Eksperimentai atlikti 2009–2010 m. Lietuvos žemės ūkio universiteto bandymų stotyje, kur dirvožemis karbonatingas sekliai glėjiškas išplautžemis (Calc(ar)i-Epihypogleyic Luvisol), o prieš sėją dirvožemio pH – 6,7, judriojo fosforo – 235 mg kg-1, judriojo kalio – 189 mg kg-1. Mūsų tyrimo tikslas buvo nustatyti sėjos laiko įtaką žieminių rapsų skrotelės formavimuisi rudenį ir peržiemojimui kintančio klimato sąlygomis. Atlikus tyrimus, nustatyta, kad pagal biometrinius parametrus, žieminiai rapsai, sėti rugpjūčio 20 d. – rugsėjo 5 d., buvo geriausiai pasiruošę žiemojimui: jie turėjo 6,4–9,6 lapus, šaknies kaklelio storis buvo 4,5–10,2 mm, viršūninio pumpuro aukštis buvo 9,1–45,6 mm. Žieminių rapsų hibridinės veislės 'Kronos', auginimas ir vystymasis rudenį bei peržiemojimas, buvo geresni, negu žieminių rapsų linijinės veislės 'Sunday'. Žieminai rapsai veislės 'Kronos' ir 'Sunday', sėti rugpjūčio 30 d. – rugsėjo 5 d. peržiemojo geriausiai. Hibridiniai rapsai buvo mažiau jautrūs sėjos laikui, nes jie tiek ankstyvesnės (rugpjūčio 10-20 d.), tiek vėlyvesnės (rugsėjo 10 d.) sėjos peržiemojo geriau už linijinius. Labai vėlyva rapsų sėja turėjo neigiamą įtaką žiemojimui. Pasėti rugsėjo 15 d. tiek ‘Sunday’, tiek ‘Kronos’ veislių žieminių rapsų pasėliai neperžiemojo. Rapsų žiemojimas priklausė nuo skrotelės lapų skaičiaus, šaknies kaklelio storio ir viršūninio pumpuro aukščio bei nuo temperatūrų, didesnių nei +2oC sumos, kuri stipriais koreliaciniais ryšiais tiesiogiai susieta su rapsų... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The experiment carried out in 2009–2010 in the Experimental Station of Lithuanian University of Agriculture, where is shallow calcareous luvisol (Calc(ar)i-Epihypogleyic Luvisol) and before sowing soil pH – 6.7, phosphorus 235 mg kg-1, potassium – 189 mg kg-1. Aim of our research was to determine the effect of sowing time of winter oilseed rape in autumn and during the winter changing climatic conditions. The research showed that according to biometric parameters, winter rape, sown on 20 August – 5 September, was best prepared for the winter: they had 6.4 - 9.6 leaves, root of the neck thickness was 4.5–10.2 mm, apical bud height was 9.1–45.6 mm. The growth and development in the autumn and during the winter, of hybrid winter rape variety 'Kronos', was better than the linear variety of winter rape 'Sunday'. Winter rape varieties 'Kronos' or 'Sunday', sown on 30 August – 5 September, over wintered best. Hybrid rape were less sensitive to sowing date, because they both of earlier (10–20 August) and late (10 September) sowing dates over wintered better than linear. Very late sowing date had a negative impact on the over wintering. Sown on 15 September 'Sunday' and 'Kronos' varieties of winter rape crop has not over wintered. Rape wintering depends on the number of rosette leaves, root collar thick ness, apical bud height and the sum of high temperatures, higher than +2oC the which is in the strong possitive correlation wish the rape crowns morphometric parameters.

