Yam production in West Africa, the Caribbean and the other yamgrowing countries is constrained by several problems. One of the main production limitations is the scarcity of planting material caused by pest and disease attack [1]. In Ghana there is a paucity of information on the primary yam pathogens causing economic losses. The work presented here concerns the activities of a DFIDfunded collaboration between UK and Ghanaian research institutes to investigate the nature and impact of yam diseases in Ghana. The research covers all the economically important yam pathogens, including fungi, nematodes and viruses. In particular, current work is investigating the relationship between the disease status of yam vines growing in the field and subsequent postharvest diseases.

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