Genetic improvement and effective dissemination: keys to prosperous and sustainable aquaculture industries

There is an increasing demand for fish in the world due to a growing population, better economic situation in some sectors, and greater awareness of health issues in relation to food. Since capture fisheries have stagnated, fish farming has become a very fast growing food production system. In this presentation, the author gives an overview of the technologies that are available for genetic improvement of fish, and briefly discuss their merit in the context of a sustainable development. He also discusses the essential prerequisites for effective dissemination of improved stock to farmers. It is concluded that genetic improvement programs based on selective breeding can substantially contribute to sustainable fish production systems. Furthermore, if such genetic improvement programs are followed up with effective dissemination strategies, they can result in a positive impact on farmers' incomes.

Production-related risk in rice-fish culture: a target MOTAD analysis

The article is a summary of the preliminary results of an AFSSRN-funded study on Risk Programming of Rice-Fish Production Systems in the Philippines conducted early 1993 by the AFSSRN-CLSU team. The results show that rice-fish culture leads to a higher rice production compared to rice monoculture.

Uma Metodologia para Auxiliar no Processo de Conversão de Bases Cartográficas Utilizando o Padrão da Estrutura de Dados Geoespaciais Vetoriais.

Na década de 80, o surgimento de programas de computadores mais amigáveis para usuários e produtores de informação e a evolução tecnológica fizeram com que as instituições, públicas e privadas, se aperfeiçoassem em estudos sobre sistemas de produção cartográfica apoiados por computador, visando a implementação de Sistemas de Informação Geográfica (SIG). A pouca simultaneidade de forças entre órgãos interessados, resultou em uma grande quantidade de arquivos digitais com a necessidade de padronização. Em 2007, a Comissão Nacional de Cartografia (CONCAR) homologou a Estrutura de Dados Geoespaciais Vetoriais (EDGV) a fim de minimizar o problema da falta de padronização de bases cartográficas. A presente dissertação tem como foco elaborar uma metodologia de trabalho para o processo de conversão de bases cartográficas digitais existentes no padrão da Mapoteca Topográfica Digital (MTD), do Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE), para o padrão da EDGV, bem como suas potencialidades e limitações para integração e padronização de bases cartográficas digitais. Será feita uma aplicação da metodologia utilizando a carta topográfica de Saquarema, na escala de 1:50.000, vetorizada na Coordenação de Cartografia (CCAR) do IBGE e disponível na Internet. Como a EDGV foi elaborada segundo técnicas de modelagem orientada a objetos, foi necessário um mapeamento para banco de dados relacional, já que este ainda é utilizado pela maioria dos usuários e produtores de informação geográfica. Um dos objetivos específicos é elaborar um esquema de banco de dados, ou seja, um banco de dados vazio contendo todas as classes de objetos, atributos e seus respectivos domínios existentes na EDGV para que possa ser utilizado no processo de produção cartográfica do IBGE. Este esquema conterá todas as descrições dos objetos e de seus respectivos atributos, além de já permitir que o usuário selecione o domínio de um determinado atributo em uma lista pré definida, evitando que ocorra erro no preenchimento dados. Esta metodologia de trabalho será de grande importância para o processo de conversão das bases cartográficas existentes no IBGE e, com isso, gerar e disponibilizar bases cartográficas no padrão da EDGV.

Considerations about effective dissemination of improved fish strains

Aquaculture production systems in developing countries are largely based on the use of unimproved species and strains. As knowledge and experience are accumulated in relation to the management, feeding and animal health issues of such production systems, the availability of genetically more productive stock becomes imperative in order to more effectively use resources. For instance, there is little point in providing ideal water conditions and optimum feed quality to fish that do not have the potential to grow faster and to be harvested on time, providing a product of the desired quality. Refinements in the production system and improvement of the stock used must progress hand in hand. In this paper we deal separately with genetic and non-genetic issues pertaining to the multiplication and dissemination of improved strains. The separation is somewhat arbitrary, and as will be evident from our discussion, there is frequent interaction between the two.

Growth performance, recovery rate and fish yield of GIFT strain at various water depths under rice-fish culture systems

Effect of water depth on recovery rate, growth performance and fish yield of GIFT in the rice-fish production systems was studies in experimental plots of 123 m2 with a pond refuge of I meter deep which covered 10% of the total land area. Mortality rate of fish was very low ranging from 0.81-1.63%. However, at harvest, recovery rate ranged from 76.69-82.93% with the highest recovery at 11-15 em of water depth. Significantly the highest absolute growth (99.97) and specific growth rate (2.42%) were found at 21-25 cm water depth. The same treatment also produced significantly higher fish yield (909.76 kg/ha) although statistically similar to the fish yield (862.60 kg/ha) obtained at ll-15 em of water depth. Results also suggested that higher water depth can produce bigger fish but no significant effects of water depth was found on fish yield in the treatments 11-15 cm and 21-25 cm water depths of this experiment.

