A note on the edge cover number and independence number in hypergraphs (Q2427533)

The main result of this nice paper is that for each hypergraph with rank \(r>2\), with \(m\) edges, independence number \(\alpha\) and edge cover number \(\rho\) the inequality \( \rho \leq \frac{(r-2)m + \alpha}{r-1} \) holds. It can be used for a partial solution of the Aharoni-Berger's conjecture (which, in turn, a generalization of the well-known Ryser's conjecture on \(r\)-partite hypergraphs).