http://repo.lib.sab.ac.lk:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/895 2026-04-08T02:08:30Z http://repo.lib.sab.ac.lk:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/919 SEASONAL VARIATION OF GROWTH AND YIELD PERFORMANCE OF MUSTARD (Brassica juncea (L.) Czern & Coss) GENOTYPES IN SRI LANKA Weerakoon, S. R; Somaratne, S Seasonal variations affect growth and yield of a crop, primarily by changing its phenological developmental processes. A study was conducted to establish the relationship between growth, yield and their seasonal variations using ten mustard accessions (AC 501, 515, 580, 790, 1099, 1814, 2122, 5088, 7788 and 8831). The field study was conducted in a site at Nagollagama in Kurunegala District during two growing seasons, Maha and Yala. There was a significant variation in agronomic and phenological characters in different mustard accessions between two seasons, Maha and Yala, and among the accessions (p ≤ 0.05). Plant growth was affected by variations in climatic conditions. Soil moisture was unlimited and comparatively steady in Maha, but significantly fluctuated during Yala. Difference in soil nutrients, temperature and relative humidity during two seasons also contributed the variation in plant growth. Significantly high yields were obtained from all mustard accessions during the Maha season. There is a substantial variability of yield potential in different mustard genotypes in studied. Three mustard accessions (AC 580, AC 5088 and AC 7788) produced significantly higher yield in Maha and AC 7788 produced highest yield in Yala season as well, showing adaptability to seasonal variations. 2011-01-01T00:00:00Z http://repo.lib.sab.ac.lk:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/915 SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS PREDISPOSING FARMERS’ PRODUCE TO PILFERAGE IN IDAH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF KOGI STATE, NIGERIA Ebojei, C.O; Odekina, F.O; Mosimabale, V.O; Abdullahi, A. N A study was carried out on six communities in Idah Local Government Area of Kogi State to determine the socioeconomic factors predisposing farmers produce to pilferage. Simple Random Sample was used to select a total of one hundred and ten respondents from the villages. Primary data were collected from the respondents using a structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and regression model were used to achieve the objectives of the study. The results show that about 74% of the sampled farmers were between the ages of 20-49 years, 33% were female while 67% were male. The result also revealed that measures adopted by farmers in the study area to curb pilferage include vigilance group, charms and amulets, building of fences round farm/storage structure etc. Multiple regression result run on the socioeconomic factors showed that household size, Farm size, Security measures and Attractive farm/crop variety were the factors that predisposes farmers produce to pilferage. The study recommends the need for community/village heads and elders of good repute to have a meeting with a view to strengthening social controls in their communities that will checkmate defiant behaviours like pilferage. 2011-01-01T00:00:00Z http://repo.lib.sab.ac.lk:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/913 EVALUATION OF FIVE DNA EXTRACTION METHODS IN THE DETECTION OF SALMONELLA ENTERICA FROM MEAT USING NESTED PCR Rathnayaka, R.M.U.S.K Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) based detection methods have received significant attention in food borne microbial pathogen detection. However, reliability and sensitivity of these methods are highly depending on the extraction of adequate amount of pure DNA using appropriate extraction method. Hence, selection of appropriate DNA extraction method is very important in PCR based detection of microbial pathogens. In this study, the extraction efficiency of five commonly used DNA extraction methods was evaluated. Salmonella enterica was used as experimental organism and five extraction methods were tested for their ability to extract DNA from spiked pork meat samples. Pork meat samples were incubated for four hours after being added a dilution series (100 – 103 CFU/mL) of Salmonella enterica culture. Then DNA was extracted from those samples by the five commonly used DNA extraction methods. Using extracted DNA, fliC gene of Salmonella was amplified by Nested PCR. Out of those five methods, the modified Fontana and Kapperd methods were found to be more effective in DNA extraction. In addition, those methods gave high detection sensitivity of 101CFU/mL in Nested PCR amplification. 2011-01-01T00:00:00Z http://repo.lib.sab.ac.lk:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/912 IMPACT OF ENVIRONMENTAL ALTRUISM ON ADOPTION OF SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN THE FIRM: CASE OF AGRI-FOOD PROCESSING SECTOR IN SRI LANKA Udugama, J. M. M; Jayasinghe-Mudalige, U. K; Anjali, G. H. I This study examines empirically the potential relationship between the environmental altruism of a firm’s decision maker on environmental quality and the level of adoption of enhanced environmental controls by the firm using the special case of adoption of solid waste management practices (SWMPs) recommended by the Ministry of Environment of Sri Lanka to the agri-food processing firms in Sri Lanka. The data collected from 275 firms by means of an in-depth interview with the environmental manager/owner were used to formulate a Weighted Environmental Altruism Index (WEAI) to estimate the degree of altruism of the manager. The Count Data Model was specified to assess the relationship between altruism and levels of adoption of SWMPs. The results suggest that the degree of environmental altruism of these mangers was relatively low (i.e. 0.25, on an average, of the WEAI ranges from -1 to 1) and the level of adoption of SWMPs was very unsatisfactory (i.e. Mean 1.2 with 47% of non-adopters) showing no significant relationship between these two factors. This implies the importance of augmenting the perspective of a firm’s management beyond the profits through a collaborative action of the firm and other social institutions to make sure that the businesses will not be liable for the environment it operates. 2011-01-01T00:00:00Z