E. Owusu Danquah

CSIR - Crops Research Institute · Roots & Tubers (R&Ts)

Complex controls and non-linear responses of the climate system to global warming make it difficult to have clear-cut predictions of future precipitation amounts and timelines. It is, however, evident from current observations that some predictions of unusually high rates of flooding and droughts are occurring and threatening food security in sub-S...

Climate change has altered ecohydroclimatological variables and the phenology of crops and thus has threatened the ecosystem and food security. This study aims to quantify the impacts of climate change on the length and timing of growing seasons, crop yields, and nitrogen transport from paddy fields. A calibrated APEX-Paddy model was used to sim...

Crop-specific fertilizer recommendations are necessary to improve yield and enhance food security in Ghana. This approach would help in improving crop productivity while maintaining a good soil health status. A new NPK fertilizer has been recently developed by the private sector with Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), and Potassium (K) proportions of 1...

A study conducted in the Forest and Forest-Savannah transition zones of Ghana during the 2018–2019 cropping seasons to investigate the profitability of integrating pigeonpea into yam described as a pigeonpea-yam cropping system consisted of; yam planted with pigeonpea in alleys (PA) and as a border (PB) compared with sole yam (SY). PA, PB, and SY p...

Crop-specific fertilizer recommendations are necessary to improve yield and enhance food security in Ghana. This approach would help in improving crop productivity while maintaining a good soil health status. A new NPK fertilizer has been recently developed by the private sector with Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), and Potassium (K) proportions of 11...

The dependence on low-yield landraces and inadequate improved agronomic practices have contributed to the existing yield gap of crops. Diversifying crop species to include high-yielding and drought tolerant but underutilized crops and integrating them into cropping systems is an alternate means of addressing food insecurity. A major concern of farm...

Aims: This study was conducted to enhance the tolerance of common beans to drought events occurring at the reproductive stage, from a soil improvement perspective. Study Design: Split plot completely randomized design was used. Place and Duration of Study: Study was conducted in a screen-house at the Legumes and Oil Seeds Division of CSIR-Crops Res...

The use of rhizobia and phosphorus solubilizing bacteria (PSB) as an alternative source to improve soil nutrition is necessary to promote sustainable gram production. In this study, the efficacy of rhizobia (Bradyrhizobium japonicum- BR3267) and PSB (Pseudomonas striata) in liquid form and on carrier material was investigated in a Randomized Comple...

Yam production along the West African yam belt is challenged with deteriorating soil fertility and unavailability of stakes, resulting in decreased yam productivity, and farmers' livelihood. This study evaluated resource use and yam productivity in pigeonpea-yam cropping systems in Ghana's forest and forest-savannah transition zones from 2017 throu...

Intensification of staple food crops such as Yam (Dioscorea spp.) while sustaining the environment is imperative in providing food for the expected 9.6 billion global population by 2050. In West Africa, amid the threat posed by climate change on food security, yam production is associated with deforestation and land degradation. Integrated soil fer...

This study evaluated the effect of coconut water and benzyl adenine on the stimulation of corms for stolon and sucker production for increased planting material production. A Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications was used. There were four levels of benzyl adenine (BA): 5 mg L-1 /plant, 1.0 mg L-1 /plant, 1.5 mg L-1 /plant...

Field tagging and selection of apparently virus - free yam plants to be used as source of seed by farmers

The persistence of inoculants from year to year in soybean (Glycine max) cultivation and residual benefits in soybean production is pertinent to adopting such practices in sub‐Saharan Africa countries such as Ghana. A study was conducted to determine the residual effect of commercial Rhizobium inoculants on soybean and selected soil health paramete...

Crop-specific fertilizer recommendations are necessary to improve yield and enhance food security in Ghana. This approach would help in improving crop productivity while maintaining a good soil health status. A new NPK fertilizer has been recently developed by the private sector with Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), and Potassium (K) proportions of...

A three-year field trial was conducted between 2014 and 2017 in the Ellembelle and Jomoro districts of the Western region of Ghana where rubber production is common to determine the optimum population density of plantain when grown in combination with immature rubber tree crops. The trials were arranged in a Randomized Complete Block Design with 3...

A three-year field trial was conducted between 2014 and 2017 in the Ellembelle and Jomoro districts of the Western region of Ghana where rubber production is common to determine the optimum population density of plantain when grown in combination with immature rubber tree crops. e trials were arranged in a Randomized Complete Block Design with 3 re...

Foliar application of fertilizers can guarantee nutrient availability to beans, leading to higher yield and seed quality. Different approaches including glycine have been used to improve mineral nutrient status of plants toward safer products and improved human health. However, limited research has been undertaken to understand the response of bean...

Global warming due to climate change is expected to significantly affect the hydrological cycle of agriculture. Therefore, in order to predict the magnitude of climate impact on agricultural water resources in the future, it is necessary to estimate the water demand for irrigation as the climate change. This study aimed at evaluating the future cha...

