3mer - 3342 Words

When a new employee starts with a new company, there are several internal and external factors that can affect the employment relationship. An internal factor could be training. If an employee does not get sufficient training or the training that they may have been promised at the start of employment Three different types of employment status are an employee, a worker and self-employed. An employee can be part-time, full-time, permanent or temporary. They will work under a contract of employment which can be written or verbal. They have full rights. All employees will be workers but not all workers are employees. Workers do still have some rights. Workers will be working under various contracts. Workers do have part rights. This is one†¦show more content†¦Workers over the age of 18 are entitled to 3 different types of rest break. Employees are entitled to a 20 minutes uninterrupted break if they work for longer than 6 hours. Workers also have the right to have at least 11 hours between their shifts. They also should have at least 24 hours uninterrupted without work every week or 48 hours every fortnight. By law all workers should also not work for more than 48 hours a week on average over 17 weeks. This does not apply to workers under 18. They should not work for more than 8 hours a day and 40 hours a week. A member of staff who regularly works for at least 3 hours during the night period are referred to as night workers. The night period is between the hours of 11pm to 6am, unless the worker and employer agree a different night period but this must include midnight to 5am and the shift must be at least 7 hours long. This must be agreed in writing. Maternity leave When an employee has a baby they could be eligible for maternity leave and maternity pay. You have the right to maternity leave regardless of how long youve been in your job, how many hours you work, or how much youre paid. This is also the case for antenatal appointments. You are legally entitled to reasonable paid time off to attend antenatal appointments. Employees must take a minimum of 2 weeks off work (or 4 weeks if they are a factory worker). An employee is entitled toShow MoreRelated3MER Assignment3584 Words   |  15 Pagesï » ¿Supporting Good Practice in Managing Employment Relations (3MER) Supporting Good Practice in Managing Employment Relations (3MER) Employee Relations management(3MER) Content 1.1 Internal and external factors that influence employee relations 1.2 Types of employment status 1.3 The importance of employment status 1.1 The importance of work life balance and legislation that influence it 1.2 Legal support for employees as a family member 1.3 The importance of equality pay 1.4 LegislationRead More3MER Assignment2657 Words   |  11 PagesFOUNDATION CHRP CLD ASSESSMENT Supporting Good Practice in Managing Employment Relations (3MER) 3MER_F205A_HR June – Optional Unit Assessment – Version 3 June 2012 Student name: CRITERIA PASS/REFER COMMENTS LO1: Understand the impact of employment law at the start of the employment relationship. 1.1 Describe the internal and external factors that impact on the employment relationship. 1.2 Explain the different types of employment status 1.3 Identify and analyse the reasons why itRead MoreCipd-3mer3613 Words   |  15 PagesCIPD – 3MER – Supporting Good Practice in Managing Employment Relations. It is important when employing someone new to create a good working relationship from the beginning there are both internal and external factors that can impact and effect employment relationships. An internal factor could be a good benefits and incentives package if it is a desirable package it may create a hardworking staff force from the beginning of the employment, for example an enhanced maternity package could see youRead MoreCIPD 3MER3192 Words   |  13 Pages1, An employment relationship describes the dynamic, interlocking economic, legal, social and psychological relations that exist between individuals and their work organizations. Palgrave Macmillan (2013), Glossary [online] Available at: http://www.palgrave.com/business/brattonandgold/glossary/glossary.htm [Accessed 17th September 2013]. Factors that impact on this relationship both have a detrimental effect to the running of a business. I will focus on two internal and two external. TheseRead MoreCIPD 3MER3901 Words   |  16 Pages West Cheshire College C.I.P.D. Certificate in Human Resource Practice Unit: 3MER (HR) Tutor: Sean Banning Student Name: Sian Maudsley Date Submitted: 4th June 2014 I hereby confirm that the work submitted is my own work and that all source materials have been acknowledged. Signature Date 04/06/2014 3MER Describe 4 factors, 2 external, which impact on the employment relationship. A number of factors impact on the relationship between employees and employers. BelowRead More3mer Guidance Leaflet4527 Words   |  19 PagesChartered Institute of Personnel and Development 3MER Supporting Good Practice in Managing Employment Relations Assignment and Content Activity Investigate resources and write a guidance leaflet which covers key points of the areas detailed below. The impact of employment law at the start of the employment relationship including: * 2 Internal and 2 external factors which can impact on the employment relationship * 3 different types of employment status and 3 reasons why it is importantRead More3mer Assignment3056 Words   |  13 Pages1.1 Describe the internal and external factors that impact on the employment relationship When an employee starts a new company, there are several external and internal factors that impact on the employment relationship. Relationships affect both management and worker’s performance. The quality of these relationships have an effect on the organisation. Human Resources, focuses on recruiting new employees and managing existing workers, plays a significant role in employment relationships as doRead MoreEssay on Cipd 3mer3076 Words   |  13 Pages| | HUMAN RESOURCESSupporting Good PracticeIn Managing Employment Relations2015 | | Tracy King 3MER Table of Contents Internal Factors Which Impact On Employment Relationships | 4 | Pay and Reward | 4 | Organisational Culture | 4 | External Factors Which Impact On Employment Relationships | 4 | Economy | 4 | Technological Changes | 4 | Reasons to Determine an Individual’s Employment Status | 5 | Examples of Employment Status | 5 | Worker | 5 | Fixed term | 5 | SelfRead MoreTemplate for 3mer Guidance Leaflet3351 Words   |  14 PagesA guidance leaflet to show the main individual rights and needs an employee has during employment, in order to assist in creating a good working relationship and upon termination of the employment, a look at issues to address. The impact of employment law at the start of the employment relationship The internal and external factors that impact on the employment relationship are as follows: Internal 1. Collective Agreement. Collective agreements are negotiated between an employer andRead More3MER Supporting Good Practice In Managing Employment Relations1199 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿ Task 1 You work in a call centre which has recently experienced a downturn in the amount of business that it has. It has been decided, therefore, to make 5 of the 20 Call Centre Operators redundant. Write a letter to the Operations Manager explaining: 1. The main legal requirements that need to be considered, including Codes of Practice, explain the impact that these have on the organisation. 2. How to ensure that the dismissals are fair and the importance of this to both the employer and employee

The Purpose Of This Qualitative Study Is To Identify The

The purpose of this qualitative study is to identify the social and academic factors that assist African American males in their persistence at a PWI which allowed them to be successful or may have hindered them. By using a qualitative approach, the researcher will be able to gather data that will reflect the unique experiences of the participants. Even though African American males attending colleges have increased, there narratives and experiences may be different than others. Qualitative methods can be used to understand any phenomenon about which little is known (Hoepfl, 1997). A qualitative approach will allow allow their individual voices to be heard through narrations. The methodology in this study discusses the research†¦show more content†¦Research Design The qualitative research paradigm has its roots in cultural anthropology and American sociology (Crenshaw, 2014). The intent of the research is to understand a particular social situation, event, role, group , or interaction (Crenshaw, 2014). One of the assumptions that is made related to qualitative research is that the research occurs in natural settings, where human behavior and events occur (Crenshaw, 2014). The focus of the research will also document the participants’ perceptions and their experiences (Crenshaw, 2014). In conducting the study, a qualitative research method will be used to gather data addressing African American male factors inhibiting their persistence to graduate. IRB approval will occur before any surveys or interviews will be conducted, and participants will sign off on informed consent to ensure that participants are aware of what the purpose of the research and their input will provide. The targeted population is at least ten (10) African American males who attended Morehead State University between the years of 2009 and 2015. The researcher used criterion-based sampling strategy to select the students who would be participants of the study. Participants completed at least one full year at Morehead State University. Participants were African American male college students who have graduated from the institution between 2009 and 2015. The researcher worked with MSU alumni to obtain the contactShow MoreRelatedThe Basics Behind Qualitative Research1270 Words   |  6 PagesFundamentals of Qualitative Research Jamye D. Jeter Cameron Submitted to Dr. Curtis Maybee University of Phoenix Fundamentals of Qualitative Research When a researcher sets out to begin a study, he or she must begin by asking questions of him or herself. These questions lead to the determination of the type of research study the researcher is going to conduct. The study may be based on qualitative research, quantitative research, or both. But, in order to determine the study method and designRead MorePurposes For Conducting Qualitative Research756 Words   |  4 PagesPurposes for Conducting Qualitative Research There are four major purposes for conducting qualitative research. They are exploratory, explanatory, descriptive and emancipatory. The purpose of exploratory qualitative research is to investigate little understood phenomenon, to identify or discover important categories of meaning and to generate hypotheses for future research. The purpose of explanatory qualitative research is to explain patterns related to the phenomenon being studied and to identifyRead MoreResearch Questions On Research And Research Essay918 Words   |  4 Pagesresearch. 