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- ItemA probabilistic assessment of the contribution of wastewater-irrigated lettuce to Escherichia coli O157:H7 infection risk and disease burden in Kumasi, Ghana(IWA Publishing 2015, 2015) R. C. Abaidoo; 0000-0002-1235-2252Wastewater use for vegetable production is widespread across the cities of many developing countries. Studies on the microbial health risks associated with the practice have largely depended on faecal indicator organisms with potential underestimation or overestimation of the microbial health risks and disease burdens. This study assessed the Escherichia coli O157:H7 infection risk and diarrhoeal disease burden measured in disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) associated with the consumption of wastewater-irrigated lettuce in Kumasi, Ghana using data on E. coli O157:H7 in ready-to-harvest, wastewater-irrigated lettuce. Two exposure scenarios – best case and worst case – associated with a single consumption of wastewater-irrigated lettuce were assessed. The assessment revealed wastewater-irrigated lettuce is contributing to the transmission of E. coli O157: H7 in Kumasi, Ghana. The mean E. coli O157:H7 infection risk and DALYs in the wet and dry seasons, irrespective of the exposure scenario, were above the World Health Organization tolerable daily infection risk of 2.7 × 10 7 per person per day and 10 6 DALYs per person per year. It is recommended that legislation with clear monitoring indicators and penalties is implemented to ensure that farmers and food sellers fully implement risk mitigating measures
- ItemBiological nitrogen fixation potential by soybeans in two low-P soils of southern Cameroon(Springer, 2010) Jemo M.; Nolte C.; Tchienkoua M.; Abaidoo R. C; 0000-0002-1235-2252Biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) poten tial of 12 soybean genotypes was evaluated in conditions of low and sufficient phosphorus (P) supply in two acid soils of southern Cameroon. The P sources were phosphate rock (PR) and triplesuperphosphate (TSP). The experiment was carried out during two consecutive years (2001 and 2002) at two locations with different soil types. Shoot dry matter, nodule dry matter, and nitrogen (N) and P uptake were assessed at flowering and the grain yield at maturity. Shoot dry matter, nodule dry matter, N and P uptake, and grain yield varied significantly with site and genotypes (P\0.05). On Typic Kan diudult soil, nodule dry matter ranged from 0.3 to 99.3 mg plant-1 and increased significantly with P application (P\0.05). Total N uptake of soybean ranged from 38.3 to 60.1 kg N ha-1 on Typic Kandiudult and from 18 to 33 kg N ha-1 on Rhodic Kandiudult soil. Under P-limiting conditions, BNF ranged from -5.8 to 16 kg N ha-1 with significantly higher values for genotype TGm 1511 irrespective of soil type. Genotype TGm 1511 can be considered as an important companion crop for the development ofsmallholder agriculture in southern Cameroon
- ItemIntegrated use of fertilizer micro-dosing and Acacia tumida mulching increases millet yield and water use efficiency in Sahelian semi-arid environment(Springer, 2015) Ibrahim Ali; Abaidoo R. C; Fatondji Dougbedji; Opoku Andrews; 0000-0002-1235-2252Limited availability of soil organic amendments and unpredictable rainfall, decrease crop yields drastically in the Sahel. There is, therefore, a need to develop an improved technology for conserv ing soil moisture and enhancing crop yields in the Sahelian semi-arid environment. A 2-year field exper iment was conducted to investigate the mulching effects