The role of NGO in informal seed production and dissemination: The case of eastern Ethiopia

Seed is the basic input to crop production. Farmer-based seed production as an alternative agricultural technology transfer is increasingly given especial attention in developing countries where food insecurity is critical. This paper aims to assess the seed production and dissemination strategy among smallholder farmers in eastern Ethiopia that has been introduced by Hararghe Catholic Secretariat (a Non-GovernmentalOrganization). A survey of 160 households in four administrative districts and focus group discussions were used to collect data. While narratives helped understand the process, logistic regressionwas used to identify determinants of land allocation to seed production. Results indicate the crucial role of informal networks and social capital as facilitators of access to production inputs, information and knowledge. The informal seed supply system initiated by the NGO has a huge potential to benefit smallholder farmers by improving their access to higher-yielding varieties of various crops, thereby contributing to an increase in their wellbeing. However, the traditional practice of seed exchange, influenced by social relations, will remain uneconomical to seed producers. Thus, the paper suggests that this potential can be further exploited if some preconditions such as establishment of seed banks, investment in human capital, removal of the underlying constraints and creation of reliable seed markets are given emphasis.

Bacteriemia asociada a catéter epicutáneo en la unidad de cuidado intensivo neonatal de la Fundación Cardioinfantil

La bacteriemia asociada a catéter afecta a pacientes en las unidades de cuidado intensivo con una alta morbilidad, mortalidad y aumento de los costos al sistema de salud. Los recién nacidos son la población de más alto riesgo por el mayor uso de catéteres centrales. Objetivo: Caracterizar factores de riesgo para bacteriemia asociada a catéter en la Unidad de Cuidado Intensivo Neonatal de la Fundación Cardioinfantil entre 2005 - 2010 Materiales y método: Estudio descriptivo de corte transversal, incluyó todos los recién nacidos con diagnostico de bacteriemia asociada a catéter. Se analizó la información utilizando frecuencias y medidas de tendencia central. Resultados: Se encontraron 50 pacientes con diagnostico de bacteriemia asociada a catéter. 50% de género masculino, 52% con edad gestacional al nacimiento menor a 36 semanas y 24% con peso menor a 1500 gramos al momento de la inserción del catéter. La edad fue de 24.2 días al momento de la inserción del catéter. En el 66% de los pacientes el sitio de inserción fue el miembro superior, siendo el Sthaphylococcus Epidermidis el germen con el 50% de las bacteriemias. Conclusión: La bacteriemia asociada a catéter afecta paciente prematuros, de bajo peso sin diferencias en genero. La manipulación de dichos dispositivos, el sitio de inserción, el uso previo de antibióticos, la duración del catéter y el uso de nutrición parenteral son factores que están asociados al mayor riesgo de infección. Siendo el Staphylococcus Epidermidis el germen mas frecuente.

Virtualization of seed research: perhaps a continuity model.

The research nurseries serve as a initiative designed for the purpose of contribute to the breakdown of seizure paradigms of knowledge, supported by a theoretical model of discernment that exceed the traditional method of learning in the classroom, to transcend critical insights into transforming the environment under an autonomous space to provide tools essentially scientific, but with ethical criterion and social commitment. Such a conception, however, could be perceived as talkative, and even metaphorical, at the contrast of reality purely versatile in which the neophyte not only tries to get enough of the fruit of knowledge, but also requires that appropriate strategies are put forward to achieve seizure. Then arises, from the formative entelechy the use of technological tools based on virtual learning environments, in order to enhance motivation as an alternative against the blurring of perspectives and the emerging business in some types of nurseries, stranded attitude, that sometimes not far from the master model.

Neuromuscular dressing effects: a literature review

The kinesio taping is a technique that was created in 1979 by Doctor Kenzo Kase I’m looking through it that could generate a new therapeutic option to control pain, improve athletic performance and reduce the impact of musculoskeletal disorders. From the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, this technique as a therapeutic alternative PTO and is composed of health professionals in the field of sport and physical rehabilitation. Objetive: This article aims to identify theoretical approaches on the bandage neuromuscular. Material and methods: held today, for which conducted a literature search of databases such as como Proquest, Ovid, Cochraine, PEDro, Journal ofOrthopedic and Sports Physical, Sciencedirect, Pubmed y Literatura Latinoamericana y del Caribe en Ciencias de la Salud (Lilacs). The paper proposes a scheme of contextualization of the current landscape of the use and effects of kinesio taping in the management of different pathologies of the musculo-skeletal system in sports. Conclusion: it is concluded that currently many health professionals, and take the neuromuscular bandage a good therapeutic option in the management of diseases affecting the human body is investigated and every day more about the subject, which makes these new therapeutic methods to acquire a scientific value and transcends knowledge.

