This research aims to identify the key resources influencing the growth of IT-based SMEs in Vietnam in 5 different growth stages which were developed by Churchill and Lewis (1983); and we also demonstrated the process how such key resources are created, acquired, accumulated and exploited for the growth accordingly. We interviewed 4 founding members of 4 companies to collect the primary data and used some internet sources for secondary data. Our findings show that: (1) Based on specific internal conditions, objectives of specific growth stages, market size, and backup plan for unexpected events, companies have different approaches to acquire, accumulate and exploit their key resources to achieve growth through different stages. (a) In existence stage, with the goal of realizing a viable business, companies rely mainly on 3 most important key resources: human resources (especially the founders' relevant skills and experiences), a minimum viable product and sales-related resources (sales, marketing techniques, networks for acquiring early customers). The founders may choose to start their startup by either personal money and family support or external investment (coming from founders’ personal network of angel investors, accelerators, and so on). (b) In the survival stage, with the goal of achieving financial break-even status, companies tend to work out a sustainable sales-related resources (e.g. sales and marketing techniques, brand and reputation) and afterwards significantly increase their human resources to boost the sales of the products; the financial resources to fund for the new staffing may come from either internal revenues or external investment (brought in by the network of founders and previous investors, if any). (c) In the success stage, with the goal of accumulating financial resources and others for rapid growth, given that they already have a relatively effective sustainable sales-related resources (sales and marketing techniques, procedures, brand and reputation), companies tend to boost the sales by spend money on recruiting new employees, and/or seek for sales/marketing partnership. Companies starting with an initial niche market product (rather small market size) tend to reach the revenue limit during this stage, and have to explore other new markets by developing new product lines. (d) In the take-off stage, with the goal of transforming to become a big business through rapid growth, companies tend to significantly spend financial resources to recruit more employees, improve the management procedures to train the employees better and start to decentralize decision making to managers. Especially, companies starting with an initial niche market product (relative small market size) tend to already have successfully launched and gained quite substantial customer base from their new product line. Some companies may raise external capital to fund the rapid growth in this stage. (e) In the resource maturity stage, companies with major improvement in management procedures (to optimize resources and cut down on expenses) and a backup of sufficient financial resources may sustain their business in the highly competitive market and unexpected crisis (pandemic, financial crisis, etc.) to bounce back to growth in the long term. (2) Companies who mainly rely on their own financial resources resulted from the sales of their products and other internally generated key resources tend to go through more growth stages or achieve more sustainable growth in the long term; (3) If companies have incompetent management procedures, especially the financial management and the founders do not carefully select the right investors to join the management board, their dependence of the external investment may cause negative impact for the company in the long run due to the pressure for fast growth, founders’ demotivation from diluted shares and voting rights, internal conflicts which eventually led to the financial crisis or founder exit from the company; (4) Companies starting with an initial niche market product (relatively small market size) tend to have the longer duration of the success stage because they have to find the ways to pivot their business to a larger market by expanding their product lines. If they cannot find the way to expand their niche market product line to another niche market or a mass market product, they run the risk of decline when the market becomes more competitive. Companies starting with an initial mass market product (relative large market size) tend to experience shorter survival and success stage, given that they developed an initial product applying outstanding, differentiated business model in combination with sustainable effective resources for sales from existence stage. This study presents some managerial implications for SMEs in general and IT-based SMEs to identify key resources and corresponding strategies to acquire, accumulate and exploit those resources to achieve sustainable growth.

