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A conceptual framework for small rural farm-support agribusiness
No full textThree projects:
. Systematic literature review to determine what is known about these businesses.
. The review led to the proposal of a conceptual framework
. Qualitative interviews with business owners to explore personal drivers, business strategies, and business challenges
. Interview
. Nationwide survey of these businesses in process (for ranking
Legacy of pine invasion disrupts plant–soil feedback of native and non-native grasses
No full textPlant–soil feedback (PSF) is a standing concept helping to explain plant species coexistence. Accumulating evidence suggests that PSF depends on the environmental context. One particularly impactful disruption of the environmental context is the invasion of alien species into a community. While PSF between native and non-native species has been linked to invasion success, the effect of an invader on PSF between resident plants has received little attention. We explored how Pinus contorta (lodgepole pine) invasion impacts PSF between four resident grasses (two native and two non-native species). We grew the plants in live soil to condition species-specific soil communities, followed by a response phase where the plants were grown in conspecific and heterospecific soil. Both phases were performed with soil from uninvaded, invaded, or controlled invasion areas. Pairwise PSF between the species in uninvaded soil was negative and became neutral to positive in invaded soil. This effect persisted even after P. contorta removal. Our results suggest a destabilizing effect of P. contorta invasion on the coexistence of the resident grasses, benefitting non-natives over natives. This work exemplifies an overlooked mechanism by which an invader can alter interactions between resident species and adds a novel dimension to the context dependence of PS
Gene variations of FABP4, SCD, GH, and IGF1R and their associations with meat and carcass traits in sheep : A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Lincoln University
No full textThe growing world population is expected to reach nine billion by 2050 (UN, 2019) which positions New Zealand (NZ) as a vital contributor to global food sustainability, particularly in the meat industry. The NZ sheep meat industry is economically significant and continually strives to produce highly desirable and marketable meat as a major protein source for many nations. The production and processing of lamb directly affect its eating quality, which is a key aspect of the value proposition for lamb products offered to consumers. Enhancing economically valuable traits in animal production is a primary focus, achievable through biotechnological approaches such as marker-assisted selection. This method leverages genetic variations within candidate genes that influence production traits, guiding animal breeding efforts to enhance desired characteristics. Improvements in phenotypic traits, including meat quality, growth rate, and carcass composition, provide substantial benefits to the animal production industry. Given that these traits are governed by complex gene interactions, research aimed at identifying variations in candidate genes that drive desirable production traits is increasingly important.
In this context, the main objective of this research is to determine the association of the genes for fatty acid binding protein 4 (FABP4), stearoyl CoA desaturase (SCD), growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF1R) with meat characteristics such as intramuscular fat (IMF) levels, fat percentage, fatty acid profile, and carcass traits. This understanding aims to facilitate the reliable production of juicy, flavourful, and healthier lamb while maintaining the advantages of the NZ quality lamb production system.
A total of 593 NZ lambs were randomly genotyped to identify specific banding patterns representing different variant sequences of each candidate gene. Four genes were initially selected based on their previously demonstrated potential as gene markers for meat and carcass traits. For meat traits, the focus was on FABP4 and SCD, while for carcass traits, GH and IGF1R were examined. The optimised methods for PCR and SSCP were established to balance efficiency and efficacy. Higher PCR annealing temperatures improved band specificity for FABP4 and SCD genotypes. Polyacrylamide gels with 10 - 14% concentration were recommended for SSCP electrophoresis. The new method for SCD reduced processing time by 8 hours, suggesting better time efficiency in genotyping. Overall, of 15 variants were identified: six each from FABP4 and GH, and three from SCD; these three genes were proceeded with nucleotide sequencing analysis and association studies in Chapters 4, 5 and 6.
Chapter 4 aimed to identify specific nucleotide sequence variations in FABP4 exon 3 to intron 3 using another set of sheep (N = 422) with carcass data, and meat data were available from 229 of them. Carcass data were obtained from VIAScan analysis produced at the abattoir, and the backstrap muscle (Longissimus dorsi, LD) samples were collected for meat analysis. The collected meat was weighed frozen, freeze-dried and then were analysed for meat characteristics, including dry matter (DM), IMF %, fat %, and the FA profiles. The FAs were individually measured and categorised based on their characteristics (e.g. saturated FA vs. unsaturated FA) and statistically analysed using generalised linear mixed models (GLMM) for association studies linked with gene variants. The breeds involved included Romney, Perendale and Texel x Suffolk-crossed sheep; blood samples from these lambs were genotyped and sequenced using Sanger sequencing. Sequence alignments, translations and comparisons revealed three variants - A, B and C, with six genotypes: AA, AB, AC, BC, BB and CC. Only intronic variations were identified, and one significant association (p < 0.05) was found between variant C and DM %. No associations were observed for other meat or carcass traits. Variant C revealed an association with lower DM %, suggesting that meat with this variant may attribute to juicier meat. Fat % had the strongest correlation with IMF % (r2 = 0.994; p < 0.05) while IMF % was negatively correlated with omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids. When comparing correlations between meat and carcass traits, fat % and IMF % exhibit moderate relationships with hot carcass weight (HCW) (r² = 0.361; p < 0.05 and r² = 0.398; p < 0.05 respectively). The weak negative correlation between HCW and leg yield suggests that selecting for overall carcass weight may not necessarily improve leg yield – a cut of significant economic importance.
