences between T1, T2, T3, and T4. In Phase Two, dietary treatments did not exert any significant (P>0.05) effect on the daily feed intake of the birds. With respect to weight gain, no significant (P>0.05) differences were observed between treatment means of T0, T1 T2 and T3. There was also no significant (P>0.05) differences T3 and T4. But significant (P<0.05) differences were observed between treatment means of T0, T1 and T2, and T4. Dietary treatments did exert significant (P<0.05) differences on some of the carcass parameters measured. In Phase One, significant (P<0.05) differences were observed in the Hb levels of birds between T1 and T3. The WBC profile indicated that there were significant (P<0.05) differences in values obtained from T0 birds and those fed the ASLM containing diet. Treatment diet effected significant (P<0.05) differences in the low-density lipoprotein and albumen during initial and final blood biochemical analysis. In Phase Two, significant (P<0.05) differences were shown between the RBC, MCV, MCH, high density lipoprotein as well as their globulin before treatment birds were given ASLM. However after taking ASLM there were no significant (P>0.05) differences. A farmer will spend more without adding ASLM in broilers starter diet but it will not affect profit. The study revealed that at 5% inclusion level of the ASLM in broiler finisher diet, a profit of GH¢ 0.26 more can be made per kg of broiler carcass. It can be concluded that up to 5% Alternanthera sessilis leaf meal can be included in broiler starter or finisher diet without any deleterious effect on growth performance.

Source: KNUST
Response of Corn Genotypes to Weed Interference and Nitrogen in Nigeria

The effects of nitrogen (N) rate and weed interference on the grain yield of four corn genotypes were investigated in 2002 and 2003 at Ikenne (7?38'N, 3?42'E), Shika (11?11'N, 7?38'E), and Samaru (10?24'N, 7?42'E) in Nigeria. Nitrogen (N) at 0, 30, 60, and 90 kg N ha- were the main plot treatments. Weed-free (weeded weekly), low (intrarow weeds only), and high (zero weeding) weed pressure were the subplot treatments. Four corn genotypes (ACR8328 BN C7, Low-N-Pool C2, Oba Super II, TZB-SR) were the sub-subplot treatments. Weed density was higher at Shika and Samaru than at Ikenne, and the order of average weed biomass 8 to 10 weeks after planting was Samaru (271 g m~2) > Ikenne (236 g m ) > Shika (161 g m ). Corn genotype and N rate had no effect on weed biomass except at Samaru where fertilized treatments had higher weed biomass than the unfertilized treatments. Corn leaf area (LA) increased with increasing N rate at all locations regardless of weed pressure and genotype, except at Shika where ACR8328 BN C7, Oba Super II, and TZB SR did not show any clear N response; LA was highest in the weed-free and lowest in the unfertilized treatments for all genotypes and locations, and weed pressure treatments. Low-N-Pool C2 had the highest LA, which was 1.3 times larger than in Oba Super II, which had the lowest LA. Nitrogen rate, weed pressure, and genotypes significantly affected corn leaf chlorophyll content. Chlorophyll content was higher in the fertilized treatments than the unfertilized treatments, and higher in the weed-free treatments than the low or high weed pressure treatments. ACR8328 BN C7 and Oba Super II had significantly more chlorophyll than the other genotypes. Low-N-Pool C2 showed a linear grain yield response with the increase in N rates. ACR8328 BN C7 did not respond to N application. Compared with the results in the weed-free treatment,

Source: KNUST
Response of cowpea lines to low Phosphorus tolerance and response to external application of P

Low availability of phosphorus (P) is a major constraint to crop production in Sahel and Sudan Savanna of West Africa, and efforts are being made to identify cowpea genotypes with tolerance to low P and greater P use efficiency. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) enhance P uptake in low P soil. Cowpea breeding lines (200) were examined at 3 P levels (0P, 90 kg P ha-1 as Rock Phosphate and 30 kg P ha-1 as Simple Super Phosphate (SSP) in 2002 at Minjibir, Nigeria and Toumnia, Niger. Wide apparent variation in grain and fodder yields was found among the 200 genotypes. Grain yield response to RP and SSP ranged from 1 to 160%. Based on the genotypes performance at low and high (SSP), genotypes were classified. Fifteen genotypes were selected from the different P use and response groups and further examined in the greenhouse and field studies for growth characteristics related to tolerance to low applied P. Phosphorus application significantly (P ≤ 0.05) increased the grain and fodder yield at both locations., shoot-root ratio but decreased AMF colonization of cowpea roots. There were large differences in the relative P used in efficiency and the values ranged from –11 to 38 kg grain (kg P)-1 applied. AMF infection was reduced by at least 50%, while shoot-to-root ratio was significantly increased with P application. Variation between genotypes was significant for certain paired means but not consistent for all parameters measured, and the locations. The cowpea genotypes differ in AMF colonization, shoot growth relative root development, and relative P use efficiency for tolerance to low P soils and response to external application.

