Orientador : Debora de Queiroz Tavares / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia de Alimentos / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-03T22:28:57Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Martini_MariaHelena_D.pdf: 15024202 bytes, checksum: 22ab2ff6f88e02fc090f712bfba73cea (MD5) Previous issue date: 2004 / Resumo: Nos estudos sobre as reservas do mesofilo cotiledonar do gênero Theobroma destacam-se os trabalhos sobre sementes de T. cacao, fonte única da matéria prima do chocolate. Estas pesquisas preferenciam as mudanças ocorridas na estrutura celular durante a fermentação, secagem, torração; etapas do processo de produção do chocolate. Mais recentes são os trabalhos com sementes de T. grandiflorum utilizadas na elaboração do cupulate, produto com características semelhantes ao chocolate. O presente trabalho analisa as células de reserva lípide-proteicas e idioblastos de polifenóis de T. cacao, T. grandiflorum, T. subincanum, T. bicolor e T. speciosum. Em T. obovatum e T. microcarpum o estudo apresentou apenas as células polifenólicas. A distribuição dos glóbulos lipídicos nas células são análogas nestas espécies, isto é, localização periférica e extrema susceptibilidade ao calor, coalescendo sob condições térmicas acima de 30°C. A proteína de reserva apresenta-se entremeada com os glóbulos lipídicos e alguns grãos de amido. As células polifenólicas, em T. bicolor e T. speciosum, localizam-se na região do feixe vascular e parênquima da radícula e nas outras espécies estudadas estão dispersas pelo mesofilo e próximas ao feixe vascular. A mucilagem é uma secreção celular constante em cinco espécies estudadas, não se acumulando dentro das células, porém com raras exceções ocorrem células com mucilagem na epiderme do mesofilo (T. subincanum). T. speciosum caracteriza-se por efetivamente apresentar células de mucilagem. Estas células são abundantes no mesofilo e cerca de 10% alcançam grandes dimensões sem rompimento do tecido. As células polifenólicas apresentam características histoquímicas semelhantes a mucilagem, porém sua estreita relação com os feixes vasculares direciona seu desenvolvimento para a síntese de polifenóis. O tecido do mesofilo cotiledonar é semelhante em todas as espécies aqui estudadas devido a predominância de reserva lípide-proteica. Células imaturas de sementes verdes demonstram capacidade para sintetizar todas as reservas; na maturidade celular demonstram predominância de reservas lípide-proteicas ou de mucilagem ou de polifenóis. A distribuição das reservas no mesofilo aproximam T. grandiflorum à T. subincanum. A maior quantidade de proteínas está em T. bicolor. Esta espécie apresenta menor quantidade de lipídeos e de células polifenólicas / Abstract: Many investigations on the cellular reserves within the cotyledon mesophyll of the Theobroma have been carried out on Theobroma cacao seeds, the source of raw for the production of chocolate. These studies demonstrated structural cellular changes due to fermentation, drying, and roasting processes during chocolate production. Recently the seeds of the T. grandiflorum have been analyzed due to their importance in the production of ¿cupulate¿, a new product similar to chocolate. In the present work, we analyze the lipid-protein reserve cells and polyphenolic idioblasts derived from T. cacao, T. grandiflorum, T. subincanum, T. bicolor, T. speciosum and T. obovatum. Only phenolic cells were studied in T.obovatum and T. microcarpum.The distribution of lipid bodies was similar in all the species studied; that is, they were located at the periphery of the cell wall and demonstrated extremely susceptibly to heat, coalescing at temperatures above 30°C. The reserve protein was interspersed with lipid bodies and some starch granules. The polyphenolic cells were dispersed throughout the mesophyll and around the vascular bundles in all the species studied. In T. bicolor and T. speciosum the polyphenolic cells were only observed around the vascular bundle and radicle parenchyma. Mucilage is a cellular secretion in the five species studied. Mucilage does not accumulate intracellularly; however, rarely we did observe mucilage in the cells of the mesophyll epidermis of T. subincanum. In T. speciosum, mucilage cells were abundant in the mesophyll and about 10% reached large dimensions without tissue disruption. The polyphenolic cells presented characteristic mucilage histochemistry, however their strict association with vascular bundles should direct their development towards polyphenol synthesis. Cotyledon mesophyll tissue is similar in all the species studied with respect to lipid-protein reserve. Immature cells demonstrated the capacity to synthesize all the reserves, but this capacity is not retained in the mature cell. The distribution of reserves in the mesophyll are most similar in T. grandiflorum and T. subincanum. T. bicolor showed a high protein content, lower lipid levels and low levels of polyphenolic cells / Doutorado / Doutor em Alimentos e Nutrição

