Digital Commons Network^™

Linking People, Purpose, And Place: An Ecological Approach To Agriculture, Heidi Carter, Richard Olson, Charles A. Francis

CARI Extension and Education Materials for Sustainable Agriculture

Linking Ecology and Agriculture

Whole Farm Planning

Soil Quality

Agroforestry

Grazing Systems

Weed and Insect Management

Farmer Groups

Farmland Conversion

Resources and Information Sources

Growth Traits Among Sorghum Genotypes In Response To Aluminum, J. H. Bernal, R. B. Clark

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Aluminum (Al) has many detrimental effects on plant growth, and shoots and roots are normally affected differently. A study was conducted to determine differences among sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] genotypes with broad genetic backgrounds for growth traits of plants grown at 0,200,400,600, and 800 uM Al in nutrient solutions (pH 4.0). Genotypes were categorized into "Al-sensitive", "intermediate Al-tolerant", "Al-tolerant", and SC 283 (an Al-tolerant standard). As Al increased, shoot and root dry matter (DM), net main axis root length (NMARL), and total root length (TRL) became lower than controls (0 Al). Aluminum toxicity and/or nutrient deficiency symptoms become …

Silvopasture: An Agroforestry Practice, Ned B. Klopfenstein, W. J. Rietveld, Richard C. Carman, Terry R. Clason, Steven H. Sharrow, Gene Garrett, Bruce Anderson

Agroforestry Notes (USDA-NAC)

Although some form of silvopasture management has been practiced for centuries, silvopasture as an agroforestry practice is specifically designed and managed for the production of trees, tree products, forage, and livestock. Silvopasture results when forage crops are deliberately introduced or enhanced in a timber production system, or timber crops are deliberately introduced or enhanced in a forage production system. As a silvopasture, timber and pasture are managed as a single integrated system.

Silvopastoral systems are designed to produce a high-value timber component, while providing short-term cash flow from the livestock component. The interactions among timber, forage, and livestock are managed …

The Chemical Composition And Nutritive Value Of Australian Pulses, S. Sipas, J. B. Mackintosh, D. S. Petterson

Books & book chapters

Grain legumes are the harvested seed of leguminous crops, typically peas, beans and their close relatives within the Fabaceae. Another term for many of these crops is pulses. In Australia, generally grain legumes are referred to as pulses. The term pulse is derived from the Latin puls meaning that the seed or grain can be made into a thick soup or pottage. The term pulse is most commonly associated with the food legumes whereas grain legumes are mostly associated with the feed industry. The terms are interchangeable, but with few exceptions (notably chickpeas, lentils and mung beans), the majority of …

Bulletin 4328 - Soil Testing For Vegetable Production On The Coastal Plain, Ian Mcpharlin, Murray Hegney

Bulletins 4000 -

Vegetable growers need to use fertiliser efficiently. Under-fertilising can reduce yield, which results in economic losses. Over-fertilising can reduce yield and contribute to nitrogen and phosphorus pollution of ground and surface waters. Concerns have been expressed that fertilisers applied to horticultural crops contribute to the phosphorus pollution of the rivers and estuaries of the west and south coast of Western Australia.

Soil testing is a technique that can be used by growers to make better fertiliser decisions. When soil tests show high levels of nutrients, growers can reduce fertiliser application for the current crop. This should enable growers to maintain …

An Evaluation Of Mango (Mangifera Indica L.) Cultivars And Their Commercial Suitability For The Kimberley, P. R. Johnson, D. M. Robinson

Horticulture published reports

An evaluation of 74 mango cultivars was conducted from 1983 to 1995 in the Ord River Irrigation Area (ORIA) on Cockatoo sand. The aim to determine their suitability for commercial production and establish the basis for a mango industry in the Northern tropics of Western Australia. Measurements were made on yield, harvest times, flowering times, brix, fruit quality, growth rates and market acceptability. Results have indicated that cultivars, other than Kensington Pride, most commercially suitable in the ORIA are Banana for early cropping in mid September, Irwin for high regular yields and good market acceptability, Haden for excellent market acceptability, …