Source: KNUST
Response of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata [L.] Walp) to nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers and residual fertility effects on growth and yield of maize (Zea mays L.)

Generally, soils in tropical Africa including Ghana are inherently low in essential nutrients particularly nitrogen and phosphorus thereby resulting in low yields of crops. To this end, two field experiments were conducted on the same plot at the Plantation Section of the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) during the major and minor cropping seasons of 2014 to evaluate cowpea (Vigna unguiculata [L.] Walp) response to nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers and residual fertility effects on the growth and yield of succeeding maize (Zea mays L.) crop. The design used in the studies was a 4×5 factorial arranged in randomized complete block with three replications. The factors studied were N and P fertilizer application rates. The N rates were 0, 10, 20, 30 and 40 kg N/ha and the P rates were 0, 15, 30 and 45 kg P2O5/ha. The Asontem cowpea and Abontem maize variety used were obtained from the CSIR- Crops Research Institute, with both having a maturity periods of 65 and 75 days respectively. The land was ploughed, harrowed and plots were laid out. Plot size was 4.1 × 1.9 m. Planting for the cowpea was done in June at a spacing of 60 × 20 cm, while that of the maize was done in September at a spacing of 70 × 30 cm. All necessary agronomic practices were carried out. The results indicated that cowpea growth indices were not significantly (P > 0.05) affected by N and P fertilizer application rates. All nodulation parameters were also not significantly (P > 0.05) affected by N and P rates, except for number of nodules at 4 weeks after fertilizer application (WAFA). Grain yield and its component were not significantly (P > 0.05) affected by N and P fertilizer application rates. The results further indicated that residue quality was not responsive (P > 0.05) to N and P rates. However, application of N had significant (P < 0.05) effects on cowpea total plant N, seed N and crude protein content of seeds. Furthermore, residual fertilization did not significantly (P > 0.05) affect the growth, dry matter and grain yield of the succeeding maize crop. From the studies, it is recommended that, application of N to cowpea fields should highly depend on the N status of that particular field and that further studies should be conducted with higher P rates in other to determine the appropriate rate of P fertilizer that will produce significant effects on growth, grain yields and N contents of whole plant, seeds and residues of cowpea.

Source: KNUST
The Response of Discharged Mental Patients (Inmates) to Selected Art Activities in Textiles at the Kumasi Cheshire Home

The research sought to find out response of the residents of Kumasi Cheshire Home (rehabilitation centre) who are discharged mental patients to art activities in textiles. The scope of the research was limited the art activities in textiles. To solve this problem, an in-depth interview with residents, the administrator, Chief Psychiatric Nurse and staff of the home were conducted. Participant and non-participant observation as well as experiments were made. The main findings of the research which have been expounded by photographs of selected works of residents show that their intensity of illness did not affect their creativity. The findings and recommendation made on these patients will serve as a useful source of information for the psychiatric hospitals, rehabilitation centers and occupational therapist in the country and the general public.

Source: KNUST
Response of Soybean to Rhzobial Inoculation and Nitrogen Management options in the Southern Guinea Savannah Zone of Ghana

