Volume 1

Effect of Age of PluteUa XylosteUa (Lepidoptera: Yponomeutidae) Larvae on Parasitoid Development and Its Suitability for Parasiti1,ation by Cotesia Plutellae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Effect of Age of PluteUa XylosteUa (Lepidoptera: Yponomeutidae) Larvae on Parasitoid Development and Its Suitability for Parasiti1,ation by Cotesia Plutellae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) Shamnugasundaram, J.; Gnaneswaran, R. Cotesia plutellae (Kurdjumov) (Hymcnoplera: Braconidae), is an effective parasitoid of Piute/la xylostella (L.) (Lcpidoptcra: Yponomcutidae :Plutellinae). Life history and level of parasitism of C. plutellale were investigated in relation to host-age under laboratory conditions in Jaffna, Sri Lanka. The study was conducted during April 2004 to May 2005 at mean temperature 25.6 ± 1.5 °C. Female C. plutellale oviposited• in all four instars of host larvae. The highest level of parasitism (99%), represented by the host preference was observed when newly emerged 3rd instar larvae were offered. The level of parasitism increased with the host age up to the 3rd instar and decreased with host age in the 4th instar. Total developmental period of the parasitoid was 12-15 days. The larval period was significantly shorter with the increasing host age but the pupal period was not significantly influenced. The mean adult longevity of the parasitoid population (N=30), developed on 3n1 instar host larva was (16 days) significantly longer than the longevity of the other group of individuals. Body length and wingspan of the adult parasitoids increased with lhe age host-age at initial parasitism. After egression, the host larva survived for nearly 24 hours wilhoul feeding

Critical Success Factors: A Study of Readymade Manufacturing Garments' (RMGs) Entrepreneurs in Bangladesh

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Critical Success Factors: A Study of Readymade Manufacturing Garments' (RMGs) Entrepreneurs in Bangladesh Nimalathasan, B.; Abu, T.M.; Nantbagopan, Y. The role of textile industry is found very prominent in both developed and developing countries in the pace of industrialization. Readymade Manufacturing Garments (RMGs) has played a significant role in the process of economic development in general and industrialization in particular. Garments are the country's biggest export making up about three quarters of total exports, and the industry is a symbol of the country's dynamism in the world economy. The growth of RMGs in Bangladesh is a comparatively recent one. Hence, the present study is initiated on "Critical Success Factors: A Study of Readymade Manufacturing Garments (RMGs) in Bangladesh with samples of fifty garments' entrepreneurs in Chittagong port city. Secondary literature reviews and primary data collections methods were used to conduct the study. Multivariate analysis using "Varimax Rotated Factor Analysis Technique" has been used to analyze the data. The results show that, three factors extracted from the analysis that together accounted for 68.096 percent of ihe total variance. These factors were labelled as seeking opportunity, persuasion and ethics and honesty respectively.

Staff Productivity, Cost of Average Net Portfolio and Portfolio Yield: Special Reference- to Rural Banks in Jaffna District

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Staff Productivity, Cost of Average Net Portfolio and Portfolio Yield: Special Reference- to Rural Banks in Jaffna District Velnampy, T.; Balasingam, P. Most of the organizations including service organizations carry out the business activities through achieving profit. The profit can be enjoyed through maximizing revenues or minimizing expenses .This depends upon the staff productivity. In a way, the researchers analyze the impact of the staff productivity and cost — average net portfolio on portfolio yield in rural banks located in Jaffna district. Number of active loan clients to number of staff members, number of active loan clients to number of loan officers and gross portfolio outstanding per loan officers are used to measure the staff productivity. Operating expenses to average net portfolio and revenue from loan portfolio were computed to measure the cost — average net portfolio and portfolio yield respectively. Out of thirty four branches of co-operative rural banks in Jaffna district, twenty branches were selected for the study during the period of 2002 - 2006. The study concluded that there is no relationship between cost of average net portfolio and portfolio yield. Further, there is no relationship between staff productivity such as clients to staff members, clients to loan officers, gross portfolio outstanding and portfolio yield. However, the impact of staffproductivity shows a lesser impact on portfolio yield. Out of the above three staff productivity ratios, gross portfolio outstanding per loan officer shows the considerable contribution to portfolio yield.

Influence of Different Processing Methods on the Quality of Dried Banana

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Influence of Different Processing Methods on the Quality of Dried Banana Mahendran, T.; Kandeeparuban, P. A study was undertaken to examine the influence of different processing methods on drying rate and quality of banana. The effects of processing methods such as blanching, chilling, freezing and combination treatments on the quality of bananas (Musa acuminata var. Williams) were investigated. The banana fruits were dried at 400C in a heat pump dehumidifier drier at the air velocity of 3.0 m/s until the final moisture content of 25% of dry weight was achieved. The drying rates of all treatments were high initially when the moisture content was highest then decreased rapidly. The blanched samples had the highest moisture content of 32.1% whereas the frozen fruit samples resulted in the shortest drying time of22.4 h compared to the other treätments. The drying rate of banana after application of freezing was found to be 0.099 kgkg-lh;l which was significantly (p