Evaluation of Pearl millet Varieties for Adaptation to the Semi-Arid Agro-Ecology of Northern Ghana

Kanton, R.A.L.; Asungre, Peter Anabire; Ansoba, E.; Inusah, Baba I. Y.; Bidzakin, John K.; Abubakari, Mutari; Toah, P.; Haggan, L.; Totoe, C.; Akum, F.

doi:10.9734/jaeri/2015/14640

Cited by 7 publications

(3 citation statements)

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“…Simulated WUE of maize biomass production is lower than millet, and their relative difference agrees with a factorial experiment of irrigated agriculture in a warm arid environment [106]. Both simulated agronomic WUE and WUEr of millet are similar to field studies in SW Niger [91,[107][108][109] and Northern Ghana [110]. The simulated WUE of groundnut is similar to that of another annual legume, soybean, in the derived savanna zone of Nigeria [111].…”

Section: Water Cycles and Water Use Efficiencysupporting

confidence: 59%

Simulating the Capacity of Rainfed Food Crop Species to Meet Social Demands in Sudanian Savanna Agro-Ecologies

Martínez

Fürst

2021

Land

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West African land use systems have been experiencing one of the fastest transformations in the world over recent decades. The Sudanian savanna is an interesting example, as it hosts the cultivation of some crops typical of the Guinean savanna as well as some of the Sahel. Therefore, this region is likely to experience further changes in its crop portfolio over the next decades due to crop migration processes responding to environmental change. Simulation approaches can guide the development of agricultural production strategies that contribute to sustainably optimize both food and fuel production. This study used crop models already available in the APSIM platform to simulate plant production and the soil water and nutrient cycles of plots cultivated with groundnut, millet, sorghum, maize, and rice on three (two upland and one lowland) soil fertility classes and subjected to five levels of management (conventional tillage without residue incorporated to the soil and nor fertilizer application; conventional tillage without residue incorporated to the soil and 5 kg N ha−1; conventional tillage with residue incorporated to the soil 20 kg N ha−1, and no-till herbicide treated with 50 and 100 kg N ha−1). Simulation outputs were contrasted against data reported in the literature and converted into nutritional, fuel and feed yields based on the qualities and uses of their different plant comparments. Groundnut yields outperformed all of the cereals across most growing conditions, nutritional and feed indicators. Maize and rice provided the highest caloric yields, with the least fertile growing conditions. Sorghum provided average to high caloric and iron yields across all of the treatments. Millet provided the highest iron yields and high fuel yields across most treatments. Some simulated treatments could not be compared against literature review data because of their absence in actual cropping systems and the lack of experimental data. Plant production was simulated with higher accuracy than the other components of the simulation. In particular, there is a need to better parameterize and validate the rice, groundnut and millet models under Sudanian savanna conditions in order to perform more accurate comparative assessments among species.

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Section: Water Cycles and Water Use Efficiencysupporting

confidence: 59%

Simulating the Capacity of Rainfed Food Crop Species to Meet Social Demands in Sudanian Savanna Agro-Ecologies

Martínez

Fürst

2021

Land

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“…Maize consumption rate in Ghana has increased steadily over the years and stands at a rate of about 2,480,000 MT (MOFA, 2016). Millet production in Ghana is able to reliably thrive on marginal lands with low rainfall conditions, making this crop native of the northern regions of Ghana (Kanton et al., 2015). The four types of millets that are cultivated on a large scale are pearl, foxtail, proso, and finger millet; however, pearl and finger millet are typical of Ghana.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quantification and health risk assessment of heavy metals in milled maize and millet in the Tolon District, Northern Ghana

