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In the highlands of the Northern Philippines, a model of long-term relationships between potato farmers and their preferred seed suppliers is proposed. In the absence of any certified seed system that might provide some guarantee of seed quality, farmers prefer to transact with those seed suppliers with whom they have had some favourable prior experience. Such suppliers provide both the best quality seed and, since most farmers must borrow the capital to purchase the seed, the most favourable terms of repayment. As there is much uncertainty in the exchange, the farmer's relationship with their preferred seed supplier is based on trust. However, since the farmer's satisfaction with the exchange cannot be ascertained until after purchase, trust is antecedent to satisfaction. As satisfaction is derived from the economic benefits the farmer obtains, satisfaction will lead to the farmer's desire to maintain the relationship. Satisfaction is enhanced both by the seed supplier's willingness to extend credit and to provide information. As there is much variation between alternative seed supplier's offer quality, satisfaction will result in the farmer becoming more dependent upon that seed supplier who makes the best offer. Furthermore, having provided the farmer with financial assistance, seed suppliers will find that they have constrained their opportunities to use coercive influence strategies, for in the absence of any formal contract, farmer's may readily default on the loan. The use of coercive influence strategies will reduce both the farmer's trust in their preferred seed supplier and the farmer's desire to maintain the relationship. / While trust is more important in the transitional economies, critical problems emerge with the use of standardised item measures and scales developed in the industrial countries. Cultural specific adjustments are necessary to ensure social constructs such a trust are functionally equivalent. However, in the context of long-term relationships where satisfaction is also cumulative, introducing measures of both economic and social satisfaction have the potential to overlap with the generally accepted measures of trust.

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) varieties Atlantic and Granola are widely grown in Indonesia. The optimal method of cultivation in the tropics, due to the susceptibility of cut seed for disease, is by small (20 to 55 g) whole seed potatoes. However, the variety Atlantic produces mostly large tubers, which are not suitable for planting as whole seeds. Although Granola produces a reasonable proportion of small tubers it still produces a few in the larger size grades and there is no fresh market in Western Australia for the larger tubers for this variety. The aim of this study was to develop methods to be used in Western Australia that improve the yield of small seed potatoes for export to Indonesia. The influence of seed-potato storage duration (at 4°C) on subsequent stem growth was assessed after 30 days growth in a glasshouse (22°C/18°C, day⁄night). Seed potato storage for 22-28 (Atlantic) and 24-30 (Granola) weeks resulted in development of higher numbers of stems. A series of field experiment were designed to increase yield of small tubers. Apical sprout removal in Granola, but not Atlantic, increased the number of stems (by 27%), yield of 20-55 g potato (by 32%) and total yield (by 17%). Application of herbicide (paraquat + diquat) at low concentration during early tuber initiation decreased total yield in Atlantic (by 14%) and Granola (by 16%). Treating whole seed potatoes with carvone vapor two weeks before planting had no influence on stem or tuber number in both Atlantic and Granola but in Atlantic only, the total yield was reduced by 12%. Spraying plants with paclobutrazol during early tuber initiation inconsistently influenced tuber number and yield between the two varieties and two experiments. The influence of gibberellic acid (GA3) on stem number, total tuber number, yield of 20-55 g tubers and total yield was investigated by dipping seed pieces in a GA3 solution (20 mg⁄L) two days prior to planting. In Atlantic, GA3 treatment increased stem number (by 147%), total tuber number (by 75%) and yield of 20-55 g tubers (by 330%) without influencing total yield. In Granola, GA3 treatment increased stem number (by 50%), total tuber number (by 15%), yield of 20-55 g tubers (by 21%) and total yield (by 10%) The influence of gibberellic acid application (20 mg⁄L) to seed pieces before planting increased the number of small tubers through increased stem number. The shift toward a greater proportion of small tubers, without reducing total yield, had a greater influence in Atlantic than that in Granola. Treatment of GA3 and paclobutrazol together decreased total yield compared to that of GA3 alone

Thesis (M.Sc. (Soil Science)) -- University of Limpopo, 2019 / Phosphorus (P) deficiency has been reported in 30- 40% of global arable land, which poses a huge threat in potato production because of its critical role in the early vegetative development and tuber formation. The use of low cost ground phosphate rock (GPR) as an alternative P fertilizer source has gained recognition. Although GPR contains high P percentage, its direct application is less beneficial immediately due to its low reactivity which makes P unavailable for plant uptake. In this experiment, GPR was co-composted with cattle and poultry manure in order to enhance P acquisition by the potato crop. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential of phosphocompost application as a cheaper alternative P-source for potato production. The experiment was conducted on Mondial and Valor… potato cultivars at the University of Limpopo Syferkuil Experimental farm in 2015 and 2016. Poultry (PM) and cattle manure (CM)-based phospho-compost mix ratios of 8:2 and 7:3 were applied at 0, 20, 40, 80 and 120 kg P/ha. The trial was laid out in a split plot arrangement fitted into a randomised complete block design with treatments replicated three times. Results indicated statistically significant effects of phospho-compost types on soil pH and available P content at both flowering and harvesting growth stages in 2015 and 2016 with the higher available P content found in the PM-based phospho-composts. In both seasons, highly significant differences in fresh and dry leaf samples among phospho-compost types were obtained. Highly significant season x compost type interaction effects were also recorded on leaf biomass as well as the 2015 tuber weight, with highest tuber weight obtained in plots that received PM7:3-based phospho-compost at 80 t/ha rate. Notwithstanding the non-significant effect of compost type on tuber yield in 2016, higher yield was obtained from PM8:2. Although the grading of tubers showed no significant response to phospho-compost application; the difference between small and medium tubers obtained from 2016 trial was significantly affected by phosphocompost application rates. The CM8:2 mix ratio gave the highest baby tubers (16.87%) while PM7:3 mix ratio gave the highest (36.32%) medium tubers. The grading of the potato tubers revealed a mostly class 1 dominated by baby, small and medium size tubers in the 2015 harvest while the 2016 harvest was also mostly class 1 but dominated by small, medium and large-small size tubers. Tuber size and class were vi most favored by the PM-based phospho-compost applications in both planting seasons. None of phospho-compost types and application rates had significant effect on the measured nutrient concentrations of both plant parts. However, the differences in nutrient concentrations across seasons and plant parts were significant except for Ca. The measure tissue P concentration from the 2016 trial was within the required range suggesting that phospho-compost utilization, particularly the poultry manure-based, in potato production can be beneficial in addressing P deficiency. The PM8:2 mixed ratio resulted in increased soil available P content, potato tuber yield in 2016 and the P concentration across the two plant parts evaluated. The concentration of soil available P and tissue P showed increases with higher application rates albeit non-significance. Future research on the optimum application rate is suggested on a wide range of soils for the various phospho-compost types. / Potato SA and the National Research Foundation (NRF)