Title from PDF of title page (University of Missouri--Columbia, viewed on Feb 26, 2010). The entire thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file; a non-technical public abstract appears in the public.pdf file. Dissertation advisor: Dr. Robert J. Kremer. Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.)--Brigham Young University. Dept. of Plant and Wildlife Sciences, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (p.62-71).

Thesis (M.S.)--Oregon State University, 2009. / Printout. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 59-67). Also available on the World Wide Web.

Thesis (M.S.)--Oregon State University, 2006. / Printout. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 89-94). Also available online.

Thesis (M.Phil.) - University of Queensland, 2005. / Includes bibliography.

Thesis (M.Inst.Agrar.)(Food production and processing)--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references. Available on the Internet via the World Wide Web.

The present study attempts to fill a gap in the literature by exploring the physical and economic forces that influence the dynamic path of hybrid seed pricing for a broad acre crop over time. Of the physical and economic forces influencing the dynamic path of hybrid development, the sequential and cumulative nature of crop development is particularly discussed. Specifically, the canola hybrid seed industry in Canada is studied. This study will have particularly important implications for industries that are considering stronger intellectual property rights inside and outside Canada. The model presented in Chapter 2 makes a significant contribution to the “product variety” literature. While Chamberlinian models are confined to one representative consumer and location models are not very helpful in analysis of more than two characteristics, the model developed in Chapter 2 incorporates differentiated buyers and multiple characteristics. Schumpeter’s temporary market power can be derived from new characteristics embodied in old products. Results show that more progressive industries are likely to have a smaller equilibrium number of firms and shorter product cycles, ceteris paribus. Chapter 3 endogenizes rate of yield potential growth as a function of firms’ initial investment. Results show that greater investment productivity results in fewer varieties in the market, shorter product cycles, higher prices, higher profit levels, lower optimal investment, and higher consolidation. Also, it is shown that if increased differentiation creates enough space in the market for a new entrant, then entry of a new rival will increase competition and may result in a decrease in the incumbents’ profit. Chapter 4 uses data from Canadian canola industry to empirically test some of the propositions discussed in Chapter 2. Results confirm that as a variety becomes more specific its market share decreases. It is also shown that degree of specificity is a proper measure of adaptability for seed varieties as it provides high explanatory power in the regression models and also can be used to make direct economic interpretation. Chapter 5 presents a conclusion, policy implications, and potential approaches for future research.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:30:26Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2001-09Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T19:40:05Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 guiscem_jm_dr_botfca.pdf: 338963 bytes, checksum: 321f29a3ec8184784a47f1c0abe613b2 (MD5) / O objetivo deste estudo foi analisar a qualidade fisiológica das sementes de milho doce em função do teor de água na colheita e da temperatura de secagem em espiga. Os experimentos foram conduzidos na área experimental da FCA/Unesp, Botucatu- SP, com materiais distintos de milho doce: BR 400 (bt) ‘Super doce’, BR 401 (su) ‘Doce-de-ouro’, BR 402 (su) ‘Doce-Cristal’. O delineamento experimental empregado foi o de blocos ao acaso com 6 repetições, constituindo os tratamentos as épocas de colheitas. Para que não ocorresse a contaminação genética entre cultivares, o experimento foi conduzido nas seguintes épocas de semeadura: em dezembro 1999 foram semeadas as cultivares BR 401 e BR 402 e no mês de janeiro de 2000, a BR 400. As colheitas das espigas foram iniciadas após a maturidade fisiológica, após despalhadas e divididas em duas porções, as espigas foram submetidas a secagem em estufas com circulação forçada com temperaturas de 30o C e 40o C. Os teores de água das sementes, inicial e após a secagem, de todas as colheitas foram determinados pelo método da estufa a 105 + 3oC, por 24 horas. Após... . / The purpose of the present research was to study physiological seed quality of sweet corn as a function of water content and drying temperatures of ears at harvesting time. Experiments were made in the Agriculture School of São Paulo State University located in Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil. Ears of sweet corns cultivars, BR 400 Super Sweet (brittle), BR 401 Doce de Ouro (sugary) and BR 402 Doce Cristal (sugary), were harvested at different times, starting at physiological seed maturity, and submitted to different drying temperatures (30o C and 40o C) in an air circulation chamber. After drying, ears were shelled and seeds were stored in paper bags under laboratory environmental conditions. Field dried seeds, with 10.1% of moisture, were utilized as a control. Cultivars with different genes for sweetness were grown 30 days apart to prevent contamination among them. Initial water content of seed before and after drying was determined by drying at 105o + 3oC for 24 hours. Physiological seed quality for each harvesting date and drying temperature were analyzed before storage and six months after. The following characteristics... (Complete abstract, click electronic address below).