Larsen

Cobbina

Ofori

et al. 2020

Food Science & Nutrition

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This study was conducted to quantify the levels and measure the health risk of selected heavy metals (Fe, Zn, Pb, Mn, Cr, Ni) in milled millet and maize from 10 communities in the Tolon District, northern region of Ghana. Control samples of maize and millet were also prepared in order to identify whether the sources of the heavy metals were limited to the milling process or otherwise. The heavy metals present in the collected milled samples were quantified using an AAS Varian Spectra 220 FS. The average concentrations of the selected heavy metals in the milled maize samples were the following: Fe = 1.3392 ± 0.4341 mg/kg, Ni = 0.9502 ± 0.2696 mg/kg, Pb = 2.2177 ± 0.0534 mg/kg, Cr = 0.4359 ± 0.3574 mg/kg, Zn = 0.6809 ± 0.0534 mg/kg, and Mn = 0.3550 ± 0.1042 mg/kg. Milled millet samples recorded mean concentration of the heavy metals as Fe = 1.9467 ± 1.0597 mg/kg, Ni = 0.9520 ± 0.1218 mg/kg, Pb = 2.2780 ± 0.0221 mg/kg, Cr = 0.3421 ± 0.1498 mg/kg, Zn = 0.8540 ± 0.1139 mg/kg, and Mn = 0.4241 ± 0.0859 mg/kg. All selected heavy metals concentrations were below standards in food except Pb. Locally made mill plates were found to leach heavy metals in the milled flours due to the direct contact of the grains with the mill plates. However, the comparison of milled to pounded flour (control samples) indicated other potential sources of heavy metals aside from the disk attrition mill. The health risk assessment revealed no potential hazards nor cancer risk in both children and adults.

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“…The study identified that the majority of crop residues available to northern Ghanaian farmers originated from three main crops (i.e., millet, rice and maize). Millet is a widely grown crop in the savannah agro‐ecological zone due to its ability to flourish on marginal lands with low rainfall conditions (Kanton et al., 2015). About 10% more female farmers regarded millet as their main source of crop residue because most female farmers tend to cultivate millet due to its low input requirements.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Building climate resilience through crop residue utilization: Experiences of Ghanaian smallholder farmers

et al. 2023

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A major limiting factor affecting the uptake of conservation agriculture practices in smallholder farming systems in sub‐Saharan Africa is the limited availability of sufficient crop residues for use as surface mulch. This paper assesses the trade‐offs in crop residue utilization among smallholder farmers and its implications for soil management in the face of climate change risks in northern Ghana. The paper triangulated data from 350 household surveys with participatory key informant interviews from seven selected communities in three districts of northern Ghana. The problem confrontation index (PCI) was adopted to identify and rank the challenges associated with farmers’ decision to use crop residues, while a multivariate probit model was used to analyse and predict the factors that influence farmers’ choice of crop residue management practices. Results showed that crop residues were used as cooking fuel in households (21%), livestock feed (21%), left on the farm to decompose as mulch (34%) or burned to clear the land (24%). Key challenges identified included high labour cost (PCI = 404), high labour intensity (PCI = 388), the cost and transport for collection and storage of externally sourced crop residue (PCI = 383) and the low benefit from crop residue to farm output/soil fertility (PCI = 339). Results from the multivariate probit model revealed that household and farm variables, institutional and socio‐psychological factors, and experience of some climate shocks all influence farmers’ choice of crop residue management practices. Crop residue use and management practices adopted were determined by factors including the crops being grown, challenges faced by farmers and the management options available. The study recommends the need for the Government of Ghana to empower farmers through the provision of technical knowledge and machinery for the sustainable utilization of crop residues due to the high labour intensity and cost associated with such practices.

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Evaluation of Pearl millet Varieties for Adaptation to the Semi-Arid Agro-Ecology of Northern Ghana

Cited by 7 publications

References 0 publications

Simulating the Capacity of Rainfed Food Crop Species to Meet Social Demands in Sudanian Savanna Agro-Ecologies

Simulating the Capacity of Rainfed Food Crop Species to Meet Social Demands in Sudanian Savanna Agro-Ecologies

Quantification and health risk assessment of heavy metals in milled maize and millet in the Tolon District, Northern Ghana

Building climate resilience through crop residue utilization: Experiences of Ghanaian smallholder farmers

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