1. Identify the Research Problem – Specify a problem; justify a problem and suggest a need to study the problem for audiences (Creswell). 2. Review the literature- Locate resources, i.e.; books, journals, electronic resources; select resources-determine the relevant resources for the topic; organize; Summarize the resources in a literature review (Creswell). 3. Specify a Research Purpose – Identify the purpose statement-the major intent of the study, the participants in the study, and the siteRead MoreGroup Research Study1306 Words   |  6 PagesAim of study The primary aim of this study is to explore the extent to which female-to-male (FTM) transgender individuals experience less discrimination in the workplace than male-to-female (MTF) transgender individuals. The secondary aim of this study is to get an understanding as to why the differences in treatment of female-to-male (FTM) transgender individuals in comparison to male-to-female transgender individuals (MTF) occur, so that further research may be done to minimize the discriminationRead MoreQualitative Research Report907 Words   |  4 PagesQualitative Research Report Article Connelly, L.M., Miner-Williams, D., Yoder, L.H., 2003. A qualitative study of charge nurse competencies. Medsurg Nursing, 12(5), 298-306. Problem The study was conducted to determine the competencies necessary to be a successful charge nurse (Connelly, Miner-Williams, Yoder, 2003). There has been limited research conducted to provide information concerning the clinical role of the charge nurse. This study identifies the competencies necessary to be anRead MoreMindfulness Based Stress Reduction Creates Happiness Essay1644 Words   |  7 PagesTherapy, this form of treatment, â€Å"stems from Buddhist meditation practices and is defined as paying attention to the present moment, non-judgmentally, and being open and accepting to all experiences† (De Raedt, et al., p. 612-613). In order to decipher if this form of treatment is effective at reducing relapses of depressive symptoms, one could hypothesize that mindfulness-based stress reduction creates happiness in people suffering from major depressive disorder. Therefore, for the purposes of thisRead MoreEssay on Research Critique Part 1659 Words   |  3 PagesMary OCon nell September 5, 2013 Research Critique Part 1 This paper will critique a qualitative research study published in the Journal of Medical Ethics in 2004, By Dr Helen Aveyard, about how nurses manage patients who refuse nursing care procedures. The article explains how nurses view informed consent as not being essential to nursing care procedures. Problem Statement The clinical problem being examined in the research study is the way in which nurses obtain consent prior to administeringRead MoreComparing and Contrasting NCUs Concept Paper Requirements for Qualitative and or Quantitative Papers1409 Words   |  6 Pagesdissertation. Part of the dissertation process is to inquire and solve a hypothesis using some form of research method. This paper compares and contrasts NCU’s concept paper requirements for qualitative and or quantitative papers. Northcentral Expectation Both qualitative and quantitative concept designs share design elements. Sampson (2012) states that a good or enriched qualitative and or quantitative concept paper is a product of forethought. Northcentral University (NCU) provides its Doctoral studentsRead MoreResearch Critique Part 1736 Words   |  3 PagesMary OConnell September 5, 2013 Research Critique Part 1 This paper will critique a qualitative research study published in the Journal of Medical Ethics in 2004, By Dr Helen Aveyard, about how nurses manage patients who refuse nursing care procedures. The article explains how nurses view informed consent as not being essential to nursing care procedures. Problem Statement The clinical problem being examined in the research study is the way in which nurses obtain consent prior to administeringRead MoreEvaluation Of A Student s Phonic Skills Essay1130 Words   |  5 Pagesreader (BR) reading level, and a below grade level for mathematics according to his student progress report. Word Study Letter Name Assessment Description of Assessment The purpose of this assessment is to evaluate a student’s phonic skills, specifically in the letter name stage of phonics. The assessment allows the teacher to evaluate the phonic skills of the student in order to identify which features the student knows and which features the student needs to work on. The assessment evaluates the

HRM Strategic Integration and Organizational Performance