Chapter 5 describes the identification of variations in exon 3 of SCD, genotyped from NZ and Nigerian sheep. A total of 230 sheep from both continents were genotyped to analyse sequence variations. Three unique variants were found, named as variants A, B and C with variant frequencies of 98.9%, 0.9% and 0.2% respectively. Variants B and C are reported here for the first time in the literature. Only three genotypes were found: AA, AB and AC with B and C always appearing heterozygous with variant A. No homozygous individuals were found for variants B or C, and genotypes AB and AC were rare at frequencies of 1.7% and 0.4% respectively. Interestingly, variant B was observed across Oceania and Africa; it was found in one sheep breed from NZ (White Dorper) and three sheep from Nigeria (Uda). Due to the rarity, further association studies are recommended with larger populations encompassing various breeds across broader geographical regions.
In Chapter 6, GH spanning from exon 2 to partial intron 3 was investigated for gene variation, frequency and its associations with meat and carcass traits were analysed using GLMM analysis on the same sheep group studied in Chapter 4. Genotyping for GH variants utilised the PCR-SSCP method optimised in Chapter 3. Variant A had the highest frequency (77%), followed by variant C (14%), and variant B (9%). Genotype AA was the most abundant (59%), followed by AC (21%) with genotype BB at only 0.8%. Nine polymorphisms were identified across all three variants A, B and C. Variant A contained two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in intronic site along with one synonymous SNP in the coding region (c.255A>G p.Pro85Pro), while variant C contained five SNPs relative to the reference sequence and all were located in the non-coding region (intron 2). Variant B had a similar sequence to the reference except at c.174+113G>A. The presence of variant A of ovine GH was associated with an increase in DM % (p = 0.055) and total UFA (p p ≤ 0.10). While HCW is a valuable indicator of overall carcass yield, it may not always reflect meat quality due to its dependence on IMF distribution within specific cuts, such as the leg. This underscores the need for comprehensive evaluation of both carcass and meat trait characteristics to fully understand their interrelationships and potential impacts on consumer preferences and market value.
This research enhances understanding of polymorphism within FABP4, SCD and GH while assessing their potential as genetic markers for improving sheep meat production. The sequence variations found in this study could potentially be used in marker-assisted selection (MAS) for improving meat and carcass traits in sheep, and the outcomes of this research may contribute valuable insights into sheep genetics and meat production
Enhancing tourist loyalty in predominantly Muslim destinations: Integrating religiosity and sense of community into the QVSL model
No full textThis study explores the formation of tourist loyalty among visitors to predominantly Muslim destinations by integrating the Quality-Value-Satisfaction-Loyalty (QVSL) chain model with the concepts of religiosity and sense of community. Data were gathered from 442 inbound Muslim tourists visiting various destinations in Indonesia. Using Partial Least Squares analysis, the study reveals that incorporating religiosity and sense of community into the QVSL chain model enhances predictions of tourist satisfaction and loyalty. The analysis indicates that tourist loyalty and satisfaction are primarily driven by the quality of experiences at attractions and a sense of community. Additionally, religiosity influences tourist loyalty by strengthening their experiences with halal services and products as well as fostering a sense of community. Theoretically, the extended QVSL chain model, which includes religiosity and sense of community, provides new insights into predicting tourist loyalty to predominantly Muslim destinations. From a managerial perspective, the study recommends that destination managers leverage the benefits of tourists' sense of community and religiosity, in addition to offering a comprehensive quality experience
Information nudging and monetary incentives: a green partnership for volunteering?
No full textShifting individual behaviour is an important tool for addressing environmental issues and there is a wide literature evaluating interventions to encourage pro-environmental behaviour. One important question is the effect of combining interventions to affect behaviour. In this paper, we evaluate the effects of two interventions – a monetary incentive and an information nudge targeting intrinsic motivation – on nature restoration volunteering. We use a two-by-two treatment design to evaluate the individual and combined effects of the interventions in a field experiment setting. We find that neither the monetary incentive nor the information nudge alone are effective at shifting behaviour. However, there are considerable positive synergies between the monetary incentive and nudge. The monetary incentive becomes more than twice as effective when it is combined with an information nudge. Our results have important policy implications, showing that concerns around motivation crowding out from monetary incentives could be mitigated by simple, low-cost information nudges targeting intrinsic motivatio
New Members Breakfast - Keynote speaker
No full textNew Members Breakfast 7.00 - 8.00 on Wednesday. Speaker Rural Professional of The Year Dan Smit
Working capital management and firm performance: Evidence from emerging African markets
No full textPurpose - The paper aims to investigate the empirical impact of working capital management (WCM) on firm performance (FP) in the emerging markets of Africa. This paper also aims to investigate this relationship during the global financial crisis of 2008 (GFC, 2008).