Le palmier dattier (Phoenix dactylifera L.) est une espèce fruitière dioïque tropicale qui revêt une importance capitale sur le plan alimentaire, socio-économique et écologique pour les régions arides du globe. Malgré l'intérêt de disposer d'un outil moléculaire pour discriminer les plante s mâles et femelles pour les programmes d'amélioration génétique, aucun marqueur spécifique du sexe n'a été identifié et validé à ce jour. Afin de pouvoir étudier et comprendre le déterminisme sexuel du palmier dattier, nous avons entrepris la description et la caractérisation des processus cellulaires et moléculaires associés à la différenciation des organes sexuels. L'étude histologique du développement reproducteur a montré que le bourgeon floral est d'apparence bisexuelle jusqu'à l'initiation des primordia de l'androcée et du gynécée. Le premier dimorphisme sexuel observé à ce stade correspondant à un gynécée plus large dans les fleurs femelles résulterait d'une activité mitotique plus importante dans les cellules du gynécée fertile par rapport à son équivalent non fonctionnel. Les organes sexuels stériles, staminodes et pistillodes, cessent ensuite leur développement et présentent une différentiation incomplète. Des études d'hybridation in situ de l'expression du gène codant l'histone H4, marqueur de l'activité mitotique, ont montré que le blocage du développement des staminodes et des pistillodes serait dû à un arrêt des divisions cellulaires. Nos investigations de l'intégrité cellulaire par des observations en microscopie électronique à transmission et par coloration de l'ADN confirmeraient que l'avortement des organes stériles ne résulte pas d'un processus de dégradation cellulaire et nucléaire. De plus, l'étude de la méthylation de l'ADN par immunodétection des cytosines méthylées révèle que, par rapport aux organes fertiles, les pistillodes et les staminodes se distinguent par leur niveau plus élevé de méthylation. Ces résultats sont en cohérence avec la réversibilité du blocage de ces organes observés in planta ou in vitro en réponse à une induction hormonale. L'ensemble de ces données montrent que l'unisexualisation des fleurs de palmier dattier est associée à une hyperméthylation globale de l'ADN suivi d'un arrêt des divisions cellulaires dans les organes sexuels stériles. Cette étude a permis d'améliorer nos connaissances sur les mécanismes qui gouvernent la différenciation des organes sexuels et permettra d'ouvrir des perspectives pour l'identification de marqueurs moléculaires du sexe chez le palmier dattier. / The date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) is a dioecious tropical fruit crop plant which has vital dietary, socio-economic and ecological importance in arid regions of the world. Despite the interest of developing molecular tools to discriminate male and female plants for the benefit of biodiversity preservation and genetic improvement programs, no sex-specific markers have been identified and validated to date. To study and understand the sex determination of date palm, we undertook to characterise the cellular and molecular processes underlying sex organ differentiation in this plant.A histological study of date palm reproductive development showed that the immature flower is bisexual in appearance until the initiation of the androecium and gynoecium. The first sign of sexual dimorphism is observed at this stage, namely a wider gynoecium in female flowers resulting from greater mitotic activity in the functional gynoecium of female flowers compared to the pistillode of male ones. The sterile sex organs (pistillode and staminodes) were observed to cease their development by progressive loss of cell proliferation and ultimately displayed incomplete differentiation.Cell division patterns and the nuclear integrity of reproductive organs were investigated respectively by RNA in situ hybridization to a histone H4 gene probe and by DNA coloration combined with scanning electron microscopy. The results obtained revealed an absence of cell cycle activity and nuclear degradation in the residual sex organs. In addition, a study of DNA methylation, by immunodetection of methylated cytosines revealed that compared to the fertile reproductive organs, staminodes and pistillodes displayed relatively high levels of global DNA methylation. These results are consistent with the observed reversibility of sterile organ developmental arrest observed in planta or in vitro in response to hormonal induction. Overall, these data demonstrate that the floral unisexuality of date palm is characterized by cell cycle arrest, higher DNA methylation in sterile sexual organs and an absence of cell degeneration rather than a cell death process. This study has improved our understanding of the mechanisms that govern the differentiation of sex organs and forms a useful starting point for research on the identification of molecular markers of sex determination in date palm.Kewords: Date palm - flower - sex determination - cell cycle - DNA methylation

The year 2000 (Y2K) problem presented a fortuitous opportunity to explore the relationship between estimated costs of software projects and five cost influence dimensions described by the Year 2000 Enterprise Cost Model (Kappelman, et al., 1998) -- organization, problem, solution, resources, and stage of completion. This research was a field study survey of (Y2K) project managers in industry, government, and education and part of a joint project that began in 1996 between the University of North Texas and the Y2K Working Group of the Society for Information Management (SIM). Evidence was found to support relationships between estimated costs and organization, problem, resources, and project stage but not for the solution dimension. Project stage appears to moderate the relationships for organization, particularly IS practices, and resources. A history of superior IS practices appears to mean lower estimated costs, especially for projects in larger IS organizations. Acquiring resources, especially external skills, appears to increase costs. Moreover, projects apparently have many individual differences, many related to size and to project stage, and their influences on costs appear to be at the sub-dimension or even the individual variable level. A Revised Year 2000 Enterprise Model is presented incorporating this granularity. Two primary conclusions can be drawn from this research: (1) large software projects are very complex and thus cost estimating is also; and (2) the devil of cost estimating is in the details of knowing which of the many possible variables are the important ones for each particular enterprise and project. This points to the importance of organizations keeping software project metrics and the historical calibration of cost-estimating practices. Project managers must understand the relevant details and their interaction and importance in order to successfully develop a cost estimate for a particular project, even when rational cost models are used. This research also indicates that software cost estimating has political as well as rational influences at play.