of Acacia tumida pruning relative to commonly applied organic materials in Niger on millet growth, yields and water use efficiency (WUE) under fertilizer micro-dosing technology. We hypothesized that (1) A. tumida pruning is a suitable mulching alternative for crop residues in the biomass-scarce areas of Niger and (2) combined application of A. tumida mulch and fertilizer micro-dosing increases millet yield and water use efficiency. Two fertilizer micro-dosing options (20 kg DAP ha-1, 60 kg NPK ha-1) and three types of organic mulches (millet straw, A. tumida mulch, and manure) and the relevant control treatments were arranged in factorial experiment organized in a randomized complete block design with four replications. Fertilizer micro-dosing increased millet grain yield on average by 28 %. This millet grain yield increased further by 37 % with combined application of fertilizer micro-dosing and organic mulch. Grain yield increases relative to the un mulched control were 51 % for manure, 46 % for A. tumida mulch and 36 % for millet mulch. Leaf area index and root length density were also greater under mulched plots. Fertilizer micro-dosing increased WUE of millet on average by 24 %, while the addition of A. tumida pruning, manure and millet increased WUE on average 55, 49 and 25 %, respectively. We conclude that combined application of micro-dosing and organic mulch is an effective fertilization strategy to enhance millet yield and water use efficiency in low-input cropping systems and that A. tumida prun ing could serve as an appropriate mulching alternative for further increasing crop yields and water use efficiency in the biomass-scarce and drought prone environment such as the Sahel. However, the eco nomic and social implications and the long-term agronomic effects of this agroforestry tree in Sahelian millet based system have to be explored further. Keywords Organic mulch Fertilizer micro-dosing Acacia tumida Millet yield Water use efficie
- ItemMechanism(s) Underlying Interactions Between Cattle Manure and Mineral Fertilizer in a Maize Field Soil in Ghana(Agricultural and Food Science Journal of Ghana, 2021) Brempong M.B.; Opoku A.; Ewusi-Mensah N.; Abaidoo R. C; 0000-0002-1235-2252A 70-day laboratory incubation study was conducted to unravel the mechanism(s) underlying synergistic interactions between organic and inorganic nutrient inputs to the soil. Soil from a maize farmer's field at Kpongu in the Upper West Region of Ghana was amended with a factorial combination of 0, 50% and 100% levels of the recommended rates (RR) of inorganic fertilizer and cattle manure and incubated at room temperature in plastic cups. Deionized water was added to maintain soil moisture at 70% field capacity throughout the incubation period. Cups were covered with gas-permeable parafilm. Soil sampling was done at 7, 28, 42, 56 and 70 days after incubation. The soil was analyzed for available phosphorus, organic carbon, microbial biomass carbon, nitrates, ammonium, soil urease activity, iron, and copper at each sampling. The addition of 100% RR NPK + 50% RR manure often results in higher amounts of the measured parameters,synergistic interactions and supply of nutrients to the soil, with longer residual effects. While all the under-studied mechanisms (improved nutrient synchrony, priming effects, general fertility improvement fertility) contribute to synergistic interactions, the improved nutrient synchrony mechanism is the most prominent. Farmers can therefore manage the timing of the nutrient inputs well to capitalize on this mechanism for improved soil fertility.
