MSCAGR (Soil Science) / Department of Soil Science / Maize (Zea mays L.) is widely grown in the semi-arid regions of South Africa mainly for its grain that is used for direct human consumption, feed for animals and raw materials for the industries. The challenges of soil infertility, water supply, and availability of high yielding cultivars remain a major constraint for its production in this environment. These constraints are a major threat to sustainable crop production and food security. Maize/lablab Zea mays L.\ L. purpureus) intercropping system could thus become an option for food security among small scale maize producers in dry environments. Preliminary studies show the huge potential of maize/lablab intercropping in the semi-arid environments of the North-Eastern South Africa. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the effects of maize/lablab intercropping on soil water content, nitrogen dynamics and crop productivity based field experiments and crop simulation modeling using the model APSIM. The trials were conducted at two sites (Univen and Syferkuil) in Limpopo province, South Africa, for two seasons (2015/2016) and 2016/2017). The treatments consisted of; (i) sole maize (ii) sole lablab (iii) maize and lablab planted at the same time (Maize+lablab-ST) and (iv) maize with lablab planted 28 days after maize (Maize+lablab-28).The treatments were laid out in an RCBD replicated 4 times, with individual plots size measuring 4.5 m × 4 m (18 m2) and the layout of the field as consisting of 4 plots per block giving a total of 16 plots in 4 blocks. The following parameters were determined: soil water content, soil NO3--N and NH4+-N levels, dry matter and grain yield. The APSIM-model (version 7.7) was then used to simulate maize grain yield and dry matter production to assess risks associated with the production of maize/lablab intercropping. The results obtained from this study showed that maize/lablab intercropping had significant effects on measured parameters (grain, biomass yield soil water content, and N-minerals). Maize+lablab-28 produced 46 % higher grain yield than sole cropping (24%) and maize+lablab-ST) (30%). The results also showed variation in soil water content at different depths among the treatments. The soil water content was increased with depth. The intercropped plots and lablab sole had significantly higher soil water content than the sole maize. At all depths, the highest soil water content was obtained under sole lablab followed by maize+lablab-ST and maize+lablab-28. It was notable however that maize/lablab intercropping showed a higher NO3--N and NH4+-N levels at all depths. At both sites, the soil NO3--N showed a sharp drop at V7 sampling time. The results showed the benefits of intercropping in comparison to sole cropping as demonstrated by positive land equivalent ratios of >1 for both cropping systems in both years and sites. Modelling exercises showed that APSIM was able to simulate the results sufficiently. In the simulation experiment, a stronger negative effect of planting lablab with maize simultaneously was found. Hence, delayed planting of lablab should be a standard practice / NRF

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There isn t a unique development process suitable for all software projects. Standards and quality models such as ISO/IEC 15504, MPS.BR, CMM and CMMI, recommend the process tailoring to satisfy specific project features. However process tailoring is a complex task because it requires knowledge and expertise of who performs. The incomplete or duplicate process elements selection can generate ambiguities which may disturb the project progress and generate distrust in relation to the tailored process. This dissertation presents a systematic strategy to completeness and internal consistency validation of the elements that are part of the tailored process, call fragments. The aim is to contribute to improving the software development process quality and help the process engineer on the process tailoring task, providing complete and consistent process elements which are prioritized according to the project features. To support the proposed strategy have benn developed: i) ontology to similarity recognition among process; ii) a metamodel for process tailoring; iii) a web toll for complete and consistent process definition. The proposed strategy facilitates the work of the engineer showing which elements are adequate (complete and consistent) to be part of the tailored process and enables the elimination of inconsistences lead to improving the process. / Não existe um modelo de processo de desenvolvimento único para ser adotado para todos os projetos de software. Normas e modelos de qualidade como a norma ISO/IEC 15504, MPS.BR, CMM e o CMMI preconizam que a adaptação de processos seja realizada para satisfazer às necessidades específicas dos projetos. Entretanto, a atividade de adaptar um processo de software é considerada uma tarefa complexa, exigindo conhecimento e experiência de quem a realiza. A seleção de elementos de processo incompletos, ou duplicados podem gerar ambiguidades que podem comprometer o andamento do projeto e gerar desconfiança para com o processo adaptado. Esta dissertação apresenta uma estratégia sistemática para validação da completude e consistência interna dos elementos formadores do processo adaptado, neste trabalho chamados fragmentos. O objetivo é contribuir para a melhoria da qualidade dos processos de desenvolvimento de software adaptados e auxiliar o engenheiro de processos na tarefa de adaptação de processos, fornecendo elementos de processo completos, consistentes e priorizados de acordo com as características do projeto. Para apoiar a proposta, foram desenvolvidas: i) uma ontologia para reconhecimento da similaridade em processos; ii) um metamodelo para adaptação de processos e iii) uma ferramenta web para definição de processos completos e consistentes. A estratégia proposta facilita o trabalho do engenheiro de processos informando para este quais elementos são adequados (completos e consistentes), e possibilita a eliminação de inconsistências levando a melhoria do processo.

