Seed production in dianthus (Dianthus plumaris L.) : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Applied Science in Seed Technology at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand

Stigma receptivity, method of pollination and seed production under glass house and field conditions of ten Hammett Dianthus (Dianthus plumaris L.) cultivars were investigated in this study. All of the cultivars had very low or nil receptivity to pollen at the time of flower opening. Stigma receptivity peaked on the third or fourth day after flower opening, and continued until the sixth day after flower opening before declining. However, the period of highest stigma receptivity was not affected by difference in pollen source (i.e. self or cross pollen). All the cultivars produced highly viable pollen, suggesting that this was not a factor to causing low seed set. However, seed production potential was greatly affected by the pollen source; i.e. cultivars showed very high male selectivity. Cv. Crossover for example, produced 65 seeds per flower (57.8 % ovule fertility) in its best crossing combination (Crossover (♀) X Far North (♂), whereas the same culltivar produced only 16.6 seeds per flower (14.8 % ovule fertility) in its poorest crossing combination (Crossover (♀) X Spot On (♂) and 29 seeds per flower ( 26 % of ovule fertility ) following self pollination. Seed production of the ten cultivars under field conditions was very low, and no cultivar produced even a gram of seed per plant. However, hand pollination treatments (both cross and self) under glasshouse conditions produced significantly higher numbers of seeds than natural pollination. Although honey bees, bumble bees, and some flies were observed visiting the field trial, the accepted natural pollinators of Dianthus were not found. The implication of these variables in relation to the potential for commercial Dianthus seed production is discussed

The Effect of Supplementation of Mediterranean Browse Species on Nutritive Properties of Sheep Diets and Predicting these Properties from Faecal Analyses

The research investigated the nutritive value and inclusion levels of tagasaste, saligna and river saltbush for sheep fed roughage-based diets. Calibration equations derived from faecal fibre, lignin, ash and nitrogen contents could predict digestibility, short chain fatty acid production and energy content of sheep diets containing these browse species. Potential of faecal near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy calibrations for predicting the protein, tannin, protein precipitation capacity of tannin and phosphorus contents of sheep diets was confirmed

Affective factors of peer-assessment: perceptions of learners in English as a second language writing class

Peer-assessment has drawn attention as a viable alternative assessment in the recent past. There is empirical evidence that peer-assessment enhances learner performance and various other skills. Further, previous studies that have examined the affective factors related to peer-assessment suggest that it reduces learner anxiety and stress and enhances confidence and motivation. However, some argue that peer-assessment increases stress, and that learners develop negative attitudes towards peer-assessment. These mixed views seem to have prevented teachers from incorporating peer-assessment into their teaching. Therefore, an investigation to determine if learners believe that peer-assessment reduces anxiety and stress and enhances their confidence and motivation will shed light on this topic. The present study was conducted using one hundred and twenty-five (N=125) participants in a state university in Sri Lanka to explore their perception regarding the potential of peer-assessment to lower students’ anxiety and stress and enhance their motivation in English as a second language writing class. Qualitative data obtained through a questionnaire, focus group interviews and written reflections were analyzed using the qualitative content analysis method. The results suggested that peer-assessment reduced anxiety and stress and enhanced motivation because peer-assessment which took place among peers encouraged learners to openly discuss and freely exchange ideas on their writing. However, some participants identified limited language proficiency, limited competence in using marking scheme to evaluate English writing and friendship related biases as challenges and demotivating factors of peer-assessment in the English writing class. The participants of the study proposed group-based peer-assessment, use of a comprehensive marking scheme and regular practice in peer-assessment as solutions to overcome these challenges. Therefore, group-based peer-assessment using a suitable marking scheme can be recommended as a viable alternative assessment method to develop English writing skills of students in higher education institutes in Sri Lanka and other similar contexts.   KEYWORDS: Alternative assessment, Affective factors, English writing skills, Peer-assessment, Perception &nbsp

Strategic technology adoption and its current state implications on agri business for making sustainable development in Eastern province of Sri Lanka