Molecular And Functional Characterization Of A Novel Low-Affinity Cation Transporter (Lct1) In Higher Plants, Daniel P. Schachtman, Raman Kumar, Julian I. Schroeder, Ellen L. Marsh

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

The transport of cations across membranes in higher plants plays an essential role in many physiological processes including mineral nutrition, cell expansion, and the transduction of environmental signals. In higher plants the coordinated expression of transport mechanisms is essential for specialized cellular processes and for adaptation to variable environmental conditions. To understand the molecular basis of cation transport in plant roots, a Triticum aestivum cDNA library was used to complement a yeast mutant deficient in potassium (K⁺) uptake. Two genes were cloned that complemented the mutant: HKT1 and a novel cDNA described in this report encoding a cation …

Effects On White Leghorn Hens Of Constant Exposure To Ultraviolet Light From Insect Traps, Jerome Hogsette, Henry Wilson, Susan Semple-Rowland

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Constant exposure of Hy-Line^® W-36 White Leghorn hens to ultraviolet light from insect traps resulted in no significant differences in egg production, fertility, hatchability of fertile eggs, or total hatchability. Also, there were no apparent effects on the eyes of the birds. Results were the same when either blacklight or blacklight blue tubes were used. The need for additional testing of light traps for nuisance fly control in commercial caged layer houses is discussed.

Soil Temperature And Fumigation Effects On Plant Phosphorus Uptake And Related Microbial Properties, Dennis L. Mccallister, L. A. Jawson, M. D. Jawson

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Early season problems with growth of corn (Zea mays L.) under cool, wet conditions prompted a study of the effects of soil and environmental conditions on mineralization and plant uptake of phosphorus (P). Our objective was to determine the effect of soil test P, temperature, and soil fumigation on soil P availability and uptake during early corn growth. Corn was grown in growth chambers at temperatures of 14°C or 25°C. Soils were a high-P Hastings silty clay loam (fine, montmorillonitic, mesic Udic Argiustoll) and a low-P Sharpsburg clay loam (fine, montmorillonitic, mesic Typic Argiudoll). Plants grew for up to …

Yield Of Wheat Across A Subambient Carbon Dioxide Gradient, Herman S. Mayeux, Hyrum B. Johnson, H. Wayne Polley, Stephen R. Malone

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Yields and yield components of two cultivars of day-neutral spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) were assessed along a gradient of daytime carbon dioxide (CO₂) concentrations from about 200 to near 350 µmol CO₂ (mol air)^–1 in a 38 m-long controlled environment chamber. The range in CO₂ concentration studied approximates that of Earth’s atmosphere since the last ice age. This 75% rise in CO₂ concentration increased grain yields more than 200% under well-watered conditions and by 80–150% when wheat was grown without additions of water during the last half of the 100-day growing season. …

Proceedings Of The International Conference On Genetic Improvement Of Sorghum And Pearl Millet, Darrell Rosenow, Gary Peterson, John Mullet, Henry Nguyen, Gebisa Ejeta, John Axtell, David Andrews, Jeff Dahlberg, A. Bruce Maunder, Kay Porter, Mike Gilbert, John Witcombe, John Stenhouse, C. Tom Hash, Kanayo Nwanze, Sam Mukuru, Anand Kumar, Francisco Gomez, Aboubacar Toure, Ouendeba Botorou

INTSORMIL Impacts and Bulletins

In 1971, an international symposium, "Sorghum in the Seventies", organized by the All India Coordinated Sorghum Improvement Project with support from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research and the Rockefeller Foundation was held in Hyderabad, India. The symposium reviewed the current knowledge base of the scientific, production and nutritional aspects of sorghum as a crop and as a human food. In 1981, ICRISAT, INTSORMIL, and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) sponsored "Sorghum in the Eighties", an international symposium at ICRISAT Center in India, to review the achievements accomplished in sorghum research during the preceding 10 years. They reviewed …