La Maladie de la Feuille Cassante du Palmier dattier (Phoenix dactylifera L.) constitue un cas d'émergence d'une maladie à fort impact économique causée par un agent étiologique inconnu. Notre stratégie a visé à élaborer une approche sans à priori de l'émergence pouvant être transposée à n'importe quelle situation de ce type. En nous appuyant sur des caractérisations successives des compartiments viraux, bactériens et fongiques de tissus sains et malades, nous avons cherché à mettre en évidence des différences de composition spécifiques et de distribution de ces flores sur 2 campagnes de prélèvements réalisées en 2010 et 2012. Alors que la microscopie électronique à transmission nous a permis de visualiser des structures d'origine virale probable au niveau des chloroplastes du parenchyme chlorophyllien, une étude moléculaire de séquençage de gènes ribosomaux nous a permis de corréler l'apparition de ces structures a de profondes modifications qualitative et quantitative de la microflore endophyte. Ainsi il nous est apparu que la symptomologie de la maladie était corrélée à une modification profonde de la distribution spécifique de la microflore endophyte, visible à la fois au niveau du compartiment fongique et bactérien, suggérant la complète disparition de la pression de sélection exercée par le palmier sain sur sa flore et mise en évidence dans les 2 cas, par un shift d'une répartition de type Poisson vers une répartition normale. Dans le compartiment fongique, une claire déplétion des Pleosporaceae, associées à la plante saine pouvait ainsi être liée à une apparition de nouvelles familles (Trichocomaceae et Mycosphaerellaceae). De même, parmi les bactéries, une disparition des Rhizobium et Ensifer sp associés au compartiment racinaire de la plante saine a ainsi pu être mise en évidence, ces espèces pouvant servir ultérieurement d'indicatrices de bonne santé des palmiers. Dans une deuxième partie de notre travail nous avons cherché à utiliser des éléments de la flore endophyte mais également de substances naturelles dans la lutte biologique contre d'autres pathogènes du palmier. Ainsi, un antagonisme a été mis en évidence entre une souche endophyte d'Arthrobacter agilis et un pathogène majeur, Fusarium oxysporum sp Albedinis / The Brittle Leaf Disease of the Date Palm Tree (Phoenix dactylifera L.) constitutes a case study of an emerging disease of economic impact caused by a yet uncharacterized etiologic agent. Our strategy was to develop an approach that could be indistinctly transposed to any situation of this type. While basing our investigations on the successive characterization of the diversity of viral, bacterial and fungal endophytic compartments of healthy and diseased Palm trees, we aimed at enlightening differences in species composition but also distribution over two sampling campaigns performed in 2010 and 2012. While transmission electronic microscopy allowed us to visualize structures of probable viral origin affecting chloroplasts of the chlorophyllic cell layer, a molecular approach based on ribosomal gene sequencing allowed us to evidence correlations between the occurrence of such structures and deep modifications of the structure of the palm date tree associated endophytic flora suggesting a strong depletion of the ability of the palm to control its associated endophytes. This was evidenced in both fungal and bacterial compartments by a shift from a Poisson like diversity distribution towards a Gaussian distribution in the flora associated to MFC affected palms. In the fungal compartment, Pleosporaceae, that dominated in healthy palms were replaced by an opportunistic flora of Trichocomaceae and Mycosphaerellaceae. Among bacteria, the disappearance of Rhizobium and Ensifer species, typically associated to the root compartment of healthy palms was enlighten, suggesting that these species could indeed be used as biomarkers of healthy plant status. In a second part of this study, we investigated the potential use of cultivable palm endophytes, but also natural compounds for biocontrol applications. In particular, we evidence the antagonistic potential of Arthrobacter agilis, a palm endophyte, against a major palm date disease agent, Fusarium oxysporum sp. Albedinis.

