Neindow, M. and Sowely, E.N.K. and Abubakari, A.H.
(2018)
Farmers’ knowledge and perceptions of leaf spot
disease of groundnut and its management in Northern
Region of Ghana.
Journal of Agricultural Biotechnology and Sustainable Development, 10 (9).
pp. 170-177.
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Abstract
Groundnut (Arachis hypogea L.) is an important food source as well as cash crop for the people of
Northern Ghana. The crop yield is low partly due to biological constraints which include diseases like
leaf spot. A survey was conducted among 200 farmers in four districts of the Northern Region of Ghana,
from June to August, 2014 using a structured questionnaire. The objectives of this study were to
assess farmers’ knowledge, perception and management of leaf spot disease of groundnut. Differences
in farmer responses were evaluated using Chi-square test. A significantly higher (P =0.005) number of
farmers (87.5 %) were aware of leaf spot disease of groundnut and could identify symptoms of the
disease, but could not differentiate symptoms from herbicide injury. Majority (84.5 %) of the farmers
reported the incidence of leaf spot disease on their farms to be 50 % and above. Most farmers (74.5 %)
also reported the disease severity to be above 50 %. Male farmers (33.5 %) who used defoliation or
brown spots as signs of maturity of the groundnut crop were significantly more (P =0.031) than their
female counterparts (26 %). Farmers who used non-chemical methods (62 %) of managing leaf spot
disease were significantly (P <0.001) higher than those who used recommended methods including the
use of chemicals (38 %). It is important to educate farmers to enhance their capabilities for leaf spot
disease management through farmers’ field days. Also, since most of them use traditional methods
such as crop rotation, appropriate spacing and mixed cropping as means of controlling the disease,
and the use of effective plant extracts as an integrated management strategy would be ideal.
| Item Type: |
Article
|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: |
Leaf spots, knowledge, perception, management, Northern region |
| Author Affiliation: |
Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, University for Development Studies, P. O. Box TL 1882, Nyankpala
Campus, Tamale, Ghana |
| Subjects: |
Plant Protection |
| Divisions: |
Groundnut |
| Depositing User: |
Mr T L Gautham
|
| Date Deposited: |
10 Jan 2019 08:06 |
| Last Modified: |
10 Jan 2019 08:06 |
| URI: |
http://eprints.icrisat.ac.in/id/eprint/15757 |
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