- Principal Research Scientist and Head of Department, School of Nuclear and Allied Sciences (SNAS)-GAEC, University of... morePrincipal Research Scientist and Head of Department, School of Nuclear and Allied Sciences (SNAS)-GAEC, University of Ghana.PhD Science (Plant Molecular Genetics and Breeding), University of Heidelberg, Germany.MPhil Agriculture (Molecular Genetics), Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Japan.BSc Crop Science, University of Ghana.edit
Forty-eight accessions of cocoyam (Xanthosoma sagittifolium) were evaluated for genetic diversity using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis. Out of 50 primers screened, 10 were able to amplify the genomic DNA giving... more
Forty-eight accessions of cocoyam (Xanthosoma sagittifolium) were evaluated for genetic diversity using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis. Out of 50 primers screened, 10 were able to amplify the genomic DNA giving reproducible amplification patterns with individual fragments that stained intensely. Two of the primers OPA-05 and OPE-09 were considered highly informative because they amplified one or more polymorphic bands that distinguished between accessions. RAPDs showed higher genetic diversity in the accessions from Kade than those from Bunso, where the nation’s germplasm is maintained. UPGMA cluster analysis of genetic similarity estimates (Jaccard’s coefficient), separated the accessions into 5 main groups, 2 of which were one member groups. The primers will be useful for further genetic analysis and provide cocoyam breeders with suitable genetic marters for the selection of parents for crop improvement and germplasm conservation. Polymorphic markers identified in the DNA fingerprinting will also be useful in the study of mutant populations, which are currently being studied in our laboratory.
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Research Interests: Microbiology, Horticulture, Plant Biology, Biology, Cultivar, and 3 moreMosaic, Crop, and Abelmoschus Manihot
Background: Colchicine acts as a polyploidy inducer but at high concentrations, it causes high cell mortality. To improve the efficiency of colchicine polyploidization in cassava, leaf lobes colchicine-sensitivity tests were carried out... more
Background: Colchicine acts as a polyploidy inducer but at high concentrations, it causes high cell mortality. To improve the efficiency of colchicine polyploidization in cassava, leaf lobes colchicine-sensitivity tests were carried out and LD50 determined at 0.00, 0.05, 0.10, 0.20 and 0.25g/l colchicine concentrations in the varieties Ankrah, Dagati, Tomfa and Tuaka. Methods: Colchicine treated leaf lobes were regenerated into callus on either 8 mg/l 2, 4-D or Picloram. The calli were subsequently regenerated into somatic embryos by NAA. LD50 of 0.09, 0.11, 0.13 and 0.09 mg/L colchicine concentration were determined for Ankrah, Dagati, Tomfa and Tuaka respectively in 2, 4-D. Similarly, LD50 of 0.12, 0.10, 0.14 and 0.10 mg/L were respectively obtained in Picloram. Result: In 2, 4-D, Ankrah and Tuaka were more sensitive to colchicine than Dagati and Tomfa whereas in picloram, Dagati and Tuaka showed more sensitivity. Callus proliferation differed significantly among varieties and inf...
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Background: Cowpea yields are very low in the West African region due to the prevalence of drought periods. This work, therefore, aimed at developing cowpea genotypes that combine early maturity with high seed yield, through gamma... more
Background: Cowpea yields are very low in the West African region due to the prevalence of drought periods. This work, therefore, aimed at developing cowpea genotypes that combine early maturity with high seed yield, through gamma irradiation mutagenesis. Methods: A farmer preferred cowpea variety Videza was improved via gamma mutagenesis. A determined lethal dose 50% (LD50) of 240 Gy was used to irradiate 2000 seeds of Videza by applying a Cobalt 60 source. Selected M1 generation plants exhibiting early maturity and high seed yield were advanced to M2 and further to M3 using Videza as parental control. Result: Compared to the control Videza, the number of days to 90% maturity significantly decreased in putative mutants in the M2 (from 71 days in the control to between 50 and 66 days in mutants) and further decreased in the M3 where mutants matured 10-22 days earlier than the control. Significant increment in 100-seed weight per plant occurred in the M3 mutants. In the M3, 100-seed ...
