B P International

A field study was conducted at Atonsu, Sekyere Central District, Ghana from 2013 to 2014, to (i) determine the effects of Moringa oleifera, Chromolaena odorata and Panicum maximum as ex-situ mulches, on soil nematodes population after two years of yam cropping and (ii) assess the effects of the soil nematodes on the yield and physical tuber quality of yam. The field experiment was a 3x3 factorial arrangement in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The first factor was ex-situ mulch types at three levels; Panicum maximum (farmers’ choice), Chromolaena odorata and Moringa oleifera. The second factor was natural fallow aged systems at three levels: 3, 5 and 7 years old. Data collected included nematode population changes, total tuber yield of yam and tuber physical quality assessment. Generally, Meloidogyne spp., Pratylenchus spp. and Scutellonema spp. were the nematode genera identified. However, Scutellonema spp. was found to be the most pathogenic nematode aff...

Yam is an important crop in Nigeria, where it is produced both as food and cash crop. Fusarium rots of yam are among the most important postharvest pathogens of yam worldwide, causing a lot of postharvest losses in stored yam tubers. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) lower the pH and create an environment that is unfavorable to pathogens and spoilage organisms. In vitro inhibition of fusarium species by LAB was investigated; mono-culture and multi-cultures were used. The inhibition tests were carried out with pure cultures of LAB and fusarium spp. The pure culture of actively growing Fusarium was inoculated into Potato Dextrose Agar medium aseptically and then incubated at room temperature for 72 h. The diameter of the growing Fusarium was measured, after which less than a loop full of actively growing (18-24 h) LAB isolates were used to inoculate the medium containing the growing Fusarium at a known distance in the same plate. The whole set up was incubated at 300C and inhibition zones on ...