- ItemN2-fixation and N contribution by grain legumes under different soil fertility status and cropping systems in the Guinea savanna of northern Ghana(Elsevier, 2017) KERMAH M.; Franke A.C.; Adjei-Nsiah S.; Ahiabor B.D.K.; Abaidoo R. C; Giller K.E.; 0000-0002-1235-2252Continuous cereal-based cropping has led to a rapid decline in soil fertility in the Guinea savanna agro-ecological zone of northern Ghana with corresponding low crop yields. We evaluated the effects of cropping system and soil fertility status on grain yields and N2-fixation by grain legumes and net N contribution to soil fertility im provement in contrasting sites in this agro-ecological zone. Maize was intercropped with cowpea, soybean and groundnut within a row, with a maize stand alternated with two equally spaced cowpea or groundnut stands and in the maize-soybean system, four equally spaced soybean stands. These intercrops were compared with sole crops of maize, cowpea, soybean and groundnut in fertile and poorly fertile fields at sites in the southern (SGS) and the northern (NGS) Guinea savanna. The proportion of N derived from N2-fixation (%Ndfa) was comparable between intercrops and sole crops. However, the amount of N2-fixed was significantly larger in sole crops due to a greater biomass accumulation. Legumes in poorly fertile fields had significantly smaller shoot δ15N enrichment (−2.8 to +0.7‰) and a larger %Ndfa (55–94%) than those in fertile fields (−0.8 to +2.2‰; 23–85%). The N2- fixed however was larger in fertile fields (16–145 kg N ha−1) than in poorly fertile fields (15–123 kg N ha−1) due to greater shoot dry matter and N yields. The legumes grown in the NGS obtained more of their N re quirements from atmospheric N2-fixation (73–88%) than legumes grown in the SGS (41–69%). The partial soil N balance (in kg ha−1) was comparable between intercrops (−14 to 21) and sole legumes (−8 to 23) but smaller than that of sole maize receiving N fertiliser (+7 to +34). With other N inputs (aerial deposition) and outputs (leaching and gaseous losses) unaccounted for, there is uncertainty surrounding the actual amount of soil N balances of the cropping systems, indicating that partial N balances are not reliable indicators of the sustain ability of cropping systems. Nevertheless, the systems with legumes seem more attractive due to several non-N benefits. Our results suggest that soybean could be targeted in the SGS and cowpea in the NGS for greater productivity while groundnut is suited to both environments. Grain legumes grown in poorly fertile fields contributed more net N to the soil but growing legumes in fertile fields seems more lucrative due to greater grain and stover yields and non-N benefits.
- ItemNutrient release dynamics from decomposing organic materials and their mulching-effect on pearl millet yields in a low-input Sahelian cropping system(Springer, 2018) Ibrahim Ali; Abaidoo R. C; Tawaye Iliasso Aboubacar Dan Kassoua; Tawaye Iliasso Aboubacar Dan Kassoua; Fatondji Dougbedji; 0000-0002-1235-2252Organic material inputs for increased crop yields are insufficient in the Sahelian West Africa. There is a need for diversifying organic amendment sources for improved nutrient supply in low-input cropping system. The 2-year study aimed to (1) explore the rates of mass losses and nutrient release dynamics from Acacia tumida prunings (AT) and millet straw (MS) under field conditions, (2) assess termite’s contribution to the decomposition of AT and MS, and (3) ascertain the mulching-effect of these organic materials on pearl millet yields. The study was conducted in Niger using field experiment and litterbag methodology and the data modelled using single exponential decay equations. Under field con ditions, mulching with AT and MS increased millet grain yield by 35 and 33%, respectively compared to control. The harvest index (HI) in 2014 increased by 21% compared to that obtained in 2013 with the highest HI being recorded for the AT mulched treatment. The results from litterbag experiment indicated a greater dry mass losses from MS decom position in 2013 whereas relatively higher mass losses were recorded from AT decomposition in 2014. The differences in mass losses among the organic materials could be related to the interaction of soil moisture dynamics and termites’ population which are posi tively correlated with mass losses. The contribution of termites to the decomposition was estimated to be 36% for MS and 8% for AT. In 2013, at 126 days after litterbags placement, the amounts of N, P, and K released from MS were 16, 1, and 25 kg ha-1 of initial nutrient applied, respectively compared with the 22, 1, and 23 kg ha-1 recorded from AT treatment. During the same period in 2014, the total amounts of N, P and K released from MS were 15, 0.6, and 29 kg ha-1 , respectively compared to the 32 kg ha-1 of N, 1 kg ha-1 of P, and 29 kg ha-1 of K released from the AT treatment. The intrinsic organic material quality could explain markedly the variation in nutrient released among the organic material. These results indicate that Acacia tumida prunings have a potential to provide nutrient through mineralization for enhanced crop yield in the Sahel
