Farmers’ Perception and Farming Practices on the Effect of Early and Late Leaf Spots on Groundnut Production in Northern Ghana

Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is an important crop both in subsistence and commercial agriculture in Ghana. Early leaf spot (Cercospora arachidicola) and late leaf spot (Phaeoisariopsis personata) are major limiting factors to groundnut productivity in Ghana. The objective of the study was to appraise farmers’ perception of the disease and effect of the cropping system on the incidence and severity of the disease. A disease-based questionnaire was administered to 100 farmers in their local language spread across 10 villages and towns selected from Tamale, Tolon-Kunbungu and Savelugu-Nanton Districts, all in the Northern Region of Ghana. The responses of the farmers showed that Cercospora leaf spot (ELS and LLS) was perceived by the farmers as one of the major constraints to groundnut production in the area to which farmers have no solution. The severity of the disease was dependent on the cropping system adopted by the farmers. The variety Chinese turned out to be the most important commercial cultivar grown by farmers but it is susceptible to both diseases. Keywords: leaf spot, Phaeoisariopsis personata, Cercospora, groundnut, diseas