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The Intake And Digestibility Of Dry Mature Subterranean Clovers, G B. Taylor, R C. Rossiter, D B. Purser, W J. Collins

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Although sheep grazing dry subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L.) pasture may maintain body weight for the early part of summer, they usually lose weight during late summer and autumn, with consequent adverse effects on pro­ductivity (Purser, 1980). A decline in the digestibility of clover during plant senescence (Hume and Purser, 1975) is believed to be an important component of the reduced nutritive value of this dry feed. In a survey of dry mature stem material from a range of early flowering subterranean clover genotypes, Taylor et al. (1987a) found that in vitro digestibility ranged between 41 and 62 % …

Forage Production And Nutritive Value Of Cynodon Spp. Under Grazing In Puerto Rico, L E. Tergas, Y Q. Cabrera, A Sotomayor Rios

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Livestock production in the tropics is highly dependent on forages to meet the nutritional requirements of grazing cattle. However, seasonal fluctuations on dry matter production and nutritive value are limiting factors affecting animal perform­ance and production. Stargrass Cynodon nlemfuensis var. nlemfuensis is a highly productive grass recommended for intensive management in the humid tropics of Puerto Rico (Vicente-Chandler et al., 1974). Bermuda Cynodon dactylon and Stargrass produced high yields of quality forage and persisted under intensive grazing in the humid northern coastal plains of Puerto Rico; however, the average production of both grasses was related to rainfall distribution, decreasing during …

Prediction Of The Yield Of Nutritive Matter In Some Autumn Cut Forage Catchcrops, K Kastelic, J A. Nikolic, A Pavlicevic, T Stupica, J Cizec

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Arable land often lies fallow for a time, which provides an opportunity for growing fodder catchcrops between two main crops. This practice should improve the soil structure, conserve soil moisture, eliminate many weeds, maximise land use and enable easier preparation for the subsequent main crop. More­over, subsequent cereal yields may be increased by preceding forage legume crops (Papastylianou and Samios, 1987). The aim of present investigation was to determine the concentration of promising autumn cut catchcrops (D-value) and to assess the possibility of predicting the yield of digestible organic matter (DOM) from the yield of green or dry matter (DM).

Fiber Composition Of Successive Cuts Of Lucerne, D Kolarski, J Pavesic-Popovic,, O Krstic, K Koljajic

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The plant cell walls contain lignin, cellulose, hemicellulose, fiber bound protein and fiber bound minerals. Their nutritive value is limited by their degree of lignification, while cell con­tents is not limited (Barton et al., 1977). Type and extent oflig­nin-polysaccharide bounding could affect digestion more than amount of lignin (Jung et Fahey, 1983). The purpose of these studies was to determine chemical and fiber composition of four cuts of lucerne (Medicago sativa, CV Kl).

Relationship Between The Mineral Content In Pastures And The Content Of These Elements In Blood Serum In Dairy Cows, A Lachowski, I Kuczynska, W Wojciechowski

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Grass tetany, a conditioned Mg deficiency of improper K: (Ca + Mg) ratio is a nutritional problem in various parts of Poland. The aim of the investigations was to determine to what degree the mineral content of grasses in the pastures influenced the mineral content in blood serum in dairy cows. This is very important when the animals are grazing and when cattle slurry is used on grasslands. In the literature we can find opinion con­sidering hypomagnaesemia as a metabolic disorder of rumin­ants typified by low blood serum Mg and generally accompanied by hypocalcemia. It has been related to low …

Characterization Of Biological Properties Of Fodder Value Of Dandelion, Taraxacum Officinale Web., M Falkowski, I Kukulka, S Kozlowski

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In recent years the quantities of dandelion appearing on newly established grasslands has increased quite significantly. In such conditions it can no longer be treated as a meadow herb whose fodder value, according to European literature, equals half of that of valuable fodder plants. Becoming a weed, dan­delion has been the object of investigations on ways of elimina­ting it from the sward by means of herbicides (Schlotter et al., 1988). At the same time, experiments are under way on biologi­cal properties of dandelion with the aim to explain the causes of its expansion. It was found that there is an …

Effect Of Fertilizers On Cutting On Time On Chemical Composition Of Sward From Permanent Meadow, A Golob, Zdenka Berloznik, M Leskosek, Vekoslava Stibilj