Made available in DSpace on 2014-08-20T13:44:37Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 dissertacao_clarissa_da_silva.pdf: 333325 bytes, checksum: 487ed9f3127ccb664dcea12fed6e7838 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007-03-15 / This work was conducted to evaluate the quality of rice seeds treated whit fungicide in different moisture contents during of stored period. Were used two rice seeds lots, cv EL PASO 144, produced in Pelotas/RS during 04/05. For the formularization of fungicide, were additioned 10mL (1%), 20mL (2%) e 30mL (3%) of water in mixed with fungicide Carboxin/Thiram (300mL/ 100Kg of seeds). Same water percentages, without addition of the fungicide, besides one control, had constituted the seven treatments. The seeds were stored in hermetic recipient during eight months period. The quality of seeds was submitted to moisture determination, standard germination, vigor and health. Biochemical evaluation of the seeds was obtained by the technique of electrophoresis of enzymatic systems, being evaluated the activity of the enzymes Acid Phosphates, Alcohol Dehydrogenize, Glutamate Oxalacetate Transaminase, Esterase and a- amylase. The statistic model was of randomizes completely blocks with three replications. The benefic effect of fungicide on physiological quality are evident immediately after the treatment of seeds. The results indicate the germination and vigor reduction of treated seeds increase after 60 days of storage. The fungicide used in treatments of seeds is efficient in reduction of the fungi associates on the rice seeds. Wasn t possible to identify the effect of fungicide in the expression of enzymes of viable seeds. / Este trabalho foi conduzido com objetivo avaliar a qualidade de sementes de arroz tratadas com fungicida em diferentes graus de umidade durante o período de armazenamento. Foram utilizados dois lotes de sementes da cultivar EL PASO 144, de diferentes graus de umidade e sanidade, produzidos na região de Pelotas, RS, na safra 04/05. Para a formulação da calda fungicida foram adicionados 10mL(1%), 20mL (2%), e 30mL (3%) de água em mistura com fungicida Carboxin/Thiram (300mL/100Kg de sementes). Mesmas percentagens de água, sem adição do fungicida, além de uma testemunha, constituíram os sete tratamentos. Após, foram embaladas em recipientes herméticos, durante o período de oito meses de armazenamento. A qualidade das sementes foi monitorada através do teste para determinação do grau de umidade, germinação, vigor e sanidade. Avaliações bioquímicas das sementes, através da técnica de eletroforese de sistemas enzimáticos, determinou-se a atividade das enzimas Fosfatase Ácida, Álcool Desidrogenase, Glutamato Oxalacetato Transaminase, Esterase e Alfa -amilase. O modelo estatístico utilizado foi o completamente casualizado, com três repetições. Os efeitos benéficos do tratamento fungicida sobre a qualidade fisiológica são evidentes logo após o tratamento das sementes. Os resultados obtidos demonstram decréscimo na porcentagem de germinação e vigor das sementes tratadas, intensificado a partir do 60º dia de armazenamento. O fungicida utilizado no tratamento de sementes é eficiente na redução da incidência de fungos associados à semente. Não foi possível detectar o efeito do fungicida na expressão das enzimas das sementes viáveis.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-08-20T13:44:40Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 tese_alisson_ferreira.pdf: 934294 bytes, checksum: fc345a5f05766f3238ce567a1a45dcf2 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2006-07-12 / The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of five continuous dryers, of different manufacturers, operating in an intermittent system and drying maize. Three tests in each dryer were carried out and the results of each test were analyzed independently and compared as an experiment, since each test does not characterize a repetition. The initial moisture of the product was different for each test performed. For the evaluation of the physical quality of the product, the iodine coloration drying test was used. To evaluate the energy efficiency of the system, the consumption of both fuel and electric power was measured. Taking into account the conditions in which the tests were realized, it was possible to observe that the drying speed of the maize seeds in continuous dryers operating in an intermittent system may range from two to three percent points per hour, at drying air temperatures ranging from 80°C to 120°C; the physical quality of the product, dried in dryers whose drying temperatures suffered variations in a higher level, is relatively inferior to that of the product submitted to drying at lower levels of temperature variation. / O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o desempenho de cinco secadores contínuos, de diferentes fabricantes, operando em sistema intermitente e secando milho. Foram realizados três testes em cada secador e os resultados de cada