[pt] Objetivos: três são os objetivos centrais da presente pesquisa de mestrado em metrologia: (i) no âmbito da missão institucional da Divisão Serviço da Hora (DSHO) do Observatório Nacional (ON), desenvolver um diagnóstico da melhor capacidade de medição e do sistema da qualidade do Laboratório Primário de Tempo e Freqüência (LPTF); (ii) à luz das práticas internacionais, calcular e expressar as incertezas de medição associadas à realização e disseminação das unidades de tempo e freqüência em âmbito nacional; (iii) em atendimento às exigências do Acordo de Reconhecimento Mútuo celebrado pelo Brasil no âmbito da Convenção do Metro, preparar e disponibilizar a declaração da melhor capacidade de medição (CMC) do LPTF, na base de dados do Bureau International des Poids et Mesures (BIPM). Motivação: a presente pesquisa de mestrado foi motivada pela necessidade de se: (i) formalizar a melhor capacidade de medição na base internacional de dados Key Comparison Data Base (KCDB) do Bureau International des Poids et Mesures (BIPM); (ii) adequar a nova estrutura do DSHO/ON às instalações da recém-construída infraestrutura laboratorial; (iii) estabelecer a rastreabilidade nacional em TF para atender à nova formulação introduzida pelo BIPM (método AV); (iv) implementar o Plano de Ações para melhoria do Sistema da Qualidade da DSHO, pré- condição ao reconhecimento nacional e internacional da metrologia brasileira em TF. Contextualização: em Metrologia, as comparações interlaboratoriais constituem-se em prática e exigências para se garantir padronização e a confiança mútua nos processos de desenvolvimento e aprimoramento de métodos e processos de medição. A medição e difusão da grandeza tempo (data-hora) necessitam rastreabilidade permanente e contínua ao padrão mundial, impondo aos laboratórios que participam da cadeia de rastreabilidade uma responsabilidade e dificuldade operacional para manutenção ininterrupta deste serviço. A melhoria e manutenção do Sistema da Qualidade, a caracterização das incertezas de medição e a divulgação desses dados junto aos foros internacionais por meio do BIPM constituem responsabilidades da missão institucional do Laboratório Primário de Tempo e Freqüência. Metodologia: o trabalho desenvolveu-se em conformidade aos seguintes preceitos metodológicos: (i) diagnóstico e caracterização dos padrões (primários e secundários), equipamentos e sistemas de medição disponíveis; (ii) identificação das variáveis críticas dos sistemas de medição, com vistas à determinação das incertezas a elas associadas, tendo como referência o Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement (GUM) e a Variância de Allan (avaliação da estabilidade de osciladores); (iii) caracterização da estrutura da rastreabilidade brasileira em tempo e freqüência e definição do seu status junto ao BIPM (formalizado mensalmente pela sua Circular-T); (iv) caracterização da melhor capacidade de medição do LPTF, para torná-la disponível na base de dados KCDB do BIPM. Resultados: à luz das práticas internacionais, os seguintes resultados foram consolidados: (i) expressão das incertezas de medição associadas à realização e disseminação das unidades de Tempo e Freqüência do LPTF do Brasil; (ii) expressão e padronização da melhor capacidade de medição em TF do LPTF para inclusão na base de dados internacional KCDB do BIPM; (iii) caracterização e equacionamento de questões críticas dos processos de calibração que afetam a melhor capacidade de medição e do Sistema da Qualidade da DSHO. Conclusões: com base numa avaliação crítica do sistema instalado, o presente trabalho contribuiu para a consolidação de um sistema de metrologia primária de TF mais robusto no Brasil, viabilizando a implementação operacional de novos padrões e equipamentos, rotinas de monitorament / [en] Objectives: the three main objectives of the present research project are as follows: (i) to develop a diagnosis of the best calibration and measuring capability and the quality system of the Brazilian National Time and Frequency Primary Laboratory ( LPTF ) of the Time Service Division ( DSHO ) of the National Observatory (ON) ; (ii) to calculate and express, in accordance with international practices, the measuring uncertainties associated with the achievement and dissemination of the time and frequency units within the country and (iii) to prepare and make available the declaration of the best calibration and measurement capability (CMC) of the LPTF according to the database of the Bureau International des Poids et Measures (BIPM) as required by the Mutual Recognition Agreement (signed by Brazil within the scope