Corn dry matter and grain yields were evaluated for 40 unique limited irrigation treatments and compared to a standard nonlimited treatment. The various treatments were imposed by an interaction of time (i.e., growth stage) and water level . Irrigation was so scheduled that each treatment received water at evaporative demand rates during either the vegetative or the pollination stage . The total irrigation water applied for the growing season ranged from 11 em to 43 em. Dry matter and grain yields were essentially the same for all treatments. Limited irrigation in the vegetative stage did not reduce growth if there were no further limitations in the pollination stage Limited irrigation in the pollination stage did not result in yield reductions if there were no limitations in the vegetative stage. Limited irrigation in the maturity stage did not effect yields if there were no limitations in the vegetative stage and/or the pollination stage. Chronic, season long irrigation deficiencies resulted in yield reductions. In each case, the soil water profile was full at the outset of the growing season. The silt loam soil of the experimental site was able to supply sufficient water to the plants during periods of nonirrigation or limited irrigation . The corn plants responded to available water, whether it was supplied by irrigation or the soil . Limited irrigation was effective in saving irrigation resources without reducing yields. Some of the variables which appeared to have a significant effect on yield response to limited irrigation included : beginning soil water status, soil water storage capacity, timing of irrigation, and corn hybrid and climatic interactions. Management decisions relating to limited irrigation on corn should not be made independent of these factors.

The disposal of gypsiferous water, generated in coal mining operations, has become a problem in the Mpumalanga Highveld region in South Africa. As part of an investigation into the feasibility of using this water for irrigation, sand and water culture experiments were conducted in a glasshouse and growth chambers to determine growth responses of maize, sorghum, pearl millet, sunflower, soybean, cowpea, dry bean, wheat, rye, triticale, oats, barley, annual ryegrass, and lucerne cultivars to gypsiferous mine water in the germination, seedling and vegetative growth stages. Germination %’s were generally not affected. The seedling growth of maize, sorghum, pearl millet and lucerne was more sensitive and showed more significant cultivar differences than the seedling growth of soybean and the annual temperate crops. Seedling growth curves with increasing concentrations of Ca, Mg and SO4 followed a similar pattern for most of the crops: where CaSO4 was in solution, growth decreased in a linear manner, but above saturation concentrations with increasing gypsum crystal content, it increased despite decreasing osmotic potentials of the treatment solutions. The vegetative growth of sunflower, lucerne, dry bean and rye was more tolerant than seedling growth, but was more sensitive for maize and cowpea, and the same as seedling growth for sorghum, pearl millet, wheat, oats, triticale and annual ryegrass. It was concluded that the major property of this water that suppressed growth was the decreased osmotic potential. However, it is the ‘effective’ osmotic potential (i.e., the average osmotic potential during the whole growth period) and not that of the treatment solutions, that was mainly responsible for the eventual growth. The ‘effective osmotic potential’ is determined by evapotranspiration and the rapidity of gypsum precipitation, which in turn may be affected by the growth rate, temporal, environmental and soil factors. Sensitivity of crops and growth stages is therefore related to its sensitivity to the external osmotic potential, whereas tolerance both in the seedling and vegetative growth stages was found in crops primarily affected by the ionic effects of Na and/or Cl. Possible nutrient effects due to the high Ca and SO4 need further investigation. / Thesis (PhD (Plant Production and Soil Science))--University of Pretoria, 2004. / Plant Production and Soil Science / unrestricted