The research approached the selective process used by the Brazilian Colleges in the admission of candidates to the higher education. The raising demand for vacancies in the public universities contributed to the exceeding competition in the college entrance exams, what rebounded in the way of high school conduction, that has acquired propaedeutic characteristics. The negative reflection about the objectives of this level of the teaching trigged off searches for the alternatives selective process, that could rescue and encourage the realization of the purposes originally offered to the high school. New proposals acquired impulse with the promulgation of the Lei de Diretrizes e Bases da Educação Nacional (LDB) nº 9394, in 12/20/1996, that extinguished the traditional college entrance exams exclusiveness as the selection s way. The Universidade Federal de Uberlândia implanted the Alternative Process to College Entrance PAIES, a process of evaluation in series, with exams aplicated in the end of the three series of high school. The candidates that reach the best general results in the three evaluations, since 1997, are selected to occupy 25% of the offered vacancies, yearly, by the higher courses of UFU; entering always in the first semester. While the traditional college entrance exams selects for the others 75% of the offered vacancies; that enter in both semesters. The aim of this work was to know the factor of predictive validate of these two selective processes, through the comparison of the academic performance of the student s groups of the Faculdade de Odontologia da Universidade Federal de Uberlândia (FOUFU) admitted by traditional college entrance exams and by Alternative Process to College Entrance (PAIES). The subjects of the research were the students of the 51º to 56º groups of the Odontology Course, examined in pre established periods of the course, by analysis of the official registers of notes and subjective evaluation of the students and the teachers, by the application of the questionnaire. The data, collected between 2002/2 and 2003/2, were treated statistically and analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively. The results allowed to conclude that the admitted students by Alternative Process to College Entrance (PAIES) presented best academic performance and best competence of learning during the graduation, and suggested that this selective process present level of factor of predictive validate higher then the traditional college entrance exams. / A pesquisa abordou os processos seletivos utilizados pelas Instituições de Ensino Superior (IES) brasileiras na admissão de candidatos aos cursos de graduação. A crescente demanda por vagas nas Universidades Públicas contribuiu para a excessiva concorrência nos exames vestibulares, o que repercutiu na forma de condução do Ensino Médio, que assumiu funções meramente propedêuticas. Os reflexos negativos sobre os objetivos deste nível de ensino desencadearam buscas por processos seletivos alternativos, que pudessem resgatar e fomentar a concretização das metas originalmente propostas para o Ensino Secundário. Com a promulgação da Lei de Diretrizes e Bases da Educação Nacional nº 9394, em 20/12/1996, que extinguiu a exclusividade do vestibular como meio de seleção para o ingresso no Ensino Superior, novas propostas de processos seletivos têm sido implantadas e utilizadas pelas Instituições de Ensino. A Universidade Federal de Uberlândia (UFU) implantou o Programa Alternativo de Ingresso ao Ensino Superior (PAIES), processo de avaliação seriada com provas aplicadas ao final das três séries do Ensino Médio. Os candidatos que alcançam os melhores resultados gerais nas três avaliações, desde 1997, são selecionados para ocupar 25% das vagas oferecidas, anualmente, pelos cursos superiores da UFU, ingressando sempre no primeiro semestre. Por sua vez, o Processo Seletivo Semestral (VESTIBULAR) seleciona os candidatos para os demais 75% das vagas, que ingressam em ambos os semestres. O objetivo deste trabalho foi determinar o Fator de Validade Preditiva1 desses dois processos seletivos, mediante a avaliação comparativa do desempenho acadêmico dos grupos de alunos da Faculdade de Odontologia da UFU admitidos via VESTIBULAR e via PAIES. Os sujeitos da pesquisa foram os alunos das 51ª à 56ª turmas, investigados em períodos pré-estabelecidos do curso, mediante análise dos registros oficiais de notas e avaliações subjetivas docente e discente, via questionários. Os dados, coletados entre 2002/2 e 2003/2, foram analisados de forma qualitativa e quantitativa, e tratados estatisticamente. Os resultados permitiram concluir que os alunos ingressos via PAIES apresentaram melhor performance e maior competência de aprendizagem durante a graduação, e demonstraram que o Fator de Validade Preditiva do PAIES é superior ao do VESTIBULAR. / Mestre em Odontologia