Managing Pastures For Long-Term Prosperity, Hugh Pringle, Jenny Riches

Natural resources published reports

A Workshop held by the Sandstone Land Conservation District Committee

Lake Mason Station

April 1994

A workshop hosted by Sandstone Land Conservation District Committee (LCDC) was held at Lake Mason station on 28 April 1994. This workshop was based on two previous workshops hosted by the Kalgoorlie and north-eastern Goldfields LCDCs in May 1991 (Pringle et al. 1992). The success of the earlier workshops prompted the rangeland survey team in association with the Sandstone LCDC and the Kalgoorlie District Office of Agriculture Western Australia to initiate the project.

The aims were to provide a summary of local wisdom regarding pasture …

Germplasm And Cultivar Development, M. D. Casler, Jeffrey F. Pedersen, G. C. Eizenga, S. D. Stratton

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Cool-season forage grasses have evolved, and continue to evolve, in natural ecosystems subject to environmental factors both in the presence and absence of human influences. The literature often lacks facts describing the evolution and domestication of forage grasses. Furthermore, the literature on this subject mainly deals with evolution of species in the broad scope, i.e., on a scale of hundreds of thousands or millions or years. Thus, some of our conclusions are necessarily speculative and are highly subject to the nature of the research that has been reported. We describe the forces of selection that act upon cool-season forage grasses …

Development Of House Flies (Diptera: Muscidae) In Sand Containing Varying Amounts Of Manure Solids And Moisture, Jerome Hogsette

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

House flies, Musca domestica L., developed in 200 cm³ of coarse sand containing just 1 ml (0.47%) of dairy manure solids and 10 ml (4.74%) of moisture. At these levels, development was slow (21.5 d from 1st instar to adult), adult survival was low (7.5%), but successful development did occur. At higher manure and moisture levels, rates of development and survival were similar to those reported previously. All soil samples collected from a feedlot dairy contained higher levels of manure solids than the highest level tested in the laboratory. The implications for fly control in soil/manure mixtures and the …

Annual Forages: New Approaches For C-4 Forages, Jeffrey F. Pedersen

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

The current agricultural paradigm in the U.S. is heavily biased towards the production and marketing of crops as commodities. This paradigm is kept in place by grain handling and marketing infrastructure, as well as government farm programs, designed for crops as commodities. Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) and maize (Zea mays L.) grown for grain certainly fit into this current paradigm.

A new approach to agricultural production and marketing, identity preserved products, is gaining in importance. This is made possible through new technologies and markets demanding products designed specifically for their needs. Examples of investment in identity preserved …

Bulletin 4307 - Grass Control In Pastures Using Herbicides, Alexandra Wallace

Bulletins 4000 -

This Bulletin discusses three methods for herbicide control of grasses in pastures:

• pasture manipulation, in the early stages of pasture growth;
• spray-topping late in the growing season; and
• hay freezing, late in the growing season.

Addition Of Cellulolytic Clostridia To The Bovine Rumen And Pig Intestinal Tract, Vincent H. Varel, J.T. Yen, Kelly K. Kreikmeier

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Studies were conducted to determine whether intestinal cellulolytic bacteria could be introduced into the bovine rumen or pig large intestine. In the first study, the ruminal fluid of three cows was evacuated and replaced with 20 liters of buffer and 6 liters of the ruminal or swine cellulolytic organism Clostridium longisporum or Clostridium herbivorans, respectively. The introduced organisms were the predominant cellulolytic bacterium in the fluid (>107 cells ml21) at 0 h. C. longisporum was still the predominant cellulolytic organism after 5 h, at 0.55 3 107 cells ml21; however, after 24 h the count of C. longisporum …

Yield And N Uptake Of Inbred Corn With Reduced N-Fertilizer Application, Wallace Wilhelm, B. E. Johnson, R. Koopman, W. R. Peterson