Effect of stocking density on growth and yield of GIFT tilapia under rice-fish production system

The study was conducted at the Central Experimental Station, Philippine Rice Research Institute, Maligaya, Science City of Munoz, Nueva Ecija, Philippines during the wet season to determine the suitable stocking density(s) for better growth and yield of fish under rice-fish production systems. Recovery rate of GIFT tilapia in different stocking densities ranged from 75.74 to 83.47%. Among different treatments, rice +5,000 fingerlings/ha and rice +10,000 fingerlings/ha resulted in the highest recovery rate of 83.33% and 83.47%, respectively. The lowest recovery rate of 75.75% was obtained from rice +20,000 fingerlings/ha, but similar to that was obtained (78.56%) from rice +15,000 fingerlings/ha. Significantly higher rate of gain in body weight and that of specific growth rate were recorded in the treatment from rice +5,000 fingerlings/ha, while other treatments resulted in similar absolute and specific growth rate. Fish yield increased significantly with relatively higher stocking densities, but higher densities produced maximum number of smaller fishes and also lower recovery rate.

Proceedings of an international workshop on the value of computer-based engineering tools, held in Cambridge in April 1997

There is increasing adoption of computer-based tools to support the product development process. Tolls include computer-aided design, computer-aided manufacture, systems engineering and product data management systems. The fact that companies choose to invest in tools might be regarded as evidence that tools, in aggregate, are perceived to possess business value through their application to engineering activities. Yet the ways in which value accrues from tool technology are poorly understood.

This report records the proceedings of an international workshop during which some novel approaches to improving our understanding of this problem of tool valuation were presented and debated. The value of methods and processes were also discussed. The workshop brought together British, Dutch, German and Italian researchers. The presenters included speakers from industry and academia (the University of Cambridge, the University of Magdeburg and the Politechnico de Torino)

The work presented showed great variety. Research methods include case studies, questionnaires, statistical analysis, semi-structured interviews, deduction, inductive reasoning, the recording of anecdotes and analogies. The presentations drew on financial investment theory, the industrial experience of workshop participants, discussions with students developing tools, modern economic theories and speculation on the effects of company capabilities.

Modular distributed manufacturing systems and the implications for integrated control

Driven by the need for more responsive manufacturing processes and as a consequence of increasing complexity in products and production systems, this short paper introduces a number of developments in the area of modular, distributed manufacturing systems. Requirements for the development of such systems are addressed and, in particular, the relevance to current and future integrated control systems is examined. One of the key issues for integrated control systems in the future is the need to provide support for distributed decision-making in addition to existing distributed control capabilities.

Tools for Assessing the Responsiveness of Existing Production Operations

A set of audit tools is being prepared for assessing the response capability of a production operation, as part of an EPSRC1 funded investigation into improving the responsiveness of manufacturing production systems. These tools are based on the idea that the ability to respond is linked to i) the nature of the disturbances or changes requiring a response, ii) their impact on production goals and iii) the decision processes which initiate system responses to disturbances.

A Computer integrated unified modelling approach to responsive manufacturing

Computer modelling approaches have significant potential to enable decision-making about various aspects of responsive manufacturing. In order to understand the system prior to the selection of any responsiveness strategy, multiple process segments of organisations need to be modelled. The article presents a novel systematic approach for creating coherent sets of unified enterprise, simulation and other supporting models that collectively facilitate responsiveness. In this approach, enterprise models are used to explicitly define relatively enduring relationships between (i) production planning and control (PPC) processes, that implement a particular strategy and (ii) process-oriented elements of production systems, that are work loaded by the PPC processes. Coherent simulation models, can in part be derived from the enterprise models, so that they computer execute production system behaviours. In this way, time-based performance outcomes can be simulated; so that the impacts of alternative PPC strategies on the planning and controlling historical or forecasted patterns of workflow, through (current and possible future) production system models, can be analysed. The article describes the unified modelling approach conceived and its application in a furniture industry case study small and medium enterprise (SME). Copyright © 2010 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.

CULTIVO e uso do Estilosantes-campo-grande.

Equipe multidisciplinar: Ademir Hugo Zimmer, CNPGC; Armindo Neivo Kichel, CNPGC; Bela Grof; Carlos Maurício Soares de Andrade; Celso Dornelas Fernandes, CNPGC; Francisco Assis Rolim Pereira; Haroldo Pires Queiroz, CNPGC; Hortência Maria Abranches Purcino; Jaqueline Rosemeire Verzignassi, CNPGC; José Alexandre Agiova da Costa, CNPGC; José Marcelino Sobrinho (in memorian); José Marques da Silva, CNPGC; José Raul Valério, CNPGC; Leônidas da Costa Schalcher Valle; Manuel Cláudio Motta Macedo, CNPGC; Maria José D´Ávila Charchar; Maria do Socorro Bona Nascimento; Marta Pereira da Silva; Rosângela Maria Simeão Resende; Roza Maria Shunke. Histórico e descrição da cultivar. Principais atributos do estilosantes-campo-grande. Fixação biológica de nitrogênio e valor nutritivo. Desempenho animal. Ssutentabilidade de sistemas. Adaptação ao clima. Exigência de solo e adubação. Estabelecimento do estilosantes-campo-grande. Preparo da área para semeadura. Preparo mínimo ou plantio direto. Semeadura. Manejo de plantas daninhas nas pastagens consorciadas com o estilosantes-campo-grande. Manejo do pastejo para o estabelecimento do consórcio. Manejo da pastagem visando à persistência do consórcio. Pragas. Doenças. Outros usos do estilosantes-campo-grande. Uso correto do estilosantes-campo-grande.