Understanding the effects of water stress on wheat growth, yield and quality is essential for good irrigation management. In South Africa most of the wheat production areas are vulnerable to drought stress during crop development. That causes substantial reduction in grain yield, depending on the developmental stage at which water stress occurred. Supplemental irrigation is the main strategy for adaptation and stabilisation of yield under water stress. However, agriculture is the leading single water-use sector locally, consuming about 60% of total available water. Therefore, the need to improve water use efficiency (WUE) in crop production is clear, since South Africa is classified as a water-scarce country. Experiments were conducted under a rain shelter at Hatfield Experimental Farm, University of Pretoria, in the 2010 and 2011 seasons. The main objective of the study was to evaluate the effects of water stress at different stages on growth, yield, and quality of three wheat cultivars, namely Duzi, Steenbras and SST 843. Water stress was imposed by withholding water at either of three growing stages. The first treatment was stressed during tillering stages to flag leaf (stem elongation (SNN)), followed by water stress from flag leaf to the end of flowering (flowering stage (NSN)), and lastly water stress from grain filling to physiological maturing (grain-filling stage (NNS)), whereas optimal supply of water was maintained throughout the season by weekly irrigating to field capacity for the control treatment (NNN). Irrigation treatments and cultivars influenced growth, yield and quality, depending on the developmental stage at which irrigation was withheld. The control treatment (NNN) and the treatment stressed in the flowering stage (NSN) had highest and lowest grain yield respectively in both seasons. Water stressed treatment NSN reduced grain yield by 33% and 35% in the 2010 and 2011 seasons respectively, when compared with the control treatment (NNN). Reduction of grain yield due to stress in the flowering stage (NSN) was ascribed to reduction in the number of seeds per ear, number of ears per unit area, ear length, and flag-leaf photosynthesis rate (Pn). In the flowering stage (NSN) water stress reduced Pn by 59% which was due to increased leaf temperature because of lower transpiration (E) and stomatal conductance (gs). The water stress treatment NSN reduced transpiration by 72% and stomatal conductance by 84% in the flowering stage. Plant height was reduced by 23% because of water stress imposed in the flowering stage (NSN), which consequently decreased biomass yield by 29% in the 2011 season. Growth and yield parameters showed dramatic recovery when stress was terminated during the flag-leaf stage (SNN). The cultivar Steenbras had lower yield reduction under stress, whereas Duzi and SST 843 had higher yield potential under the well-watered conditions (NNN). In the 2011 season SST 843 had higher WUE of 14.2 kg ha-1 mm, which corresponded to higher grain yield of 7210 kg ha-1 and higher ET of 509 mm. Water-stress treatment SNN gave the highest WUE of 14.9 kg ha-1 mm, which corresponded to a total water use (ET) of 451 mm and grain yield of 6738 kg ha-1. Water stress treatments SNN and NNS reduced ET by 27% and 17%, respectively, which translated to 173 mm and 105 mm water saved by each treatment correspondingly. Grain protein content (GPC) was reduced most by the treatment exposed to stress in the stem elongation stage (SNN). However, the GPC was acceptable (>12%) in all treatments in both seasons. Hectolitre mass was reduced most by water stress imposed during grain filling (NNS). Water stress treatment NNS lowered the hectolitre mass by 3% and 4% in the 2010 and 2011 seasons respectively. Generally all quality parameters in the present study were acceptable for all irrigation treatment and cultivars. The hypothesis that water stress in the stem elongation and grain-filling stages will have little effect on yield and improve WUE was accepted. Therefore it can be recommended that supplemental irrigation should be applied from flag leaf to end of flowering (NSN) stages of wheat in order to minimise grain yield losses in the absence of rainfall. Further research should focus on extrapolation of these results to other production regions using crop models. / Dissertation (MInstAgrar)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / Plant Production and Soil Science / unrestricted