Stem cutting propagation preserves the genetic traits and leads to transfer of superior and genetically similar traits of parent plants to progenies. This method is also used to propagate recalcitrant, nonviable and difficult to... more
Stem cutting propagation preserves the genetic traits and leads to transfer of superior and genetically similar traits of parent plants to progenies. This method is also used to propagate recalcitrant, nonviable and difficult to germinateseeds. Stem cutting in tree species is used to address phenological and intraclonal problems. The use of rubber cuttings as planting material is a feasible option, worthy of investigation. There has been little or no research studies into the USAge of Hevea brasiliensis stem cuttings as an alternative vegetative propagation method for an in vivo propagation of rubber tree in Ghana. Propagation of H. brasiliensis by stem cutting techniques was used to study alternative procedures for mass production of rubber planting materials. Brown and green rubber stem cuttings of Clone I and Clone II were soaked for 6 hours in 0.0-22.5g/L Naphthalene Acetic Acid (NAA) followed by propagation in a nursery bag filled with nutrient-rich soil. Only the brown stem cu...
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Jatropha curcas, a plant with great biodiesel potential is also used to reduce the population of whiteflies, Bemisia tabaci on cassava fields when planted as a hedge. We therefore, investigated the transmission of African cassava mosaic... more
Jatropha curcas, a plant with great biodiesel potential is also used to reduce the population of whiteflies, Bemisia tabaci on cassava fields when planted as a hedge. We therefore, investigated the transmission of African cassava mosaic virus (ACMV) by the whitefly vector from cassava to seedlings of 10 accessions of J. curcas as part of a wider investigation on the possible role of J. curcas as an alternative host of ACMV. Transmission tests were conducted in insect-proof cages using adult B. tabaci collected from ACMV-infected cassava in the field, at a rate of three adult whiteflies per J. curcas seedling and a transmission feeding period of four days. Twenty one (21) days after the infestation, leaf samples from individual plants of the 10 J. curcas accessions were tested for the presence of ACMV by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and the double-antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (DAS-ELISA), using the monoclonal antibodies SCRI 33. DAS-ELISA detected ACMV i...
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DNA-based markers,undeniably, provide potent tools for studying genetic relationships in plants; however, potential of protein-based markers using SDS-PAGE is quite promising, particularly in developing countries. Plant storage proteins... more
DNA-based markers,undeniably, provide potent tools for studying genetic relationships in plants; however, potential of protein-based markers using SDS-PAGE is quite promising, particularly in developing countries. Plant storage proteins serve as molecular reserves imperative for plant growth and maintenance and thus have proven to be essential for the survival of plant species. Storage proteins are also indispensable in plant defense mechanisms as insecticidal and anti-microbial proteins. They have also been widely employed as biochemical markers for genetic diversity studies. Eighteen sweet potato ( Ipomoea batatas L. Lam) accessions with local or exotic origin were evaluated for genetic diversity using leaf and tuberous root protein via sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Marked variations observed in the electrophoregrams of total leaf and tuberous root proteins gave an indication of intense variability among the accessions. Molecular size of pr...
Research Interests: Molecular Biology, Biology, Plant biotechnology, Plant breeding and genetics, Plant Molecular Biology, and 15 moreGenetic Diversity, Natural Sciences, Germplasm, Publication, Germplasm conservation, Plant Protein, Genotyping, Plant Pathology, SDS PAGE, Soybean Characterisation Based on Morphological, Convulvulaceae, Orange Fleshed Sweet Potato, Serological and Molecular Techniques, Impoea batatas, and Root proteins
Small-RNAs are 20 to 27 nucleotides long non-protein-coding RNAs that act on either DNA or RNA to effect the regulation of gene expression. Small-RNAs are key in genetic and epigenetic regulation of diverse biological processes and... more
Small-RNAs are 20 to 27 nucleotides long non-protein-coding RNAs that act on either DNA or RNA to effect the regulation of gene expression. Small-RNAs are key in genetic and epigenetic regulation of diverse biological processes and pathways in response to biotic and abiotic environmental stresses. The gene regulatory functions of small-RNA molecules enhance healthy plant growth and normal development by controlling biological processes such as flowering programming, fruit development, disease and pests resistance. Small-RNAs comprise mainly microRNA and small interfering RNA species. MicroRNAs have been proven to primarily engage in posttranscriptional gene regulation while small interfering RNA have been implicated mainly in transcriptional gene regulation. This review covers the recent advancements in small-RNA research in plants, with emphasis on particularly microRNAs and small interfering RNA biogenesis, biological functions and their relevance in the regulation of traits of ag...