Ghana’s agricultural economy is largely dominated by the crop subsector with much focus on the production of tree, arable and vegetable crops. Nevertheless, Phytophthora spp. are major threat to the production of these crops contributing significantly to yield reduction. In this review, the main focus will be to look at the threats the pathogen pos...

There is an urgent need to match food production with increasing world population through identification of sustainable land management strategies. However, the struggle to achieve food security should be carried out keeping in mind the soil where the crops are grown and the environment in which the living things survive, especially under rainfed a...

The importance of Cassava in the food systems of Ghanaians cannot be underestimated. As a main staple crop, Cassava contributes about 22% and 30% to the Agricultural Gross Domestic Product (AGDP) and daily calories intake respectively. Per capita consumption of 152 kg makes it the highest among all food crops. Due to Cassava's importance, there hav...

The importance of Cassava in the food systems of Ghanaians cannot be underestimated. As a main staple crop, Cassava contributes about 22% and 30% to the Agricultural Gross Domestic Product (AGDP) and daily calories intake respectively. Per capita consumption of 152 kg makes it the highest among all food crops. Due to Cassava's importance, there hav...

The importance of Cassava in the food systems of Ghanaians cannot be underestimated. As a main staple crop, Cassava contributes about 22% and 30% to the Agricultural Gross Domestic Product (AGDP) and daily calories intake respectively. Per capita consumption of 152 kg makes it the highest among all food crops. Due to Cassava’s importance, there hav...

The study evaluated DSSAT's CERES-Maize and CROPGRO models for their effectiveness in simulating the growth of maize, groundnut, and cowpea under dynamic nutrient amendments and water management practices in field experiments. The experiments were laid-out in split-plot with water management (rainfed and irrigated) as main plots and fertilizer (org...

Yam, a major food crop for West Africa, has not been managed to reach its potential productivity. The current practice of planting yam continuously for years after clear-cutting a field is not sustainable and has led to deforestation and nutrient depletion. By examining the effect of improved management on yam cultivation in Ghana, this study aimed...

This study was conducted to determine how seed yam selected from three sources namely: Positive Selection (PS), farmer practice and diseased can influence viral incidence and yields of three white yam varieties namely; “Pona”, “Laribako” and “Dente” in Ghana. Seed yams previously selected in 2015 from symptomless or mildly infected plants (PS), pur...

Modelling and multiple linear regression were used to explore the reason for low maize yield in the Atebubu-Amantin and West Mamprusi Districts of Ghana, West Africa. The study evaluated maize yields on twenty farms against measures of soil fertility, agronomic attributes and soil water availability. Correlations between yield, soil fertility, rain...

Yam (Dioscorea spp.) production along the West Africa yam belt is a major contributor to deforestation and soil degradation resulting from shifting cultivation practice in search of fertile land and stakes for yams to climb. This study reports on, field evaluation, simulation evaluation, and economic analysis of integrating pigeonpea into the yam c...

Postharvest rot due to injury is a major contributing factor to the declining quality of stored seed yams (Dioscorea spp.). Among the several known injuries, the piercing effect of speargrass rhizomes has become a serious constraint for yam production in Ghana. The objective of this study was to assess injuries on seed yams resulting from piercing...

Improved technologies (row planting, ridging, seed treatment, weed management, fertilizer application) with a proven record of sustained productivity for yam production are imperative for food security. This study promotes the efficacy of these existing improved agronomic practices using a farmer-based participatory approach in some selected major...

The gap between domestic supply and demand of maize in recent years is on increase in Ghana, resulting in food insecurity since maize is a major cereal. This study aims at studying the relationship between production inputs factors and the technical efficiency of maize farmers in Ghana to help improve the productivity of maize. The stochastic front...

Yam growers across major growing areas are being encouraged to increase tuber yield through the application of fertilizer at the recommended rates and periods. Ghana, the leading exporter of yam in Africa, is currently facing the problem of poor tuber storability. Some actors along the food value chain attribute most storage rots to the application...

Cultivation of yams by rural households contributes to food supply and income generation. Notwithstanding the importance of this crop, yam production has been stagnating, threatening rural livelihoods and food security. Contrary to traditional yam systems in Ghana, an alternative system that integrates pigeonpea and yam is being proposed to mitigat...

Two field experiments were conducted at Ellembelle and Jomoro districts in the Western region of Ghana where rubber cultivation is a predominant farming activity. The objective of the study was to assess the effect of rubber and plantain intercropping systems on selected soil properties. The experiment was arranged in a randomized complete block de...

With about 70% of yam tuber been water, yield is critically affected during bulking as a result of onset of temporal drought. As a consequence of climate change, farmers who are into Dioscorea rotundata (white yam) production for local and international market lose their investments mainly due to erratic precipitation, drought spells culminating in...

The study was conducted to evaluate the effect of planted seed sett sizes and planting density on the tuber size and yields of yam. The treatments were arranged in a split-split plot design with two premium Dioscorea rotundata varieties (Pona and Dente) as main plot. Seed sett sizes (farmers’ sett size – 350g, half farmers’ sett size – 175g) as sub...