- ItemOccurrence and risk assessment of antibiotics in water and lettuce in Ghana(Elsevier, 2017) Azanu David; Styrishave Bjarne; Darko Godfred; Juhl Weisser Johan; Abaidoo R. C; 0000-0002-1235-2252Hospital wastewater and effluents from waste stabilization ponds in Kumasi, Ghana, are directly discharged as low quality water into nearby streams which are eventually used to irrigate vegetables. The presence of 12 com monly used antibiotics in Ghana (metronidazole, ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, trimethoprim, ampicillin, cefuroxime, sulfamethoxazole, amoxicillin, tetracycline, oxytetracycline, chlortetracycline and doxycycline) were investigated in water and lettuce samples collected in three different areas in Kumasi, Ghana. The water samples were from hospital wastewater, wastewater stabilization ponds, rivers and irrigation water, while the lettuce samples were from vegetable farms and market vendors. Antibiotics in water samples were extracted using SPE while antibiotics in lettuce samples were extracted using accelerated solvent extraction followed by SPE. All extracted antibiotics samples were analyzed by HPLC-MS/MS. All studied compounds were detected in concentrations significantly higher (p = 0.01) in hospital wastewater than in the other water sources. The highest concentration found in the present study was 15 μg/L for ciprofloxacin in hospital wastewater. Irrigation water samples analyzed had consent but effective means of removing antibiotics with removal efficiency up to 95% recorded in this study. However, some chemicals are still found in levels indicating medium to high risk of antibiotics resistance devel opment in the environment. The total concentrations of antibiotics detected in edible lettuce tissues from vege table farms and vegetable sellers at the markets were in the range of 12.0–104 and 11.0–41.4 ng/kg (fresh weight) respectively. The antibiotics found with high concentrations in all the samples were sulfamethoxazole, erythromycin, ciprofloxacin, cefuroxime and trimethoprim. Furthermore, our study confirms the presence of seven antibiotics in lettuce from irrigation farms and markets, suggesting an indirect exposure of humans t
- ItemOn-farm evaluation and determination of sources of variability of soybean response to Bradyrhizobium inoculation and phosphorus fertilizer in northern Ghana(Elsevier, 2018) Ulzen Jacob; Abaidoo R. C; Ewusi-Mensah Nana; Masso Cargele; 0000-0002-1235-2252Soybean yields on smallholder farms in sub-Sahara Africa (SSA) are far below the potential yield thus creating a huge yield gap. Interventions are thus needed to bridge this yield gap and ascertain the factors influencing the yield variation. This study evaluated the on farm response of soybean to rhizobia inoculation and or mineral P fertilizer in Northern and Upper West regions of Ghana in a single non-replicate trial using four treatments: no input (control), TSP fertilizer (P), rhizobia inoculant (I) and TSP plus inoculant (P + I). In addition, the study sought to develop a robust approach for determining responsiveness and non-responsiveness using agronomic and economic indices. The results showed that the average grain yield of plots that received P or I were higher than control plots. Higher grain yield responses were however, obtained by the plots that received combined application of P and Bradyrhizobium inoculant. Grain yield response in the Northern region was higher than in the Upper West region. Response to P and or I were highly variable within and between locations. The cumu lative rainfall and some soil factors including soil nitrogen, phosphorus, soil type, organic carbon, pH and texture explained about 42–79% of these variations in soybean grain yield. The agronomic approach for determining responsive and non-responsiveness revealed that 17–40 % and 6–17% of the locations within the Northern and Upper West regions, respectively were responsive to P fertilization and/ or Bradyrhizobium inoculation. However, the economic approach indicated that 64–75% and 14–24% of the locations within the Northern and Upper West regions, respectively were responsive to P fertilization and Bradyrhizobium inoculation. The results imply that rhizobia inoculation is an effective strategy for increasing soybean yield and improving livelihood of smallholder farmers.