of the Convention of the Metre). Motivation: several factors motivated this master´s degree research project: (i) the necessity of making available the best calibration and measurement capability according with the international Key Comparison Data Base (KCDB ) of the Bureau International de Poids et Measures (BIPM); (ii) the need to adapt the new structure of the Time Service Division (DSHO) of the National Observatory (ON) to the recently built laboratory infrastructure; (iii) the necessity of establishing a national traceability of TF according to the new format introduced by the BIPM (AV method) and (iv) the urgent need to implement the Action Plan to improve the Quality System of the DSHO, a pre-established condition to both, national and international recognition. Context: In metrology, interlaboratory comparisons are common practice. This is the recommended procedure to guarantee standardization and mutual recognition in the development and improvement of methods of measurement. Measurement and dissemination of time (date-hour), in particular, requires continuous and permanent traceability to international standards as they impose to time and frequency laboratories an uninterrupted provision of this service. The improvement and surveillance of the Quality System, the characterization of the measuring uncertainties and dissemination of time and frequency data to the relevant international fora to meet BIPM requirements constitute responsibilities of the institutional mission of any Primary Time and Frequency Laboratory. Methodology: the present work was developed in accordance with the following methodological principles: (i) diagnosis and characterization of the standards (primary and secondary), equipment and measuring systems available at the LPTF; (ii) identification of the critical variables of the measuring systems to determine the uncertainties associated with the measuring of time and frequency, having the Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement (GUM) and the Allan Variance (oscillators stability evaluation) as reference; (iii) characterization of the Brazilian time and frequency traceability structure and its formalization in accordance with the monthly formalized BIPM Circular-T; (iv) characterization of the CMC of the LPTF to make it available at the KCDB of the BIPM. Results: according to international practices, the following results were consolidated: (i) expression of the measuring uncertainties associated to the realization and dissemination of time and frequency; (ii) expression and standardization of the best calibration and measuring capability in time and frequency of the LPTF to be included in the BIPM Key Comparison Data Base; (iii) characterization and understanding of critical issues inherent to calibration processes which directly affect the best measurement capability and the Quality System of the DSHO. Conclusion: based on a critical evaluation of the metrological system in place, the present work has contributed to the consolidation of a more robust primary system of time and frequency in Brazil. Such system allows for the

O presente trabalho aborda o problema de determinação de datas de entrega e o sequenciamento de tarefas com tempos de processamento estocásticos. O ambiente considerado constitui em uma máquina simples e tarefas com custos individuais e distintos de adiantamento e atraso de entrega (earliness e tardiness ou simplesmente E/T). O objetivo é determinar a sequência e as datas de entrega ótimas que simultaneamente minimizam o custo total esperado de E/T. Para a determinação de sequências candidatas, são apresentadas diversas heurísticas construtivas com tempo de execução polinomial baseadas em um método de inserção de tarefas. Considerando tarefas com distribuição normal, experimentos computacionais comprovam a eficácia dos algoritmos para problemas de menor porte, os quais fornecem soluções ótimas em 99,85% dos casos avaliados. Quando aplicadas a um conjunto com uma maior quantidade de tarefas, as heurísticas apresentaram resultados melhores do que o algoritmo disponível na literatura em mais de 80% dos casos. Consideradas tarefas com distribuição lognormal, obteve-se um percentual de otimalidade entre 93,87% e 96,45%, a depender da heurística aplicada. Demonstra-se ainda para o caso com distribuição normal que os métodos propostos são assintoticamente ótimos e, portanto, são indicados para a resolução de problemas de grande porte. / This work addresses the problem of concurrent due-date assignment and sequencing of a set of jobs on a stochastic single-machine environment with distinct