Pythium diseases are common in the greenhouse production of tobacco transplants and can cause up to 70% seedling loss in hydroponic (float-bed) greenhouses. However, the symptoms and consequences of Pythium diseases are often variable among these greenhouses. A tobacco transplant greenhouse survey was conducted in 2017 in order to investigate the sources of this variability, especially the composition and distribution of Pythium communities within greenhouses. The survey revealed twelve Pythium species. Approximately 80% of the surveyed greenhouses harbored Pythium in at least one of four sites within the greenhouse, including the center walkway, weeds, but especially bay water and tobacco seedlings. Pythium dissotocum, followed by P. myriotylum, were the most common species. Pythium myriotylum, P. coloratum, and P. dissotocum were aggressive pathogens that suppressed seed germination and caused root rot, stunting, foliar chlorosis, and death of tobacco seedlings. Pythium aristosporum, P. porphyrae, P. torulosum, P. inflatum, P. irregulare, P. catenulatum, and a different isolate of P. dissotocum, were weak pathogens, causing root symptoms without affecting the upper part of tobacco seedlings. Pythium adhaerens, P. attrantheridium, and P. pectinolyticum did not affect tobacco seeds or seedlings. The consequences of Pythium infection were more likely to be severe when they occurred during seed germination than at seedling emergence, or after plant stem elongation when seedling roots had started to grow into underlying nutrient solutions, depending on the species of Pythium. High and low variation was observed among isolates of P. dissotocum and P. myriotylum, respectively. Pythium myriotylum co-existed with multiple other Pythium or oomycete species in the same environments within tobacco greenhouses, and significant in vitro and/or in vivo interactions between P. myriotylum and some naturally co-existing species were revealed. Pythium porphyrae may have the potential to protect tobacco seeds and seedlings from P. myriotylum infection. Greenhouse Pythium control trials identified ethaboxam, mefenoxam, and copper ionization as potentially promising alternatives to etridiazole for Pythium disease management in tobacco transplant production. The outcomes of this project provide useful new information to better understand the composition, distribution, and diversity of Pythium communities in tobacco transplant greenhouses and to improve Pythium disease management for tobacco transplant production. / Doctor of Philosophy / Pythium diseases are common in tobacco transplant production and can cause up to 70% seedling losses in hydroponic (float-bed) tobacco transplant greenhouses. However, little is known about the composition and distribution of Pythium communities in tobacco transplant greenhouses. This project began with a tobacco transplant greenhouse survey, in which 12 Pythium species were recovered from center walkways, weeds, greenhouse bay water, and tobacco seedlings. Pythium dissotocum and P. myriotylum were the two types (species) of Pythium most commonly found in the survey. Pythium myriotylum, P. coloratum, and P. dissotocum were aggressive pathogens that suppressed seed germination and caused root rot, stunting, foliar chlorosis, and death of tobacco seedlings. Pythium aristosporum, P. porphyrae, P. torulosum, P. inflatum, P. irregulare, P. catenulatum, and an isolate of P. dissotocum, were weak pathogens causing root symptoms without affecting the upper part of tobacco seedlings. Pythium adhaerens, P. attrantheridium, and P. pectinolyticum did not affect tobacco seeds or seedlings. The symptoms caused by infection by Pythium species differed among host (tobacco) growth stages, except for the most aggressive species, P. myriotylum. High levels of variation were observed among isolates of P. dissotocum, in terms of vegetative growth rate (on V8 agar media) and aggressiveness on tobacco seed and seedlings. Pythium myriotylum was found to co-exist with multiple other Pythium or oomycete species (neighbor isolates) in the same environments within tobacco greenhouses. Significant interactions between P. myriotylum and some neighbor isolates were revealed, and these interactions significantly affect the consequences of P. myriotylum infection of tobacco seeds. Greenhouse Pythium control trials identified two chemical water treatments (ethaboxam and mefenoxam), and a non-chemical water treatment (copper ionization) as potentially promising alternatives to the current standard Pythium control (etridiazole) for Pythium disease management in tobacco transplant production. The outcomes of this project provide useful new information to both better understand the composition, distribution, and diversity of Pythium communities in tobacco transplant greenhouses and to improve Pythium disease management for tobacco transplant production.

No description available.

