Cocobod introduced nationwide artificial hand pollination in Ghana in 2017 to supplement natural pollination of Theobroma cacao L. (cocoa) by insects (Forcipomyia midges) to increase yield. Hybrid farms of 8–20 years old are mostly selected. Pollen donor and receiver trees are selected based on morphological characteristics. This study analyzed the genetic diversity among donor and recipient trees of cocoa hand pollination in three farms in the Offinso Municipality of Ghana using SSR markers. Twelve forward and reverse primer pairs out of fifteen primers screened were used to evaluate genetic intraspecific and interspecific diversity among 25 accessions based on clear amplification and reproducible scorable bands. A total of 115 polymorphic bands were detected which ranged between 5.00 and 17.00 with a mean of 9.58 alleles per locus. Cluster analysis showed similarity coefficient range of 0.10 to 0.83. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) showed13

Abstract Mangroves cover about cover about 3.9% of the entire 550km coastal stretch of land from Eastern to Western region of Ghana. Despite the important ecological services and socio-economic benefits mangroves provide, they are increasingly exploited for domestic activities including fuel wood and therefore require immediate protection to prevent the few remaining populations from extinction. Rhizophora mangle (red mangroves), Laguncularia racemose (white mangroves) and Avicennia germinans (black mangroves) are the three most common mangrove species in Ghana. They mostly grow in association with Conocarpus erectus and many people classify Conocarpus as mangrove due to some common morphological characters they share. Though it is possible to distinguish between the three common mangrove species and Conocarpus erectus using morphological markers, it remains difficult to identify individuals in mixed populations therefore using molecular markers could enhance understanding and identification of the species. Genetic variation in Rhizophora mangle, Laguncularia racemose, Avicennia germinans and Conocarpus erectus was studied using Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD). Intra-and interspecific variations were observed using ten out of 15 primers screened. RAPD markers were also used to produce similarity matrix among individuals of a species. A higher degree of polymorphism (94%) was observed within populations of Rhizophora mangle, Laguncularia racemose, Avicinnea germinans, and Conocarpus erectus while (6%) was observed among the populations. PhiPT-value of 86.3% (0.863) indicates considerable degree of difference between the mangrove populations and Conocarpus erectus, however, they shared some few common genes together. Knowledge from this research will help develop conservation strategies for mangroves and Conocarpus in Ghana.

Anthropogenic activities as predictors of species assemblages in the Owabi Ramsar Wetland were investigated between May and September 2019. Data were collected in 154 plots at five different sites. The prevalence index method was used to categorise the species into wetland and non-wetland indicators. Log series and Hill number models were applied to quantify community assemblages, whereas the CCA technique was used to examine the relationship between anthropogenic activities and species presence or absence. In all, 2 185 individuals, belonging to 32 families and 68 species were recorded. Paspalum orbiculare and Persicaria lanigera were the most abundant, indicating their wide distribution. Mean number of individuals were highest at Atafua and lowest at Owabi. An abundance of terrestrial species (41.2%; i.e. plant species not listed as obligate wetland plants) and facultative species (30.9%), compared with obligate wetland species (27.9%), suggests a dominance of species from dryland habitats into the wetland. Farming activities, increased levels of NH4+, PO43+ and NO3–N, were the predictors that explained 72.01% of the overall variability in community assemblages. The results revealed the impact of the anthropogenic activities on the ecological integrity of the Owabi Ramsar Wetland and the need to institute conservation measures outlined in this study.

