ABSTRACT This study is on the determination of the Compressive Strength of Palm Kernel Shell Concrete. The effect of percentage replacements (0, 25, 50, 75 and 100%) of crushed granite with palm kernel shell on density and compressive strength of concrete is presented. Concrete cube specimens of mix 1:2:4 were prepared with water-cement ratio of 0.6. The cubes (150mm×150mm×150mm) were cured using water-submerged curing until testing ages of 7, 14, 21 and 28 days when their densities and c...
ABSTRACT An evaporative cooling system was developed with locally available materials. The system was aimed at providing lower temperature and higher relative humidity necessary for extending the shelf life of fruits and vegetables. The performance of the cooler was evaluated in terms of temperature drop, humidity gain, cooling efficiency and quality assessment of the stored products. Two categories of test were carried out on the cooler with the chosen absorbent materials: the no-load test a...
ABSTRACT An indirect, natural convection solar-assisted charcoal smoking system was designed and fabricated in one of the host communities of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri where most of the fish farmers and processors adopt the conventional method of drying fishes, that is, using firewood. This method which works well during the dry period of the year is very inconvenient during the rainy season. Given the excessive heat generated by firewood and its resultant effect on the...
ABSTRACT This study was carried out to solve problems associated with low groundwater pH encountered by poultry farmers (using Owerri as a case study) which results to birds‟ mortality and low production of eggsand meat. Groundwater samples from different areas in Owerri were collected from boreholes for characterization using standard methods and the pH values were assessed. The results showed that pH of groundwater in the study area ranged from 4.8 to 5.8 through dry and ...
Abstract The objective of the study was to determine the most appropriate methods of initial land preparations in Afram Plains based on their effect on selected soil physical properties such as dry bulk density, porosity, hydraulic conductivity and available water content. The study also sought to estimate the cost of preparing farm lands in the Afram Plains. The study was conducted in Odumesua in the Afram Plains District sampling soil from fields prepared with three identified and categoriz...
ABSTRACT There has been claims that biochar improves water retention in soil and aid in improved crop productivity. Hence, recent conservation practices in the area of agricultural lands have focused research attention on the performance mechanism of biochar. In this study, the effect of corn cob biochar particle sizes ( FBP (
ABSTRACT A gravitational drip Irrigation system was designed and constructed using available materials; and tested for the use of small scale farmers.
ABSTRACT Two field experiments were conducted to compare the growth and yield of tomatoes using experimentation and FAO AquaCrop model at the University of Cape Coast Teaching and Research Farm in the Cape Coast Metropolitan Assembly of the Central Region of Ghana. The Randomized Complete Block Design was used with four (4) treatments and four(4) replications for the two experiments. The treatments used for both experiments were T1 – Full irrigation (100 %), T2 – 90 % irrigation, T3 – 8...
ABSTRACT Smoking and drying are major methods of processing and preserving fish in Nigeria. However, inadequate packaging using cartons, baskets, jute and mat bags with transparent polyethylene are the most common which offer little protection against external agents and has been a major challenge. There is dearth of information on the developments of appropriate fish packaging thereby limiting fishery preservation to small scale business. The use of composite packaging materials for storage ...
ABSTRACT Soil displacement by tillage is a major contributor to the redistribution of soil particles within the soil profile. The extent of soil redistribution eventually has an effect on the performance of crop production. It is, therefore, valuable to investigate soil displacement by disc plough since it is known to be the widely used primary tillage implement in Ghana. Consequently, a study was conducted at the Livestock and Poultry Research Centre of the University of Ghana (LIPREC) with ...
ABSTRACT Two field experiments were conducted to compare the growth and yield of tomatoes using experimentation and FAO AquaCrop model at the University of Cape Coast Teaching and Research Farm in the Cape Coast Metropolitan Assembly of the Central Region of Ghana. The Randomized Complete Block Design was used with four (4) treatments and four(4) replications for the two experiments. The treatments used for both experiments were T1 – Full irrigation (100 %), T2 – 90 % irrigation, T3 –...
ABSTRACT Control of the storage pest Larger Grain Borer (LGB) (Prostephanus truncates) and aflatoxin contamination by the mould Aspergillus spp. are the major challenges to maize storage in Africa. In this study, the effect of hermetic storage on LGB and Aspergillus spp. during maize storage was evaluated. A 2 x 3 factorial experiment of two storage atmospheres (hermetic and non-hermetic) and infestation levels (LGB, Aspergillus spp. and uninfected control) were evaluated during the storage...
ABSTRACT Machine shop workers are exposed to noise levels between 83 - 110 dB(A), however, levels above 85 dB (A) are hazardous to the ear. A study was conducted at GRATIS Foundation in Tema Industrail Area in Ghana, using sound level meters to determine noise levels and propose solutions. Sound levels during peak hours of operation in the machine shop were found to be above 95 dB(A). To reduce these high noise levels, Coconut Fibre (CF) a naturally occurring sound absorber, was combined with...
ABSTRACT Vegetable crop production in Ghana over the past years has been a challenge due to water scarcity. The unpredictable and insufficient rainfalls has been a drawback on improving crop production and yield. This study aimed at estimating crop water requirement (CWR) and yield of okra in biochar amended soil. The FAO 56 dual crop coefficient approach was used to estimate CWR of a local variety of the test crop, okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.). Models were developed to predict crop coeff...
ABSTRACT The postharvest storage of sweet potato roots in the tropics is a major challenge in the crop’s value chain as it deteriorates readily in the hot climate. Although prolonged storage in the cold chain has been shown to be feasible, technical and economic constraints in the tropics makes cold storage inaccessible to growers and retailers of sweet potato. It has been demonstrated in several studies that the plant hormone ethylene greatly influences metabolic changes in many types of h...