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Bacillus species are important producers of essential biomolecules such as antibiotics, insecticides and enzymes. However, the immense potential for commercial scale production of these biomolecules still remain largely unexplored.... more
Bacillus species are important producers of essential biomolecules such as antibiotics, insecticides and enzymes. However, the immense potential for commercial scale production of these biomolecules still remain largely unexplored. Optimization of the exploitation of these species has, therefore, become the major preoccupation of many laboratories worldwide. Success in this regard depends on a thorough understanding of the species gene regulatory mechanisms, metabolism and secretary pathways. Bacillus subtilis by virtue of its relatively simple cellular organization, experimental tractability and excellent genetics has become the principal paradigm for the study of the cellular processes of the Bacillus genus. The bacteria survive adverse environmental conditions by undergoing a complex process of spore formation termed sporulation. The process of spore formation involves cellular differentiation of an asymmetrically dividing mother cell, with each compartment undergoing distinct ce...
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Aims: The specific objectives of this study were: to identify the diversity of insect species associated with ten okra cultivars, and to assess the abundance of the insect species and the extent of leaf damage during vegetative, flowering... more
Aims: The specific objectives of this study were: to identify the diversity of insect species associated with ten okra cultivars, and to assess the abundance of the insect species and the extent of leaf damage during vegetative, flowering and fruiting stages of ten okra cultivars under field conditions. Study Design: The experimental treatments were deployed in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD), replicated four times. Place and Duration of Study: The research was conducted at Nuclear Agriculture Research Center (NARC) farms and the laboratories of Radiation Entomology and Pest Management Center (REPMC) of Biotechnology and Nuclear Agriculture Research Institute (BNARI), between July 2017 and March 2018. The study area is located at Kwabenya, Accra on latitude 5º40' N, longitude 0º13' W with Ochrosol (Ferric Acrisol) soil type, derived from quartzite Schist. Methodology: Plant materials used for the study consisted of five local and five exotic okra cultivars. The lo...
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Sitophilus zeamais is a major insect pest of stored maize and grain products in the tropics. The toxicity of coconut, groundnut and soybean oils applied at 1, 2, 5 and 10ml/kg and pirimiphos-methyl at 2.5, 5 and 10μl active ingredient in... more
Sitophilus zeamais is a major insect pest of stored maize and grain products in the tropics. The toxicity of coconut, groundnut and soybean oils applied at 1, 2, 5 and 10ml/kg and pirimiphos-methyl at 2.5, 5 and 10μl active ingredient in 2ml of water/kg of grain (116, 18 and 14 of the recommended dose), alone or in combination, to adults
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The sn -1,2-diacylglycerol kinase homologue gene, dgkA , is a sporulation gene indispensable for the maintenance of spore stability and viability in Bacillus subtilis . After 6 h of growth in resuspension medium, the endospore morphology... more
The sn -1,2-diacylglycerol kinase homologue gene, dgkA , is a sporulation gene indispensable for the maintenance of spore stability and viability in Bacillus subtilis . After 6 h of growth in resuspension medium, the endospore morphology of the dgkA mutant by standard phase-contrast microscopy was normal; however, after 9 h, the endospores appeared mostly dark by phase-contrast microscopy, suggesting a defect in the spores. Moreover, electron microscopic studies revealed an abnormal cortex structure in mutant endospores 6 h after the onset of sporulation, an indication of cortex degeneration. In addition, a significant decrease in the dipicolinic acid content of mutant spores was observed. We also found that dgkA is expressed mainly during the vegetative phase. It seems likely that either the DgkA produced during growth prepares the cell for an essential step in sporulation or the enzyme persists into sporulation and performs an essential function.
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Background Apomixis or asexual seed formation represents a potentially important agronomic trait whose introduction into crop plants could be an effective way to fix and perpetuate a desirable genotype through successive seed generations.... more
Background Apomixis or asexual seed formation represents a potentially important agronomic trait whose introduction into crop plants could be an effective way to fix and perpetuate a desirable genotype through successive seed generations. However, the gene regulatory pathways underlying apomixis remain unknown. In particular, the potential function of microRNAs, which are known to play crucial roles in many aspects of plant growth and development, remains to be determined with regards to the switch from sexual to apomictic reproduction. Results Using bioinformatics and microarray validation procedures, 51 miRNA families conserved among angiosperms were identified in Boechera. Microarray assay confirmed 15 of the miRNA families that were identified by bioinformatics techniques. 30 cDNA sequences representing 26 miRNAs could fold back into stable pre-miRNAs. 19 of these pre-miRNAs had miRNAs with Boechera-specific nucleotide substitutions (NSs). Analysis of the Gibbs free energy (ΔG) ...