job earliness and tardiness penalty costs. It is assumed that the jobs processing times are statistically independent and follow a normal distribution whose mean and variance are provided and they are not necessarily integer values. The objective is to determine the job sequence and the integer due dates which minimize the expected total earliness and tardiness costs. Several efficient insertion-based construction heuristics are proposed in order to find candidates for the optimal sequence with polynomial time complexity. For the normal distribution problem, numerical experiments show that the proposed heuristic methods are able to find the optimal solution in 99,85% when applied to problems with a smaller size. When applied to problems with a bigger size, the solutions found by the proposed heuristics had better costs than the solutions described in the literature in more than 80% of cases. For the lognormal distribution problem, the proposed heuristic methods provided solutions with a percentage of optimality between 93,87% and 96,45%. Furthermore, for the normal distribuition case, it was proven that the heuristics are asymptotically optimal, i.e., it can be used for problems of any size.

Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-25T19:29:49Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 LucasNatanaelWisch.pdf: 1535950 bytes, checksum: 7b05791c9aa7a46f71ea7e20db744589 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-10-31 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Soybean is one of the main oleaginous crop produced in Brazil. Studies on populational dynamic and immature stage vertical distribution in soybean canopy are very important to improve technology application and control timing. We studied population dynamics and vertical distribution of eggs and larvae of the velvetbean caterpillar, Anticarsia gemmatalis and two Plusiinae species, during the cycle of two soybean cultivars of different growth habits in three sowing dates. Experiments were conducted on Coodetec 206 and BMX Potência RR cultivars during the 2010/2011 growing season in Ponta Grossa, Paraná state. Samples were collected through the crop cycle. Eggs and caterpillars from each third of the plant (bottom, middle and upper) and on different plant structures (main stem, branches, pods and adaxial or abaxial surfaces of leaves) were quantified. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis analysis. Plusiinae species occurred simultaneously with A. gemmatalis, which was the predominant species. Highest densities of eggs and larvae of A. gemmatalis were recorded during the second half of January and February. In February we observed the highest densities of Plusiinae. Through the late sowing season we recorded the highest densities of immature stages of Noctuidae. The highest eggs densities for A. gemmatalis and Plusiinae occurred in the middle third (44.03% and 45.99%, respectively) of the canopy followed by the lower (31.96% and 34.18%) and upper portion (24.01% e 19.83%). Small larvae of A. gemmatalis were found mainly in middle (44.08%) and lower third of the plant (36.97%), while medium larvae occurred in higher density in the middle (42.86%) and upper (41.90%) stratum. Meanwhile, most of the large larvae are found in the upper portion of the canopy (63.41%). Highest densities of small, medium and large Plusiinae larvae, we found in middle (43.37%, 44.63% e 44.83%, respectively) and lower (49.46%, 31.40% e 31.03%) third of the canopy. Eggs and caterpillars were found mainly on the abaxial surface of leaflets. / A soja é uma das principais oleaginosas cultivadas no Brasil. Os estudos sobre a ocorrência dos estádios imaturos de Noctuídeos e sua distribuição espacial no perfil da planta são de grande importância para definir o momento de controle e aprimorar a tecnologia de aplicação. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a flutuação populacional e a distribuição vertical de ovos e larvas dos principais Noctuídeos, Anticarsia gemmatalis e Plusiinae, durante o ciclo de duas cultivares de soja de diferentes hábitos de crescimento em três épocas de semeadura. Os experimentos foram conduzidos durante a safra 2010/2011 no município de Ponta Grossa – PR, em três épocas diferentes de semeadura das cultivares Coodetec 206 e BMX Potência RR. As amostragens foram realizadas durante todo o ciclo da cultura em diferentes alturas da planta (terço superior, médio e inferior) e em diferentes estruturas da planta (haste principal, ramos, vagens e face adaxial ou abaxial das folhas). Os dados foram analisados através da estatística descritiva e do