- ItemOn-farm evaluation of biological nitrogen fixation potential and grain yield of Lablab and two soybean varieties in the northern Guinea savanna of Nigeria(Springer, 2005) Okogun J.A.; Sanginga N.; Abaidoo R. C; Dashiell K.E.; Diels J.; 0000-0002-1235-2252Several legumes with high biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) potentials have been studied in on-station trials. The processes involved in BNF and the benefits of these species to crop production need to be evaluated using farmers’ management practices in farmers’ fields. An on-farm trial with 20 farmers was conducted in the northern Guinea savanna (NGS) of Nigeria. The aims were to evaluate the BNF potentials of an improved soybean variety (TGx 1448-2E) and a local variety (Samsoy-2) when inoculated with Bradyrhizobium strains, and of Lablab in farmer-managed and researcher-managed soybean-maize and Lablab-maize crop rotation systems. The level of soil P was generally low with more than 50% of the fields having less than the critical P level. The plant available P content was statistically significantly (P = 0.05) correlated with P in grain (r = 0.60), P in the shoot (r = 0.68), grain yield (r = 0.40) and nodule weight (r = 0.35). Variations in plant parameters (nodulation, shoot dry matter, percentage nitrogen derived from the air [%Ndfa], grain yield, and nutrient uptake) among and within farmers’ fields were attributed to differences in soil fertility and crop management. About 60% of the fields were mod erately fertile, sufficient to support legume establishment, while about 30% of the farmers’ fields had a low fertility level. For farmers in the study area to benefit from the BNF potentials of the legumes, an external P fertilizer input was necessary as well as suitable crop management practices because all parameters mea sured in the researcher-managed plots were higher than in the farmer-managed plots.
- ItemOpportunities and barriers for using climate information for building resilient agricultural systems in Sudan savannah agro-ecological zone of north-eastern Ghana(Elsevier, 2021) Antwi-Agyei Philip; Dougill Andrew J.; Abaidoo R. C; 0000-0002-1235-2252Empirical evidence on the opportunities and barriers to the uptake of climate services by smallholder farmers for resilient agricultural systems in sub-Saharan Africa is limited. This paper addresses this important gap by evaluating the opportunities and barriers to the uptake of climate information (from short-term weather fore casts, through seasonal forecasts to longer-term climate change information on decadal timescales) by small holder farmers in the Sudan savannah agro-ecological zone of Ghana. The paper answers the following research questions: i) what kinds of weather and climate information are available and accessible to smallholder farmers for agricultural management decision-making? ii) what opportunities exist for using climate information in agricultural systems in the Sudan savannah agro-ecological zone? iii) what are the key barriers to the uptake of climate information by smallholder farmers in the Sudan savannah agro-ecological zones of Ghana? The study used participatory approaches including household surveys with 555 farmers, 3 stakeholder workshops, 15 key informant interviews and 12 focus group discussions across 6 communities in the Sudan savannah agro ecological zone. Findings show that more than a third of the study respondents (40%; n = 555) were not receiving climate information. Out of the 60% receiving climate information, the majority (91%; n = 335) indicated receiving information on rainfall with fewer respondents 21% and 26% receiving information on temperature and windstorms, respectively. Radio was the key medium for receiving weather and climate in formation. Both female and male smallholder farmers were using climate information to make critical farming decisions including time of land preparations (79%), crop variety selection (50%), changing cropping patterns (36%), planting time adjustments (31%), harvesting time (21%) and disease/pest management (10%). Increasing uptake of weather and climate information is confronted with multiple barriers including inadequate information on seasonal forecast for long-term planning, low accessibility of climate information, high levels of illiteracy, difficulties in understanding technical language used in communicating climate information and misalignment between the climate information provided and what smallholder farmers need. Climate information should be linked directly to agricultural imp
- ItemOptimising ventilation to control odour in the ventilated improved pit latrine(Springer, 2018) Obeng Peter A.; Oduro‑Kwarteng Sampson; Keraita Bernard; Bregnhøj Henrik; Abaidoo R. C; Awuah Esi; Konradsen Flemming; 0000-0002-1235-2252The rate of ventilation through the vent pipe of a ventilated improved pit latrine is the main technical factor that determines its efficiency in odour control aside the maintenance and cleaning practices of the users. Even though the factors affecting the ventilation rate have been well researched, they have not been previously related in a mathematical model to quantify the relative effect of the various factors on the ventilation rate. The objective of this paper is to develop such a model that could be used to optimise and predict the ventilation rate as a function of relevant design criteria and weather conditions. The ventilation rates produced by various design modifications in an experimental ventilated improved pit latrine were measured under monitored weather conditions. A linear regression model was used to assess the relative effect of the various design modifications and the elements of weather on the ventilation rate. It was found that the diameter of the vent pipe is the most important factor which accounts for 53% of variations in the ventilation rate, followed by the external wind speed, which accounts for 25% of changes in ventilation. The provision of windows in other sides of the superstructure other than the windward side leads to a reduction of 32% in the ventilation rate and accounts for 9% of the variations in the ventilation rate. A regression model developed in this study could be used to optimise and predict the ventilation rate based on a set of design criteria and meteorological data.