Emissions of radionuclides to the atmosphere can lead to wet deposition on plants in theevent of rainfall. An increased level of radioactivity in the plants may occur due tointerception and retention of the radionuclides. If the content of the plants is above thethreshold limit value, entire yields may have to be destroyed. In order to preventcontamination or decrease the content countermeasures can be taken. The impact of thebiomass, leaf area index (LAI) and growth stage of the plant on the interception andretention is important to know in order to decide which countermeasures to use.Weather may also be an important factor. In this work the interception and retention of 134Cs and 85Sr by spring wheat, ley andspring oil-seed rape was studied. The impact of the biomass, LAI and growth stage ofthe plant and precipitation after deposition was also studied. The work was conducted asa field study with plots of the size 1 x 1 m. The plants were wet deposited with 134Cs and 85Sr by using a rain simulator. A total activity of 40 kBq/m2 for both radionuclideswas deposited on each plot. Depositions were performed during four different growthstages and the plants were sampled approximately four hours, one and five days afterdeposition. Activities of the dried plant samples were measured with a High PurityGermanium (HPGe) detector. Finally the interception fraction and the retention factorwere calculated. The study showed that the interception fraction was highest for the third growth stagefor both wheat and oil-seed rape; dough ripeness for wheat and ripening for oil-seedrape. Ley, which was harvested after two depositions, had the highest interceptionfraction at the second growth stage, flowering. Oil-seed rape and ley seemed to have aslightly higher interception fraction for 85Sr at all growth stages. There was a positiverelationship for the biomass and interception fraction, for the LAI and interceptionfraction the relationship wasn’t significant. The retention showed a weak trend ofdecreasing with time, with the decrease being largest during the first day after theinterception. However, the standard deviation was large and consequently the values uncertain. / Utsläpp av radionuklider till atmosfären kan genom regn leda till att de våtdeponeras påväxter. Radionukliderna kan då fångas upp av växterna och hållas kvar vilket kanresultera i förhöjda halter av radioaktivitet hos växterna. Om detta leder till attgränsvärden överskrids kan kassering av växter som används vid livsmedelsproduktionvara nödvändig. Motåtgärder kan vidtas för att undvika kontaminering eller minskahalterna. För att veta vilka motåtgärder som ska användas är det viktigt att veta hurväxtens biomassa, bladyteindex (LAI), utvecklingsstadium samt väderförhållandenpåverkar uppfångningen och kvarhållningen. I detta arbete undersöktes uppfångningen och kvarhållningen av 134Cs och 85Sr hosvårvete, vall och vårraps. Inverkan av växtens biomassa, LAI och utvecklingsstadiumsamt nederbörd efter deponering undersöktes också. Arbetet genomfördes som ettfältförsök med försöksrutor med storleken 1 x 1 m. Växterna våtdeponerades med 134Csoch 85Sr med hjälp av en regnsimulator. En total aktivitet på 40 kBq/m2 för bådaradionukliderna deponerades per försöksruta. Deponeringar skedde under fyra olikaväxtutvecklingsstadier och växtprover togs ungefär fyra timmar efter deponering samtett och fem dygn senare. Aktiviteten hos de torkade växtproverna mättes med en HighPurity Germanium (HPGe) detektor. Därefter beräknades uppfångningsfraktioner ochkvarhållningsfaktorer. Försöket visade att uppfångningsfraktionen var störst vid det tredjeväxtutvecklingsstadiet för både vete och raps; degmognad för vete och fröutveckling förraps. Vallen, som slogs av efter två deponeringar, uppvisade störst uppfångningsfraktionvid andra växtutvecklingsstadiet, blomning. Hos raps och vall verkadeuppfångningsfraktionen för 85Sr vara något högre vid samtliga växtutvecklingsstadier.För biomassan och uppfångningsfraktionen fanns ett positivt samband, för LAI ochuppfångningsfraktionen var sambandet inte signifikant. Kvarhållningen visade en svagtrend att minska med tiden, minskningen var störst under det första dygnet efteruppfångningen. Dock var standardavvikelsen stor och värden därmed osäkra.