teste não-paramétrico de Kruskal-Wallis. As espécies de Plusiinae ocorreram simultaneamente a A. gemmatalis, a qual foi a espécie predominante. As maiores densidades de ovos e lagartas de A. gemmatalis foram registradas na segunda quinzena de janeiro e durante o mês de fevereiro, mês em que se observou maior densidade de Plusiinae. As semeaduras mais tardias apresentaram as maiores densidades de estádios imaturos de Noctuídeos. A maior oviposição, tanto para A. gemmatalis quanto a Plusiinae ocorreu no terço médio (44,03% e 45,99%, respectivamente) seguido pelo inferior (31,96% e 34,18%) e superior (24,01% e 19,83%). As lagartas pequenas de A. gemmatalis foram encontradas principalmente nos terços médio (44,08%) e inferior (36,97%), enquanto as lagartas médias ocorreram em maior densidade nos estratos médio (42,86%) e superior (41,90%) e os indivíduos grandes, na região apical (63,41%) do dossel. A maior densidade de lagartas de Plusiinae pequenas, médias e grandes foi observada no terço médio (43,37%, 44,63% e 44,83%, respectivamente) e inferior (49,46%, 31,40% e 31,03%). Os ovos e as lagartas dos Noctuídeos foram encontrados, principalmente, na face abaxial dos folíolos.

In two studies focused on finding predictors of dating accuracy of autobiographical memories, events were split into categories based on respondent independent characteristics (independent on respondents' evaluation) and other, which can be ascertained from date reconstruction (event lenght, theme, temporal schemata, landmark connection, self-events and other-events). The present study is part of a larger project on which I cooperated with A. Neusar (2012) and the present results supplement his study in the fields on which he did not focus in detail or at all. The first study was focused on dating accuracy of events from 2005 to 2008 and here events connected to a landmark, self-events and extended events and also holiday and relationship events and changes were dated more accurately. Temporal schema helped with estimating the month of the year. Women were on average more accurate and specifically also in thematic categories, e.g., in estimating the date of child events. The second study was focused on dating events from recent two and half months. Events connected to a landmark and Easter, self-events and extended events were dated more accurately. Higher accuracy was found also among events connected to the leisure activities and birthday category. Women were more accurate in dating events from...

The objective of this thesis is to advance our understanding of how consumers use date labels and the implications of date-label use for household dairy product waste. It does this by investigating the effect of psychological, social, and contextual factors on date-label use and willingness to consume dairy products in relation to the expiry date. These effects are tested using structural equation models and survey data gathered from 548 Scottish consumers. The results of this study make two contributions to the literature on date-labelling and food waste. The first contribution is primarily theoretical. By improving our understanding of how consumers use date labels and the implications of date-label use for household dairy product waste, it supports the contention that food waste is best understood, not as a behaviour, but as the outcome of multiple behaviours. It argues that in order to understand why food waste is created, it is important to identify the factors that affect the individual behaviours that lead to it, such as date-label use, and how these behaviours relate to one another. These results also have implications for communications and campaigning around food waste reduction. The second contribution has policy relevance. It provides evidence of the likely limited effect of increasing the number of dairy products labelled with a best-before date rather than a use-by date on food waste. This is an approach recently proposed to reduce household food waste. It finds that better knowledge of the best-before date is associated with a higher willingness to consume products after the best-before date has passed. However, perceived risks about consuming products beyond their best-before date, including not just safety but quality, freshness, and social acceptability, appear to interact with date-label knowledge and dampen its influence. It argues that to be effective, any changes in date-labelling should be accompanied by communication that goes beyond improving date-label knowledge, and addresses the multifaceted nature of related risk perceptions and conceptions of date-label trust.