teste foram analisados independentemente e comparados como um experimento, uma vez que cada teste não caracteriza uma repetição. A umidade inicial do produto foi diferente para cada teste realizado. Para avaliação da qualidade física do produto foi realizado o teste de coloração com tintura de iodo. Para avaliação da eficiência energética do sistema, mediu-se o consumo de combustível e de energia elétrica. Levando em consideração as condições em que foram realizados os testes, foi possível observar que a velocidade de secagem de sementes de milho em secadores contínuos operando em sistema intermitente pode atingir dois a três pontos percentuais por hora, com o emprego de temperaturas do ar de secagem de 80 a 120 °C; a qualidade física do produto secado em secadores cujas temperaturas de secagem sofreram maiores variações, é inferior relativamente a do produto submetido à secagem com menores variações de temperatura.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-08-20T13:44:45Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 dissertacao_lucas_marcolin.pdf: 1664329 bytes, checksum: d914534bea39a20ab2fb8082ed199d29 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-03-03 / The growing demand of consumer markets for seed quality and safety to the producer and consumer is ordering from the production sector a continuous adaptation. Food safety has become an important attribute of food quality. The traceability is in line with this view, since it integrates the entire production chain in a monitoring and certification system. Traceability programs for the productive chain are essential for logistics and management of seed production. The aim of this study was to develop and validate an efficient and effective traceability system for seed production, through a scheme of software, in order to ensure the quality and safety of the products obtained, as well as an important management tool, making the productive chain more competitive in the market. In addition to an extensive literature review, it was also made a partnership with the company Checkplant Traceability Systems LTD, in order to assist in the software scheme that they have already developed for fruit producers and many others. Furthermore, interviews with companies, researchers and seed producers from the south region helped to collect necessary data for the proposed software and to understand the obstacles and critical points of the productive chain. It was presented and tested with the users, the system screens which can work for them, containing the field part (record of field activities, its settings and reports) and the post-harvest stage (record of the activities in the Seed Processing Unit, reports, etc.), paying attention to what should be enhanced to the system implementation. It was observed that the proposed system, based on what happens with fruit producers, it is perfectly adaptable and feasible for seed producers, ensuring, besides of traceability, an important management tool. / A crescente exigência dos mercados consumidores por sementes de qualidade e com segurança ao produtor e consumidor vem ordenando ao setor produtivo uma contínua adaptação. A segurança dos alimentos tem se tornado um importante atributo de qualidade alimentar. A rastreabilidade vem ao encontro com esta perspectiva, uma vez que integra toda a cadeia produtiva em um sistema de monitoramento e certificação. Programas de rastreabilidade para as etapas da cadeia produtiva são essenciais para a logística e o gerenciamento da produção de sementes. O objetivo deste estudo foi propor e validar um sistema eficiente e eficaz de rastreabilidade para a produção de sementes, por meio de um esquema de software, a fim de assegurar a qualidade e segurança dos produtos obtidos, além de uma importante ferramenta de gestão, tornando a cadeia produtiva mais competitiva no mercado. Além de extensa revisão bibliográfica, foi feita também parceria com a empresa Checkplant Sistemas de Rastreabilidade LTDA, afim de auxiliar no esquema de software que os mesmos já desenvolvem para produtores de frutas e tantos outros. Além disso, entrevistas com empresas, produtores e pesquisadores de sementes da região Sul ajudaram para a coleta de dados necessários para a proposta do software e, para entender os entraves e pontos críticos da cadeia produtiva. Foi apresentado e testado junto aos usuários as telas de sistema que podem funcionar para os mesmos, constando a parte de campo (registro de atividades de campo, suas configurações e relatórios) e a etapa pós-colheita (registro das atividades na UBS, relatórios, etc.), prestando atenção ao que deve ser aprimorado para implementação do sistema. Observou-se que a proposta de sistema, baseado no que ocorre com os produtores de frutas, é perfeitamente adaptável e viável para produtores de sementes, assegurando, além da rastreabilidade, em si, uma importante ferramenta de gestão.