Project
Improved West African peanut production for enhanced health and socioeconomic status through the delivery of research-based production systems in Ghana
Details
Project Code:
NCS131
Start Date:
2008/01/01
End Date:
2012
CRSP Phase:
Phase 3
Budget:
$160,000
Countries:
Burkina Faso, Ghana
Participants
Lead University:
North Carolina State University
Other Partners:
Crops Research Institute-CRI (Ghana)
Principal Investigator(s):
Ric Brandenburg
Co-Principal Investigator(s):
David Jordan
Overview
The overall goal is more efficient peanut production. In the U.S. this equates to maintaining yields while reducing inputs. This has been attained in recent years through risk indices and pest forecasting which has permitted more efficient use of pesticides, fertilizer, and water as well as reductions in primary and secondary tillage. Enhancing understanding of production systems associated with the development of herbicide resistant biotypes, newly emerging pest problems, and volatility in marketing is important. In Ghana and other host countries the goal is to remove production constraints through adoption of improved germplasm, management of pests and addressing labor issues such as weeding, seed storage and general educational limitations. Certain production constraints can be reduced or eliminated simply through effective field testing of current technology and successful transfer. However, additional detailed research is necessary to develop improved production and management strategies. The final goal is to effectively transfer technology and knowledge to farmers through their involvement with on farm testing, observations, and training.
Objectives
1. Continue the development and enhancement of advisories and risk indices and other pest management decision-making tools for U.S. peanut growers. 2. Continue to evaluate germplasm for pest resistance and agronomic traits to improve production efficiency and yield potential. The development of high-yielding, pest resistant cultivars is central to the mission of developing economically and environmentally-sound peanut production strategies 3. Develop a strong database on the impact of emerging soil pest problems. 4. Efficient weed management strategies continue to be important in U.S. production. The need to develop cost effective strategies continues to be a key focus of this project. 5. Research will be conducted to better define cropping systems that include vegetable and other crops that have not been traditionally planted in peanut-based cropping systems. Rotation crops will also include those with potential as biofuels (sunflower, canola, etc). 6. Train a current Ghanaian scientist involved with the Peanut CRSP program in a Master's program at N. C. State in an associated discipline of either Agronomy, Entomology, Plant Pathology, or Weed Science to then return to his/her institute in Ghana following completion of degree. 7. Cooperation with peanut breeder, Dr. Mark Burrows, Texas A&M University will work to provide germplasm to both research centers in Ghana as well as expanding evaluations into Burkina Faso and Mali. A peanut breeder will be placed at SARI in late 2008/early 2009 who will coordinate evaluations and breeding in these three countries. INTENDED OUTCOME: New promising varieties 8. Continue the development and refinement of IPM and production strategies and programs for cost-effective peanut production in Ghana and use research findings to produce a West African groundnut pest management manual. 9. Evaluate the impact of IPM practices on the incidence of aflatoxin in harvested and stored peanut. 10. Recent research in the Peanut CRSP has demonstrated that improvements in optimal harvest date assessment can dramatically improve yield and quality and will undoubtedly impact aflatoxin levels. 11. Conduct baseline economic studies of current peanut production in villages and then continue studies in selected sites as IPM programming is evaluated and customized for local conditions and growers are educated on these strategies. 12. Conduct regional training for scientists involved with peanut research in Burkina Faso and Mali.
Outcomes
Coming soon