Question: Discuss about the HRM Strategic Integration and Organizational Performance. Answer: Introduction The HR service delivery report is an overall summery of the competency or the level of competency of the HR department of the JKL. The performance of the HR department of the JKL is competent but could do with a lot of improvement. The level of competency is good but it is not adequate for a firm of that size. The resources of the firms HR department are quite low and the processes are completed eventually but often take longer than necessary (Jackson, 2002). This aspect of the service delivery can be improved in the future by changing the funding policies and personnel recruitment. Analysis of performance data The HR people in the company are competent to some degree as60% of the managers o the company agrees that the performance of the firm is directly improved by the assistance of the HR department. But regarding the budget of the firm the HR department is being overshooting the estimates the performance is not increasing by that level. The job satisfaction rate is at 70% which is quite high and the role of the HR department in the performance is evident from the4 statements of the mangers. The departments adherence to values is high but the implementation is stunted because of understaffing and under resourced department funds. The values that are adhered to are important for the staff satisfaction and performance as the timely solution o the HR issues are focused upon and constant attention of the department and prompt allocation of duty in the different cases usually result in solutions that are timely and appropriate. The code of conduct the HR department follows is staff friendly and helpful where the staffs are assured about the timely solution to their problem. The code that is followed by the department is to be courteous and helpful to all employees who come to the department seeking help. The code also stipulates that all staff must ensure that the person needing help can find it by the assistance of other employees. The organizational policy of the company allows the department some freedom as the department often has to interact with employees from different departments of the organization and the staffs from all departments come to seek help with their HR related issues and investigation has to be conducted for the mitigation of the problem. Therefore the organizational control of the company over the HR department is quite lax in the sense the other departments are controlled separately by the managers. Proposed recommendations for service improvement The financial resources of the company are not being spent in a proper way to staff and supply the department of human resources. Therefore, better management of the resources is necessary for the department to make it more efficient in the operations Recruitment policy (1989 SHRM training/retraining survey, 1989). Responsiveness of the department is quite fast for the limited resources of the department but there could be improvements made in the sector as the staffs are juggling many responsibilities so there would be a slight delay in the allocation of the duty and thus in the implementation of the solution (The SHRM learning system, 2009). Communications of the department need to be more visible and transparent where the concerns of the staffs need to be considered before the notices of means to approach the HR are made clear. This will facilitate better contact with the employees and thus the effectiveness of the HR department will increase (McGovern, 2002). Follow up and support is also an area where the department can do better with more staff. The follow up of the current department is nonexistent it is often seen that issues are arising after the solutions to the problems has been implemented. This will improve the performance level of the department as the assurance of success will be embedded in the promise of follow up queries made by the department (Chanda Shen, 2009). Conclusion To conclude we can say that this report outlines the weakness of the HR department of the organization and the solutions to make the department more effective. This HR service delivery report is the basis of the new service delivery improvement of the service of the HR department of JKL. Action plan Activity Timeline Strategy/application of policy (if relevant) Resources Person Policy Management of financial resources Six months Appointment of manager of financial resources for the department. Financial resource and permission for the appointment of a manager HR financial manager Recruitment policy Responsiveness Six months Recruitment of more staff which will lighten the workload on individuals allowing for free time to make the responses faster. More staff and the allocation of budget to pay them. Executives Recruitment policy communication Six months Make new policy regarding disclosure and communication within the department and from the staff seeking help. Only spreading of knowledge regarding the operations is necessary which can be achieved with the help and cooperation from workforce All people of the HR department Communication policy. Follow up and support Six months Recruitment of more staff which will lighten the workload on individuals allowing for free employees to increase follow up support. The funding to pay for the extra staff. HR manager Recruitment policy References 1989 SHRM training/retraining survey. (1989). Alexandria, Va. Bernard, R. (2002). HR. Leicestershire: Upfront. Chanda, A. Shen, J. (2009). HRM strategic integration and organizational performance. Los Angeles: Response Books. DENISI, A. (2010). HR. [S.l.]: CENGAGE LEARNING. Jackson, T. (2002). International HRM. London: SAGE. McGovern, P. (2002). HRM, technical workers and the multinational corporation. London: Routledge. Neil, G. (2012). HR. Reno, NV: Priorities Intact Pub. The SHRM learning system. (2009). [Alexandraia, Va.].