Field experiments were carried out in the Savelugu/Nanton and Yendi Municipalities in the northern region of Ghana in 2014 to investigate the effect of inoculation, rates and time of nitrogen fertilizer application on growth, yield, agronomic efficiency of mineral N and biological nitrogen fixation of soybean. The experiment was laid out in a split-split plot, arranged in a randomized complete block design with four replications at both locations. The main plot factor was inoculation (legume-fix inoculants), the sub-plot factor was nitrogen rates (0, 10, and 20 kg ha-1 N) in the form of sulfate of ammonia fertilizer (21 % N) and the sub-sub plot factor was time of nitrogen application (either starter N or late N application). Triple superphosphate (TSP) 46% P2O5 was applied as basal fertilizer to all treatment plots at the rate of 30 kg P ha-1. Weed fallow was established at both locations as reference for the determination of N-fixation using nitrogen difference method (NDM).The crop parameters were evaluated on the basis of plant height, number of nodule and nodule dry weight at 50% flowering, number of nodule and nodule dry weight at R4 (full pod stage), dry matter yield at R4, pod number, pod weight, grain yield, mean hundred-grain weight, amount of N2 fixed (BNF) and agronomic efficiency of mineral N fertilizer application in soybean production. The results showed that inoculation of soybean with rhizobia inoculants had no significant (p > 0.05) effect on all the response parameters measured at both locations. N rates at 20 kg ha-1significantly (p < 0.05) increased dry weight of nodules at 50% flowering, hundred-seed mean weight and grain yield by 29.88% at Puriya over the control. At Bunlong, the N rates only significantly (p < 0.05) increased dry weight of nodules at 50% flowering. Starter N significantly increased nodule number at R4 stage by 19.8% and dry weight by 20% at Puriya but had no effect on other response parameters. At Bunglong however, starter N only increased the nodule number. Late application of N only increased nodule dry weight at Bunglong. The interactions among the factors (inoculation, rate and time of N application) did not significantly influence biological nitrogen fixation and growth at both locations. The agronomic efficiency of the mineral N fertilizer applied was significant with the 20 and 10 kg N ha-1 rate increasing yield at Bunglong and Puriya respectively. It was therefore concluded that inoculation of soybean with rhizobia inoculant and nitrogen application did not increase growth and BNF. However, mineral N fertilizer application increased grain yield and agronomic efficiency in soybean production.

Source: KNUST
Response of the African eggplant (Solanummacrocarpon L.) transplants to irrigation water management regimes in two seasons

Two experiments were conducted at the Horticulture Department, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, to determine the response of transplants of the African Eggplant (Solanum macrocarpon L.) to irrigation water management regimes during the rainy and dry seasons. The design used was a 3 x 2 factorial in a Complete Randomised Design (CRD) with five replications. The three irrigation frequencies used were 80 %, 100 % and 120 % of Crop Water Requirement (CWR) and 2 transplant ages, of 6 weeks and 4 weeks after pricking out. The results indicated that vegetative parameters of plant height, leaf number, canopy spread and leaf area increased with increasing irrigation and age, but most of these responses were non-significant in the rainy season. Marketable and edible yields (tha-1) were significantly higher in the dry season than in the rainy season. The 80 %, 100 % and 120 % CWRs respectively recorded significantly different total fresh marketable yield per tha-1 of 20.36 tha-1,19.99 tha-1 and 21.55 tha-1 in the rainy season. In the dry season 32.98 tha-1, 39.84 tha-1’ and 41.80 tha-1’ significantly different fresh marketable yields were obtained at the 80 %, 100 % and 120 % irrigations respectively. There were marked improvements of 61.98 %, 99.30 % and 93.97 % over the rainy season yields of fresh marketable portions at the respective irrigation levels. There were no significant differences between the 4 and 6 weeks old transplants in fresh marketable yields in both seasons, but the yields were higher for both transplant ages in the dry season where more edible yields were also obtained per ha than in the rainy season. A gross irrigation application of 308.45 mm (120 % CWR) in the dry season production yielded the highest profit. Dry season production recorded higher revenue and was more profitable than the rainy season production. The dry season production profits were about 4, 8 and 5 times more than those derived in the rainy season for the low, medium and high irrigation regimes respectively.

Source: KNUST
The response of roots and biomass yield of soybean and maize seedlings to different levels of soil compaction