- ItemOrganic acids in the rhizosphere and root characteristics of soybean (Glycine max) and cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) in relation to phosphorus uptake in poor savanna soils(Ajol, 2008) Chike Nwoke Onyegbula; Diels Jan; Abaidoo R. C; Nziguheba Generose; Merckx Roel; 0000-0002-1235-2252Root characteristics associated with phosphorus (P) uptake under limiting soil-P conditions were examined in two sets of greenhouse experiments. Average diameter and length of soybean, cowpea, maize and sorghum roots were assessed after 7 weeks in three low-P soils amended with P fertilizer at 0, 3, 6, 11 and 23 mg P/kg. Organic acids in the rhizosphere of soybean, cowpea and pigeon pea were separately evaluated in one soil amended with or without rock phosphate, iron phosphate, aluminium phosphate, calcium phosphate, or triple super phosphate. Unplanted soil served as the control. The growth of soybean, cowpea, maize, and sorghum was significantly improved with P application in all the soils and the amount of P applied played an important role. The shoot dry matter yield and P accumulation correlated significantly with the root length of cowpea and the average diameter of sorghum roots. Citric acid was the only organic acid detected in measurable quantities in the rhizosphere of all plants tested; on average, it varied from 4 (pigeon pea) to 17 (soybean) µmol/g soil. For soybean, the secretion of citric acid appeared important for P acquisition in P-limiting environments whereas for cowpea, the size of the roots may be more important.
- ItemPCR assay for direct specific detection of Bradyrhizobium elite strain BR 3262 in root nodule extracts of soil-grown cowpea(Springer, 2017) Osei Ophelia; L. Jean; Araújo Simões; Zilli Jerri E.; Boddey Robert M.; Ahiabor Benjamin D. K.; Abaidoo R. C; Rouws Luc F. M.; 0000-0002-1235-2252Aims Successful inoculation of legume crops with rhizobia depends on dominating nodule occupancy with highly efficient strains. The aim of this study was to develop a rapid and reliable conventional PCR method ology to specifically detect an elite Bradyrhizobium strain in root nodule extracts from soil-grown cowpea plants. Methods The draft genome sequence of Bradyrhizobium pachyrhizi BR 3262 was compared to the closely related strain PAC 48T .BR 3262-specific regions were selected to design specific primer pairs, which were tested with respect to PCR amplification specificity and efficiency on extracted DNA, bacterial cells and root nodules from cowpea plants grown under gnotobiotic conditions and in soil. Results Eleven designed primer pairs were specific for BR 3262 amplification and two of them (pairs 2645 and 2736) were highly sensitive and selected for further analyses. Experiments with gnotobiotic and soil-grown plants showed that both primer pairs were suitable to reliably determine nodule occupancy and confirmed the competitiveness of strain BR 3262 in natural soil. Conclusions Primer pairs 2645 and 2736 are novel tools to accompany the fate of strain BR 3262 in inoculation experiments of cowpea in soil. This strategy should be applicable to other rhizobium/legume symbioses in the field.
