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Smallholder Farmer Seed Production Of Mulato Ii Hybrid Brachiaria In Thailand And Laos - Bringing Quality Forage Seeds Home To Africa, M. D. Hare Oct 2021

Smallholder Farmer Seed Production Of Mulato Ii Hybrid Brachiaria In Thailand And Laos - Bringing Quality Forage Seeds Home To Africa, M. D. Hare

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Seeds of Mulato II hybrid brachiaria [Urochloa ruziziensis (syn. Brachiaria ruziziensis) x U. brizantha (syn. B. brizantha) x U. decumbens (syn, B.decumbens)] produced by smallholder farmers in villages in northeast Thailand and northern Laos, under contract to Ubon Forage Seeds Co. Ltd, a tropical forage seed company in Thailand, have come home to Africa. Since 2012, over 20,000 kg of Mulato II seed have been exported from Thailand to Kenya. The seed is hand-harvested from seed-heads in Laos and by hand-sweeping the seed from the ground in Thailand. The farmers semi-clean the seed in the field …


Induction Of Tetraploid Ruzigrass (Brachiaria Ruziziensis) By Colchicine And Possibility Of Using Seed Weight As Screening Method, R. Poungkaew, Y. Mangpung, J. Arananant, P. Chuchuay, S. Thaikua, P. Chanpeng Oct 2021

Induction Of Tetraploid Ruzigrass (Brachiaria Ruziziensis) By Colchicine And Possibility Of Using Seed Weight As Screening Method, R. Poungkaew, Y. Mangpung, J. Arananant, P. Chuchuay, S. Thaikua, P. Chanpeng

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Tetraploid ruzigrass (Brachiaria ruziziensis) have been obtained by colchicine treatment of in vitro apical meristems and embryogenic calli. The colchicine treatment consisted of culturing apical meristem on MS basal medium containing 6.0 mg L-1 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) and 0.05-0.20% colchicine for 8, 14, 20 and 26 h. After treated by colchicine, apical meristems were transferred onto former medium without colchicine for 4 weeks. Surviving apical meristems were induced multiple roots on MS basal medium containing 2.0 mg L-1 BAP. The ploidy level of plants after colchicine treatment was determined by flow cytometry. Apical meristems treated with 0.05% …


Growth Performance And Yield Of Three Brachiaria Cultivars Subjected To Different Eco-Climatic Zones Of Tanzania, Ismail S. Selemani Oct 2021

Growth Performance And Yield Of Three Brachiaria Cultivars Subjected To Different Eco-Climatic Zones Of Tanzania, Ismail S. Selemani

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Replacement of high quality (perennial forage) with low quality (annual forage) due to the effects of climate change has resulted into low milk production in Tanzania to 4.5L which is below the genetic potential of producing at least 15L of milk per cow per day. Though high yield fodder grasses such as Brachiaria have been recommended as climate smart fodder grass, little information has been documented in Tanzania particularly with respect to the growth performance of these grasses across different eco-climatic zones. The current study determine the performance and yield of three cultivars of Brachiaria (Brachiaria brizantha cv. Piata, …


Differences In Urochloa Hybrids And Cultivars Biomass Production In Several Sites In Western Kenya, S. Mwendia, A. O. Notenbaert, D. M. Mwangi, R. Odhiambo, I. Ogutu, A. Juma Oct 2021

Differences In Urochloa Hybrids And Cultivars Biomass Production In Several Sites In Western Kenya, S. Mwendia, A. O. Notenbaert, D. M. Mwangi, R. Odhiambo, I. Ogutu, A. Juma

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Forage production is at the core of improved livestock productivity, especially in sub Saharan Africa. The genetic potential of existing animals remains underutilized due to limited forage quality and quantity. Albeit wide range of forage germplasm that exists, little data is available for identifying suitable genotypes, matched to specific environments and production systems. Due to the spatial and temporal diverse environments in which livestock production happens, multi-locational screening of forage production and characterizing genotype by environment interaction is key. We selected seven Urochloa (Syn. Brachiaria) genotypes comprising three hybrids and four cultivars and established them in on-farm trials in …


Identification And Analysis Of Flowering Time Candidate Genes Of Dactylis Glomerata L., X. Q. Zhang, G. Y. Feng, L. K. Huang, X. X. Zhao, Z. F. Yang Oct 2021

Identification And Analysis Of Flowering Time Candidate Genes Of Dactylis Glomerata L., X. Q. Zhang, G. Y. Feng, L. K. Huang, X. X. Zhao, Z. F. Yang