Utilizing Pumpkins as a “Reverse” Trap Crop Essay Example

Utilizing Pumpkins as a â€Å"Reverse† Trap Crop Essay In the world of agriculture, trap crops are normally used to lure pests away from a commercial crop by presenting the pest with a more attractive alternative. But when conducting research to develop new seed traits that provide better yield, drought resistance, or even insect resistance, trap crops can be used to test the performance of a new trait.The western corn rootworm beetle (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera) causes billions of dollars in damage to corn crops throughout the United States each year. Recent seed research has helped develop new corn varieties to combat this problem. These new varieties of corn have a protein (Bt protein) that causes stomach distress in adult western corn rootworm beetles that result in death. Thus, the pest resistance is literally bred into the seed, eliminating the need for harmful pesticides. This type of corn is considered to be rootworm resistant.Normally, in order to be able to â€Å"test† the performance of a specific rootworm resistant corn variety, a test plot has to be infested with western corn rootworm eggs manually. This tends to be costly and very labor intensive. The infested eggs then develop into larva, which feed on underground roots. Adult rootworms feed on the above ground tissue of the corn plant. Both the roots and the above ground tissue contain the Bt protein. The corn plant is then â€Å"harvested† prior to the pollination period in a process called a â€Å"root dig†.During a ‘root dig† the corn plant is cut off at approximately two feet above the ground, the roots are dug up and rinsed with a high power stream of water to expose the roots which are then rated for damage by the corn rootworm larva. Based on the data collected during the â€Å"root dig†, researchers are able to evaluate the effectiveness of the resistance that is bred into that variety of corn. Root dig washing process is shown in picture on the left. Diagram of corn root damage by corn rootworm be etles is shown in picture on the right.HYPOTHESIS: What if one could utilize a â€Å"trap crop† to entice the adult western corn rootworm beetle to a test plot, allowing the adults to feed and eventually lay their eggs? I predict that by adding pumpkins (independent variable) as a trap crop in rootworm resistant corn will allow for a greater number of eggs (dependent variable) to be deposited in the test plot naturally versus the rootworm resistant corn without the trap crop, therefore eliminating the need for manual infestation.To test this hypothesis, we selected pumpkins to plant as a trap crop in a one acre square plot containing rootworm resistant corn. This would be the independent variable in this experiment. It is known that the adult western corn rootworm beetle is highly attracted to pumpkin vines and flowers. A second test plot of the same size (same farm) would be planted with the same variety of rootworm resistant corn without the pumpkin crop. The dependent vari able would be the egg counts in both test plots. The control in this experiment would be utilizing acreage on the same farm.Special steps were taken to replicate the exact soil conditions by a pre-planting soil analysis; utilizing the same â€Å"batch† of chemical in herbicide spray applications, and the close proximity to each other to control factors such as precipitation, number of days with full sunshine, humidity, etc. This will aid in controlling the experiment’s internal validity and act as a guide in any subsequent replications of this experiment. Adult western corn rootworm beetles are shown on a pumpkin flower in the picture on the left.Damage by rootworm beetles on a mature pumpkin shown in picture on the right. Pumpkins were planted in the test plot # 2 in the spring of 2012 and were allowed to mature naturally. During flowering, a sizable increase in the adult rootworm beetle was observed in test plot #2. Based on the observable increase in adults, we pred icted that there will also be an increase in the number of eggs in said test plot when compared to the number of eggs in the test plot without trap crop (pumpkins). Soil samples will then be collected and analyzed for egg counts.If it is proven that planting a trap crop increases egg counts naturally, there could be a considerable cost savings in the process of evaluating the effectiveness of desirable traits in corn. This experiment was conducted at an agricultural Ramp;D site in northwestern Indiana during the summer of 2012 in preparation for this task. Egg count data has been received and is currently being evaluated in preparation for the 2013 planting season. In preparation for this experiment, several independent scientific papers were reviewed. Sorghum as a Trap Crop for Nezara viridula L. (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) in Cotton in the Southern United States†, P. G. Tillman (1); â€Å"Case Study: Trap Crop with Pheromone Traps for Suppressing Euschistus servus (Heteropt era: Pentatomidae) in Cotton†, P. G. Tillman and T. E. Cottrell (2) and â€Å"Trap Cropping to Manage Green Vegetable Bug Zezara viridula (L. ) (Hereroptera: Pentatomidae) in Sweet Corn in