- ItemPesticide and Pathogen Contamination of Vegetables in Ghana’s Urban Markets(KNUST, 2005-06) RC. Abaidoo,; 0000-0002-1235-2252The objective of the study was to determine and compare the current level of exposure of the Ghanaian urban population to hazardous pesticide and fecal coliform contam ination through the consumption of fresh vegetables produced in intensive urban and periurban smallholder agriculture with informal wastewater irrigation. A total of 180 vegetable sam ples (lettuce, cabbage, and spring onion) were randomly col lected under normal purchase conditions from 9 major markets and 12 specialized selling points in 3 major Ghanaian cities: Accra, Kumasi and Tamale. The samples were analyzed for pesticide residue on lettuce leaves, total and fecal coliforms, and helminth egg counts on all three vegetables. Chlopyrifos (Dursban) was detected on 78% of the lettuce, lindane (Ga malin 20) on 31%, endosulfan (Thiodan) on 36%, lambda cyhalothrin (Karate) on 11%, and dichloro-diphenyl-trichlo roethane on 33%. Most of the residues recorded exceeded the maximum residue limit for consumption. Vegetables from all 3 cities were fecally contaminated and carried fecal coliform populations with geometric mean values ranging from 4.0 · 103 to 9.3 · 108 g–1 wet weight and exceeded recommended standards. Lettuce, cabbage, and spring onion also carried an average of 1.1, 0.4, and 2.7 helminth eggs g–1, respectively. The eggs were identified as those of Ascaris lumbricoides, Ancylostoma duodenale, Schistosoma heamatobium, and Trichuris trichiura. Because many vegetables are consumed fresh or only slightly cooked, the study shows that intensive vegetable production, common in Ghana and its neighboring countries, threatens public health from the microbiologic and pesticide dimensions. Standard recommendations to address this situation (better legislations, law enforcement, or inte grated pest management) often do not match the capabilities of farmers and authorities. The most appropriate entry point for risk decrease that also addresses postharvest contamination is washing vegetables before food preparation at the household or ‘‘chop’’ bar (street restaurant)
- ItemPhosphate rock utilization by soybean genotypes on a low-P savanna soil and the status of soil P fractions after a subsequent maize crop(Ajol, 2009) Nwoke O. C.; Okogun J. A.; Sanginga N.; Diels J.; Abaidoo R. C; Osonubi O.; 0000-0002-1235-2252Information on the inter- and intra-specific variability in the acquisition and utilization of phosphorus (P) by promiscuous soybean genotypes under low-P conditions can be helpful in the short-term management of soil P availability. Thirteen promiscuous soybean genotypes were evaluated in a low-P soil at Fashola in the derived savanna of Nigeria to compare their ability to acquire and utilize P from phosphate rock (PR) and single superphosphate (SSP). Changes in soil P fractions after a subsequent maize crop were also assessed. The treatments were 90 kg P/ha added as PR (90-PR), 30 kg P/ha as SSP (30-SSP), and 0 kg P/ha as a control (0-P). Large differences occurred in growth, nodulation, and mycorrhizal infection rates among the soybean genotypes and were related to the P sources. Three genotypes (Tgm 1511, Tgm 1419, and Tgm 1360) increased their shoot dry matter yield significantly with PR application. The efficiency of the genotypes to acquire and utilize fertilizer or soil P differed significantly, and their ranking depended on how efficiency is defined. Shortly after application, 90-PR and 30-SSP resulted in similar increases in available P but the effects of 90-PR on the Ca-bound pool were significantly higher than those of 30-SSP. The difference in Ca-bound P between 90-PR and 0-P decreased from 44 to 26 mg/kg after the second cropping, leading to significantly higher levels of resin P (p = 0.006) and HCO3-Pi (p = 0.038) in the PR treatment than in the control. The results of this study indicate that exploiting genotypic differences in P use efficiency may lead to the selection of soybean genotypes that can potentially enhance productivity in the low-P savanna soils.
