Response of sunflower hybrids to management practices under irrigated arid-environment

Two field experiments were established at Research Farm, Bahauddin Zakariya University, (BZU) Multan, Pakistan, during the spring season of 2009 to study the interactive effect of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) hybrids in terms of growth, fraction of intercepted radiation (Fi), intercepted photo-synthetically active radiation (PAR), yield components and oil contents to planting geometries and nitrogen rates. Experiment 1 comprised nine treatments having combinations of three hybrids (H1 = 19012; H2 = Hysun-33; H3 = DK-4040) and three planting geometries (PG1 = flat sowing; PG2 = ridge sowing; PG3 = bed sowing) while, experiment 2 comprised 16 treatments having combinations of four hybrids (H1 = 00989; H2 = 01087; H3 = 00997; H4 = 010226) and four nitrogen rates (N0 = control; N1 = 75; N2 = 150 and N3 = 225 kg ha-1). The results revealed that, the ontogeny maximum plant height ranged from 32 to 216 cm and from 36 to 299 cm in experiments 1 and 2, respectively. The ontogeny maximum number of leaves plant-1 were 21, 32, 28, 21 and 14 in experiment 1 and 20, 33, 29, 20 and 9 in experiment 2, respectively on respective harvest dates. The ontogeny maximum head diameter was 17, 22 and 25 cm and 20, 21 and 29 cm on respective dates for experiments 1 and 2, respectively. The ontogeny Fi values for experiments 1 and 2, ranged from 0.11 to 0.99 and from 0.09 to 0.99, respectively. The cumulative intercepted PAR ranged from 492 to 812 MJ m-2 and from 627 to 897 MJ m-2 in experiments 1 and 2, respectively. The achene weight ranged from 69.7 to 127.5g and from 65.4 to 93.4g in experiments 1 and 2, respectively. The number of achenes head-1 ranged from 919 to 1868 and 925 to 1678 for experiments 1 and 2, respectively. The achene oil contents ranged from 38.1 to 43.1% and 34.5 to 47.6% for experiments 1 and 2, respectively. However, average oil contents value was 41% for both experiments. From the results, the use of higher nitrogen rates and ridge or bed sowing techniques are recommended for the management practices for the newly developed sunflower hybrids farmers.Keywords: Sunflower hybrids, planting geometries, nitrogen rates, intercepted PA

Responsible innovation in emerging markets' SMEs: The role of alliance learning and absorptive capacity

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Entrepreneurial alertness and business model innovation in dynamic markets: international performance implications for SMEs

Acknowledgement This research was supported by Hankuk University of Foreign Studies Research Fund. This research was financially supported by Queen Mary University of London.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Critical success factors in implementing an e-rostering system in a healthcare organisation

Effective and efficient staff scheduling has always been a challenging issue, especially in health service organisations. Both the extremes of staff shortage and overage have an adverse impact on the performance of healthcare organisations. In this case, an electronic and systematic staff scheduling (e-rostering) system is the often seen as the best solution. Unless an organisation has an effective implementation of such a system, possible cost savings, efficiency, and benefits could be minimal. This study is aimed to research key success factors for the successful effective implementation of an electronic rostering system, especially at healthcare organisations. A case study research method was used to evaluate critical success factors for effectively implementing an e-rostering system. The data were collected through interviews and observations. The findings indicate that technical support, an effective policy, leadership, clear goals and objectives, gradual change, evidence of the advantages of the new system, senior management support, and effective communication are the critical success factors in implementing an e-rostering system in healthcare organisations. Prior to this study, no such factors were grounded in the current context, so this research would help in bridging the gap towards effective implementation of an e-rostering system in the healthcare sector. This research also suggests future studies in different cultures and contexts

PREPARATION OF CONJUGATE FOR USE IN AN ELISA FOR HUMORAL IMMUNE RESPONSE AGAINST EGG DROP SYNDROME VIRUS IN LAYER CHICKS

An indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was performed for the detection of antibodies against Egg Drop Syndrome (EDS) virus. Virus identification was done through haemaggluti- nation inhibition (HI) test using known antisera. Antichicken immunoglobulins were raised in goats and purified by ammonium sulphate precipitation technique. These goat-antichicken immunoglobulins were conjugated with horseradish peroxidase. Twenty-seven serum samples were collected from a layers flock vaccinated against EDS and specific antibodies were determined by using a horseradish conjugate

