Assessing the field irrigation performance and alternative management options for basin surface irrigation systems through hydrodynamic modelling

Performance evaluation / Irrigation systems / Irrigation management / Basin irrigation / Surface irrigation / Simulation models / Irrigation practices / Flow / Calibration / Efficiency / Pakistan

A spatial assessment of Brassica napus gene flow potential to wild and weedy relatives in the fynbos biome

The original publication is available at http://www.scielo.org.za/Gene flow between related plant species, and between transgenic and non-transgenic crop varieties, may be considered a form of biological invasion. Brassica napus (oilseed rape or canola) and its relatives are well known for intra- and inter-specific gene flow, hybridisation and weediness. Gene flow associated with B. napus poses a potential ecological risk in the Fynbos Biome of South Africa, because of the existence of both naturalised (alien, weedy) and native relatives in this region. This risk is particularly pertinent given the proposed use of B. napus for biofuel and the potential future introduction of herbicide-tolerant transgenic B. napus. Here we quantify the presence and co-occurrence of S. napus and its wild and weedy relatives in the Fynbos Biome, as a first step in the ecological risk assessment for this crop. Several alien and at least one native relative of B. napus were found to be prevalent in the region, and to be spatially congruent with B. napus fields. The first requirement for potential gene flow to occur has thus been met. In addition, a number of these species have elsewhere been found to be reproductively compatible with S. napus. Further assessment of the potential ecological risks associated with B. napus in South Africa is constrained by uncertainties in the phylogeny of the Brassicaceae, difficulties with morphology-based identification, and poor knowledge of the biology of several of the species involved, particularly under South African conditions.Publishers' versio

Surface irrigation methods and practices: field evaluation of the irrigation processes for selected basin irrigation systems during Rabi 1995- 96 season, Punjab, Pakistan

Surface irrigation / Irrigation practices / Field tests / Irrigation systems / Watercourses / Open channels / Discharges / Seepage loss / Infiltration / Sensitivity analysis / Soil moisture / Basin irrigation / Performance evaluation / Pakistan / Fordwah-Eastern Sadiqia Irrigation System

Disseminating the bed-and-furrow irrigation method for cotton cultivation in Bahadarwah Minor

Furrow irrigation / Surface irrigation / Cotton / Crop production / Crop yield / Sustainability / Data collection / Water requirements / Irrigation requirements / Water users' associations / Irrigation practices / Basin irrigation / Waterlogging / Salinity / Farming systems / Soil properties / Watercourses / Farmers / Social aspects / Economic aspects / Agricultural credit / Tillage / Fertilizers / Pest control / Cost benefit analysis / Farm income / Case studies / Pakistan / Bahadarwah Minor / Eastern Sadiqia Canal / Sirajwah Distributary

Public health insurance and entry into self-employment

We estimate the impact of a differential treatment of paid employees versus self-employed workers in a public health insurance system on the entry rate into entrepreneurship. In Germany, the public health insurance system is mandatory for most paid employees, but not for the selfemployed, who usually buy private health insurance. Private health insurance contributions are relatively low for the young and healthy, and until 2013 also for males, but less attractive at the other ends of these dimensions and if membership in the public health insurance allows other family members to be covered by contribution-free family insurance. Therefore, the health insurance system can create incentives or disincentives to starting up a business depending on the family’s situation and health. We estimate a discrete time hazard rate model of entrepreneurial entry based on representative household panel data for Germany, which include personal health information, and we account for non- random sample selection. We estimate that an increase in the health insurance cost differential between self-employed workers and paid employees by 100 euro per month decreases the annual probability of entry into selfemployment by 0.38 percentage points, i.e. about a third of the average annual entry rate. The results show that the phenomenon of entrepreneurship lock, which an emerging literature describes for the system of employer provided health insurance in the USA, can also occur in a public health insurance system. Therefore, entrepreneurial activity should be taken into account when discussing potential health care reforms, not only in the USA and in Germany

Cafer Bater'den suluboya sergi

Taha Toros Arşivi, Dosya No: 97-Cafer Bate