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-08-20T13:59:16Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 dissertacao_natalia_silveira_correa.pdf: 869927 bytes, checksum: f8d3f9ea4fe21d4621b0f0ce5ce25231 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-03-12 / Salts are prejudicial to growth by toxic effect and osmotic effects, i. e., physiological drought. To some crops as vegetables in general, the problem is more drastic due to great salinity effects. This research had as objective analyze the influence of salt on physiological behavior of onion (Allium cepa L.) seeds. The experiment was realized on two stages, the first determined the effects of several concentrations of sodium chloride (0; 40; 80; 120 and 160 mM NaCl) on seeds physiological quality and seedlings growth in three cultivars (Fepagro 27, Madrugada and Petroline). Tests were conducted using 4 subsamples of 50 seeds for each cultivar, for each treatment, with 3 replications, being evaluated through of the follow tests: germination, first count of germination, germination rate index, emergence, length of shoot and roots, seedlings total dry matter, and electrical conductivity. In general, for all tests applied, the onion seeds showed more sensible when NaCl concentrations were up to 80 mM, indicating that the increase of NaCl diminished the viability and vigor of onion seeds. The second stages the assay was done in order to quantify the chemical composition, comprehending the follow measured: total soluble proteins, total soluble sugars, starch and the determination of -amilase activity. The results indicated that salt concentration affected negatively all variables, decreasing amilase activity, as well as the starch break, consequently the sugar production and restraining the embryo growth. / Os sais são prejudiciais ao crescimento, tanto pela toxicidade quanto pelo efeito osmótico, ou seja, a seca fisiológica. Algumas culturas como as hortaliças em geral, o problema é mais drástico em virtude de possuírem mais sensibilidade aos efeitos da salinidade. Deste modo, o trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar a influencia do sal no desempenho fisiológico de sementes de cebola . O experimento foi realizado em duas etapas, a primeira avaliou o desempenho de diferentes concentrações de cloreto de sódio (zero; 40; 80; 120 e 160 mM de NaCl) na qualidade fisiológica de sementes e no crescimento de plântulas de três cultivares de cebola (Fepagro 27, Madrugada e Petroline). Os testes foram efetuados com 3 repetições de 4 sub amostras de 50 sementes de cada cultivar, sendo avaliados os testes de germinação, primeira contagem da germinação, índice de velocidade de germinação, índice de velocidade de emergência, emergência, comprimento de parte aérea e raiz , massa seca total da plântula e condutividade elétrica. De modo geral, em todos os testes aplicados, a concentração de NaCl em que a cebola se mostrou mais sensível foi a partir de 80 mM, indicando que com o acréscimo de cloreto de sódio ocorre a diminuição da viabilidade e do vigor das sementes de cebola. Na segunda etapa do experimento foi determinado a composição química, abrangendo o teor das proteínas solúveis totais, o teor de açúcares solúveis totais, o teor de amido e a determinação da atividade da enzima α-amilase. Os resultados obtidos indicaram que as concentrações de NaCl afetam negativamente todas as variáveis, dificultando assim a atividade da α-amilase, consequentemente a quebra do amido a conversão deste em açúcar, prejudicando o crescimento do embrião.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The West Indian Marsh Grass is a native grass to tropical areas of Central and South America, which grows in wetlands, supporting intermittent periods of flooding. Their forms of propagation by fragments of rhizomes, rooting of lower nodes of stem and the high seed production facilitates population growth and dispersal of the weed to new areas. In Brazil, beyond natural pasture in the Amazonia and Pantanal regions, has been reported as invasive flooded rice in Rio Grande do Sul. So, this study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of pre-germinative treatments on overcoming dormancy of seeds (Chapter I), determine the viability of their seeds, by adapting the methodology of the tetrazolium test (Chapter II) and finally determine the control and reduction of biomass, caused by different doses of selective herbicides and total control in young and perennial plants (Chapter III). Seed exposure to potassium nitrate 0.2%, immersion in water for 48 hours and removal of the glumes, promoted the overcoming dormancy and accelerated the germination process. The seeds analyzed had high viability (89%), and six hours of hydration of seeds without glumes, with subsequent longitudinal slitting of the embryos and immersed in tetrazolium solution at 0.5% for four hours at a temperature of 23 ± 1 ° C, was appropriate for the species. As to chemical control, young plants, showed greater sensitivity to lower doses of herbicides cyhalofop-butyl and ammonium glufosinate, however, in the doses