Assessing the relationship of the three major soil nutrients (NPK) on cacao swollen shoot virus disease (CSSVD) symptom severity in Ghana

Authors

  • George A. Ameyaw (PhD), Alfred Arthur(PhD), Owusu Domfeh(PhD), Frank Owusu-Ansah(PhD), Agyemang Boakye(MSc)

Abstract

The relationship of the three major soil nutrients i.e. nitrogen (N), potassium (K) and phosphorus (P) on the severity of symptom expression of the cacao swollen shoot virus disease (CSSVD) on matured cocoa plants across the cocoa regions of Ghana was assessed in this study. The NPK profiles were determined from soil samples from the virus affected farms and related to the prevalence rate (frequency of occurrence) and symptom severity (degree of symptom development) through regression and correlation analysis. Weak and non-significant ( p > 0.05) relationships were established between the soil nutrient (NPK) on prevalence rates and severity of symptom expressions with low correlation coefficient (R) and correlation of determination (R2) estimates across the different cocoa regions of Ghana. The implications of these results which supports the non-significant infleunce of these three major soil nutrients on the severity of the cocoa swollen shoot virus disease in the field as reported in some past studies are discussed.

Published

2020-11-01

Issue

Section

Articles