From seed to sunflower.

Se describe de la forma más sencilla posible la historia del crecimiento y cambio de una semilla de girasol. El texto es de letra grande con dos o tres frases por cada doble página que tiene grandes ilustraciones acompañadas de otro tamaño de letra cuando es necesario proporcionar una mayor información. También hay un glosario.

The tiny seed.

Relato a modo de cuento del ciclo de vida de una flor. El recorrido lleno de obstáculos de una multitud de pequeñas semillas desde que el fuerte viento otoñal, las esparce por el aire y la tierra, pasando por todas las estaciones del año hasta llegar otra vez al otoño. Solamente, una de ellas consigue llegar a tierra fértil y germinar en una flor en primavera.

Dressing up with Mr. Bumble.

El señor Bumble invita a sus amigos a una fiesta de disfraces, y el lector debe adivinar de qué se disfraza cada invitado antes de levantar la solapa de la página para encontrar la respuesta.

Building wood debris piles benefits avian seed dispersers in burned and logged Mediterranean pine forests

Salvage logging is a common practice carried out in burned forests worldwide, and intended to mitigate the economic losses caused by wildfires. Logging implies an additional disturbance occurring shortly after fire, although its ecological effects can be somewhat mitigated by leaving wood debris on site. The composition of the bird community and its capacity to provide ecosystem services such as seed dispersal of fleshy-fruited plants have been shown to be affected by postfire logging. We assessed the effects of the habitat structure resulting from different postfire management practices on the bird community, in three burned pine forests in Catalonia (western Mediterranean). For this purpose, we focused on the group of species that is responsible for seed dispersal, a process which takes place primarily during the winter in the Mediterranean basin. In addition, we assessed microhabitat selection by seed disperser birds in such environments in relation to management practices. Our results showed a significant, positive relationship between the density of wood debris piles and the abundance of seed disperser birds. Furthermore, such piles were the preferred microhabitat of these species. This reveals an important effect of forest management on seed disperser birds, which is likely to affect the dynamics of bird-dependent seed dispersal. Thus, building wood debris piles can be a useful practice for the conservation of both the species and their ecosystem services, while also being compatible with timber harvesting

Can salvage logging affect seed dispersal by birds into burned forests?

The recovery of vegetation in Mediterranean ecosystems after wildfire is mostly a result of direct regeneration, since the same species existing before the fire regenerate on-site by seeding or resprouting. However, the possibility of plant colonization by dispersal of seeds from unburned areas remains poorly studied. We addressed the role of the frugivorous, bird-dependent seed dispersal (seed rain) of fleshy-fruited plants in a burned and managed forest in the second winter after a fire, before on-site fruit production had begun. We also assessed the effect on seed rain of different microhabitats resulting from salvage logging (erosion barriers, standing snags, open areas), as well as the microhabitats of unlogged patches and an unburned control forest, taking account of the importance of perches as seed rain sites. We found considerable seed rain by birds in the burned area. Seeds, mostly from Olive trees Olea europaea and Evergreen pistaches Pistacia lentiscus, belonged to plants fruiting only in surrounding unburned areas. Seed rain was heterogeneous, and depended on microhabitat, with the highest seed density in the unburned control forest but closely followed by the wood piles of erosion barriers. In contrast, very low densities were found under perches of standing snags. Furthermore, frugivorous bird richness seemed to be higher in the erosion barriers than elsewhere. Our results highlight the importance of this specific post-fire management in bird-dependent seed rain and also may suggest a consequent heterogeneous distribution of fleshy-fruited plants in burned and managed areas. However, there needs to be more study of the establishment success of dispersed seeds before an accurate assessment can be made of the role of bird-mediated seed dispersal in post-fire regeneration

Patterns of pollen and seed dispersal in a small, fragmented population of the wind-pollinated tree Araucaria angustifolia in southern Brazil