Thesis (M. Agricultural Management (Agronomy)) -- University of Limpopo, 2018 / A survey study identified indigenous leafy vegetables (ILVs) utilized by rural communities in Limpopo Province in the three districts of Capricorn, Sekhukhune and Vhembe focusing on their availability, agronomic practices, marketing, medicinal and cultural roles, as well as their nutritional value. An ILV that was highly preferred and with good marketing potential was identified for further studies on its response to planting density and nitrogen fertilizer rate. A questionnaire survey was used to gather information about types of ILVs utilised, their production practices, marketing of ILVs and their importance in medicinal and cultural roles. Data collected were subjected to analysis using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) using descriptive statistics. Results showed that there were 45 different types of ILVs identified from the three districts in Limpopo Province. Farmers indicated that cultivation of these vegetables was mostly done from October to January in Sekhukhune and Capricorn district while in Vhembe it was practiced all year round. Most of farmers in Vhembe district used inorganic fertilizer during planting while farmers in Sekhukhune and Capricorn districts used organic fertilizers such as cattle manure. Irrigation was commonly used in Vhembe district through furrow irrigation system whereas in Capricorn and Sekhukhune districts most farmers relied on rainfall. Farmers indicated that harvesting was done at an early growing stage of the crop. Indigenous leafy vegetables were mostly marketed in local communities. Several ILVs were identified as preferred and regularly consumed as vegetables. Spider plant (Cleome gynandra) and nightshade (Solanum retroflexum) were identified as the most consumed ILVs in the three districts. Comparing the market potential of the two vegetables, S. retroflexum was chosen for further studies on its response to plant density and nitrogen fertilizer rate. The first study investigated the effect of varying plant density (inter and intra-row spacing) and the second study evaluated the response of intra-row spacing and nitrogen fertilizer (LAN-28%N) rate on growth and yield of S. retroflexum during 2014 (April to May) and 2015 (March to May) growing seasons. The plant density experiment was laid out as a 3 x 4 factorial arrangement in a randomised complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The treatment factors were 3 inter-row spacings of 30, 45 and 60 cm and 4 intra-row spacings of vi 7.5, 15, 22.5 and 30 cm. The data collected included plant height, plant vigour, number of leaves and branches per plant as well as plant leaf yield. Data were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) using STATISTIX 10.0 package and mean treatments were separated using Turkey HSD at 5% probability level. The results revealed that growth parameters (plant height, plant vigour, number of branches and leaves) and plant leaf yield were significantly influenced by the combined inter and intra-row spacings. Closer inter-row spacings of 30 cm and 45 cm, and intra-row spacings of 7.5 and 15 cm produced the highest values of parameters and plant leaf yield. The combined spacings of 30 x 7.5 cm produced the highest plant leaf yield. The second study was also laid out as a randomised complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The treatments were 6 x 2 factorial arrangement: 6 levels of nitrogen (LAN-28%N) at 0, 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100 kg N/ha and two intra-row spacings of 15 and 30cm. Inter-row spacing of 30 cm was used. The nitrogen fertilizer was applied a week after transplanting and repeated a week after first harvesting. Data was subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) using STATISTIX 10.0 package. Where significant differences were detected, means were separated using Turkey HSD at 5% propability level. The results suggested that both nitrogen fertilizer and spacing can be used to enhance growth and leaf yield of S. retroflexum vegetable. Nitrogen fertilizer rate and plant density significantly (P≤0.05) affected plant growth and plant leaf yields. Growth parameters and leaf yield were optimised using closer spacing of 15 cm and applying nitrogen at 60 kg N/ha. The application of 60 kg N/ha and 15 cm spacing was therefore recommended for the production of S. retroflexum as a vegetable, if planted at 30 cm inter-row spacing. Key words: Indigenous leafy vegetables, agronomic practices, Solanum retroflexum, planting density, nitrogen fertilizer, planting date