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:32:56Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2011-11-09Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T19:22:48Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 klein_dk_dr_botib.pdf: 427517 bytes, checksum: 69b36be9a11ed0b66d6a420111b90ee9 (MD5) / Para um melhor entendimento dos processos que determinam a dinâmica das florestas tropicais, estudos que investigam tanto a vegetação (parte aérea) como o banco de sementes do solo, são necessários. Através de estudos de banco de semente pode-se avaliar, por exemplo, a capacidade de regeneração natural de uma dada vegetação, a viabilidade das sementes existentes no solo e sua influência na estrutura da vegetação. No entanto, pouco se sabe sobre os processos que podem provocar variações na estrutura do banco de sementes, especialmente em florestas semideciduais. O presente estudo teve como objetivo conhecer a composição do banco de sementes do solo em um trecho de Floresta Estacional Semidecídual, bem como investigar possíveis processos capazes de gerar variações em sua estrutura. Além disso, determinou-se o grau de similaridade entre a parte aérea e o banco de sementes. Primeiramente, a densidade (número de plântulas), a riqueza, a diversidade e a composição de espécies foram comparadas entre áreas em diferentes estágios sucessionais, bem como entre diferentes profundidades do solo e estações do ano (chuvosa e seca). Em seguida, a similaridade entre o banco de sementes e a vegetação local foi comparada. Constatou-se que a principal fonte de variação do número de plântulas, da riqueza e da diversidade de espécies presentes no banco de sementes foi a profundidade na qual as sementes foram amostradas. De forma geral, as amostras obtidas da serrapilheira continham, significativamente, um maior número de plântulas, uma maior riqueza e maior diversidade de espécies do que as amostras provenientes das profundidades de 0-10cm e 10-20cm, tanto na estação chuvosa como seca. Comparações da riqueza e da diversidade de espécies entre a estação seca e chuvosa... / For a better understanding of the processes that determine tropical forest dynamics, studies that investigate vegetation both above and below ground are needed. By studying seed banks it is possible to determine, for example, the natural regeneration capacity of vegetation, the viability of the soil seed bank as well as its influence at structuring plant communities. However, little is known about the processes that can generate variation in the seed bank structure, particularly in semideciduous forests. The main aim of this study was to know the soil seed bank composition in a semideciduous seasonal forest fragment, and also to investigate some processes that may generate variations in this structure. Besides, it was determined below (seed bank) and above ground (vegetation) similarity. Firstly, the density (seedling numbers), the richness, and the diversity and species composition were compared among areas of different sucessional stages, and among different soil depths and season (rainy and dry season). After that, the similarity between the soil seed bank and local vegetation was compared. It was observed that the main source of variation of seedling numbers, richness, and species diversity was the depth at which seed samples were obtained. In overall, samples from the litterfall had significantly higher seedling numbers, species richness and diversity than the other depths (0-10cm and 10-20cm); this difference occurred at both in the rainy and dry season. Comparisons of species richness and diversity between the rainy and dry season showed that both significantly differed between seasons, and higher values were observed in the rainy season. Seedling numbers did not differ between seasons. Species composition was more similar between pairs of samples from depths near to each other; for example, for both seasons... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)

The type of regional dynamics of a species can provide information on how to manage the species, and may be the only way that some rare species may persist in a given region. A metapopulation is a type of regional dynamic in which local extinction is counterbalanced by recruitment from nearby patches. Metapopulation studies were originally conducted on animals, but have been adapted to plants, and are generally restricted to single-season studies. Plant species may persist as a metapopulation in patchy habitats, such as in forest openings. Forest openings (commonly called barrens, hill prairies, or glades) are habitats found on ridgetops which are characterized by having thin or nutrient-poor soil, high sunlight exposure, and relatively low soil moisture when compared to nearby forest habitats. Forest openings commonly contain plant species more frequently found in prairies, and are often maintained by natural fires that prevents woody species encroachment. In the absence of natural fires due to human management and suppression, woody species have invaded some forest openings, dividing them into a series of patches. To determine whether it is possible for each species to persist as a metapopulation in forest openings, five studies were carried out at each of three sites within the Shawnee National Forest in southern Illinois: a plant survey and ordination using environmental variables, the use of incidence function models to determine which of the species had the potential to form a metapopulation, a metacommunity study to examine overall patterns at each site, a seed bank study, and a seed dispersal study. Forest openings were found to be separate habitats from the surrounding forest based upon canopy openness. Approximately 30% of the species fit the metapopulation model, and the metacommunities at each of the sites exhibited a Clementsian pattern, characterized by groups of co-occurring species that replace each other over the region due to turnover between the groups of species. Species that fit the metapopulation model tended to have seeds that emerge more frequently from the seed bank if annuals and less frequently in the seed bank than species not fitting the metapopulation model (non-metapopulation species) if longer-lived. Species fitting the metapopulation model dispersed equal numbers of seeds as non-metapopulation species at short (5m) and medium (10m) distances, and in some cases dispersed more seeds to longer distances than non-metapopulation species. These studies show that forest openings can be treated as islands of suitable habitat for some species, and that numerous (~30%) species (such as Scleria pauciflora, Stylosanthes biflora, and Manfreda virginica) may assume a metapopulation dynamic in any given year. Many species may have incidence patterns consistent with those of a metapopulation in multiple years; however, the exact habitat patches in which species occur in any given year may change from year to year. Species in forest openings tend to co-occur in groups (a Clementsian pattern), which means that management plans should consider the entire community rather than a single species.