A comparative study of the present preparation programmes for teachers of Arabic for native and non-native speakers in the Riyadh Universities

The main purpose of this study is to investigate of the similarities and dissimilarities between two types of Arabic language teacher preparation programmes: Teachers of Arabic as a Native Language (TANL) and Teachers of Arabic as a Foreign Language (TAFL) at King Saud University (KSU) and Al-Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU), both in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The research is thorough and goes beyond a comparison of mere descriptive programme elements and practices as the data were collected through questionnaires, interviews and the practical observation of programmes. The thesis basically comprises two broad parts: the first half contains the background to the study, related literature, the historical development of teacher preparation programmes and the research methodology followed in this work. The second half deals with the analysis and evaluation of the data from a variety of angles. Among the most salient findings of this study are the following: the overemphasis on both programmes of theory at the expense of practice; the antiquated teaching approach and methods used; and, the overwhelming consensus for the necessity of programme evaluation and renovation. The programmes involved in this comparative study were found to be distinctly dissimilar in terms of clarity and specificity of their aims, admission policies, course components, structure and outcomes

Three essays on the market microstructure of the Saudi stock market

Using data sets on orders, order packages, quotes, trades and market-limit orders, we investigate several aspects of the microstructure of the Saudi Stock Market (SSM) under the computerized trading system, ESIS (Electronic Securities Information System). We study the interaction between the order book and order flow, limit order execution, trading by limit versus market orders, order performance, and the information content of newly submitted orders. Our findings provide new evidence for several issues, and have important implications for the design of the trading mechanism on the SSM. Although the SSM has a distinct structure, the intraday patterns in its order book and flow are surprisingly similar to those found in other markets with different structures. The average relative inside spread is large compared to other markets, mainly due to a relatively high tick size. Tick size is an important determinant of the inside spreads for low priced stocks. While immediacy is available nearly all the time, market liquidity, as commonly measured by width and depth, is relatively low on the SSM. Limit orders that are priced reasonably, on average, have a short duration before being executed, and have a high probability of subsequent execution. The analysis of market versus limit order trading on the SSM significantly supports the spread effect predicted by order driven market models. The probability of placing a market order increases as the spread decreases. When the order imbalance increases in favor of the other side of the market, traders are more likely to submit market orders. The performance of orders predicts limit orders placed at the quote, or when the spread is wide, perform best, and that limit orders are subject to a winner's curse. The assessment of the information content of orders implies the presence of a very large quantity of asymmetric information on the SSM. As predicted by the asymmetric information models, we find that larger and more aggressive orders are more informative. Like many previous empirical studies, information-based trading is higher for less active stocks. Generally, our findings indicate that liquidity on the SSM, which is sustained by limit order trading, is at risk because of a high level of information trading. Thus, we propose several measures that are expected to increase the level of participation by limit order traders in this marke

Food, Nutrition and Agrobiodiversity Under Global Climate Change

Available evidence and predictions suggest overall negative effects on agricultural production as a result of climate change, especially when more food is required by a growing population. Information on the effects of global warming on pests and pathogens affecting agricultural crops is limited, though crop–pest models could offer means to predict changes in pest dynamics, and help design sound plant health management practices. Host-plant resistance should continue to receive high priority as global warming may favor emergence of new pest epidemics. There is increased risk, due to climate change, to food and feed contaminated by mycotoxin-producing fungi. Mycotoxin biosynthesis gene-specific microarray is being used to identify food-born fungi and associated mycotoxins, and investigate the influence of environmental parameters and their interactions for control of mycotoxin in food crops. Some crop wild relatives are threatened plant species and efforts should be made for their in situ conservation to ensure evolution of new variants, which may contribute to addressing new challenges to agricultural production. There should be more emphasis on germplasm enhancement to develop intermediate products with specific characteristics to support plant breeding. Abiotic stress response is routinely dissected to component physiological traits. Use of transgene(s) has led to the development of transgenic events, which could provide enhanced adaptation to abiotic stresses that are exacerbated by climate change. Global warming is also associated with declining nutritional quality of food crops. Micronutrient-dense cultivars have been released in selected areas of the developing world, while various nutritionally enhanced lines are in the release pipeline. The high-throughput phenomic platforms are allowing researchers to accurately measure plant growth and development, analyze nutritional traits, and assess response to stresses on large sets of individuals. Analogs for tomorrow’s agriculture offer a virtual natural laboratory to innovate and test technological options to develop climate resilience production systems. Increased use of agrobiodiversity is crucial to coping with adverse impacts of global warming on food and feed production and quality. No one solution will suffice to adapt to climate change and its variability. Suits of technological innovations, including climate-resilient crop cultivars, will be needed to feed 9 billion people who will be living in the Earth by the middle of the twenty-first century

Physiological studies on the growth and survival of Medicago sativa L. (alfalfa) seedlings under low temperatures

SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre-DSC:DXN015449 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo

Integrated Application of Composted Agricultural Wastes, Chemical Fertilizers and Biofertilizers as an Avenue to Promote Growth, Yield and Quality of Maize in an Arid Agro-Ecosystem

Formulating new integrated plant nutrient management (IPNM) strategies in order to sustain crop production and protect the environment has become an important issue in the present agricultural system. Therefore, a field study was carried out in the two seasons 2016 and 2017 to formulate the best IPNM strategies for improving the growth, yield, and quality of maize grown in an arid agro-ecosystem. The IPNM comprised full-dose NPK (T1); composted agricultural wastes based on cow manure (T2), poultry manure (T3), and a mixture of sheep and camel manure (T4) as activators at the rate of 5 t ha−1 for each; half-dose NPK was combined with the mixture of the three types of composted agricultural wastes at the rate of 5 t ha−1 (T5) or 10 t ha−1 (T6), and a mixture of the three types of composted agricultural wastes at the rate of 10 t ha−1 (T7), 15 t ha−1 (T8), or 20 t ha−1 (T9), either with or without biofertilizers. The results showed that, as compared to T1, T6 or T9 significantly increased different growth, yield, and quality parameters of maize by 11.4–27.3%, 0.8–31.8%, and 4.6–17.2%, while T2 significantly decreased these parameters by 2.2–17.8%, 3.5–16.7%, and 4.5–9.4%, respectively. Seed inoculation with biofertilizers significantly increased different parameters of maize by 1.8–12.9%, compared to that of the non-inoculation seed treatment. Principal component analysis showed a strong relationship between different parameters of maize and treatments T5, T6, T8, and T9 with seed inoculation. Further, a significant and linear relationship was observed between different parameters of maize and the amount of N (R2 = 0.65–0.77), P (R2 = 0.58–0.71), and K (R2 = 0.63–0.73). These results indicated that any IPNM strategies that manage the NPK status and dynamics in the soil are a promising avenue for improving the growth and productivity of maize grown in the arid agro-ecosystem