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Ecological problems and surpluses of milk and meat have given rise to less intensive systems of grassland utilisation. One of such system is utilisation of air nitrogen via legume sym­biosis with nitrogen fixing bacteria. In Slovenia, where conditions for legume growth are more favourable than in NW Europe, natural meadows fertilized with P and K only give reasonable yields - on average around 7 t DM per ha (Leskosek, 1981). Most legumes suffer after fre­quent defoliation so such meadows should be defoliated only 2- 3 times during the growing season. Under less frequent cutting regime nutritive value of forage is …

Determination Of Condensed Tannins In Tropical Legume Forages, L Telek

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The effect of condensed tannins (proanthocyanidins) in ruminant nutrition is complex and needs further interdiscipli­nary reinvestigations with improved analytical methods. With the « cell rupture » theory of legume pasture bloat (Howarth et al., 1978), the role of condensed tannins seems to be secondary; they are acting as protein precipitants (Goplen et al., 1980) and inhibiting microbiological proliferation in cell­ular spaces (Howarth et al., 1982). Their assumed interference with digesting enzymes in vivo is doubtful (Mole and Water­man, 1985). On the importance of condensed tannins in nutrition, several reviews were published (McLeod, 1974; Tempel, 1982; Kumar and Singh, 1984 and …

Screening Sericea Lespedeza Germplasm For Tannin Concentration In The Leaves And Herbage Palatability, J C. Petersen, J A. Mosjidis, N S. Hill

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Several million hectares in the subtropical world are currently used as grazing land for beef and dairy cattle, how­ever, in many cases animal production is very low. To improve animal nutrition, cultivated legume species can be introduced. Sericea lespedeza has potential and could be utilized in the acid soils of the· subtropics. Generally, sericea is low in palatability and nutritive value because its leaves contain tannins, which have long been associ­ated with low intake and reduced digestibility. Tannins are responsible for an astringent or bitter taste caused by the pre­cipitation of salivary glycoprotein (Goldstein and Swain, 1963). Chopping or macerating …

Mitigating Nitrogen Losses: The Role Of Enhanced Efficiency Fertilizers In Sustainable Corn Production, Dipesh Giri

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Nitrogen (N) is essential for crop production, but its inefficient use often leads to environmental losses through nitrate leaching, ammonia volatilization, and nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions. Enhanced efficiency fertilizers (EEFs), such as nitrification inhibitors (NIs) and urease inhibitors (UIs), have been developed to minimize these losses and improve nitrogen use efficiency (NUE). This research combined a multi-year field experiment and a controlled laboratory study to evaluate how dual-inhibitor fertilizers compare to conventional urea and single-inhibitor formulations in Nebraska cropping systems. The main objective was to understand how nitrogen inhibitors influence N availability, crop performance, and nitrogen losses across different environmental …

Modifying The Comb, Rethinking The Install: Integrated Approaches To Honey Bee Colony Establishment And Winter Survival, Shelby A. Kittle

Department of Entomology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The European, or Western honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) plays a vital role in global ecosystems and agriculture, providing essential pollination services and producing valuable hive products. However, honey bee colony losses have escalated worldwide, but particularly across the United States due to various stressors, including biotic and abiotic factors, mismanagement, and environmental challenges. This thesis investigates key challenges in honey bee management and explores solutions aimed at improving colony health and productivity.

Chapter 1 provides an overview of the beekeeping industry, detailing its economic importance, services, and products, as well as the many challenges faced by beekeepers. It …

A Case Study On Readiness Of Engineers In Agricultural Technology Start-Ups, Katie Marie Mowat

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

This dissertation explores the perceptions of practicing engineers regarding the skills necessary to be workforce-ready at agricultural technology (ag-tech) start-ups in the Midwestern United States. A qualitative case study methodology is leveraged, combining both interview and job description data. Given their uniqueness, the study divides the ag-tech start-up industry into two subcases: livestock and cropping systems. The Work Readiness Integrated Competence Model (WRICM) is used as the theoretical framework for this study and informs the conceptual framework and analysis processes. The study identified skills that fit into thirteen distinct categories, which are further grouped into four overarching resource groups. Skills …

Anaerobic Soil Disinfestation As A Non-Chemical Management Option Against Fungi And Heterotrophic Bacteria In Organic Sweetpotato Production, Meredith Tucker