New Zealand†, James H. Rea, Stephen D. Warren, Richard Sedcole, Peter J. Cameron, Stuart I. Davis, R. Bruce Chapman (3) were considered for background information.These studies were helpful in explaining the commercial use of trap crops as an effective method of removing pests from cash crops and served as a basis for our unique application of a â€Å"reverse† trap crop in testing the effectiveness of ongoing corn research. Testing methods were similar but our research did not include any type of Pheromone study. Our experiment was based on the premise that by planting pumpkins in the test plot (known to attract western corn rootworm beetle), we could naturally increase the numbers of western corn rootworm beetle eggs in that plot.An increase in the number of naturally occurrin g eggs could result in a significant reduction in our annual research expenses. - KEY WORDS:western corn rootworm beetle (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera), trap crop, rootworm resistant corn. - METHODS and MATERIALS: This experiment was conducted at a seed research and development facility in northwestern Indiana during the 2012 growing season in preparation for RINT Task 3.This method of scientific design was chosen because it is a replication of a similar experiment conducted at a research and development facility in Iowa and has shown viable results. It was designed to compare the viability of planting a trap crop to attract the western corn rootworm beetle to evaluate the performance of corn containing rootworm resistant traits from different areas of the Midwest. The acreage, chemicals, sampling tools and laboratory facilities were readily available. In addition, if the hypothesis can be proven to be true, there is a potential for cost savings in other areas of our research.Inse ct Species: Western corn rootworm beetle (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera). Corn rootworm larvae can destroy significant percentages of corn if left untreated. In the United States, current estimates show that 30 million acres (120,000  km? ) of corn (out of 80 million grown) are infested with corn rootworms and that area is expected to grow over the next 20 years. The USDA estimates that corn rootworms cause $1 billion in lost revenue each year, which includes $800 million in yield loss and $200 million in cost of treatment for corn growers (The Dow Chemical Company). (4)Shown above from left to right, corn plant damage in the field and examples of actual root damage done by western corn rootworm beetles in the center and right picture. Healthy roots are shown as a full root system; damaged roots are short to nonexistent. Sampling Technique: Using a golf course cup cutter, take 4† diameter x 4† deep soil core samples. Collect ten (10) core samples per acre (trial area) . Core samples should be taken at various locations within the test plot. Include samples taken from within the corn rows and between rows. Place core samples in individual gallon bags.Be sure to break up any large clumps and remove stalks and other residue. Making the soil as fine as possible will aid in the washing process. Send individual samples to a laboratory with capabilities to wash eggs and provide egg counts. Taking multiple core samples at various locations throughout the test plot and then analyzing all ten (10) samples separately allows for a broader analysis of the entire test plot. The measuring unit of one (1) pint that was chosen for the final sample allows the lab sufficient soil to run the required tests.Once the samples arrive at the laboratory, each individual sample is mixed with a saturated salt solution. A sample of this mixture is then placed on a special microscope slide (Whitlock Universal or Whitlock McMaster). The saturated salt solution makes the rootwo rm eggs float to the top of the mixture in the slide where they are then counted. Data was collected from each individual sample to obtain egg counts for each test plot. EXPERIMENT: Two, one (1) acre test plots were selected at opposite ends of a ten (10) acre field. Soil type, topography, and precipitation were identical.Each plot was measured at 200 ft. wide by 220’ deep and marked off with flags. This is approximately one (1) square acre. Both fallow (empty ground) test plots were plowed utilzing a chisel plow set at a depth of six (6) inches to turn the soil over and prepare the soil for planting. Both test plots were then planted using a four (4) row custom bulk planter and a rootworm resistant variety of corn. The corn rows were spaced 30† apart. The corn seed within the rows was spaced 6† inches apart. Each test plot had a total of 80 rows of corn. Both test plots were also treated with Glyphosate in a concentration of 1. quarts to 15 gallons of water to ki ll any existing weeds. This amount of Glyphosate solution was enough to cover one (1) test plot. It was replicated twice to cover both test plots in the experiment. Once the rootworm resistant corn had been planted in both test plots, a trap crop of pumpkins was also planted throughout the test plot #2 (independent variable), utilizing a custom two (2) row planter. Pumpkin seeds were planted in between the rows of corn, spaced five (5’) feet apart. A cable