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Most corn planted in the United States is a single-cross hybrid; therefore the seed is produced on inbred lines. Inbreds are known to be less productive than the resultant hybrids; however, growers and seed companies want to maximize seed production. To this end growers attempt to keep mineral nutrition, especially nitrogen, non-limiting. Low production potential and high N fertilization rates can result in the likelihood of groundwater contamination. Key to proper N application is knowledge of the N response of inbred lines. The purpose of this research was to determine the yield and N uptake response of a group of …

Intsormil Annual Report 1994, John M. Yohe, Joan Frederick, Dorothy Stoner

INTSORMIL Impacts and Bulletins

USAID conducted an overall evaluation of the Collaborative Research Support Programs (CRSPs), including lNTSORMIL, between May and July 1994. According to the "CRSP Evaluation Scope of Work" developed by USAID, the goal of this evaluation was to provide an objective assessment of the degree to which each of the CRSPs has had an impact on increasing agricultural production and development, and improving natural resource management through the development and dissemination of new and/or more appropriate sustainable agriculture technologies. The evaluation also assessed the extent to which the CRSP framework has responded to past Agency expectations and objectives and if the …

Environmental Modification Of Hard Red Winter Wheat Flour Protein Composition, Robert A. Graybosch, C. J. Peterson, P. Stephen Baenziger, D. R. Shelton

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

The intrinsic processing quality of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars is modified significantly by cultural conditions and climate. In an attempt to understand the biochemical basis of such variation, environmental modification of flour protein content and composition was measured. Thirty hard red winter wheat cultivars and experimental lines were grown at 17 Nebraska environments during 1990 and 1991. Environmental conditions, including grain filling duration, temperature and relative humidity during grain filling, were monitored. Grain yield and test weight also were determined as environmental indicators. Significant linear correlations between flour protein content, as measured by near-infrared spectroscopy, were observed only …

Understanding Fertilisers For Table Grapes, B. H. Goldspink, I. Cameron, J. Campbell-Clause, N. Lantzke, C. Gordon

Viticulture research reports

A course run by the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, August 1995.

The purpose of this publication is to clarify the role fertilisers play in commercial table grape production and to detail methods of selecting fertilisers. This selection process however is not easy as there are over 600 registered fertilisers in Western Australia.

In deciding which is the best fertiliser for a particular property many factors have to be considered. These include:

* Age of vine

* Rootstock

* Variety of table grape

* Soil type

* Soil chemistry

* Irrigation methods

* Previous fertiliser history Previous yield, vigour and …

Endocrinology Of The Avian Reproductive System, Mary Ann Ottinger, Murray R. Bakst

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the avian reproductive system. Attention is given to the neuroendocrine regulation of hypothalamic and pituitary gland hormones as well as the target tissues regulated by these hormones. Emphasis is placed on the dynamics of the system and the effects of alterations resulting from environmental and other influences on the function of the reproductive system. The ovulatory cycle, oviduct, and shell gland are discussed relative to egg formation and the hormonal regulation of this process. Testicular function and the cellular bases for spermatogenesis and steroid production are also discussed.

Genetic And Phenotypic (Co)Variances For Growth And Carcass Traits Of Purebred And Composite Populations Of Beef Cattle, K. E. Gregory, L. V. Cundiff, R. M. Koch

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Least squares means, genetic (σ_g), and phenotypic (σ_p) standard deviations, and phenotypic coefficients of variation (CV) were estimated on an age-constant basis for growth, carcass, and meat traits of castrate males from 12 breed groups combined, for 9 purebreds combined, and for the F3 generation of three composite populations combined to which the nine purebreds contributed. Also, heritabilities ( h²) and genetic ( r_g) and phenotypic ( r_p) correlations were estimated among growth, carcass, and meat traits for all breed groups combined involving 1,594 individuals that were the progeny of …

Grain Legume And Canola Autumn Updates 1995, David Williams

Grain and other field crops published reports

Grain legumes

- Chickpea

- Field pea

- Lentil

- Faba beans

Canola essentials:

Site selection -Paddock selection is critical for a successful canola crop. Avoid paddocks with waterlogging, wind erosion and broadleaf weeds - particularly wild radish, turnip, mustard and doublegees.