Yam production in Ghana and other West African countries are characterized by annual shift from land to land in search of fertile soils contributing to deforestation and land degradation. There is therefore the need to address this challenge with innovative land use technology that would sustain production in face of challenge. The specific objecti...

Farmers heavily rely on inorganic sources of fertilizers to replenish their farmlands, which in turn increase production and management cost further with subsidies removal. The cost and environmental implications of these inorganic fertilizers on farmlands calls for innovative technologies for alternate options to sustain soil fertility. The goal f...

Cassava has become an important food security crop in Ghana over the years and in most parts of sub-Saharan Africa; making it the single most important source of dietary energy. Harvesting, one of the serious bottlenecks in the cassava production value chain, has received little attention in terms of mechanisation. Earlier attempts at mechanising c...

A study was conducted at the on-station in Fumesua (Forest) and Ejura (Forest-Savannah transition) of Ghana to evaluate integrated soil nutrient management approach on soil and yam productivity. A split-factorial design with two preceding systems (Pigeon pea and Yam) as main plot treatments and a factorial of poultry manure (0, 3 and 6 t ha-1) and...

A detailed description of the use of mechanized ridging for increased and sustainable yam production

Yam is a highly economic crop for the smallholder farmer. Ghana is the lead exporter of yam making it a high value commercial root and tuber crop. However, farmers only achieve just about half of the potential yield of 22t/ha. Production largely depends on availability of quality seed, soil fertility and rainfall. Information on how to improve prod...

This paper presents a comparative evaluation of maize and cowpea grain yields of 24 farmers in the Forest-Savannah Transition (Atebubu-Amantin) and Guinea Savannah (West-Mamprusi) zones of Ghana for 2012 and 2014 respectively at the inception and completion of the sustainable intensification of crop-livestock integration project. While only 7 and 2...

The potential of Fulan (2,5-dimethoxytetrahydrofuran), a synthetic nematicide applied at 10 g /stand and two plant bed types; ridging and mounding to manage plant parasitic nematodes and increase the yield of yam was investigated at Ejura during 2011 and 2012 at three levels of N-P 2 0 5-K 5 0 (NPK). The factorial experiment was mounted on randomiz...

The poor performance of the agricultural sector in Ghana is attributed to the low adoption of improved technologies. As a result, the Crop Small Ruminant project was aimed at making crop production technologies available to farmers for increased productivity and income. To facilitate the process, a seed treatment for maize production demostration t...

A 2-year field experiment was conducted in 2012 and 2013 at the research fields of CSIR-Crops Research Institute to determine the best agronomic practices for the field establishment and cultivation of Chia (Salvia hispanica) and determine insect pests and diseases associated with the plant. The study also determined the nutritional composition of...

The study evaluated staking options to address the problem of deforestation for sustainable yam production in the Forest and Forest-Savannah Transition zones of Ghana. A split-plot design with three yam varieties (Dente,Water Yam and TDR95/19177 line) and three staking options (No staking, Vertical staking and Trellis with 50% and 30% number of ver...

Maize is the main grain crop grown in the highlands of sub-Saharan Africa on a broad range of soil fertility and management conditions. Important yield variability has been reported at different scales reflecting the intensity and spatial distribution of growth-limiting and growth-reducing factors. Field experiments were conducted in the Forest-tra...

A 2-year field experiment was conducted in 2012 and 2013 at the research fields of CSIR-Crops Research Institute to determine the best agronomic practices for the field establishment and cultivation of Chia (Salvia hispanica) and determine insect pests and diseases associated with the plant. The study also determined the nutritional composition of...

An on-station study at Fumesua and Ejura in Ghana with two yam varieties (Pona and Dente), seedbed option (ridge and mound) and NPK fertilizer rates (0, 45-45-60, 60-60-60 and 60-60-80 kg ha -1 N-P 2 0 5 -K 2 0) revealed significant (p < 0.05) increases in soil carbon and phosphorus with fertilizer application to yam. Fertilized yam had acceptable...

Two main studies consisting of on-station trials at Fumesua (Forest) and Ejura (Forest-Savannah transition) and on-farm verification on 12 farmers’ fields were conducted from 2009 to 2012 in Ghana. One on-station study was in a split-factorial combination design with two preceding systems (Pigeon pea and Yam) as main plot treatments and a factorial...

Soil water and nitrate were monitored in maize crops fields in central and northern Ghana in an attempt to identify the nature of yield gaps, using a simple conceptual framework for turning water into grain (Fig.1). Essentially this framework sees water as the unifying concept in a semiarid environment and sets the maximum attainable yield in the a...

The Earth's land resources are finite, whereas the number of people that the land must support continues to grow rapidly. This creates a major problem for agriculture. Production (productivity) must be increased to meet rapidly growing demands while natural resources must be protected. New agricultural research is needed to supply information to fa...

Floral ecology and conservation of pollinators are new concerns within the environmental community which has not been explored adequately. The role of Pollinators towards achieving food security is critical function to all humanity and that full attention to it is long overdue. There is a keen interest in identifying practices that will encourage t...