An Empirical Illustration of Positive Stigma towards Child Labor

This empirical note complements the qualitative and theoretical research on positive household stigma towards child labor. We use data from Guatemala and two instruments for measuring stigma: a child's indigenous background and household head's childhood work experience. We then adopt binomial probit regression methods to illustrate that positive stigma has a large effect on child labor practices, and a modest effect on school enrollment.child labor, education, indigenous, stigma, Guatemala

Effect of lead and cadmium on germination and seedling growth of Leucaena leucocephala

A study was conducted to determine the effect of different concentrations of lead and cadmium on seed germination and seedling growth of Leucaena leucocephala. Seed were grown under laboratory conditions at 25, 50, 75 and 100 ppm of metal ions of lead and cadmium. Both lead and cadmium treatments showed toxic effectson various growth indices of L. leucocephala. Increasing the concentration of lead to 75 ppm, significantly (

Using SERVQUAL to determine Generation Y’s satisfaction towards hoteling industry in Malaysia

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to use SERVQUAL to measure Generation Y’s (Gen Y) perceived service quality and its effects on their satisfaction toward the Malaysian hotel industry. Design/methodology/approach: The required data were collected through questionnaire, distributed to 200 respondents in four areas of Klang Valley. The collected data were put through multiple regression to identify the effect of SERVQUAL dimensions on service quality. Findings: The results reveal that all the elements of SERVQUAL, except tangibility, had a significant and positive relationship with customer satisfaction. Research limitations/implications: It is a niche area research which is done on a small population in a specified geographical area within Malaysia, though its research implications are significant and add significantly to the tourism literature with respect to Gen Y. Practical implications: This research holds importance in the growing service tourism and hoteling industry in Malaysia, where Gen Y holds a key economic position and is predicted to grow even further in the near future. Originality/value: It is a niche area research done on very specific consumers in Malaysia. It, therefore, adds to the emerging field of tourism in relation to Gen Y

Tissue culture as an alternative for commercial corm production in saffron: A heritage crop of Kashmir

The present study aimed at developing a commercially viable protocol for in vitro corm production in saffron. Three-step sterilization process involving fungicides and sterilants ensured 94% clean viable cultures. Plant growth regulator (PGRs) ensuring initial bud sprouting, direct shoot regeneration from the base of the sprouted bud and cormlet production from multiple shoots have been standardized. MS Media supplemented with 0.5 mg/l naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) and 1.5 mg/l 6-benzyl amino purine (BAP) ensured maximum bud sprouting in September with direct multiple shoot primordia initiation on 6.5 mg/l BAP in November. 6.5 mg/l BAP + 0.2 mg/l NAA resulted in maximum shoot proliferation (24); however, at higher concentration, the PGRs were detrimental in arresting the growth. Viable shoot clumps established maximum in vitro corms in April after sub culturing on growth retardant (CCC) at 0.25% supplemented with 9% sucrose. Subculturing of non flowering in vitro corms on growth retardant with sucrose eliminated season dependence of in vitro protocols in the 2nd cycle of protocol. Primary and secondary hardening before field transfer ensured 100% corm viability.Keywords: Kashmir, corm, in vitro, saffron.African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 12(25), pp. 3940-394

Character association in Chilli (Capsicum annuum L.) | Asociación entre caracteres en pimentón (Capsicum annuum L.)

The present investigation was carried out in 2007-08 using 25 chilli genotypes to elucidate the association of various yield attributing traits to develop a reliable set of traits for indirect selection. The data were observed from five randomly selected competitive plants from each replication for eight quantitative traits. The genotypic coefficients were higher in the magnitudes relative to corresponding estimates of phenotypic coefficients, which indicated high heritability of the traits under study. The fruits yield/plant exhibited highly significant correlation with number of fruits/plant, number of branches/plant and height of the plant, indicating the usefulness of these traits for improving upon fruit yield in chilli. Path coefficient analysis revealed that the highest direct effect on fruit yield/plant was exerted by average fruit weight followed by number of fruits/plant, number of branches/plant and plant spread, while as highest indirect effect on fruit yield/plant was exerted by number of branches/plant through number of fruits/plant, fruit length and fruit breadth through average fruit weight and plant height through number of fruits/plant. These traits can be used to develop an optimally reliable selection index for realizing improvements in fruit yield in chilli.Key words: Chilli, character association, correlation, path analysisRESUMENLa presente investigación se llevó a cabo en 2007-2008 utilizando 25 genotipos de pimentón para dilucidar la asociación de diversos componentes del rendimiento para desarrollar un conjunto confiable de caracteres para la selección indirecta. Los datos se observaron en cinco plantas bajo competencia y seleccionadas al azar de cada replicación para ocho caracteres cuantitativos. Los coeficientes genotípicos fueron mayores en magnitud relativa en comparación con las estimaciones del coeficiente fenotípico, lo cual indica una alta heredabilidad de los caracteres bajo estudio. El rendimiento de frutos/plantaexhibió una correlación altamente significativa con el número de frutos/planta, número de reamas/planta y altura, indicando la utilidad de estos caracteres para mejorar el rendimiento de frutos en pimentón. El análisis de los coeficientes detrayectoria reveló que el mayor efecto directo sobre el rendimiento de frutos/planta fue ejercido por el peso promedio del fruto seguido por el número de frutos/planta, número de reamas/planta y el dosel de la planta, mientras, mientras que los mayores efectos indirectos sobre el rendimiento de frutos/planta fue ejercido por el número de ramas/planta a través delnúmero de frutos/planta, longitud del fruto y ancho del fruto a través del peso promedio del fruto y la altura de la planta a través del número de frutos/planta. Estos caracteres pueden ser usados para desarrollar un índice de selección óptimamente confiable para realizar mejoras en el rendimiento de frutos en pimentón.Palabras clave: Pimentón, asociación de caracteres, correlación, análisis de trayectori