CSIR – CROPS RESEARCH INSTITUTE RESEARCH FOR DEVELOPMENT IN-HOUSE REVIEW AND PLANING SESSION (2012) PAUL MINTAH HORTICULTURE IMPROVEMENT DIVISION

PROJECT TITLE Promotion of Integrated management technologies for increased productivity of small scale plantain farmers Objective: to promote integrated management technologies to increase productivity of small scale plantain farmers

SOURCE OF FUNDING: DFID COLLABORATING INSTITUTIONS: CORAF CARBAP WEICARD DR-CONGO CONGO TOGO BENIN CAMEROON SOIL RESEARCH INSTITUTE GHANA

RESEARCH TEAM Paul MintahAgronomist B. M. DzomekuPhysiologist Joyce HaleegoaSocio-economist Haruna BraimahEntomologist Allen OppongVirologist Michael Kwabena OseiBreeder Evelyn Wiafe AndohBiochemist Albert Aubyn Tissue culturist Seth EkyemWeed scientist I.O.O. AnsahTraining and comm. Osei KingsleyNematologist Emmanuel MosesPathologist

PROJECT DURATION STARTING: SEPTEMBER 2010 ENDING : SEPTEMBER 2013

INTRODUCTION Plantain is important food crop to W&C Africa Low productivity of plantain in Central and West Africa (5-6 t / ha), compared to the potential ( t / ha). Low productivity is due to certain constraints Technologies exist to address the constraints Technologies should be disseminated Adoption of technologies would increased Farmers income.

EXPECTED BENEFICIARIES FARMERS CONSUMERS PROCESSING INDUSTRIES AGRO-INPUT DEALERS

MATERIALS AND METHODS Establish status of reference on the production of plantain at selected sites. Create/revitalize Innovation Platform Assess(Evaluate) Improved Varieties) Produce and multiply Improved planting materials for farmers Strengthen Capacity of stakeholders ( in healthy sucker production, IPM, ISFM)

Sub Activity Title: Identification of Constraints to plantain production in Ghana and possible interventions Objectives: To identify constraints to plantain production in Ghana To identify strategies/interventions for the management of the constraints.

Constraints cont. Lodging low price due to lack of export, Low price due to absence of processing facilities Low price due to absence of technology for storing the fruits. Land tenure system & litigation

Methodology for sub activity  PRA activity with plantain farmers in some selected farming communities in two plantain producing districts in Ghana was undertaken through Interviews and open discussions.  seek farmers perceptions of constraints and opportunities in plantain cultivation  with the view to identifying interventions needed to improve plantain production.

Constraints  planting material Unavailability, Poor quality High cost Limited number of varieties  Soil low soil moisture Low soil fertility,  Pests and Diseases sigatoka heart rot Nematodes Weevils Termites

Const. cont High labour cost Difficulty in securing the needed credit and loans from banks Poor road networks

Opportunities to improve plantain production Improved planting material availability Improved marketing avenues Formation of Farmer cooperative Provision of processing facilities and knowledge about processing Storage facilities Subsidized farm input like chemical, machines etc.

Table 1: Major crops produced in the study area in term of farmer involvement and their ranking relative to plantain. DistrictKwabreAsunafo MpobiAdanwomaseKenyaseAdomako Farmers%R%R%R%R Maize Yam Cocoyam Plantain Rice Cassava Citrus Oil palm Cocoa Cowpea Okra Cabbage214-0,5513 G/eggs

Team Getting Ready for PRA Activity

A resource person asking farmers questions

Section of the farmers at the PRA Common scenes during the PRA activity

A resource person (Allen Oppong) writing down contributions

Farmer busily seen cross checking the documentation

A resource person in a local market early in the morning

TITLE OF PROJECT RESIDUAL EFFECT OF POULTRY MANURE ON PERFORMANCE OF CITRUS VAR. Late Valencia. OBJECTIVE: To assess the residual effect of poultry manure on citrus.

RESEARCH TEAM PAUL MINTAHAgronomist OFOSU BUDUHorticulturist ALLORTEY Soil scientist EMELIA MONNEY Horticulturist MEELEKUUPost Harvest I.N Boakye Mensah Technician

SOURCE OF FUNDING: EMQAP??? DURATION OF PROJECT START: 2009 COMPLETION: 2012 ???

