Evaluating the efficacy of insecticides to control Sceliodes cordalis (Doubleday) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) in eggplant

The efficacy of insecticides in controlling Sceliodes cordalis, eggfruit caterpillar, in eggplant was tested in four small plot trials because there has been a very limited range of insecticides available to manage this pest. Weekly applications of bifenthrin, flubendiamide, methoxyfenozide, chlorantraniliprole and spinosad and twice weekly applications of methomyl provided control as measured by a percentage of damaged fruit significantly lower than that in an untreated control. Twice weekly applications of methoxyfenozide, chlorantraniliprole or spinosad were not significantly more effective than weekly applications. Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki, emamectin benzoate, indoxacarb, methomyl and pyridalyl applied weekly were ineffective, with percentages of damaged fruit not significantly different from the untreated control. These trials have identified a number of insecticides that could be used to manage S. cordalis, including several that would be compatible with integrated pest management programs in eggplant.

Systematic Usage of Embedded Modelling Languages in Automated Model Transformation Chains

Annotation of programs using embedded Domain-Specific Languages (embedded DSLs), such as the program annotation facility for the Java programming language, is a well-known practice in computer science. In this paper we argue for and propose a specialized approach for the usage of embedded Domain-Specific Modelling Languages (embedded DSMLs) in Model-Driven Engineering (MDE) processes that in particular supports automated many-step model transformation chains. It can happen that information defined at some point, using an embedded DSML, is not required in the next immediate transformation step, but in a later one. We propose a new approach of model annotation enabling flexible many-step transformation chains. The approach utilizes a combination of embedded DSMLs, trace models and a megamodel. We demonstrate our approach based on an example MDE process and an industrial case study.

Extending BPM Environments of Your Choice with Performance Related Decision Support

What-if Simulations have been identified as one solution for business performance related decision support. Such support is especially useful in cases where it can be automatically generated out of Business Process Management (BPM) Environments from the existing business process models and performance parameters monitored from the executed business process instances. Currently, some of the available BPM Environments offer basic-level performance prediction capabilities. However, these functionalities are normally too limited to be generally useful for performance related decision support at business process level. In this paper, an approach is presented which allows the non-intrusive integration of sophisticated tooling for what-if simulations, analytic performance prediction tools process optimizations or a combination Of Such solutions into already existing BPM environments. The approach abstracts from process modelling techniques which enable automatic decision support spanning processes across numerous BPM Environments. For instance, this enables end-to-end decision support for composite processes modelled with the Business Process Modelling Notation (BPMN) on top of existing Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) processes modelled with proprietary languages.

Towards Utilizing Model-Driven Engineering of Composite Applications for Business Performance Analysis

Composite Applications on top of SAPs implementation of SOA (Enterprise SOA) enable the extension of already existing business logic. In this paper we show, based on a case study, how Model-Driven Engineering concepts are applied in the development of such Composite Applications. Our Case Study extends a back-end business process which is required for the specific needs of a demo company selling wine. We use this to describe how the business centric models specifying the modified business behaviour of our case study can be utilized for business performance analysis where most of the actions are performed by humans. In particular, we apply a refined version of Model-Driven Performance Engineering that we proposed in our previous work and motivate which business domain specifics have to be taken into account for business performance analysis. We additionally motivate the need for performance related decision support for domain experts, who generally lack performance related skills. Such a support should offer visual guidance about what should be changed in the design and resource mapping to get improved results with respect to modification constraints and performance objectives, or objectives for time.