Two factorial experiments were carried out in a greenhouse at the Soil Research Institute, Kwadaso, Kumasi to investigate the response of roots and biomass yield of maize and soybean seedlings to different levels of soil compaction. The treatments in each of the experiments comprised five levels of soil compaction, using bulk density as an index of compaction, and three varieties each of soybean (Glycine max L.) and maize (Zea mays L.). The experimental set up was a completely randomized design (CRD) with three replications. The soybean and maize were grown in a stack of three polyvinyl (PVC) cylinders filled with the test soil and consisted of top, middle and bottom cores with a height of 2.5cm, 5cm and 8cm respectively. The test soil, Asuansi Series (Ferric Acrisol) was equilibrated to a constant gravimetric moisture content of 18% and uniformly compacted in the cylinders to the desired bulk densities of 1.1, 1.3, 1.5, 1.7 and 1.9 Mg m-3. The middle cores, to which the five compaction treatments were applied, were sandwiched between the top and bottom cores each of which had a bulk density of 1.1 Mg m-3. The three cores were sealed together into one air-tight and water-tight soil container by wrapping them with a plastic tape. The soil parameters measured were bulk density, total and air-filled porosity, saturated hydraulic conductivity and field capacity. The plant parameters, measured 15 and 21 days after planting (DAP) of soybean and maize respectively, comprised plant height, root and shoot dry mass, root length, root penetration ratio and root:shoot ratio. The data were analyzed statistically for ANOVA using SAS software and regression analysis was used to establish the correlation between parameters and to produce predictive equations. Total porosity and air-filled porosity generally decreased as bulk density increased with the former and latter ranging from 28.3 to 58.5% and -4.46 to 27.09% respectively at the bulk densities of 1.9 and 1.1 Mg m-3. Air-filled porosity was more sensitive to soil compaction. Saturated hydraulic conductivity varied between 25.6 and 44.2 mm h-1 under bulk densities of 1.9 and 1.1 Mg m-3 respectively. The hydraulic conductivity decreased by 6.6, 12.9, 32.6 and 42.1 percent as bulk density increased from 1.1 to 1.3, 1.5, 1.7 and 1.9 Mg m-3. Moisture content at field capacity (FC) decreased as bulk density increased with a value of 17.24 and 28.55 percent for the 1.9 and 1.1 Mg m-3 respectively. Soil compaction, crop variety and their interactions significantly (P<0.05) influenced the measured plant parameters of soybean and maize. Increases in bulk density generally caused significant decreases in all the measured plant parameters except the root : shoot ratio which increased. The significant differences (P<0.05) were generally recorded between the lower (1.1 to 1.5 Mg m-3) and higher (1.7 and 1.9 Mg m-3) bulk densities.

Source: KNUST
Response to antiretroviral therapy in occult hepatitis B and HIV co-infection in West Africa

This study evaluated the outcome of first-line antiretroviral therapy among 35 Ghanaians with occult HBV/HIV co-infection, comparing them over 2 years to 120 patients with HBsAgR HBV/HIV co-infection and 230 patients without HBV coinfection. Increases in CD4 cell count and BMI were similar, whereas elevations of hepatic transaminases were more frequent in both the occult HBVand HBsAgR patients. Occult HBV/HIV coinfection appears not to impact adversely on response to antiretroviral therapy in Ghana.

Source: KNUST
Response of the Serious Fraud Office to Government Anti-Corruption Policies under the Fourth Republic of Ghana.

As a developing nation, corruption posed a developmental challenge in Ghana. It denied the citizens full benefits of development, undermined investment, encouraged capital flight, enriched few unscrupulous ones creating social disequilibrium and stunted economic growth. Governments under the Fourth Republic have made various policy statements, “Probity and Accountability”, “zero tolerance for corruption” and enacted various anti-corruption laws and established institutions to help control corruption in the country. However, over ten years down the lane, one would have expected that with all these laws and institutions in place, corruption would have been reduced to the barest minimum. But that is not the case. In various electronic and print media, we continue to labour so much on how the public sector is endemic with corruption. Press conferences are organized to highlight corruption in public offices. Counter press conferences are equally organized to highlight corruption in previous regimes. At the end of these discussions and press conferences, the stakeholders: citizenry, civil society groups, and the public (government inclusive) did not see anything wrong with these policy statements, laws and institutions such as the SFO. All that we hear from the Executive is efforts put in place or being put in place to control corruption and never the outcome or dividends of such efforts. The study examines the formation of the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) as a vehicle of implementation, the situation of corruption in the country ten (10) years down the lane and policy gaps. It established that, while the policies yielded minimal dividends at the beginning, loss of focus and momentum by government to sustain and build on the efforts accounted for the current situation of corruption in the country. The study further established that over the years the SFO has worked creditable in the fight against corruption. But the Executive control in appointments, direction and funding of the SFO, its mandate and the incrementalist approach adopted in its formation and operationalization are some of the policy gaps that militated against the SFO response to government’s anti-corruption policies under the Fourth Republic. It is recommended that, government stay focused on its policy statements on the control of corruption, sustain and build on the momentum at controlling corruption in the country. And that, government purges itself of the perceived manipulation of the SFO by amending the SFO Act to give room for the appointment of professionals to the SFO Board, security of tenure of office of the Directors and adequate funding. The SFO should also embarke on public education to educate the public on its operations.

Source: KNUST