All Theses

North Carolina is the largest producer of sweetpotatoes in the United States, with South Carolina increasing farming acreage to 2,501 in 2022 compared to 1,300 in 2017. Growers producing conventional and organic sweetpotatoes are equally challenged with managing fungal pathogens due to fungicide resistance or fungicides being unavailable due to environmental regulations, leading many to shift to growing organic crops. Anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD) is a non-chemical pre-plant management option that uses a carbon amendment, irrigation, and plasticulture to establish an anaerobic environment in soils, killing soil microbes. A greenhouse study was conducted to assess ASD on fungal pathogens and …

Investigate The Use Of Nucleic Acids As Pesticides To Manage Major Pests And Pathogens Of Crops In South Carolina, Prasanna Valavanur Shekar

All Dissertations

The sugarcane aphid (SCA, Melanaphis sorghi), first discovered on grain sorghum in late 2013, has gradually become a major insect pest of sorghum. It inflicts significant damage to the crop year after year, causing millions of dollars in losses throughout the sorghum-producing regions of the United States. Similarly, Armillaria root rot—also referred to as oak root rot—is a major cause of decline in peach (Prunus persica) production in the southeastern United States. This disease is caused by Armillaria mellea and Armillaria tabescens. Current management practices for controlling M. sorghi include the use of synthetic pesticides, resistant varieties, and regular scouting. …

Long-Term Cropping System And Manure Effects On Soil Health Parameters And Associated Soil-Borne Pathogens, Joyce Mutai, Beth Medvecky, Steven J. Vanek, John Ojiem, Peter Bolo, Job Kihara, Steven J. Fonte

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Soil-borne pathogens reduce the performance of key food crops in sub-Saharan Africa. Diversified cropping and nutrient management can enhance soil and plant health, limiting pathogen damage. To examine how management and soil health changes influence soil-borne pathogens, we leveraged an 18-year field trial in western Kenya, evaluating cropping systems typical of smallholder farms. We considered three cropping systems and two organic matter management strategies: continuous maize monocrop (M–M), Tephrosia in rotation with maize (T–M), maize intercropped with soybean (M–S), application or not of farmyard manure, and retention or removal of crop residues. We assessed soil physical and chemical properties and …

Trenching And Compost Sustain Grain Yield Increases Over Nine Years On Deep Sands But At A Cost, David J.M. Hall, Tom J. Edwards

Grain and Other Field Crops Research Articles

Context. Crops grown on deep sands on the south coast of WA are limited by soil physical and chemical properties including compaction and poor nutrition. Aims. Crops grown on deep sands on the south coast of Western Australia are limited by soil physical and chemical properties including compaction and poor nutrition. Our aim was to determine what effects deep-placed organic amendments have on soil properties and crop production in a deep sand and whether such amendments are profitable. Methods. A long-term field trial was conducted over nine years (2015–2023) to investigate soil amendments including lime (0 and …

The Effect Of Soil Conditioner And Growth Booster On The Agronomic Characters And Number Of Nodules Of Black Soybean, Tien Turmuktini, I Putu Rahmat Santoso, Lia Amalia, Nunung Sondari, Elly Roosma Ria, Yenny Muliani, Endang Kantikowati, Tualar Simarmata

Jurnal Kultivasi

Soil Conditioner & Growth Booster (SCGB) is a potion that was made to be used as a soil conditioner and plant growth promoter. SCGB is made from organic matter, biological fertilizers, soil ameliorants, and microelements. This research aims to determine the best dosage of SCGB on the agronomic characters, effective nodules, and black soybean variety ‘Detam-1’ yield. This research was conducted in the experimental field of the Faculty of Agriculture, Winaya Mukti University, Sumedang, Indonesia. This experiment used a simple randomized block design (RBD) with six treatments (0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15 kg/ha) and repeated 4 times. The observation …

Forage Crop Improvement Through Biotechnology, S S. Croughan

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) is a perennial forage grass grown on over 10 million ha worldwide. In the southern United States, it is used extensively for grazing and the production of hay. It is a well adapted grass, but improvements in traits such as forage quality and pest resistance are needed. Much vari­ation in the nutritional value exists between genotypes. Tissue culture offers a method for the production of improved germ­plasm. Most plants regenerated from callus cultures will vary from the original variety from which they were derived. This phenomenon is referred to as somaclonal variation and can be …

