On-farm maize insect pest and mycotoxin levels in Ghana

Authors: DANSO, JAMES - Kwame Nkrumah University Of Science And Technology; MANU, NAOMI - Kwame Nkrumah University Of Science And Technology; OSEKRE, ENOCH - Kwame Nkrumah University Of Science And Technology; OPIT, GEORGE - Oklahoma State University; Armstrong, Paul; Arthur, Franklin; Campbell, James - Jim; MBATA, GEORGE - Fort Valley State University; MCNEILL, SAM - University Of Kentucky

Submitted to: Meeting Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/7/2018
Publication Date: 11/1/2018
Citation: Danso, J.K., Manu, N., Osekre, E.A., Opit, G.P., Armstrong, P.R., Arthur, F.H., Campbell, J.F., Mbata, G., McNeill, S.G. 2018. On-farm maize insect pest and mycotoxin levels in Ghana. In: (Juluis-Kuhr-Archieve) 12th International Working Conference on Stored Product Protection, October 7-11, 2018, Berlin, Germany. 463:931-933. https://doi.org/10.5073/jka.2018.463.199.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5073/jka.2018.463.199

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Maize post-harvest losses are perennial in Ghana but reliable comparative information on on-farm losses of maize produced in the Middle and Northern Belts of Ghana is lacking. Two studies were conducted during the September 2015–February 2016 period to identify factors contributing to on-farm losses of maize in these two Belts. In the Northern Belt, the study was conducted in six communities of Adubiyili, Diari, Pong-Tamale, Savelugu, Toroyili and Zamnayili; in the Middle Belt, the study was in the communities of Ejura, Sekyedumase and Amantin. Moisture content, percent weight loss, percent insect damaged kernels (IDK) on numerical basis (%IDKnb) and percent IDK by weight basis (%IDKwb), insect pest abundance, and mycotoxin levels were estimated. Moisture content values of maize at pre-harvest and heaping stages in all nine communities were below 15%. Sitophilus zeamais, Sitotroga cerealella, Cathartus quadricollis, and Carpophilus dimidiatus were found to attack maize on-farm in communities in the Middle Belt, but no adult insect pests were collected on pre-harvested maize in the Northern Belt. The %IDKnb values on-farm in all nine communities were < 2% per 250 g. Mean aflatoxin levels below 15 ppb were obtained from pre-harvested maize in both regions but levels above 15 ppb were obtained from heaped maize on-farm. Fumonisin (ppm) levels of maize were below 4 ppm on pre-harvested and in heaped maize in both regions. Results show that heaping maize on-farm increases aflatoxin levels beyond the acceptable threshold level and should not be practiced.