Agribusiness has rapidly gained recognition as one of the most important economic sectors in the world. According to Harvard Business School, it consists of all the participants in a vertical food system from input supplier to farmer to processor to distributor to ultimate consumer. Agribusiness involves those individuals and organizations engaged in the production, processing, transport, storage, financing, regulation and marketing. It provides a range of employment opportunities to people while enabling them to contribute immensely in the national development. Agriculture is the backbone of the Sri Lankan economy. Agriculture constantly experiences advances in technology. Because of the rapid development in the world, each organization or person has to keep pace with the technology from design to delivery of products and services. Technologies are becoming powerful, and business is becoming more dependent upon them. Managers in the 21st century must be able to compete effectively in global markets with the assistance of technology. Sri Lankan agriculture, which has a lot of scope for improvement in farming and allied activities, is undergoing a rapid change. Traditional agriculture which has a relatively low cost has been replaced by new technology and modernization which is relatively costly. Capital investments in agriculture have increased to larger extent with the modern technology. Even though, the agriculture sector of Sri Lanka plays a significant role by contributing 16.8% to the GDP and generating 32.2% of employment opportunities, most farmers who are involved in agriculture are unable to implement modern agriculture technology due to scarcity in capital investment. This research paper contributes to understand the state of adoption and use of technology at present and identifies the constraints associated with it in the organizations and persons engaged in agribusiness in the province. It proposes recommendations with strategic and managerial implications towards the improvement of present system used in agriculture sector in the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka

Review the Sri Lankan Information and Communication Technology Industry

Sri Lanka was well known as agricultural based economy, which was more focused on paddy, tea, rubber and coconut. However recently it has changed it direction towards knowledge based economy, passing by the industrial based economy. Information and communication technology industry has a critical role in improving productivity and economic growth in knowledge based economy. At the same time this industry has create many new employment opportunities, contributed to increase the earnings from export market and attracting foreign investors for investments.  This paper discussed the nature of the information and communication technology industry in Sri Lanka, challenges and opportunities available, role players in the industry, information and communication technology infrastructure development in the country and finally it discussed the prospects and strategies for future development of the industry. Study considered secondary data sources which includes information related to the Sri Lankan information and communication technology industry. These include journal articles, proceedings of conferences, and survey publications of different bodies relating to the Sri Lankan ICT industry

One Health for Dog-mediated Rabies Elimination in Asia. A Collection of Local Experiences

Although an effective human rabies vaccine has existed since 1885, rabies continues to kill an estimated 59,000 people every year. Sixty per cent of these human deaths occur in Asia. The number of animals, especially dogs, who die of rabies is uncalculated. To work towards the global target of eliminating dog-mediated human rabies deaths, the rabies community is applying the One Health approach by jointly focusing on humans and dogs. Written by a multidisciplinary group of scholars and rabies control programme specialists, this book is a collection of experiences and observations on the challenges and successes along the path to rabies control and prevention in Asia. The book: grounds chapters in solid scientific theory, but retains a direct, practice-focused and inspirational approach;provides numerous examples of lessons learned and experience-based knowledge gained across countries at different levels of rabies elimination;brings together and highlights the practices of a strong, international rabies network that works according to the One Health concept. Covering perspectives from almost a dozen Asian countries and a wide range of sectors and disciplines, such as healthcare facilities, veterinary services, laboratories, public health institutes, wildlife research centres and academia, this book is an invaluable resource for rabies practitioners and scholars, but also those working in the wider fields of disease control and cross-sectoral One Health

Global manufacturing capability modelling and evaluation.

Desires to gain access to new markets, minimise production cost, take advantage of regional investment incentives and enhance technological development have prompted many companies to study the feasibility of globalising their manufacturing activities. They need evaluation tools which will provide structured and systematic methodologies to study and facilitate global manufacturing decisions. Past work by numerous academics and researchers in comparing the manufacturing competitiveness between different nations provide valuable insight into the advantages and disadvantages of locating manufacturing facilities in different countries. In an operational point of view, however, companies require more specific information about a changing industry and its sub-industries with the view of evaluating their capabilities within the context of global socio-economic and technological trends.This thesis proposes a conceptual model that will assist companies to measure, compare and project their manufacturing performances when supplying to a particular market using products manufactured in different locations. This Manufacturing Capabilities Model is conceptually represented by a cuboid, the three axis of which relates to manufacturing process, performance and potential respectively. Manufacturing processes and performance measures are organised in a hierarchical matrix under major stages of the production process and four main performance criteria of cost, quality, delivery and flexibility. The relative importance of these four performance criteria to a company varies according to the structure of the industry in a particular region. Potential represents the changes in performance in response to changes in the business environment. The validity of the model is demonstrated based on its implementation on the steel industry.The Manufacturing Capabilities Model adopts Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) technique to evaluate global manufacturing competitiveness. This model enables a company to compare the competitiveness of different production route configurations encompassing different plants in different countries. It analyses the multiple-attribute problems by decomposing them to hierarchies. It provides pairwise comparison of criteria and generates an integrated overall score based on which alternative decisions can be ranked and compared.Software built on Expert Choice, a software package based on AHP, facilitates the implementation of the model in the steel industry. User interface is provided by Microsoft Excel with Visual Basic for Applications. Several options are available for the users to analyse performance results.The model validation is supported by a comprehensive questionnaire which facilitates data collection in the steel industry. Two industrial case studies based on the Chinese steel industry are used to validate the overall modelling methodology

