RESEARCH FOR DEVELOPMENT CSIR – CROPS RESEARCH INSTITUTE In House Review March, 2012 DR. HARUNA BRAIMAH

THESE AND MANY OTHERS ARE THE BURDEN OF THE PLANT HEALTH DIVISION

COMPOSITION OF DIVISION Entomology and Biological Control Weed Science Pathology Mycology Virology Nematology

Retirements during 2011 Dr. Mike Owusu-Akyaw Entomology Mr. Ohene Mensah Entomology Mr. K. Kwarteng Weed Science Ms Esther DwiraPathology

Emphasis on the effects on population build up and damage caused by pests and diseases

Expected outcomes Establish the effects of intercropping of cassava with plantains on the populations and damage of white flies, mites and mealybugs and reaction to ACMVD Establish the effect of cassava intercrop on banana weevil populations Determine the effects of intercropping on populations of other arthropods such as millipedes *Determine the effects of cassava intercrop on nematode infestation and damage on plantains

Research Team Dr. Haruna Braimah (Entomologist and Team Leader) Dr. Joe Manu-Aduening (Agronomist /Breeder) Mrs. Agnes Ankomah(Biometrician) Dr. Ken Fening (Entomologist) Dr. Moses Brandford Mochiah (Entomologist) Dr. Kingsley Osei (Nematologist) Mr. Sanda Umar Issah (Entomologist) Mr. Kassim Damson (Asst. FM)

Materials and Methods Plantain cultivars – Mixed Local (Apantu) Cassava – Doku Exptal Design – RCBD (5 Replications) Locations: Kwadaso, Assin Fosu Date Established: June/August, 2010

Land Preparation Slash burn and Plough twice and harrow (Kwadaso) Line and peg Dig Holes Plant Experimental design : RCBD, 5 replicates

Parameters measured  Plant growth performance (height and girth)  Number of suckers  Populations of pest organisms  Yield (tuber or bunch weights)

Results -Trends (Agronomic) Mixing plantain with Doku has a tendency to suppress the growth and development of the plantain Plantain in Doku encourages growth in height (etiolation), but has a suppressing effect on branching Sole plantain produces more suckers and fruits earlier No clear cut effects determined for pest organisms yet

The effect of intercropping cassava with plantain on some growth and yield parameters (Kwadaso) Culture type Growth/Yield Parameters Plt. HeightPlt. GirthLeave Wt. (T) No. of Tubers/Plt Wt of Tubers (T/Plt) Sole Cassava2.18±0.05a9.13±0.21a4.54±0.33a7.88±0.46a4.95±0.46a Intercropped Cassava 2.55±0.06b9.33±0.18a5.17±0.30a7.92±0.51a4.42±0.36a F. Value P<

The effect of intercropping plantain with cassava on some growth parameters (Kwadaso) Culture type Growth/Yield Parameters Plt HeightPlt. GirthNo. suckers /plant Sole plantain2.04±0.07a44.51±0.30a8.00±0.88a Intercropped plantain 1.79±0.06b37.22±1.33b2.91±0.88b F. Value P<

The effect of intercropping plantain with cassava on some growth parameters (Assin Fosu) Culture type Mean Growth/Yield Parameters Plt. HeightPlt. GirthNo. suckers /plant Sole plantain1.71±0.09a40.14±1.75a3.33±0.46a Intercropped plantain 1.93±0.17b38.68±1.33b2.56±0.29a F. Value P<

The effect of intercropping plantain with cassava on yield parameters (Kwadaso) Culture type Mean Growth/Yield Parameters No. of HandsNo. of FingersBunch Wgt. Sole plantain7.30±0.25a29.53±0.98a9.66±0.36a Intercropped plantain 6.93±0.13a24.97±0.39b8.06±0.35b F. Value P<