- ItemPhosphorus sorption characteristics in the Sahel: Estimates from soils in Mali(Aimpress, 2023) Kouyate Aliou Badara; Logah Vincent; Abaidoo R. C; Tetteh Francis Marthy; Bonsu Mensah; Dembélé Sidiki Gabriel; 0000-0002-1235-2252Crop yield in sub-Saharan Africa is often limited by low phosphorus fertility. Farmers in the region can apply phosphate rock, which should increase the plant-available phosphorus level, but this may be prone to sorption in acid soils of the Sahel. The objective of this study was to determine phosphorus (P) sorption characteristics of four representative soil series in Sahelian Mali namely, Longorola (Gleysol), Danga (Fluvisol), Niessoumana (Arenosol) and Konobougou (Acrisol) under Tilemsi Phosphate Rock (TPR) treatment. Data for phosphorus sorption was obtained by equilibrating 5 g of soils for 7 days at room temperature in 50 ml of 0.01M CaCl2 containing six (6) rates of phosphate as TPR (0, 10, 20, 40, 80, 160 mg/L). The linear form of the Langmuir equation was used to calculate sorption parameters of the soils. The Gleysol with the greatest clay content had the highest phosphorus sorption maximum which was over three times greater than that of the Acrisol with the least clay content. The sorption maxima in the range of 59–200 mg/kg were well estimated with Langmuir sorption isotherm (R2 ≥ 0.78). Soil organic matter and clay contents influenced phosphorus sorption from the TPR. The degree of phosphorus saturation ranged from 2.39 to 6.47 %, being greater in the Arenosol. In a two-season field experiment on the Haplic Acrisol, we tested on maize, the TPR in two forms (powder and pellet) in addition to water-soluble diammonium phosphate at different rates (0, 11 and 16 kg P /ha). The water-soluble DAP and TPR (powder) had similar effects (p < 0.05) on soil P availability but with DAP producing greater grain yields. This shows that application of TPR in powder form can improve phosphorus availability as water-soluble DAP with positive impact on grain yield. The study provides useful information on P sorption characteristics of TPR amendment in the Sahel.
- ItemThe policy implications of urban open space commercial vegetable farmers’ willingness and ability to pay for reclaimed water for irrigation in Kumasi, Ghana(Elsevier, 2016) Amponsah Owusu; Vigre Håkan; Braimah Imoro; Wilde Schou Torben; Abaidoo R. C; 0000-0002-1235-2252The acute waste management problems, coupled with the proliferation of small scale industries in many developing countries, make low quality water treatment before use inevitable in the long run. These industries have the potential to discharge effluent containing chemicals and heavy metals into the environment. The indiscriminative use of pharmaceutical products by households in many of these countries is another source of health concern. Low quality water treatment in these countries has however been hampered by the high cost of infrastructure provision and maintenance. Cost-sharing among stakeholders appears to be a promising strategy to finance and maintain the wastewater treatment infrastructure. In this study therefore, the willingness and ability of urban open space commercial vegetable farmers to pay for reclaimed water for irrigation purposes has been assessed. One hundred open space commercial vegetable farmers and four vegetable farmers’ associations were selected and interviewed in Kumasi in Ghana using semi-structured interview schedules and interview guides respectively. The results of the study show that approximately three out of every five vegetable farmers were willing to pay for reclaimed water for irrigation. The results further show that the probability of being willing to pay by farmers who agreed that the current water they used for irrigation was harmful is approximately 5.3 times greater than that of those who did not. The analysis of the farmers’ ability to pay revealed that all the farmers would be capable of paying for reclaimed water at a price of US$0.11/m3. This has implications for land tenure security and vegetable consumers' willingness to pay higher prices for the produce.