Higher-order q-derivatives and their applications to subclasses of multivalent Janowski type q-starlike functions

In the present investigation, with the help of certain higher- order q-derivatives, some new subclasses of multivalent q-starlike functions which are associated with the Janowski functions are defined. Then, certain interesting results, for example, radius problems and the results related to distortion, are derived. We also derive a sufficient condition and certain coefficient inequalities for our defined function classes. Some known consequences related to this subject are also highlighted. Finally, the well-demonstrated fact about the (p, q)-variations is also given in the concluding section

Breeding strategies for improving growth and yield under waterlogging conditions in maize: A review

Waterlogging, caused by flooding, excessive rains and poor drainage is a serious abiotic stress determining crop productivity worldwide. Maize (Zea mays L) is a basic food grain in many areas and several cultures and is culti- vated under much diverse agro-climatic zones extending from subtropical to cooler temperate regions. Therefore, the crop remains open to varied types of biotic as well as abiotic stresses. Among various abiotic stresses, water- logging is one of the most important constraints for maize production and productivity. Breeding for improved wa- terlogging tolerance includes modification of plant morphology, use of tolerant secondary traits and development of resistant varieties through conventional breeding and biotechnological approaches. A successful programme in conventional breeding should involve the integration of several criteria into one selection index and also successful breeding programmes for improved tolerance to submergence stress frequently combine two or more breeding strategies. Marker assisted selection (MAS) is an effective approach to identify genomic regions of crops under stress and construction of molecular linkage maps enable carry out pyramiding of desirable traits to improve sub- mergence tolerance through MAS

Isolation and characterization of starter culture from spontaneous fermentation of sourdough.

ABSTRACT Wheat flour dough samples were collected from different bakeries located in Faisalabad city, Pakistan. Spontaneous fermentation of dough samples was carried out for 24 h at 30°C in the laboratory. The isolates were Gram stained and the Gram positive were identified to genus level using morphological, physiological tests. Identification based on classical identification methods and API 50 CH assimilation profiles showed that the lactobacilli contained in sourdoughs belonged to three groups (Lactobacillus brevis, L. plantarum & L. fermentum). Yeasts were also characterized on the basis of morphological and biochemical criteria. Conventional identification methods and API 20 C AUX assimilation profiles revealed that Saccharomyces cerevisiae was the only yeast species present on the sourdoughs

Changing Climate and Advances on Weeds Utilization as Forage: Provisions, Nutritional Quality and Implications

Under changing climate, growth and prevalence of many invasive and indigenous weeds are expected to boost up owing to their greater genetic diversity, competitive superiority and better plant architecture. Atmospheric CO2 enrichment and elevating global temperature are causing weeds invasion to new localities making prevalent weed management strategies ineffective. Weed utilization as forage for ruminants provided that their nutritional profile is available and can be a biologically feasible and economically viable approach compared to existing management system of eliminating them from agro-ecological systems. Different weeds like Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon), Johnson grass (Sorghum halepense), canary grass (Phalaris minor), nut sedge (Cyperus rotundus), yellow duck (Rumex crispus), drooping brome (Bromus tectorum), burr clover (Medicago polymorpha), button weed (Diodia scandens), and purslane (Portulaca oleracea) had acceptable nutritional profile with organic matter (89.0–91.3%), protein (7.1–19.5%) and fats (2.1–3.7%). Those were also rich in micro-nutrients (calcium, magnesium and zinc), while anti-nutritional factors (saponins, tannins, phytates and oxalates) were in safer limits for dairy animals. Lack of nutritional profiling and presence of anti-nutritional factors decreased feed intake and led to malnutrition, while higher concentration of tannins caused digestibility depression in small ruminants. There is need to conduct further studies for nutritional profiling of local weed species and development of techniques for reducing their anti-nutritional factors