The effect of intercropping plantain with cassava on some yield parameters (Assin Fosu) Culture type Yield Parameters No. of HandsNo. of FingersMean Bunch Wgt Sole plantain6.40±0.22a28.40±1.50a6.61±0.44a Intercropped plantain 6.36±0.25a27.79±1.81b5.75±0.39b F. Value P<

The effect of intercropping plantain with cassava on some common pests of Cassava (Assin Fosu) Culture type Pest Organism Bemisia W/FMealybugsCGSMRedmitesMillipedes Sole Cassava1.00±0.0a1.08±0.03a1.15±0.03a1.130±.03a3.38±0.62a Intercropped Cassava1.00±0.0a1.02±0.01b1.11±0.03a1.08±0.02a0.31±0.01b F. Value P<

Any relationships between millipedes and Rots ?

Publications  Chapter in Book  Braimah, H., Anno-Nyako, F.O., Minta. P., Nkansah, G. O. and Nutsugah, S.K. (2012). Mango Production in Ghana (Book Chapter) (Forthcoming).  Journal Papers  Issa US, Afun, JVK, Mochiah, MB, Owusu-Akyaw, M. and Braimah, H.(2011). Resistance status of some maize lines and varieties to the maize weevil, Sitophilus zeamais (Motshulsky) (Coleoptera:Curculionidae). Journal of Animal and Plant Sciences, 11 (3)   Issa U.S, Afun JVK, Mochiah, MB, Owusu-Akyaw,M. and Braimah, H. (2011). Effect of some local botanical materials for the suppression of maize weevil Sitophilus zeamais (Motshulsky) (Coleoptera:Curculionidae) populations. International Journal of Plant, Animal and Environmental Sciences 1 (In Press)   Mochiah, MB, Banful, B., Fening, K. O., Amoabeng B.W., Offei, B., Ekyem, S.O., Braimah, H. and Owusu Akyaw, M. (2011). Botanicals for the management of insects in organic vegetable production, Journal of Entomology and Nematology, 3 (6)  Conference Papers  Braimah, H. Issa US, Ankomah, AA., Manu Aduening and Kingsley Osei (2011). The effect of land preparation and cultivar on yield and damage of sweet potato, Ipomoea batatas by the sweetpotato weevil Cylas spp. in the Ashanti region of Ghana. West Africa Root and Tuber Crops Conference, Mensvic Grand Hotel, Accra, Ghana, September,  Braimah, H. Issa US, Ankomah, AA., Manu Aduening and Kingsley Osei (2011). The effect of cultivar, land preparation and the post-harvest treatment of sweet potato, Ipomoea batatas tubers with botanical extracts on damage by the weevil Cylas spp., West Africa Root and Tuber Crops Conference, Mensvic Grand Hotel, Accra Ghana, September, 2011.

Activities for 2012  Continue with WAAPP projects on cassava and sweetpotato  Lead the project team in Ghana to execute the Royal Society/Leverhulme Trust Supported project on the “Chemical ecology and IPM of the banana weevil, C. sordidus”  Involvement Vegetable CRSP  Participate in the national/regional project on the management of the invasive fruit fly- Bactrocera invadens (Member of national fruit fly management committee).  Participate in a national biological control project on the management of the pawpaw mealybug (Dysmicoccus grassii = Paracoccus marginatus)  Project technical backstopping to various institutional and national projects

THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION!

Activities carried out in 2009 and Plans for Nematology - Dr. K. Osei Activities in 2011 Managing nematode populations with botanicals in yam Production Screening sweet potato cultivars for root knot nematodes infestation Effects of some organic waste extracts on hatching of Meloidogyne incognita eggs Water yam varieties resistance to plant parasitic nematode infestation Reaction of confectionary groundnut lins to plant parasitic nematodes infestation Integrated pest Management in Tomato production Management of Nematodes with recommendedd nematicide I mechanized yam production Work Plan for 2012 Nematode suppression and soil improvement potential of biochar in okra production Molecular identification of r oot-knot nematodes of weed species Nematode pests associated with Bambara groundnut