Design/methodology/approach - The sample of this study comprises two leading emerging markets in Africa (Egypt and South Africa) based on the MSCI world market classification list for the period 2007–2020. The study employs various regression techniques such as fixed effect and system generalized method of moments. In addition to baseline regressions, the authors applied various preliminary tests and, finally robustness measures. Besides the dependent, independent variables, the study uses firm-level and country macroeconomic-level explanatory variables.
Findings - The study's results indicate that (1) WCM and FP exhibit a direct relationship and (2) the WCM components such as cash conversion cycle, average collection period and the average age of inventory, have a significant inverse relationship, whereas the average payment period has a direct relationship with FP. The robustness results are assessed based on the selection of an alternative proxy for FP measurement, controlling for industry, country, year effect and the exclusion of the GFC 2008.
Practical implications - This study has various implications in terms of theoretical, societal and practical application for practitioners, managers, investors and regulators. In terms of theoretical implications, this is the first study that contributes to the existing body of knowledge in corporate finance and managerial accounting in relation to the examination of this relationship in the African region. Finally, practitioners, including regulators, can benefit from the study's findings while devising investment policies for investors in the region. More specifically, the financial sector conduct authority (FSCA) in South Africa and the financial regulatory authority (FRA) in Egypt can consider these findings to devise financial policies that aim to foster the FP.
Social implications - Society benefits from the study's findings too. The efficient management of the WCM components will raise firm profits and investment opportunities for the society in Egypt and South Africa. A firm with good performance levels will increase salaries and will provide compensation to their employees in terms of bonuses. These compensations are one of the sources for achieving FP, which is evident from existing literature as well in the case of corporate governance studies. These compensations have psychological impacts as well. As society has its basic needs and goods, compensation levels will be tilted less toward societal ethical issues.
Originality/value - This study has various distinguishing features, which prior studies mostly lack, as most of these studies are on an individual country dataset, shorter periods, mixed results, lesser explanatory variables and no country-related control variables. The authors addressed all these challenges and provided robust results based on various measurement alternatives for the African markets. The study's results confirm a direct relationship between WCM and FP for South Africa and Egypt reflecting the emerging markets in Africa
The intertwining of western and indigenous worldviews in education – An Aotearoa New Zealand case study in marketing education
No full textThis study explores the integration of Te Ao Māori (the Māori worldview) and kaupapa Māori (Māori ideology) in education practice, using the case of the marketing discipline. The marketing academy acknowledges that a greater integration of Indigenous knowledge and worldviews is needed (Love & Hall, 2022). Specifically, Love and Hall (2022) call for cultural control, non-appropriation and participatory approaches. The well-known work of Smith (1999) in Decolonizing Methodologies provides guidance around conducting kaupapa Māori research, and Indigenous frameworks that acknowledge the value of drawing together two different knowledge streams, such as, He Ara Whiria Braided Rivers (Macfarlane, Macfarlane, & Gillon, 2015) and Two Eyed Seeing (Marshall & Bartlett, 2004), offer useful starting points. But practically implementing this in a way that is respectful of both (and indeed, all) worldviews, and puts the students first, remains a challenging endeavour for Indigenous and non-Indigenous educators alike. The authors’ empirical investigation on marketing practitioner’s perspectives on the use of Māori cultural elements highlighted a gap in existing education offerings, which saw the development of a bi-cultural marketing course at Lincoln University. However, scaling this in a way that is respectful and student-centric remains a challenging endeavour. This study seeks to draw out practical insights for those wishing to bring together differing, but complementary, knowledge streams in marketing education and beyon
Intrathalamic delivery of adeno-associated viral vector expressing progranulin as gene therapy for GRN-related frontotemporal dementia
Full text linkGRN mutations leading to progranulin haploinsufficiency can cause frontotemporal dementia. AVB-101, an investigational gene therapy comprising an adeno-associated virus construct expressing codon-optimized human GRN under a neuronal promoter, was delivered intrathalamically to mice, sheep, and non-human primates. AVB-101 reversed pathology in Grn⁻⁄ ⁻ mice and achieved widespread cortical biodistribution in sheep brain, with human progranulin protein detected in the majority of prefrontal cortical neurons. Conversely, human progranulin was undetectable in sheep cortical neurons following intra-cisterna magna administration of AVB-101 or adeno-associated viruses containing progranulin under a ubiquitous promoter. AVB-101 was well tolerated in cynomolgus macaques with no adverse events reported for the 6-month duration of the study. At all doses tested, human progranulin protein was detected throughout the cortex while absent in peripheral tissues. Human progranulin levels in cerebrospinal fluid and prefrontal cortex tissue were closely correlated in sheep and non-human primates, confirming that an increase in cerebrospinal fluid progranulin levels reflects neuronal expression of AVB-101. Thus, AVB-101 is well tolerated in various animal models, and intrathalamic administration delivers progranulin at levels sufficient for cross-correction throughout the brain. These data support the progression of AVB-101 to clinical development in humans with frontotemporal dementia caused by GRN mutations