tested, only the glyphosate and the formulated mixture de Imazapic and imazapir caused the death plants. In perennial plants, control and reduction of biomass, caused by both herbicides were unsatisfactory. / O capim-capivara é uma gramínea nativa de áreas tropicais das Américas Central e do Sul, que vegeta lugares úmidos e pantanosos, suportando inundações por períodos intermitentes. Suas formas de propagação, por fragmentos de rizomas, enraizamento de nós caulinares basais e a elevada produção de sementes, facilitam o aumento da população e a dispersão dessa planta daninha por novas áreas. No Brasil, além de pastagem natural, nas regiões da Amazônia e Pantanal, tem sido relatada como invasora da cultura do arroz irrigado no Rio Grande do Sul. Em vista disso, este trabalho teve por objetivos, avaliar a eficiência de tratamentos pré-germinativos na superação da dormência de suas sementes (Capítulo I), determinar a viabilidade de suas sementes, através da adaptação da metodologia do teste de tetrazólio (Capítulo II) e por fim, determinar o controle e redução de biomassa, causado por diferentes doses de herbicidas seletivos e de controle total, em plantas jovens e perenizadas (Capitulo III). A exposição das sementes ao nitrato de potássio a 0,2%, a embebição em água por 48 horas e a remoção das glumas promoveram a superação da dormência e aceleraram o processo de germinação. As sementes analisadas apresentaram elevada viabilidade (89%), e o período de seis horas de hidratação das sementes sem glumas, com posterior corte longitudinal dos embriões e imersão em solução de tetrazólio a 0,5% por quatro horas, na temperatura de 23 ± 1°C, mostrou-se adequado para a espécie. Quanto ao controle químico, plantas jovens, mostraram maior sensibilidade a menores doses dos herbicidas cialofope-butílico e glufosinato de amônio, entretanto, nas doses testadas, somente o glifosato e a mistura formulada de imazapique e imazapir causaram a morte das plantas. Em plantas perenizadas, o controle e a redução da biomassa, causados por ambos os herbicidas foram insatisfatórios.

Several causes are pointed as responsible for the numbness in seeds of rice. The fenolic compounds have influence in the swinging between promoters and inhibitors of the germination of seeds, could represent an obstacle to the diffusion of gases. Several treatments are used with the purpose of overcoming the dormence in seeds and alternative methods appear to try to solve this problem, as the ultrasound radiations. That technique, for being little used in seeds, however, it presents optimization difficulty, as well as the lack of specific knowledge about the action of the radiation promoted by the ultrasonic waves in living tissues. The objective of the work was to evaluate the chemical effects produced by the ultrasound about the overcoming of the dormence and physiologic quality of seeds of rice. Seeds of irrigated rice cv. IRGA 417 and of drier cv. Spring, submitted to the exhibition of the ultrasonic waves by periods of 5, 10, 15 and 20 minutes and temperatures of 20, 30 and 40 oC. The variables analyzed after each treatment were: germination, first counting and index of germination speed. The results indicated that there was variation in the answers of the culture to the treatments, and the best results were found in the highest temperatures. It was concluded that the ultrasound radiations affect the quality of the seeds of rice, being a promising method for the overcoming of the dormence, still needing her standardization. / Inúmeras causas são apontadas como responsáveis pela dormência em sementes de arroz. Os compostos fenólicos destacam-se por interferirem no balanço entre promotores e inibidores da germinação de sementes, podendo representar um obstáculo à difusão de gases. Vários tratamentos são utilizados com a finalidade de superar a dormência em sementes e, portanto, surgem métodos alternativos para sua superação, como as radiações de ultra-som. Essa técnica, por ser pouco utilizada em sementes, no entanto, apresenta dificuldade de otimização, bem como a falta de conhecimento específico sobre o efeito da radiação promovida pelas ondas ultra-sônicas em tecidos vivos. O objetivo do trabalho foi avaliar os efeitos sonoquímicos produzidos pelo ultra-som sobre a superação da dormência e qualidade fisiológica de sementes de arroz. Utilizaram-se sementes de arroz irrigado cv. IRGA 417 e de sequeiro cv. Primavera, submetidas à exposição das ondas ultra-sônicas por períodos de 5, 10, 15 e 20 minutos e temperaturas de 20, 30 e 40 oC. As variáveis analisadas após cada tratamento foram: germinação, primeira contagem e índice de velocidade de germinação. Os resultados indicaram que houve variação nas respostas das cultivares aos tratamentos, sendo que os melhores resultados foram encontrados nas temperaturas mais elevadas. Concluiu-se que as radiações de ultra-som afetam a qualidade das sementes de arroz, sendo um método promissor para a superação da dormência, necessitando ainda sua padronização.