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Apomixis refers to plant asexual reproduction through seeds that give rise to progeny which are genotypically identical to the maternal parent. It has evolved from many different sexual taxa although the underlying genetic factors remain... more
Apomixis refers to plant asexual reproduction through seeds that give rise to progeny which are genotypically identical to the maternal parent. It has evolved from many different sexual taxa although the underlying genetic factors remain unknown. Previous analyses of the over-representation of transcription factors, in a comparison of microdissected ovules from apomictic and sexual Boechera, showed that many transcription factor mRNAs possessed microRNA (miRNAs) binding sites, thus pointing to miRNAs as potentially important factors that may be involved in the regulatory switch from sexual to apomictic reproduction. A microarray-based approach was used to identify (1) 673 microsatellitelike small RNAs (misRNAs) containing predominantly 2-7 repeats of (GAA)n/(CUU)n, (GCA)n/(CGU)n, (GGA)n/(CCU)n, (GGU)n/(CCA)n and (UGA)n/(ACU)n, and (2) 166 more typical non-repeat small RNAs. In total, 87 small RNAs were found to be located in cDNAs that could fold into stem-loop structures and thus r...
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ABSTRACT Purpose: Genetic makers are indispensable in the genetic quantification and characterization of plant species of which rubber tree is no exception. Markers have been used severally in genetic identification and diversity analysis... more
ABSTRACT
Purpose: Genetic makers are indispensable in the genetic quantification and characterization of plant species of which rubber tree is no exception. Markers have been used severally in genetic identification
and diversity analysis of rubber tree species. However, in Ghana genetic diversity and relatedness among introduced rubber tree species are limited. The study is aimed to use microsatellite markers to assess the genetic variability and evaluate genetic relationships among clones of Hevea brasiliensis cultivated in Ghana.
Research Method: Genomic DNA was extracted from fresh rubber leaves following the Cetyltrimethyl Ammonium Bromide (CTAB) protocol. The five (5) different SSR primers used for the analysis were
hmct1, hmac4, hmct5, gSSR212 and gSSR194.
Findings: The five SSR markers showed some degree of relatedness among the rubber clones which suggested genetic similarity (IRCA317-5, IRCA41-2, IRCA331-6, IRCA230-4, IRCA109-3, and B8-23) and diversity (K2-18, IRCA840-7, PB217-8, PB217-10, and IRCA317-16) among the clones irrespective of their geographical area of collection.
Research Limitation: The unavailability of polivinylpolipyrolidon (PVPP) and polyacrylamide gel
(PAGE).
Original Value: The results from the study depict that relatively some rubber clones of interest could be selected for future breeding and propagation programmes in Ghana.
Keywords: Microsatellites, Diversity, Similarity, Markers, Rubber Clones
Purpose: Genetic makers are indispensable in the genetic quantification and characterization of plant species of which rubber tree is no exception. Markers have been used severally in genetic identification
and diversity analysis of rubber tree species. However, in Ghana genetic diversity and relatedness among introduced rubber tree species are limited. The study is aimed to use microsatellite markers to assess the genetic variability and evaluate genetic relationships among clones of Hevea brasiliensis cultivated in Ghana.
Research Method: Genomic DNA was extracted from fresh rubber leaves following the Cetyltrimethyl Ammonium Bromide (CTAB) protocol. The five (5) different SSR primers used for the analysis were
hmct1, hmac4, hmct5, gSSR212 and gSSR194.
Findings: The five SSR markers showed some degree of relatedness among the rubber clones which suggested genetic similarity (IRCA317-5, IRCA41-2, IRCA331-6, IRCA230-4, IRCA109-3, and B8-23) and diversity (K2-18, IRCA840-7, PB217-8, PB217-10, and IRCA317-16) among the clones irrespective of their geographical area of collection.
Research Limitation: The unavailability of polivinylpolipyrolidon (PVPP) and polyacrylamide gel
(PAGE).
Original Value: The results from the study depict that relatively some rubber clones of interest could be selected for future breeding and propagation programmes in Ghana.
Keywords: Microsatellites, Diversity, Similarity, Markers, Rubber Clones