This study investigated the altering effect of moisture on the emission pattern of gases and the evolutionary dynamics of physicochemical indices in corn straw and cow manure composting. Exploring this effect was reasonable to unravel the use of moisture as a cheap alternative to control gaseous emissions and improve the final properties of compost. The nutrient dynamics of the compost showed 21.6% losses in total organic carbon content, with a 33.3% increase in total nitrogen content at the end of composting. All the gases (CH4, CO2, N2O and NH3) yielded a common emission pattern despite the differences in moisture content. Except for CH4, the peak and stable emission periods of all the gases were observed on the 5th day (thermophilic phase) and after the 27th day (late mesophilic phase) of composting, respectively. Emission reductions of 89%, 91%, 95% and 100% were recorded for CH4, CO2, N2O and NH3, respectively, during the late mesophilic phase of composting. From the study, the 65% moisture content was efficient in reducing the loss rate of the gasses and nutrient contents of the compost. This study would enable farmers to channel organic residues generated into compost while minimizing pollution and nutrient losses associated with the composting process.

Extensive areas of bare, compacted, and nutrient-poor soils hinder crop production in the Guinea Savannah Agro-ecological zone of Ghana. Resolving this challenge can be effected by developing sustainable land management strategies that can adequately improve soil nutrient status and enhance crop yield. Field studies were conducted to evaluate the productivity of cotton as affected by tillage practices, fertilizer rates and intercropping systems in the Guinea Savanna agroecology of Ghana, during the 2016 and 2017 cropping seasons. Treatments consisted of 2 tillage practices (ploughing and direct seeding [sole cotton]), 2 fertilizer application rates (54-30-30 kg/ha NPK and 0-0-0 kg/ha NPK) and 3 intercropping systems (sole cotton, cowpea intercrop and soybean intercrop) which were laid in split-split plot design with three replications. The tillage practices, fertilizer rates and the intercropping systems were respectively allocated as the main plot, sub-plot and sub-sub plot treatment respectively. Unlike the three-way interaction effect which did not significantly influence variation in growth, yield and yield components of cotton, the two-way interaction  and the single factors were however influential. The combined impact of the NPK fertilizer application rate at 54-30-30 kg/ha and ploughing resulted in higher seed yield of cotton. Comparatively, seed yield of cotton was 35.78% higher when 54-30-30 kg/ha fertilizer rate (1.29 t/ha) was applied compared with 0-0-0 kg/ha fertilizer rate (0.61 t/ha). It is however recommended that resource-poor farmers in the Guinea Savannah agro-ecological zone of Ghana adopt to the use of 54-30-30 kg/ha fertilizer rate and ploughing for cotton seed yield maximization.

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Under rain-fed conditions, perfumed rice production in Northern Ghana is associated with high paddy cracking during milling. In this study, 4 perfumed rice varieties, 6 staggered planting times, 6 staggered harvesting cycles, and staggered storage duration from harvest to six months of storage were used in a randomized complete block design to identify the best combination of factors that are associated with low cracking in rice production. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with three geographically distinct locations serving as replicates. Grain moisture and paddy crackness were determined. The results indicated a mixed factorial interaction for all measured variables. Early planting, early harvesting, and short storage duration reduced paddy cracking compared to late treatments ( P < 0.05 ). For all treatment combinations, milling within two weeks after harvesting was associated with lower cracking as long as the harvesting cycle did not exceed the fourth cycle. After the second month of storage, percentage cracking was high, approaching 90% in most cases.

Biomass transformation of lignocellulose into compost offers ‘green’ technology for sustainable agricultural development. So far, biomass conversion into compost outweighs fossil resources and other conversational techniques due to the low production cost and environmental pollution reduction. Although composting has aesthetically been resorted to in the digestibility of lignocellulose biomass, its realization has keenly been directed towards adding chemical reagents. However, inclining massively to this treatment instigated research bias as microorganisms’ biomass digestibility remains mostly inadequate. Besides, proliferated growth and activities of microorganisms native to lignocellulose biomass are usually disrupted by chemical treatment. The microbial flora (fungi, bacteria, actinomycetes, archaea, and yeast) involved in composting synthesizes complex biocatalysts (enzymes) that are crucial for solubilizing the biopolymers of lignocellulose materials at a density of 1012 cells g-1. Filamentous fungi are by far excellent degraders of lignocellulose in nature. To adequately ensure sustainable lignocellulose digestibility, microbial engineers must subject research studies to surpassing conditions (feedstock formulation and management processes) suitable for inducing ligninolytic, cellulolytic, and hemicellulolytic enzymes. Hence, the state-of-the-art-method of this review provides insights that relate to mechanisms of microbial reactions on the digestibility of lignocellulose biomass during composting.

The average yield of fresh potato tubers per hectare is relatively low in China, partly due to poor nutrient management. Chronic inorganic N enrichment leads to soil acidification, which deteriorates soil fertility. Straw residues are removed from the field or burnt during land preparation, resulting in nutrient depletion and air pollution. However, these residues can be returned to the soil to improve its fertility. Therefore, a two–year experiment was conducted in an existing field with five years of different inorganic nitrogen (N) rate to determine the effects of straw return and N rate on potato growth, tuber yield, and quality, profit margin, and soil physicochemical properties. The experiment consisted of four N rates: 0 (control, CK), 75 (low N rate, LN), 150 (medium N rate, MN), and 300 (high N rate, HN) kg N ha−1 with and without straw (9 t ha−1) return. The results showed that straw with N enrichment improved soil fertility, which increased tuber yield and quality. Compared to the control, MN + straw treatment stimulated economic tuber yield (34.73% and 38.34%), profit margin (55.51% and 63.03%), and protein content (20.04% and 25.46%) in 2018 and 2019, respectively. Nitrogen enrichment after straw return is a sustainable practice for stimulating potato tuber yield, profit margin, and improving soil fertility to promote sustainable agriculture development.

Soil impoverishment remains a major constraint to food crop production in the Guinea Savanna agroecology of Ghana. Most soils identified in this ecology are fragile and deficient in nutrients due to inappropriate management practices. To resolve this challenge, field studies were conducted to assess the polycultural productivity of maize as affected by tillage practices, fertilizer rates and intercropping systems. The study was however conducted in two cropping seasons (2016 and 2017) at Yagaba in the Mamprugu Moaduri District of Northern Ghana. Treatments consisting of 2 tillage practices (direct seeding and ploughing), 2 fertilizer application rates (zero rate [0-0-0 kg/ha NPK] and recommended rate [60-30-30 kg/ha NPK]) and 3 intercropping systems (sole maize, cowpea [Vigna unguiculata L. Walp] and soybean [Glycine max L.]) were factorially examined in three replications using randomized complete block design. Although the maize responded differently to the varied treatments, its exposure to ploughing, 60-30-30 kg/ha fertilizer rate and soybean intercropping system were in general influential in enhancing vegetative growth, yield and yield components. The responsiveness of maize to ploughing and 60-30-30 kg/ha fertilizer rate increased grain yield by 8.60% and 37.68%, respectively than their untreated controls. Regardless of not directly supplying the intercrops with the inorganic fertilizer, nodulation count and effectiveness of cowpea and soybean were improved under ploughed fields treated with 60-30-30 kg/ha fertilizer rate. The combined impact of ploughing, 60-30-30 kg/ha fertilizer rate and soybean integration resulted in higher profit returns. Hence, this study recommends to small-holder farmers in the Guinea Savannah agroecology of Ghana to adapt to the implementation of ploughing, 60-30-30 kg/ha fertilizer rate and soybean intercropping system for yield improvement and profit maximization.

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