Coverage of Women Issues in the Pakistan’s Press: A Critical Analysis

The aim of this research is to thoroughly analyze the part multilingual dailies play in covering women issues in Pakistan. It is rooted from national newspapers, the Daily ‘Dawn’, the Daily ‘Jang’ and the Daily ‘Kawish’ in the year of 2011. The study explores to what extent of the violence against women and education issue of women is dealt by the sampled dailies. The study employed content analysis a quantitative research methodology during 1st January 2011 to 31st December 2011. The contents of the newspaper were measured in column per centimeter of the space of one year. For this research work three major dailies of three different languages, the Daily Dawn, the Daily Jang and the Daily Kawish were selected. In sum up, an elite class newspaper the Daily Dawn has published 562 very little issues of women and used 0.6 percent of the total capacity which is of 4353024 co./cm in the year of 2011. However, the Sindhi language newspaper, the Daily Kawish has used 2430 a little more issue of women and covered 2.3 percent of total capacity of 1678976 col./cm of this daily in 2011. To some extent, the Urdu language newspaper the Daily Jang has reported 1297 more number of women issues and used 1 percent of total capacity of 2423616 col./cm in one year. Hence, the result shows that Pakistani press gives a little bit space to issues of women rights. Although, the Daily Dawn and the Daily Kawish have reported more issues of violence against women but the Daily Jang (an Urdu language newspaper) has covered more education problems of women in its newspaper in the year of 2011.

Pre and Postharvest Management to Improve Yield and Quality of Strawberry Fragaria X Ananassa Cv. Chandler

Strawberry is highly nutritious and economically important small fruit crop. In Pakistan strawberry yield and area is very less. Poor and irregular pre harvest practices cause decrease in marketable yield and shelf life. This research was executed to observe the pre and postharvest effects of salts and growth regulators on marketable yield and qualitative characteristics of strawberry. Pre harvest foliar practices consisted of CaCl2 (0, 3, 5, 7 mM), ZnSO4 (0, 50, 100, 150 mg L-1), GA3 (0, 50, 100, 150 mg L-1) and SA (0, 3, 6, 9 mM) those were sprayed on strawberry plants at different growth stages (three to four leaves stage and during fruit setting) to enhance the growth, marketable yield and quality attributes of strawberry. Among the CaCl2 treatments 7 mM was found best for enhancing leaf growth (15.25 plant-1), leaf area (37.0 cm2), crown growth (6.50 plant-1) and runners (7.0 plant-1) during growing season. Maximum marketable yield (348.50 g plant-1), fruit firmness (0.96 kg. cm-2), vitamin C contents (55.69 mg 100 g-1) and TPC (186.50 GAE mg 100 g-1) were also observed with 7 mM CaCl2 treatment. Foliar spray of 100 mg L-1 ZnSO4 was found best for enhancing leaf growth (18.25 plant-1), leaf area (52.0 cm2), crowns (7.0 plant-1) and marketable yield (369.0 g plant-1) with lower unmarketable fruit. Foliar application of 9 mM SA was observed better for increasing the leaf production (19.25 plant-1), leaf area (51.0 cm2), crowns (7.50 plant-1) and runners (6.75 plant-1). Minimum numbers of days (20.0) were required for flower anthesis when plants were sprayed with 9 mM SA foliar spray. Maximum marketable yield (414.25 g plant-1), vitamin C contents (56.72 mg 100 g-1), phenolic contents (191.50 GAE mg 100 g-1) and higher antioxidant activities (71.25% DPPH) were also noted from strawberry fruits where plants were treated with 9 mM SA foliar spray. Gibberellic acid (150 mg L-1) showed the superiority for enhancing the vegetative growth while marketable yield and fruit quality was not improved with same concentration of GA3. Maximum marketable yield (381.50 g plant-1), fruit TSS contents (7.85 ºBrix), vitamin C contents (52.23 mg 100 g-1) and higher antioxidant activities (64.75% DPPH) were observed from 100 mg L-1 GA3. Confirmatory trial was conducted for comparing the previous year best treatments from each experiment. By comparing, it was concluded that 9 mM SA foliar spray increased the marketable yield; improved quality attributes and extended the survival mechanism of strawberry plants during growing season. In postharvest study, maximum vitamin C contents (43.90 mg 100 g-1), TPC (132.75 mg 100 g-1), reduction in weight loss (6.08%) of strawberries and maximum firmness (0.42 kg. cm-2) was retained with higher concentration of CaCl2 (6 mM). During storage minimum TSS (7.85 ºBrix), maximum acid contents (0.62%) and total antioxidants (39.0% DPPH) were observed with SA (5 mM) application. In postharvest study it was confirmed that dipping application of CaCl2 (6 mM) and SA (5 mM) retained the quality attributes during 15 days of storage.