Development of Weed Management Strategies for Cashew Cultivation in Ghana

Three field trials, one for establishment and two for mature phases respectively, were conducted to develop weed management strategies for cashew cultivation in Ghana. The treatments for the establishment phase consisted of hoe weeding of whole plot, hoe weeding of cashew lines and slashing of inter-rows, herbicide application with glyphosate of whole plot or cashew lines with slashing of inter-rows, relay cropping of the cashew plot with sorghum and a legume and intercropping with a legume. In one trial of the mature phase, the treatments were hoe weeding of whole plot two or three times a year, high slashing of whole plot three times a year, herbicide application （glyphosate） of whole plot and ring application of herbicide （glyphosate） plus high slashing of inter-rows twice a year. In the other trial, which was carried out on farmers＇ fields, glyphosate （Roundup） at 2.0 l/ha was tested against manual slashing. In the study of the establishment phase, neither the girth nor height of the cashew seedlings was significantly affected by the treatments. The first year and four year cumulative cashew yields were significantly affected by treatments with the intercrops giving higher yields than the glyphosate-treated plots. Intercropping as a weed control measure was generally more costly than glyphosate application or manual weeding. In the mature trials, chemical weed control slightly improved cashew nut yield and was cheaper to apply. It is recommended to adopt chemical weed control in cashew cultivation in Ghana.

Indigenous Methods of Processing Shea Butter and Perceptions about Rancidity in Northern Ghana

This study aimed at the geographical variation in methods of processing shea butter that has been passed on from generation to generation and storage procedures （materials and containers used/perceived shelf life of the products used for preservation and local perceptions about rancidity）. Little variation was found in indigenous processing methods, utilization and storage across most of the three regions. Only among the Dagomba tribe in the Northern region did women intentionally use shrubs to add yellow colour to butter particularly that for the market. The use of onions and lemon/lime leaves to prevent rancidity and also improve the taste and smell of butter was found to be practiced by only one missionary group. Perception about shelf life of the butter was found to vary widely among the processors and consumers （3 months to 2 years）. Though this was the main focus of the study, most of the indigenous processors and consumers apart from the missionary group had little experience as far as this problem was concerned. This was due to the fact that most of them consumed the butter within one or two months after processing and so the product is not kept long enough to give any appreciable signs of rancidity.