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / The idea that the development of people's capabilities lies at the heart of all community and social development has gained support internationally over the past decades. This reflects a significant shift in community and society development thinking, addressing the broad spectrum of social upliftment, human rights and poverty alleviation needs that gained ground during the different historic economic phases of the past two centuries. Historically development thinking progressed from a centralised, structured and systemic approach as, for example, espoused by Adam Smith and Karl Marx, to Maynard Keynes’s more people-centred approach, and more specifically the Capability Approach advanced by Amartya Sen and Martha Nussbaum. In the world of liberal democratic capitalism, the mainstream view of development holds that civil society is a key role player in both deepening democracy and enhancing forms of development through various programmes and practices. In turn, the professionalised Non-Governmental Organisations sector, as opposed to more localised community-based organisations or social movements, tends to receive most donor funding to deliver high impact interventions. In sum, the development of society’s capabilities relies significantly on NGOs to deliver capability enhancing services to the needy in society. A key consideration in development debates has been how to efficiently operationalise the development of capability enhancing activities based in the context of the Capability Approach, the focus of my study. This study recognises that NGOs are major delivery agents of development work, both in South Africa and internationally. Their operations focus on delivering quality impact on their beneficiary communities, and on raising funds to sustain their operations. The current methods to assess the impact of NGO operations, both by NGOs and their donors, primarily address past performance of the organisation in delivering external programmes as measured against the objectives stated in NGO concept and roll-out proposal documents. These assessments are customised for every NGO, making it impossible to standardise assessments for comparative and rating purposes and focus on external delivery. When problems are uncovered, this approach results in proposing corrective recommendations during or after completion of a funding round. This study argues that a gap exists in techniques to assess NGO internal performance to improve external delivery before and during NGO operations. Furthermore, it will contribute to assessing the merits of NGOs' internal capacity to deliver on the promises made in funding proposals - before and during NGO operations. In practice the assessment of an NGO for funding purposes currently consists of consideration of a project proposal in the form of a concept and roll-out document of what the organisation intends to achieve, accompanied by historic record data. The assessment of project roll-out focuses on the outputs claimed in the proposal document without paying too much attention to the NGOs internal organisational culture and capacity which is the key to successful external service delivery. In addressing this two part gap of incomplete assessment techniques and overlooked key internal indicators, the study demonstrates, via a series of ten case-studies, that a direct causal relationship exists between the internal organisational capabilities of an NGO, including the motivation, skills and culture of its staff, and its delivery on its external programmes. In essence, an organisation’s internal capabilities will impact directly on the organisation’s ability to deliver externally on its programmes. In spite of this, no standardised organisational capability assessment is used by NGOs or grantmakers, and to date no set of instruments exists to measure the internal capabilities of NGOs. The study sets out to address this gap by offering a methodology for the systemic assessment of internal NGO capabilities, and includes its operationalisation in a toolkit of instruments to measure these capabilities. The instruments presented enable the quantifying of qualitative staff motivational data to develop comparable baseline results between NGOs assessed, thereby presenting qualitative data in a quantitative form that enables a comparison between NGOs’ performances. This capacity addresses a significant shortcoming in the assessment of NGO performance based on purely qualitative assessment that is the current norm, not enabling a measurement against