Apomixis And Sexuality In Brachiaria Decumbens Stapf., C B. Do Valle, Y H. Savidan, L Jank

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Brachiaria decumbens Stapf is a perennial tropical forage grass, native to east African savannas. It was introduced to Brazil in the 1960's and is now widely cultivated over 30 million hectares in Central Brazil alone. The two commercial varieties are apomictic tetraploids (2n = 4x = 36), producing uniform progeny, and were selected for their high dry matter production and persistence on poor acid soils. They lack, however, resist­ance to spittlebugs (Deois spp., Zulia spp., Aeneolania spp.) and produce forage of low nutritive value, especially during the dry winter months. The absence of natural variability associated to apomictic reproduction has …

Use Of New Methods For Grass And Legume Breeding In Western Region Of The Soviet Union, R Dapkus

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The climatic conditions of the Western region of the Soviet Union are favourable for grassland production which provides the major part of forage for livestock nutrition. In raising grassland productivity, new varieties play an important role. Adapted varieties with high yield potential must be used. For developing such varieties, the Fodder Crops Breeding Centre fbr the Western region of the Soviet Union was estab­lished at the Lituanian Agricultural Research Institute in 1972 on the basis of experience since 1922, when selection of herbage species was initiated there. During the past twenty years, breed­ing work has progressed rapidly. At present, breeding …

Overall Quality And Quantity Evaluations Of Native Ecotypes Of Crested Wheatgrasses Of Iran, B Peymani-Fard

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Agropyron cristatum (L.) Gaertn (crested wheatgrass) is indigenous to central Asia including parts of the USSR, China, Afghanistan, Turkey and Iran (Bore, 1970). It is a perennial tufted grass which often grows naturally on stony slopes and calcareous soils. In very hot dry periods it tends to remain dor­mant but renews its growth as soon as its moisture supply returns to normal. It also survives the coldest temperature encountered in its area of adaptation (Rogler, 1960). The toler­ance of Agropyron cristatum to heavy spring grazing results from early root activity, early accumulation of leaf tissue and significant accumulation of carbohydrates …

The Potential Of Lolium Multiflorum X Festuca Gigantea Hybrids, M O. Humphreys, H Thomas, B F. Tyler

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The potential for combining traits from broadly adapted Festuca with more highly specialised Lolium has been investi­gated for many years especially with regard to cytological behaviour (Breese et al., 1981). In the USA, efforts to increase the nutritive value of tall fescue through hybrids with ryegrasses succeeded in producing the variety Kenhy (Buckner et al., 1977). So far, Lolium/Fescue hybrids have not been able to compete commercially with more productive ryegrasses in intensive UK farming systems (Breese and Lewis, 1984). How­ever, with recent economic changes in European agriculture there is a need for more efficient, lower input grassland …

Comparative Study Of Some Varieties Of Cowpea I- Productivity And Nutritive Analysis, K M. Ghobrial, M A. Gabra

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In Egypt, the serious problem of feed shortage, especially of green summer fodder suppresses the improvement of animal production. Therefore, dependence on improving local food and food resources for both animals and humans becomes a «must» for a right policy. The animal feeding system is depen­ding on the cultivation of berseem (Trifolium alexandrium L.). It produces annually around 4.81 million tons starch value/year and could cover the requirements of animals with surplus of 0.92 million tons starch value. However, in summer period, there will be at least a deficiency of 1.50 million tons starch value and most animals are …

Ontribution A L’Etude Des Especes Spontanees Du Genre Medicago L. En Algerie. Analyses Chimiques Du Fourrage Au Stade Vegetatif, Ratiba Goumiri, A Abdelguerfi, F H. Longo-Hammouda, S Oubchur

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

En Algerie, l'alimentation constitue le principal facteur limi­tant la production animale; son deficit en unites fourrageres (UF) est evalue a 3 milliards (Moskal, 1983). Elle est, outre son deficit, souvent de tres mau��aise qualite. La connaissance de la valeur alimentaire des fourrages est indispensable pour equilibrer au mieux !es rations, etablir des plants de rationnement adaptes aux besoins et valoriser le potentiel genetique du troupeau (Codron, 1986). Dans ce cadre et afin de caracteriser le materiel vegetal local, nous avons realise quelques analyses classiques sur des legumi­neuses du genre Medicago. Les especes de ce genre sont, en effet, appelees …