Low photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) during certain growth periods of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) has been shown to impact yield, ethylene synthesis, and fiber quality. Previous research with shading has shown that lint yield can be significantly reduced in the latter stages of growth. This two-year field study was conducted at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research Farm in Burleson County, Texas, in 2008 and 2009. The study evaluated the impact of an 8-day period of shade (63 percent reduction of PPFD) on cotton yield parameters, fiber quality, and the impact of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP), an ethylene inhibitor, to alter detrimental cotton responses when applied as a foliar spray under shaded and non-shaded conditions. Shade and 1-MCP were imposed at four developmental stages of growth: pinhead square (PHS), first flower (FF), peak flower (PF), and boll development (BD). Data pooled over both years indicated that there were no significant differences in yield for 1-MCP treatments; however, numerical differences existed. Shade applied during the BD stage of development showed significantly lower yield than the untreated control. These results showed a decline in seed cotton and ginned seed cotton by 522 and 207 kg ha-1, respectively. To further analyze further yield components, box-mapping was conducted during both years. However, this data failed to explain consistent patterns of the observed yield responses. Data was also collected to determine the amount of fibers per seed and seed weights. Cotton fiber data did not show consistent correlations with the numerical increases and significant decreases in yield. Electrolyte leakage and stomatal conductance data also were collected. Electrolyte leakage showed no statistical differences when compared to the untreated control. Stomatal conductance measurements showed no consistency for treatments during both years.

L’étude des communautés microbiennes de la baie de raisin dans des conditions de production à l’échelle de la parcelle montre une dynamique temporelle des populations cultivables, qui se traduit par une augmentation des niveaux de population à partir des stades de début véraison et début maturité. Concernant la communauté bactérienne cultivable, 44 espèces appartenant à 21 genres ont été identifiées. Parmi les huit genres identifiés pour la population fongique, les espèces appartenant au genre Aureobasidium sont les plus abondantes, contrairement aux espèces fermentaires qui restent minoritaires. L’incidence des facteurs biotiques et abiotiques sur différents paramètres de population microbienne tels que la structure, la densité et l’activité métabolique a été analysée. Nous avons observé que les zones climatiques plus fraîches et humides, favorisent le développement des microorganismes. Ces travaux mettent en évidence l’impact écotoxique du cuivre sur la communauté microbienne, en particulier dans sa fraction bactérienne. Le développement de Botrytis cinerea sur la grappe modifie la communauté microbienne des baies de raisin sain : le nombre d’espèces bactériennes augmente ainsi que leur diversité. La communauté bactérienne de la baie de raisin est proche de celle des feuilles d’un point de vue de sa structure, et mais éloignée de celles des écorces et du sol, avec des indices de diversité et de richesse plus faibles. / The study of microbial communities associated with wine grapes under field conditions revealed changes in the size and structure during the berry ripening process, with levels rising gradually and reaching their highest value when the berries were over ripe. During this work several bacteria and fungi species, including fermentative yeast, have been isolated and identified. From cultured bacteria, over 44 species were identified from 21 genera. Concerning fungi population, among eight genera identified, the genus Aureobasidium was the most abundant. Our study reveals the impact of different abiotic and biotic factors over microbial community structure, density and metabolic activity. Comparing different vineyards in the same region, we observed that areas presenting more humid and colder climate favor the growth of microorganisms. Our results also show that the farming system has a clear impact on the microbial community, especially in the bacterial fraction. One of the reasons is the inhibiting effect of copper-based fungicides, frequently used in both organic and conventional farming systems. The presence of Botrytis cinerea in grape berries without visual symptoms of infection can change the microbial community of the grapes, increasing bacterial population density and diversity.

From the Proceedings of the 1977 Meetings of the Arizona Section - American Water Resources Assn. and the Hydrology Section - Arizona Academy of Science - April 15-16, 1977, Las Vegas, Nevada / The root system of shrub live oak (Quercus turbinella) was studied in an initial effort to classify the major Arizona chaparral shrubs as potential users of soil water based on root system characteristics. The root system was of the generalized type with a taproot, many deeply penetrating roots, and a strong lateral root system. Roots penetrated 21 feet to bedrock through cracks and fractures in the rocky regolith. A dense network of small surface laterals radiated from the root crown and permeated the upper foot of soil. Because of its root system, shrub live oak is well adapted to utilize both ephemeral surface soil moisture as well as deeply stored moisture. Emphasis is placed on the importance of a knowledge of the root systems of chaparral shrubs and depth of the regolith in planning vegetation conversions to increase water yield.