A review on the selection of lean production tools and techniques

There has been numerous published literature related to lean production. However, very limited studies have been found focussing on the selection of lean production tools and techniques especially for Malaysian context. The review is based on the contemporary literature that published between year 2004 to 2014. The main databases used were Science Direct, Scopus and Emerald. The review gives general pictures of the selection and implementation of lean tools and techniques in various industries and the factors that affect the selection process. The analysis showed that there was no study yet on the selection of lean production tools and techniques specifically in Malaysia by using rational decision making process. Therefore, this gap requires further research on the selection of appropriate lean production tools and techniques by considering several critical decision criteria

A review on the selection of lean production tools and techniques

There has been numerous published literature related to lean production. However, very limited studies have been found focussing on the selection of lean production tools and techniques especially for Malaysian context. The review is based on the contemporary literature that published between year 2004 to 2014. The main databases used were Science Direct, Scopus and Emerald. The review gives general pictures of the selection and implementation of lean tools and techniques in various industries and the factors that affect the selection process. The analysis showed that there was no study yet on the selection of lean production tools and techniques specifically in Malaysia by using rational decision making process. Therefore, this gap requires further research on the selection of appropriate lean production tools and techniques by considering several critical decision criteria

Developing a partcipatory approach to seed production and varietal selection

The performance of UK winter wheat varieties was tested under organic conditions involving farmer participation. Three breadmaking varieties (Hereward, Solstice and Xi19) and their mixture (1:1:1) were grown at 19 UK farms in 2003/04 and 2004/05. The variability of productivity on organic farms was illustrated with more variation among farm sites than among varieties. Seed health was generally high over all sites. Although the trials were successful, more time was needed at project initiation to improve farmer involvement. Some farmers expected more researcher visits, and were reticent about assessing the trials themselves. In contrast, some participants valued the variety performance data on their farms particularly when related to that of other growers. The balance between the goals of the researchers relative to the farmers needs to be defined at project initiation

Strong decay amplitudes using the Talmi-Moshinsky transformation and the suppressed production of the 1−+1^{-+} hybrid

The Talmi-Moshinsky transformation is applied to the strong decay and production of mesons. Amplitudes for conventional mesons are obtained in a simple way and are generalised to encompass the production and decay of hybrid states. The selection rule disfavouring hybrid decay into pairs of identical S-wave mesons has a natural explanation and a new class of selection rules is uncovered with implications for production of the exotic $1^{-+}$ hybrid in $e^+e^-$ experiments, charmonia decays and the lattice.Comment: 15 pages; some significant changes in revised version including additional phenomenolog

Development of breeding schemes in overseas regions: the case of goats for meat production in the Reunion Island

In the French island of Reunion, (Indian Ocean, 800,000 inhabitants), 37,600 goats are reared mainly for meat production. Farming systems are very diverse but they still constitute a secondary activity generating an income supplement. The herds are genetically very heterogeneous and derive from crossbreeding between land race goat (Cabri Péi), endangered species, and exotic races (Saanen, Boer, Alpine). Goat meat is highly appreciated in Reunion. 700 to 800 tons of goat meat are imported each year. To increase local production, breeders are primarily oriented to the Boer goat. This specialized breed meat is present for several decades. Any importation of ruminants is however suspended for health reasons. So, Farmers decide to develop a breeding scheme based on artificial insemination. Research, development and selection institutions work with breeders to define Boer dam's standard, so that the race is officially recognized in France. The selection scheme aims to improve meat production. Evaluation of the animals is based on a grid developed by the people involved in goat production sector. The evaluation grid is currently tested on 450 crossbred females. These females are inseminated artificially with boer goat semen produced by Capgimes, the single French National Centre of production of buck seeds. The assessment skills are suitable both for males and females and give a judgment on the characters of race (9 positions) and functional (11 positions). Race characters therefore account for 75% of the final score. At the same time 8 morpho-biometric measurements are performed to characterize the goats that will form part of the basis for selection. Insemination protocols are tested and validated over a period of three years. In France, there is not a certified performance testing for goat meat production; so we adapt the method and the tool developed for mutton sheep. The objective is to characterize 1,400 goats to select 1,000 for the basis of selection. We have developed tools to enable the implementation of the schema of the Boer Dam selection. However we must still specify measurable and quantifiable objectives of selection. (Résumé d'auteur

Chromosome segregation impacts on cell growth and division site selection in Corynebacterium glutamicum.