Why Do Students Opt for English Medium Instruction in Humanities and Social Sciences in Sri Lanka?

English medium instruction (EMI) has become popular among students in humanities and social sciences around the world due to the perceived benefits of EMI. A similar tendency can be observed in Sri Lanka too. In particular, faculties of humanities and social sciences of  Sri Lankan universities  have also introduced their degree programmes in English. However, limited studies have been conducted to investigate the factors that influence students’ selection of EMI in these disciplines. Thus, employing non-probability sampling techniques the present study selected seventy-one (N-71) humanities and social sciences students from a state university in Sri Lanka. The data was collected through a Google form questionnaire to investigate the factors that influenced them to select EMI. Qualitative data obtained through the questionnaire were analyzed using directed content analysis approach. Employment prospects, developing English language skills, increased access to study materials, higher study prospects, upward social mobility and promotion of local culture were identified as the key determinants in selecting EMI among the participants. These findings are useful for various stakeholders including content teachers involved in EMI in universities, English language teaching staff, material designers and university administration to make appropriate decisions regarding English medium degree programmes and introduce appropriate English language programmes to enhance these students’ English language skills. DOI: http://doi.org/10.31357/fhss/vjhss.v08i02.0

Polyunsaturated fatty acids influence offspring sex ratio in cows

Dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) can influence fertility in farm animals. Some evidence in mice and sheep have suggested that PUFAs may influence offspring sex ratio, which may have significant value for cattle production. To test this hypothesis, three groups of Holstein cows were supplemented with either 0%, 3% or 5% protected fat (PF) in the form of calcium salt of fatty acids (rich in omega-6) from 14–21 days pre-partum until conception. Proven-fertile frozen semen from the same ejaculate was used for insemination. Calf sex recorded at birth was 8/19 (42.1%) male offspring in the control group, increasing to 14/20 (70%, P > 0.05) and 17/20 (85%, P < 0.05) in 3% and 5% PF, respectively. To test if this effect was caused by a direct influence on the oocyte, we supplemented bovine cumulus oocyte complexes during in vitro maturation with either omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), omega-6 linoleic acid (LA) or trans-10, cis-12 conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). Sex ratio of the produced transferable embryos was determined using PCR of SRY gene. Similar to the in vivo results, sex ratio was skewed to the male side in the embryos derived from LA- and CLA-treated oocytes (79% and 71%) compared to control and ALA-treated oocytes (44% and 54%, respectively). These results indicate that both dietary and in vitro supplementation of omega-6 PUFAs can skew the sex ratio towards the male side in cattle. Further experiments are required to confirm this effect on a larger scale and to study the mechanisms of action that might be involved

Development of a landfill clay liner using locally available expansive soil

Solid waste is a growing problem in urban areas of Sri Lanka and management of waste, both liquid and solid has become a critical environmental concern due to absence of engineered methods of disposing waste. Development of a simple engineered landfill facility utilizing locally available materials to suit landfill liner requirements is the most economical and the timely solution to this problem. In the present study, it was investigated the suitability of expansive soil which is commonly available in the south arid zone of Sri Lanka to use as clay liners in landfill facilities. The engineering properties of soil were improved by the addition of commercially available bentonite to build a low hydraulic conductivity barrier. Further, the long term effect of soil-leachate interaction on hydraulic conductivity of the suggested liner was studied. Results showed that the engineering properties of expansive soil can be improved by the addition of bentonite to meet the landfill liner requirements. However, the original engineering properties of soil-bentonite mixtures were significantly affected by the leachate interaction over a long period of time