Paternity analysis based on eight microsatellite loci was used to investigate pollen and seed dispersal patterns of the dioecious wind- pollinated tree, Araucaria angustifolia. The study sites were a 5.4 ha isolated forest fragment and a small tree group situated 1.7 km away, located in Paran alpha State, Brazil. In the forest fragment, 121 males, 99 females, 66 seedlings and 92 juveniles were mapped and genotyped, together with 210 seeds. In the tree group, nine male and two female adults were mapped and genotyped, together with 20 seeds. Paternity analysis within the forest fragment indicated that at least 4% of the seeds, 3% of the seedlings and 7% of the juveniles were fertilized by pollen from trees in the adjacent group, and 6% of the seeds were fertilized by pollen from trees outside these stands. The average pollination distance within the forest fragment was 83 m; when the tree group was included the pollination distance was 2006m. The average number of effective pollen donors was estimated as 12.6. Mother- trees within the fragment could be assigned to all seedlings and juveniles, suggesting an absence of seed immigration. The distance of seedlings and juveniles from their assigned mother- trees ranged from 0.35 to 291m ( with an average of 83m). Significant spatial genetic structure among adult trees, seedlings, and juveniles was detected up to 50m, indicating seed dispersal over a short distance. The effective pollination neighborhood ranged from 0.4 to 3.3 ha. The results suggest that seed dispersal is restricted but that there is longdistance pollen dispersal between the forest fragment and the tree group; thus, the two stands of trees are not isolated.

Influence of sodium chloride on seed germination and seedling root growth of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.)

Response of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L. cv. NIAB-78) to salinity, in terms of seed germination, seedling root growth and root Na+ and K+ content was determined in a laboratory experiment. Cotton seeds were exposed to increasing salinity levels using germination water with Sodium chloride concentrations of 0, 50, 100, 150 and 200 mM, to provide different degrees of salt stress. Germinated seeds were counted and roots were harvested at 24, 48, 72 and 96 h after the start of the experiment. It appeared that seed germination was only slightly affected by an increase in salinity (in most cases the differences between treatment were non-significant), whereas root length, root growth rate, root fresh and dry weights were severely affected, generally highly significant differences in these variables were found for comparisons involving most combinations of salinity levels, in particular with increased incubation period. K+ contents decreased with increasing salinity levels, although differences in K+ content were only significant when comparing the control and the 4 salinity levels. Na+ content of the roots increased with increasing levels of NaCl in the germination water, suggesting an exchange of K+ for Na+. The ratio K+/Na+ strongly decreased with rising levels of salinity from around 4.5 for the control to similar to 1 at 200 mM NaCl.

Effects of patch size and density on flower visitation and seed set of wild plants: a pan-European approach

1. Habitat fragmentation can affect pollinator and plant population structure in terms of species composition, abundance, area covered and density of flowering plants. This, in turn, may affect pollinator visitation frequency, pollen deposition, seed set and plant fitness. 2. A reduction in the quantity of flower visits can be coupled with a reduction in the quality of pollination service and hence the plants’ overall reproductive success and long-term survival. Understanding the relationship between plant population size and⁄ or isolation and pollination limitation is of fundamental importance for plant conservation. 3. Weexamined flower visitation and seed set of 10 different plant species fromfive European countries to investigate the general effects of plant populations size and density, both within (patch level) and between populations (population level), on seed set and pollination limitation. 4. Wefound evidence that the effects of area and density of flowering plant assemblages were generally more pronounced at the patch level than at the population level. We also found that patch and population level together influenced flower visitation and seed set, and the latter increased with increasing patch area and density, but this effect was only apparent in small populations. 5. Synthesis. By using an extensive pan-European data set on flower visitation and seed set we have identified a general pattern in the interplay between the attractiveness of flowering plant patches for pollinators and density dependence of flower visitation, and also a strong plant species-specific response to habitat fragmentation effects. This can guide efforts to conserve plant–pollinator interactions, ecosystem functioning and plant fitness in fragmented habitats.

Global transcript analysis of rice leaf and seed using SAGE technology.

We have compiled two comprehensive gene expression profiles from mature leaf and immature seed tissue of rice (Oryza sativa ssp. japonica cultivar Nipponbare) using Serial Analysis of Gene Expression (SAGE) technology. Analysis revealed a total of 50 519 SAGE tags, corresponding to 15 131 unique transcripts. Of these, the large majority (approximately 70%) occur only once in both libraries. Unexpectedly, the most abundant transcript (approximately 3% of the total) in the leaf library was derived from a type 3 metallothionein gene. The overall frequency profiles of the abundant tag species from both tissues differ greatly and reveal seed tissue as exhibiting a non-typical pattern of gene expression characterized by an over abundance of a small number of transcripts coding for storage proteins. A high proportion ( approximately 80%) of the abundant tags (> or = 9) matched entries in our reference rice EST database, with many fewer matches for low abundant tags. Singleton transcripts that are common to both tissues were collated to generate a summary of low abundant transcripts that are expressed constitutively in rice tissues. Finally and most surprisingly, a significant number of tags were found to code for antisense transcripts, a finding that suggests a novel mechanism of gene regulation, and may have implications for the use of antisense constructs in transgenic technology.