a standardised baseline for NGO performance. In contrast the validity and reliability of the proposed instruments are demonstrated through its application to ten real-world case studies drawn from the SEEDS Consortium. The system proposed in this study is based on Nel and Beudeker's commercial change management and organisational performance improvement model. Nel developed his system over a period of some twenty years whilst working for the then Arthur Andersen Consulting and subsequently as a private change management consultant focusing on the development of high performance organisations, and it has been administered in more than 3000 companies. This model uses key performance indicators, using quantitative methods to develop a standardised internal capability profile for a business based on qualitative data. This study expands on and makes innovative changes in developing new NGO specific metrics to substantially refine Nel's model and thus provides an instrument for measuring the capability profile of NGOs. The modifications were necessitated as Nel's model was designed for commercial change management applications presupposing that all governance considerations are in place and that the business is a running medium or large concern. Nel's proven commercial change management system does not make provision for NGO specific criteria that are critical indicators for both internal NGO performance assessment and for grant-maker capability assessments. The areas added to the instrument relate to internal NGO specific considerations such as internal governance, management, monitoring and evaluation processes that are standard and legislated compliance issues in commercial concerns. This goes beyond the requirements for a substantial commercial concern to include key internal organisation indicators that reflect the opinion of the staff, the people who deliver on the NGO's objectives. As staff are the people who directly impact on the NGO's output, the system does not only rely on the opinion of the CEO of the NGO or the fundraising staff, i.e. the "promise-makers", alone. In order to assess the value of the proposed method, and more specifically the internal capability toolkit, the measuring instruments were administered to the CEOs and staff of ten NGOs/NGO equivalent projects at universities. The responses were quantified and confirmed that in at least ten of these cases, there is a 95% correlation between internal organisational capability and external performance output, both positive and negative. The results also enabled the creation of a baseline internal capability profile for NGOs. Ten international grant-makers from OECD embassies were also interviewed on current methods of assessing funding applications, indicating a 62% confidence level in current systems and an 84% confidence level in the proposed internal organisational capability assessment method. This serves as an indicator of external delivery on promises and to guide internal change interventions to optimise output. This approach reflects the potential value of a shift in assessment thinking beyond a systems approach towards a people-centred approach that focusses on the measurement and development of the organisation and its staff's internal capabilities to meet and exceed its external delivery objectives. My research confirms that a focus on NGO internal organisational capabilities directly reflects the capability levels of staff to deliver externally. The output is a new, standardised, replicable and defendable methodology and toolkit of instruments for assessing an NGO’s current and future operational performance. The toolkit should also provide for the objective comparison of the performance of NGOs and thus be of great use for future grant-maker decision-making. It will also complement existing assessment techniques by focusing on the internal people motivation and capability issues of an NGO. Furthermore, the study provides a method to support organisational self-improvement efforts and grant-making efficiency that can be used in pre-project and during project capability assessment. This goes beyond the more prevalent post-project systemic and summative evaluation methods. In conclusion, the proposed method and toolkit can make a significant contribution to the efficiency of NGOs as the key role-players in enabling the delivery of capability development of communities and societies. All the elements described collectively point to a practical way to operationalise the Capability Approach, an aspect criticised as a weakness in Amartya Sen's work.

