Publications

Growth, wood yield, specific gravity, calorific value and chemical composition (ie. % Lignin, Alpha-Cellulose and Beta and Gamma-Cellulose Contents) were determined for Leucaena leucocephala, Gliricidia sepium and Senna siamea at age four years. The study was conducted to assess the wood biomass productivity and energy potentials of the species for use as fuel wood.

The reproductive biology of Milicia excelsa and M. regia was studied The major distinguishing traits were crown shape, bark texture and leaf traits such as shape, dimension, colour, number of lateral nerves and arrangement on branchelets. Male and female trees are distinguished by the size of crown and tree trunk, forking characteristics, and distribution and abundance of flowers in the crown. Male flowers in general are longer and slender than female flowers.

Subri conversion technique is a new site preparation technique in West Africa in which the degraded natural forests are cleared, and lines are cut through the debris and planted up without any burning. Under this condition the humus layer and the 'extra debris on the forest floor is conserved. Evaluation of linear growth and biomass production in the first three years of growth of Gmelina raised under this technique is reported. Survival varied from 75 to 83 percent, mean height from 12 to 15m, mean

Sixteen trees, selected from Subri and South Formangso Gmelina plantations, to represent ages (4 - 10 years) and size class distribution, were felled and their linear growth dimensions and biomass measured. In Subri, mean height increased from 16.6m at the 4th year to 19.6m at the 7th year. Corresponding growth of other dimensions were 10-23cm in diameter, 19 to 29m²/ha in basal area, 200 to 274m³/ha in volume and 68 to 119mt/ha in dry matter content. South Formangso crops were slightly lower in height and volume growth than those of Subri.

The treatability of three lesser-known timber species, namely,Kyenkyen (Antiaris africana), Esa (Celtis mildbraedii) and Otie (pycnanthus angolensis) was investigated using a commercial copper-chrome-arsenate (CCA) preservative and treatment by the vacuum-pressure method at varying pressure magnitude~ (6~0, 828, 966 or 1104 kPa) and treatment durations(0.5, 1, 2 and 4 hours). Net dry salt retentions and depths of penetration were determined, and a permeability assessment of the' different wood species was made.

Ten indigenous plants with folkloric reputation for pesticidal activity have been screened for their biological activity using the shrimp lethality test. Analyses were carried out on leaves and bark of each plant. Annona squamosa and Piper guineense and the bark of Carapa procera and Piper guineense with LC50 less than 25 ppm were active. All extracts which gave LC50 values of less than 200 ppm were considered bioactive and were screened for their phytochemicals using solvents of different polarities.

The study was carried out to determine the anatomical properties of Afina ( Strombosia glaucescens) to assist in the understanding of its physical properties.

Forestry Research Institute of Ghana (FORIG) was awarded a research grant by the International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) to look at the possibilities of introducing some Lesser-Used Timber Species of Ghana to take care of the dwindling primary species.

The project, originally titled "Industrial Utilisation and Improved Marketing of some Lesser-Used Ghanaian Timber Species from Sustainably Managed Forests" is now popularly known as the LUS project.