Soil type - Canela grows well on most soil types, however it prefers well drained gravel soils, red loams, sandy _loams and deeper duplex soils. Soil pH levels (in CaCl_²) of 4.5 to 8.0 are suitable. Soil test paddock for pH, phosphorus, and potassium levels.

Rotation - Grow canola after manipulated pasture, lupins or other grain …

Msda A Machinery Selection Decision Aid For Stubble Management Practices, Linda Leonard, Andrew Green

Grain and other field crops published reports

MSDA is a user friendly program developed to help farmers predict stubble outcomes before acting on their management practice. This manual is an accompaniment to a computer program designed on Micorsoft Excel-macros. Its aim is to help farmers assess their current machinery and stubble handling ability and view options that may be adopted as best practice for their properties.

The program is designed with the complete season in mind. Information is gathered on the full complement of machinery used from harvest through to seeding, to allow farmers to see all choices available and enable them to choose the best system …

Growing Lettuce, Margaret Graham

Horticulture published reports

The commonly cultivated lettuce, Lactuca sativa, is an annual belonging to the sunflower family. It has been cultivated for over 2500 years, and is a popular salad vegetable.

There are three main subspecies commonly grown.

• IL. sativa ssp capitata - Head type - Crisphead is a lettuce with a firm head and brittle leaves. It is the major lettuce type grown in Australia and is also known as iceberg lettuce. - Butterhead (buttercrunch, mignonette) lettuce has soft, pale leaves and a delicate buttery flavour. It is of major importance in Europe, where it is grown as a greenhouse crop.
• L. …

Understanding Fertilisers - Course Notes, Margaret Graham, John Burt, Neil Lantzke

Horticulture research reports

The aim of the course is to provide you with more detailed information that will allow you to refine and improve your fertiliser program. Applying the correct amount of nutrient increases yield and quality. Over-fertilising is a waste of money and may lead to pollution of groundwater.

An Inventory And Condition Survey Of The Murchison River Catchment, Western Australia, Peter James Curry, A L. Payne, K A. Leighton, P Hennig, D A. Blood

Technical Bulletins

The inventory and condition survey of the Murchison River catchment and surrounds, undertaken by the Department of Agriculture between 1985 and 1988, describes and maps the natural resources of the region’s pastoral leasehold land. This survey report provides a baseline record of the existence and condition of the natural area’s resources, to assist with the planning and implementation of land management practices. The report identified and described the condition of soils, landforms, vegetation, habitat, ecosystems, and declared plants and animals. It also assessed the impact of pastoralism and made land management recommendations. The area surveyed by field work during 1985-88 …

Gascoyne Research Station Field Day, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

Horticulture research reports

Gascoyne Research Station Centenary Open Day Thursday 13 October 1994

100 years (1894-1994) Advancing Agriculture

Welcome to the 1994 Field Day at Gascoyne Research Station. At this day you'll have the opportunity to view and hear discussions of some of the latest Research and Development initiatives in horticulture in the region. We will commence activities at the Packing Shed at 3:00 p.m. with introductions and short discussions of new work which is currently in progress. This will be followed by field talks at the trial sites, as listed in this brochure. We are also pleased to include presentations by leaders …

A Field Study Of The Predatory Mite Metaseiulus Occidentalis Overwintering In Apple Orchards In The South West Of Western Australia, K. J. Lacey

Horticulture published reports

The twospotted mite (Tetranychus urticae) is one of the major pests of horticultural crops in Australia, and can cause severe damage in deciduous tree fruit crops such as apples, pears and peaches if left unchecked (Seymour 1982).

This study was conducted to determine whether the predatory mite Metaseiulus occidentalis, once introduced into orchards in the south west of Western Australia, could survive through the winter period and repopulate the orchard the following season. Two orchards in the Manjimup region where M. occidentalis had been released in the early summer of 1990/91, were selected for the study.

On-tree shelters were placed …