Please read the abstract in the section 00front of this document / Thesis (PhD (Botany))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Plant Science / unrestricted

Chaque année en France, les semenciers sont contraints de déclasser plus de 10 000 tonnes de semences. Ces semences sont actuellement incinérées dans des cimenteries au frais des semenciers et non valorisables dans des procédés de valorisation des agro-ressources, compte tenu de leur teneur non négligeable en pesticides. Par conséquent, il apparaît nécessaire de réduire, dans un premier temps, la quantité de produits phytosanitaires présents dans les enrobages avant de pouvoir valoriser ces semences déclassées.L’objet de cette thèse consiste donc à développer un outil permettant de décomposer une grande partie des produits phytosanitaires présents sur les enrobages par ozonation. Dans un premier temps, une méthode d’extraction par liquide pressurisé a été développée pour la quantification des produits phytosanitaires présents sur les enrobages avant et après ozonation. Cette méthode d’extraction a été validée et a permis de déterminer, par la suite,l’efficacité du traitement d’ozonation sur les semences enrobées.Ensuite, afin d’évaluer l’efficacité d’un traitement à l’ozone, deux pesticides présents dans la solution d’enrobage Gaucho Blé® -l’imidaclopride et le bitertanol- ont été ozonés, en solution aqueuse dans un réacteur agité. Les deux produits ont été dégradés complètement en moins de 30 minutes et la loi cinétique de leurs réactions d’ozonation a montré que l’ordre partiel de la réaction a été de 1 pour l’ozone et pour le pesticide. Les produits de dégradation,formés au cours de l’ozonation, ont aussi été analysés par spectrométrie de masse ESI(+)-MSet la structure de la plupart des produits de dégradation a été déterminée. Un schéma des différentes voies de dégradation de l’imidaclopride et du bitertanol a pu être proposé.Enfin, l’ozonation des pesticides a été étudiée sur les semences de blé tendre enrobées avec la solution de Gaucho Blé® dans un réacteur à lit fixe. L’humidification des grains avant ozonation, la concentration en ozone dans le gaz et la durée de traitement ont semblé être les facteurs importants pour accélérer la cinétique de dégradation des pesticides dans les enrobages. Les pesticides ont été dégradés (respectivement 99 et 90 % de dégradation pour l’imidaclopride et le bitertanol). La loi cinétique de la réaction d’ozonation de l’imidaclopride et du bitertanol a présenté des ordres partiels égaux à 1 pour l’ozone et pour le pesticide. Ce procédé a ensuite été appliqué à d’autres types de semences enrobées et s’est avéré efficace sur tous les principes actifs étudiés. Enfin, les semences enrobées ont été ozonées dans un réacteur prototype (réacteur à plateau vibrant) dans lequel tous les pesticides étudiés ont été dégradés mais à des taux de dégradation plus faibles qu’en réacteur à lit fixe. / Every year in France, seed producers must downgrade more than 10,000 tons of seeds. These seeds are currently incinerated in cement factories at seed producers’ expenses and non available for the processes of valorization of renewable resources, due to their significant pesticide content. Consequently, in the first step, the quantity of pesticides present in the seed loading must be reduced before a subsequent valorization of the downgraded seeds. The purpose of this PhD work is thus to develop a process for the decomposition of a large amount of the pesticides present in the seed loading. First, an extraction procedure by pressurized liquid was developed for the quantitation of phytopharmaceuticals present on the loading before and after the ozonation. This extraction method was validated and enabled to determine, subsequently, the efficiency of the ozonation process on the loaded seeds. In the second time, in order to evaluate the efficiency of an ozonation treatment, both pesticides present in the Gaucho Blé® seed loading solution – imidacloprid and bitertanol – were ozonated, in aqueous solutions in a stirred reactor. Both compounds were completely decomposed in 30 minutes and the kinetic law for the ozonation of both compounds displayed a partial order of 1 for ozone and 1 for the pesticide. Degradation products, formed during the ozonation, were analyzed by mass spectrometry ESI(+)-MS and the structure of most of the compounds was characterized. Degradation pathways for imidacloprid and bitertanol were thus proposed. Finally, the ozonation of pesticides were applied to soft wheat seeds loaded with Gaucho Blé® loading solution, in a fixed bed reactor. The humidification of seeds before ozonation, the concentration of ozone in the inlet gas and the ozonation time were the predominant factors to accelerate the kinetic of degradation of pesticides in the seed loadings. The pesticides were successfully decomposed (respectively 99 and 90 % for the degradation of imidacloprid and bitertanol). The kinetic laws for the ozonation reactions of imidacloprid and bitertanol were determined and the partial orders of the reaction were 1 for both ozone and the pesticide. This process was then applied to the treatment of other loaded seeds and showed good degradation rates for all the studied pesticides. Subsequently, the loaded seeds were ozonated in a prototype reactor equipped with a dynamic plate in which all the pesticides were decomposed but with lower degradation rates than in a fixed bed reactor.