Spatial and temporal regulation of bacterial cell division is imperative for the production of viable offspring. In many rod-shaped bacteria, regulatory systems such as the Min system and nucleoid occlusion ensure the high fidelity of midcell divisome positioning. However, regulation of division site selection in bacteria lacking recognizable Min and nucleoid occlusion remains less well understood. Here, we describe one such rod-shaped organism, Corynebacterium glutamicum, which does not always place the division septum precisely at midcell. Here we now show at single cell level that cell growth and division site selection are spatially and temporally regulated by chromosome segregation. Mutants defective in chromosome segregation have more variable cell growth and aberrant placement of the division site. In these mutants, division septa constrict over and often guillotine the nucleoid, leading to nonviable, DNA-free cells. Our results suggest that chromosome segregation or some nucleoid associated factor influences growth and division site selection in C. glutamicum. Understanding growth and regulation of C. glutamicum cells will also be of importance to develop strains for industrial production of biomolecules, such as amino acids

Seed potato quality improvement through positive selection by smallholder farmers in Kenya

In Kenya, seed potato quality is often a major yield constraint in potato production as smallholder farmers use farm-saved seed without proper management of seed-borne pests and diseases. Farm-saved seed is therefore often highly degenerated. We carried out on-farm research to assess whether farmer-managed positive seed selection could improve yield. Positive selection gave an average yield increase in farmer-managed trials of 34%, corresponding to a 284-€ increase in profit per hectare at an additional production cost of only 6€/ha. Positive selection can be an important alternative and complementary technology to regular seed replacement, especially in the context of imperfect rural economies characterized by high risks of production and insecure markets. It does not require cash investments and is thus accessible for all potato producers. It can also be applied where access to highquality seed is not guaranteed. The technology is also suitable for landraces and not recognized cultivars that cannot be multiplied formally. Finally, the technology fits seamlessly within the seed systems of Sub-Saharan Africa, which are dominated by self-supply and neighbour supply of seed potatoes

Common bunt resistant wheat composite cross populations

Utilising diverse populations instead of single line varieties is expected to lead to a number of advantages in cereal production. These include reduced epidemics of plant diseases, improved weed competition and better exploitation of soil nutrients, resulting in improved yield stability. However, a number of challenges must be met before diverse wheat populations can be introduced into commercial wheat production: one of these is the development of breeding technologies based on mass selection which enable breeders and farmers to improve specific traits in populations and maintain diversity at the same time. BIOBREED is a project started in Denmark in 2011 to meet these challenges for wheat population breeding. The project is focusing on the development of tools and methods for mass selection of traits relevant for organic and low input production, where it is expected that the highest benefits of utilizing diverse populations can be achieved. BIOBREED focuses on three main aspects of wheat population breeding for organic and low input production systems: i) common bunt (caused by Tilletia caries) resistance, ii) selection for improved protein content and iii) the influence on population diversity of different selection pathways. Selection for common bunt resistance in wheat composite cross populations 33 crosses were made between 23 common bunt resistant winter wheat varieties in order to generate two populations. Progeny of all crosses was bulked in the F 3 to constitute the first population Pop.No.Sel. Prior to the creation of the second population Pop.Sel, the F 3 of the parental crosses was sown as head-rows with common bunt infection. Only lines that showed resistance to common bunt were used to create Pop.Sel. in generation F 4 . Afterwards the two populations were grown with and without inoculation with common bunt in order to i) select for bunt resistance and ii) to be able to compare the effect on diversity of this selection step. Preliminary results show a higher level of common bunt resistance in Pop.Sel in the first year. Single seed sorting for protein content Prior to sowing the F 5 seed of the population Pop.Sel, the seed were sorted individually for protein content using a BoMill IQ Grain Quality Sorter 1002S. The fraction of seeds containing the 10% highest and another fraction containing the 10% lowest protein content were selected. The four populations, Pop.No.Sel, Pop.Sel, and Pop.Sel.high. Protein and Pop.Sel.low.Protein and the parental lines were sown in a randomized complete block yield trial at two locations in Denmark in order to assess their yield and quality parameters such as protein content and baking quality of the parents and there derived populations. Results are expected in the summer 2013. Diversity of wheat composite cross populations. The practical question of “how much diversity is needed in populations?” has not been answered yet. BIOBREED will aim to to quantify the levels of diversity in wheat composite cross populations after the different selection steps i) cultivation with and without common bunt inoculum, and ii) sorting for single protein content. In a fist attempt SSR markers will be used to describe the influence these different selection pathways will have on the population diversity. 90 SSR markers—about two markers per chromosome arm—will be used to describe the initial genetic diversity of the 23 parental lines. F 6 seed of the different populations will be analysed with the same markers and population diversity after different selection pathways will be quantified

Comparison of breed of dairy cow under grass-based spring milk production systems

End of project reportThe objective of this study was to investigate the potential differences among different dairy cow breeds across two feeding systems on milk production, udder health, milking characteristics, body weight, body condition score, hormone parameters, ovarian function, survival and overall reproductive efficiency. The breeds investigated included Holstein-Friesian (HF), Montbéliarde (MB), Normande (NM), Norwegian Red (NRF) and Holstein- Friesian × Montbéliarde (MBX) and Holstein- Friesian × Normande (NMX). Selection within the HF breed has, until recently, been predominantly for milk production with little or no direct selection for functional traits other than those correlated with superior type. The MB and the NM have been simultaneously selected for both milk and beef production in the past. The NRF were imported as calves and come from a more balanced total merit index incorporating production and cow functionality since the early 1970s. The dairy cow breeds were grouped into blocks of two within breed groups and randomized across two spring-calving grass-based feeding systems: low concentrate feeding system (LC) and high concentrate feeding system (HC). Those on LC feeding system were offered approximately 530 kg/cow over the total lactation, while those on HC feeding system were offered approximately 1030 kg/cow