Introduction And Evaluation Of Tropical Forages In The Savannas Of Colombia, E A. Pizarro, L H. Franco, A Ramirez

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The well-drained isohyperthermic savannas occupy an area of 98 million hectares, and are distributed in Colombia, Venezuela, northern Brazil, and Guyana. This extensive region of tropical America is characterized by a total wet season potential evapotranspiration of 901 to 1060 mn, an average monthly temperature in the wet season above 23.5 °C, and a wet season of six to eight months. The soils are Oxisols of low fertility and the predominant production system is extensive cattle ranching on native pastures of low nutritive value (Coch­rane et al., 1985). The Tropical Pastures Program of CIAT began a series of regional trials …

Centrosema Tetragonolobum- A New Tropical Pasture Legume For Acid Soils, R Schultze-Kraft

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

During one of the joint plant exploration missions between CIA T's Tropical Pastures Program and national research institutions which aim at building up a comprehensive inter­national forage germplasm collection for development of acid­soil tolerant cultivars (Schultze-Kraft, 1985), an unknow Cen­trosema species was collected. It is closely related to C. brasili­anum and was recently described as C. tetragonolobum (Schultze-Kraft and Williams, in press). Its natural distribution is restricted to the Orinoco region in Colombia and Venezuela between latitudes 4° and 6° N. At present 12 germplasm accessions are available. They were collected during 1984-86 on acid soils (pH 4.5-5.5) and in …

L’Amatante (Amaranthus Retroflexus L.) Comme Plante Fourragere, L Bosch, F Casanas, A.M.C Verdu

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

L'amarante est une des mauvaises herbes !es plus communes dans nos champs. Elle parvient a etouffer la culture principale si on ne la contr6le pas correctement. Elle a une germination maximale en fin de printemps et en debut d'ete, bien que la ger­mination continue pendant tout l'ete, favorisee par Jes hautes temperatures et la lumiere intense (Baskin et Baskin, 1977). Sa croissance rapide s'explique par le fait qu'il s'agit d'une plante en C-4 specialement efficace pour la captation de CO2 puis­qu'elle a des cloisons cellulaires tres minces (Longstreht et al., 1980). Elle presente aussi une remarquable capacite de repousse apres …

Morpho-Physiological Aspects And Nutritive Value Of Brachiaria Brizantha Cv. Marandu And Heteropogon Sp Affected By The Plants' Age, V. De B.G Alcantara, A.R P. De Almeida, P B. Alcantara, G Braun, E L. Caielli

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Grazing pressure must be related to the pasture potential capacity of recovery. The measurement of leaf area index (LAI) is a way of evaluating that effect. Whatever the management, the main objective will be to allow pasture to reach a high LAI status and its' maintenance (Peterson, 1970). In elephant grass the stem/leaf ratio was used to indicate the dry matter production and indirectly indicates the grazing pressure (Rodrigues, 1984). Present experiment was done to evaluate the evolution of leaf area index (LAI), leaf/stem ratio (L/S), percentages of crude protein (CP), crude fiber (CF) and in vitro dry matter digesti­bility …

Genetic Engineering For Pastures, W J. Peacock

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The flrst genetically engineered food products frolll hotticultural production systems are now enlering the Market and field trials of genetically engineered crop species are well advanced. We can expect that a range of crop cultivars, in which genetic engineering is n component of the breeding process, will soon go into broad ncre agriculture. Pasture species are nut far behind. Gene transfer systems are in place for a number of temperate and tropical pasture legumes and even for a few species of more dlrficult grasses. Genetic transfer systems are In place for a numoec of temperate and tropical pastvce legumes and …

N-15 Study Of Nitrogen Uptake By Tall Fescue Throughout A Spring Growth, J Salette, Marie-Laure Decau, Francoise Vertes

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In previous works, nitrogen uptake by a grass sward during regrowth has been studied and modelled (Salette and Lemaire, 1981 ; Lemaire and Salette, 1984). In this study, the use of N- 15 labelled fertilizer allows differentiation of two nitrogen sources for the plant nutrition : soil and fertilizer.