INTRODUCTION Citrus cultivation has shifted from being a shade or subsistence crop to a commercial crop Farmers are aware of the effects of improved nutrition on citrus yield Fertilizer recommendation depends on factors such as soil type, plant age, climatic factors. Locally developed fertilizer rate for citrus in Ghana is limiting

Intro cont. Poultry manure is readily available in most citrus producing communities Manure is applied continuously year after year just as Inorganic fertilizers Rate of decomposition and loss of mineralized nutrients from manure is relatively low There is possibility of appreciably quantity of mineralized nutrients in soil for the uptake and utilization in the succeeding season/s

Materials and Methods: LOCATION:KWADASO RATES OF POULTRY MANURE APPLIED IN 2010 SEASON 0 Kg/plant0kg/acre 30 Kg/plant2430kg/acre 45 Kg/plant3645kg/acre 60 Kg/plant4860kg/acre 90 Kg/plant7290kg/acre 120 Kg/plant9720kg/a cre

RESULTS Effect of poultry manure on citrus performance Immediate seasons performance TrtYieldJuice vol.Brix cont % 1 st year Residual B A BC B A A A A A B A B 6, B A C A A C 6.4 Lsd

Comparing fruit yield/tree in year of manure application and following year

Comparing fruit juiciness in year 1 and year 2 (mls/fruit)

comparing the brix values in year I and year 2

Discussion of results Yield Residual Effects of the manure could have a role to play in the observed high yield. Whiles the yield on the control plot was somewhat stable(the same, yield on manure plots were higher. Mineralized nutrients was available to the plants at the beginning of the season and might have influenced number of flowers, minimize drop of fruitlets. Fruit size and juiciness might have also been affected. The only parameter that declined in the second year compared to the first was the Brix value. It is uncertain what might have caused this. It could be that sampling was done earlier in the second season relative to the first season.

Discussion cont. It was observed that in the second season, the citrus yield related well to the rate of poultry manure applied in the first season. However, the increase in fruit yield of about 322 (between the 40 kg/plant rate and 120kg/plant rate) may not be economically prudent to apply the highest rate.

Conclusion Considering the high performance (yield) of citrus on manure plots compared to the control and even the first season manure plots, it could be concluded that the observation could be attributed to availability of mineralized nutrients from the previous manure applied. Considering the yield figures for the two years it can be concluded that the rate of 30kg/plant or at most 40kg/plant is optimum to produce two season citrus fruits.

Activities for 2012  Plantain project Create/revitalize Innovation Platform Assess(Evaluate) Improved Varieties) Produce and multiply Improved planting materials for farmers Strengthen Capacity of stakeholders ( in healthy sucker production, IPM, ISFM)

Activities for 2012 Title: Pest management, plant yield and fruit quality response of plantain to poultry manure and cocoa pod husks as IPM strategies. Title: Contribution of improved soil nutrient status to yield and fruit quality of two varieties of plantain

Activities for 2012 Title: Capacity building in trainers and farmers in Integrated Pest Management, Integrated Soil fertility and healthy planting material production.. Title: Varietal Evaluation of improved plantain cultivars. Title: Integrated nutrient management in citrus Title: Evaluation of some citrus cultivars in Ghana

Activities for 2012  Citrus Title: Integrated nutrient management studies in citrus Title: Evaluation of some citrus cultivars in Ghana Title: Pilot studies on supplementary irrigation effect on the yield and quality of citrus fruits

introduction Water forms an integral part of plants biochemical reactions Water is the carrier of plant nutrients and other substances throughout the tree Water helps maintain the plant temperature through transpiration Water helps maintain leaves and fruit turgidity

Intro. cont Specific effect of water stress on citrus Lack of adequate soil water during blooming reduces fruit set and causes shedding of flowers and newly set fruits Inadequate soil moisture during fruit development result in reduced fruit size Inadequate soil water prior to fruit maturity result in poor holding of fruit and result in high fruit drop. Fruits become wrinkle and dehydrated (reduced fruit quality)

Specific effect on Ghanaian market Farmers harvest (prematurely) to avoid total loss as a result of drought resulting in poor quality fruits. Early and short harvesting period result in glut and consequently low price offered Fruits become scarce and costly at most parts of the year Delayed fruit harvest on non-irrigated fields result in high fruit drop and dehydrated fruits

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