This research focuses on generating an in-depth understanding of social innovation process from the perspective of sectoral system of innovation (SSI). It addresses knowledge gaps derived from a systematic literature review and exhibits novelty by linking social innovation process with sectoral system of innovation as demonstrated in the conceptual framework. Moreover, four research objectives and twelve research questions have been formulated mainly focusing on the building blocks of social innovation process theory that is the six stages and the SSI theory particularly the elements and structure, along with important factors that influence the process. This study is empirically rooted in the context of public sector of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Pakistan. Taking influence from pragmatism as its underlying research paradigm, case study strategy along with exploratory sequential mixed methods design has been used. Accordingly, the research questions dominated the researcher’s approach towards data collection and analysis including their design and implementation. Following a multiple case and holistic design, three separate but very important cases that is, social innovation projects have been selected. These include (a) Independent Monitoring Unit (IMU), (b) Sehat Ka Insaf (SKI) and (c) Mobile Court (MC). A case study protocol has been applied to increase reliability. Research findings reveal that social innovations take place in the form of new services addressing social needs and creating public value. The stages of social innovation process initially occur in a linear and later in a non-linear sequence, with overlapping spaces. However, these social innovations do not fully go through all stages of the process specifically sustainability (except in one case) and systemic change (in all the cases). The elements and structure of sectoral system including actors, knowledge base, technologies, learning processes, resources, demand, formal and informal institutions, and interactions facilitate the prompts, inspirations and diagnoses, proposals of ideas, prototyping and pilots, and scaling and diffusion of social innovation but interestingly do not facilitate it during the sustaining stage. Moreover, a comprehensive list of 44 important factors that influence the social innovation process has been developed through a rigorous process and presented in the form of a unique taxonomy that can prove to be very useful for policy makers when designing future interventions. This research also offers a number of other theoretical, methodological and empirical contributions along with recommendations.
Plant are benefitted in different aspects by symbiotic bacteria. Environmental conditions, Plant conditions and type of pathogens determine these important services for plants Objective: The research was conducted to assess the plant growth enhancing effects of wheat and cabbage rhizobacteria on the growth of wheat plantMethods: For this purpose, total 49 bacteria were isolated and characterized from the rhizosphere of wheat and cabbage plants. The isolates were assessed for plant growth promoting properties such as: indole acetic acid production, phosphate solubilization, antibacterial activity and heavy metal resistance. Indole acetic acid was found to be produced by 7 isolates and phosphate solubilization was shown by 20 isolates. Antibacterial activity was determined against four clinical isolates like Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella sp, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosaResults: Antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus was shown by 38 isolates, 12 isolates showed antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Klebsiella sp, whereas no isolate was found to bepositive against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Another plant growth enhancing trait (heavy metal resistance) was shown by 28 rhizobacteria. In order to evaluate the capability of isolates to enhance the plant growth, bio-inoculation assay was performed using wheat seedsConclusions: Rhizobacterial inoculation increased the number of roots, shoots, leaves and roots and shoot length of wheat plantlets as compared to un-inoculated control.
A study was planned to assess the salt tolerance potential of 10 wheat cultivars, five newly developed (S-24, Saher-2006, Inqlab-91, Faisalabad-2008 and Lasani) and five candidate (P.B-18, M.P-65, SH-20, AARI-10, G.A-20). Two salinity levels were (0 mM and 150 mM) applied at three growth stages seedling, tillering and boot stages. This study comprised independent two experiments. The first experiment was performed to screen the 10 wheat cultivars on the basis of biomass production and yield under saline stress. Four wheat cultivars (S-24, Saher-2006, Lasani and AARI-10) were selected on the basis of the results of the first experiment and again grown in the following year for detailed study of physio-biochemical responses under saline stress imposed at different growth stages. Saline stress application at different growth phases caused a marked reduction in biomass production, yield, different gas exchange attributes, photosynthetic pigments and water relation parameters. However, comparatively cvs. S-24 and Saher-2006 showed less reduction in these attributes due to saline application at three growth stages. Less cholophyll degradation, comparatively higher photosynthetic and transpiration rate and leaf turgor were observed due to saline stress imposition at the boot stage. However, it was greater due to salinity imposed at the seedling stage. Furthermore, NaCl applied at three different growth stages markedly increased the endogenous Na+ level and caused reduction in Ca2+, K+, K+/ Na+ and Ca2+/ Na+ ratios. Overall, cvs. Saher-2006 and S-24 maintained higher K+/ Na+ and Ca2+/ Na+ ratios as compared to the other wheat cultivars under salt stress. There was a less decrease in K+/ Na+ and Ca2+/ Na+ ratios under the saline environment developed at the boot stage while maximum at the seedling stage. A significant alteration in different biochemical attributes was observed in all wheat cultivars under saline stress imposed at three growth stages. For example, a substantial increase was observed in H2O2, MDA, soluble proteins, proline, glycinebetaine and activities of different aintioxidants (SOD, POD, CAT, phenolics). Different wheat cultivars showed variation in these biochemicals in response to salt stress applied at different growth stages. Maximum antioxidative enzymes activities were observed in cvs. S-24 and Saher-2006 due to saline stress application at three growth stages. However, cvs, S-24 and Sher-2006 had higher accumulation of GB and proline as compared to the other cultivars (Lasani and AARI-10) under saline stress imposed at early growth stages (seedling and tillering) than at the boot stage. Anatomical studies of four wheat cultivars under saline stress applied at different growth stages showed that cvs. S-24 and Saher- 2006 had thick epidermis of stem and root, greater schlerification in stem and leaf, higher vascular bundle and metaxylem area and greater cortical cell area due to saline stress applied at three different growth stages than the other two cultivars (Lasani and AARI- 10). These anatomical characteristics showed their better adaptability under saline environment in terms of checking water loss, good water storage capacity, and better toxic ion compartmentalization due to large size vacuoles of cortical cells and better water and nutrient transport through vessels. So, it can be inferred that wheat is more prone to adverse effects of saline stress when applied at the early growth stage (seedling) than at later growth stages. Overall, of all wheat cultivars cvs. S-24 and Saher-2006 were more tolerant to saline stress.