winder was used to mark off the five (5’) foot increments needed to plant the pumpkins.A cable winder is used with a custom planter and calibrated to â€Å"click† when it is time to manually drop the seed. Both plots were allowed to grow throughout the summer. Visual observations were made in each plot, on the first Monday of each week between July 1st and September 1st to obtain adult rootworm beetle population counts. Ten observations in multiple locations across the test plots were taken each time. Random p umpkin plants were selected to count the total number of adult rootworm beetles in each observation. After harvest, prior to the first hard frost, soil core samples were taken, following the above mentioned sampling procedure.Core samples were then sent to an outside laboratory for analysis. - RESULTS: An increase in adult rootworm beetles was observed in test plot #2 (with pumpkins) when compared to test plot #1 (without pumpkins) but without soil egg count analysis, this data in inconclusive. Solid data is available once soil samples are analyzed for egg counts (dependent variable). Historically more than ten (10) eggs in a pint sample of soil are considered to be a high amount. In 2012, test plot #1 and #2 both showed an average of approximately two (2) eggs per pint sample.Samples taken at four different test sites in Iowa yielded six (6), zero (0), one (1) and four (4) eggs respectively or an average of 2. 75 eggs per pint sample. All data collected is reflecting little to no m easurable increase in the total number of western corn rootworm eggs that are occurring naturally when using a trap crop. Egg Count Core Sample Data for Test Plot #1 and Test Plot #2 Test Plot #1|   |   | Test Plot #2|   | |   |   |   |   | Core Sample #| Egg Count #|   | Core Sample #| Egg Count #| 1| 0|   | 1| 0| 2| 1|   | 2| 3| 3| 0|   | 3| 2| 4| 1|   | 4| 2| 5| 4|   | 5| 3| 6| 3|   | 6| 2| | 2|   | 7| 1| 8| 2|   | 8| 0| 9| 1|   | 9| 2| 10| 0|   | 10| 2| Ave # of Eggs| 1. 4|   | Ave # of Eggs| 1. 7| Egg Counts in Test Plot #1 Compared to Test Plot #2 Number of Eggs/Pint Sample Number of Samples/ One (1) Acre Test Plot - CONCLUSION: Based on the data that was collected, there did not seem to be a significant increase in the number of western corn rootworm eggs occurring naturally in test plot #2 when compared to test plot #1, even though there was an observable increase in adult western corn rootworm beetles in test plot #2.Where test plot #2 contained the trap crop (independent variable) and test plot #1 that did not contain a trap crop (dependant variable) in a single ten (10) acre test strip (constant variable). After carefully analyzing the data that was collected during this experiment, I have concluded that the introduction of a trap crop (pumpkins) to attract adult western rootworm beetles in rootworm resistant corn does not significantly increase naturally occurring corn rootworm beetle eggs. This data disproves my hypothesis that it would significantly increase the number of naturally occurring eggs.No cost savings can be associated with this experiment and conventional infestation methods are just as effective as this experimental method. DESIGN AND REPLICATION: The experimental design to test this hypothesis was constructed with ease of replication in mind. It utilizes simple techniques and materials that are readily available at most seed research and development sites. If the design is poor or if proper samp ling procedures are not followed then data in the experiment can be skewed, resulting in unreliable data.Based on potential cost savings in research, unreliable data can be an expensive mistake. In addition, if the design is well done, an increase of reliable data is shown time and time again with the same results. Replication is so important because it gives validity to the experiment’s results. As the same data shows the same results and the same conclusions over multiple replications, that data can become accepted as scientific fact. REFERENCES: (1) http://www. ars. usda. gov/sp2UserFiles/person/5648/PDF/ARIS 8-Sorghum as a Trap Crop for SGSB. d Tillman, P. G. 2006. Sorghum as a trap crop for Nezara viridula L. (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) in cotton in the southern United States. Environmental Entomology. 35(3):771-783. (2) http://www. hindawi. com/journals/psyche/aip/401703 Tillman, P. G. , Cottrell, T. E. 2012. Case Study: Trap crop with pheromone traps for suppressing eu schistus servus (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) in cotton. Psyche. DOI: 10. 1155/2012/401703. (3) http://onlinelibrary. wiley. com/doi/10. 1046/j. 1461-9563. 2002. 00130. x/full Rea, J.H. , Wratten, S. D. , Sedcole, R. , Cameron, P. J. , Davis, S. I. and Chapman, R. B. (2002), Trap cropping to manage green vegetable bug Nezara virdula (L. ) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) in sweet corn in New Zealand. Agricultural and Forest Entomology, 4: 101-107. doi: 10. 1046/j. 1461 (4) http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Diabrotica_virgifera; The Dow Chemical Company. Product Safety Assessment (PSA): Herculex RW Rootworm Protection. September 26, 2006. URL: http://www. dow. com/productsafety/finder/herculex. htm.