Unregulated harvest of tree bark for medicinal purposes has led to overexploitation and extinction of some valuable tree species. The study assessed bark recovery rates of four medicinal tree species and determined their regenerative abilities, stress shoot production and susceptibility to wood borers. A total of 192 trees of Bombax buonopozense, Mangifera indica, Azadirachta indica and Blighia sapida were randomly selected outside protected forests in the Moist Semi-deciduous (MSD) and Guinea Savannah (GS) ecological zones of Ghana. The trees were harvested using three harvesting intensities, 25%, 50%, and 75% bark removal. Edge and sheet re-growth, stress shoot production and wood borer attack were recorded for each tree in twelfth months. Our results show that the bark of B. buonopozense (29.4% at MSD and 21.4% at GS), M. indica (22.3% at MSD and 16.1% at GS) and A. indica (13.5% at MSD and 12.8% at GS) showed higher regeneration percentage compared to B. sapida (3.8% at MSD and 3.7% at GS), while stress shoot growth percentage was limited to only B. buonopozense (4.7% at MSD and 25% at GS). Though no tree died during the study period, borer attack was recorded for all the species except A. indica. We recommend that forest managers should allow minimum harvesting of B. sapida as they showed slow recovery, while rotation period for repeated harvest can also be prescribed for B. buonopozense and M. indica. Moreover, the coppicing ability of B. buonopozense needs to be examined since it produced a higher number of stress shoots.

Development of planting materials through vegetative propagation has been difficult in some timber species due to ontogenetic aging which slows down rooting of stem cuttings. Applying grafting techniques helped produce quality planting materials with unique characters, as these techniques influenced union establishment and successful growth of the grafted plants. This study assessed effects of different grafting techniques on establishment and early growth of four African mahogany species (Khaya ivorensis, K. anthotheca, K. grandifoliola and K. senegalensis) using 2-year old seedling rootstocks and scions from mature trees with desirable stem form. We assessed effects of three grafting methods (top-cleft, side grafting, and whip and tongue), and scion type on growth performance of the African mahogany species at 6 months after grafting. K. grandifoliola scion grafted onto K. grandifoliola rootstock recorded highest mean graft success (81.67%), number of leaves formed (11.6) and shoot height growth (7.47cm) in the top-cleft method. The whip and tongue method was least successful among the three methods. Homografted plants had greatest influence on the grafting parameters for highest mean successes in K. grandifoliola/K. grandifoliola (81.67%), K. anthotheca/K. anthotheca (73.33%) and K. senegalensis/K. senegalensis (63.33%) except K. ivorensis scion type which occurred in the heterograft K. grandifoliola/K. ivorensis (76.67%). Highest performance of the top-cleft method is attributed to good contact between cambia of the grafted species and thus their easy union and growth. Grafting of the four African mahogany species is most successful using top-cleft grafting technique for sustainable production of improved cultivars for restoration and conservation.

Talbotiella gentii is a critically endangered caesalpiniaceous legume endemic to Ghana, restricted in distribution to the margins of the forest zone where there has been extensive fire damage in recent decades. It occurs as isolated, near-monospecific populations, some of which show little seedling regeneration. We studied its reproduction to determine limitations that might inform efforts to prevent its extinction. We report on flowering phenology, pollen dispersal and germination, fruit and seed set, seed size and germination, and seedling survival, using controlled and open pollination. Talbotiella gentii flowers profusely in most years. Although the flowers are coloured and scented, no animal pollinators were observed but pollen can be dispersed by wind. In open pollination, the number of pollen grains on stigmas and their germination was sufficient to fertilise the three ovules, despite competition from heavy stigmatic infestation by fungal spores and hyphae. Fruit set and seed set were low due to high flower losses and fruit abortion during development but ripe seeds showed high germination. Controlled pollination experiments (self, supplemented self, and intra- and inter-population crosses) showed that, while the species is self-compatible, selfing was the least successful treatment in all of the above steps of reproduction, whereas cross-pollination enhanced most steps, the more so for inter-population crosses. Seed size was notably greater in inter-population crosses and was positively correlated with genetic distance of the cross. The larger seeds associated with cross-pollination showed higher germination and seedling survival in the nursery. We conclude that limitations to natural reproduction in T. gentii are principally due to processes between pollen germination and fruit and seed set, including pollen quality (low genetic diversity and inbreeding), fertilisation rates, flower and fruit abortion, and resource limitation. Low seed size in open and self pollination may have implications for seedling establishment. Species fitness might be improved by introducing other genotypes to existing populations, but in situ protection of the populations is essential in the medium term.