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.) is an important forage grass for cultivating livestock worldwide. Heading date is a surrogate measure of flowering time and is strongly correlated with the yield and quality of forage grasses. Here, we identified 210 flowering-related genes in orchardgrass by BLASTP. In addition, our integrated analysis of transcriptome, quantitative trait locus (QTL), and bulked segregant analysis (BSA) provided insights into the genetic network regulating flowering time. The results revealed that four main candidate genes may participate in flowering time control, including one FT-like gene and three MADS-box genes. Expression investigation between the early-flowering and late-flowering phenotype …


Brs Quênia And Brs Tamani: New Panicum Maximum Jacq. Hybrid Cultivars In Brazil, Liana Jank, C. M. S. De Andrade, Giovana A. Maciel, Rodrigo A. Barbosa, Gustavo J. Braga, Manuel C. M. Macedo, José R. Valério, Jaqueline R. Verzignassi, A. H. Zimmer, Celso D. Fernandes, M. F. Santos, Rosangela M. Simeão Oct 2021

Brs Quênia And Brs Tamani: New Panicum Maximum Jacq. Hybrid Cultivars In Brazil, Liana Jank, C. M. S. De Andrade, Giovana A. Maciel, Rodrigo A. Barbosa, Gustavo J. Braga, Manuel C. M. Macedo, José R. Valério, Jaqueline R. Verzignassi, A. H. Zimmer, Celso D. Fernandes, M. F. Santos, Rosangela M. Simeão

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Since 1982 Embrapa Beef Catle in Campo Grande, MS, Brazil, develops a Panicum maximum Jacq. breeding program, based on the germplasm collected and assembled by IRD (Institut de Recherche pour le Developpment) and received through a cooperation-agreement with IRD. The germplasm was evaluated and four cultivars were released directly from the germplasm: cultivars Tanzania, Mombaça, Massai and BRS Zuri. Breeding began in 1990 and involved crosses between sexual plants and selected apomictic accessions. The program consists of evaluation followed by selection of hybrids in plots with replications, evaluation of the selected hybrids in national network experiments in diverse regions and …


Nutritional Characteristics Of Brachiaria Ruziziensis (Germain & Evrard) Subjected To Different Doses Of Gamma Rays, A. I. Hoka, M. Gicheru, S. Otieno Oct 2021

Nutritional Characteristics Of Brachiaria Ruziziensis (Germain & Evrard) Subjected To Different Doses Of Gamma Rays, A. I. Hoka, M. Gicheru, S. Otieno

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Appropriate methods of mutation induction are of high importance in pastures for increased genetic variability and improved forage performance. The objective of this research was to improve agronomic and nutritive performance of mutant lines through induced mutagenesis to seeds of a local landrace Brachiaria ruziziensis. The seeds were irradiated with 0, 10, 20, 30, and 40Gy doses of gamma radiation from Cobalt 60 (60Co). Treatments were; KE 0Gy, KE 10Gy, KE 20Gy, KE 30Gy, and KE 40Gy resulting into M1 seeds. The seeds were planted in the greenhouse in germination pots then transplanted to the field. Seeds …


Productivity And Nutritive Value Of Urochloa Grass Cultivars In Semi-Arid Tropical Kenya, Donald M. G. Njarui, Mwangi Gatheru Oct 2021

Productivity And Nutritive Value Of Urochloa Grass Cultivars In Semi-Arid Tropical Kenya, Donald M. G. Njarui, Mwangi Gatheru

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

There is increasing demand for high yielding and nutritious forages to meet the growing dairy farming in semi-arid Kenya. The productivity and nutritive value of seven Urochloa grass cultivars (Urochloa decumbens cv. Basilisk, U. brizantha cvs. Marandu, MG4, Piatá and Xaraes, U. humidicola cv. Llanero and U. hybrid cv. Mulato II) were evaluated in two diverse semi-arid environments, Katumani and Ithookwe in Kenya. At Katumani, the dry matter (DM) yield (5000 - 7500 kg/ha) was highest during the first harvest during the long rains (LR) 2014 season. Dry matter yield declined progressively with season and in the third season …


Milk Yield Of Dairy Cattle Fed Common Urochloa Grass In Kenya, R. W. Muinga, Michael N. Njunie, Mwangi Gatheru, Donald M. G. Njarui Oct 2021

Milk Yield Of Dairy Cattle Fed Common Urochloa Grass In Kenya, R. W. Muinga, Michael N. Njunie, Mwangi Gatheru, Donald M. G. Njarui

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Urochloa grass mainly grown in South America, East Asia and Australia has its origin in East and Central Africa. Its success in South America for animal production triggered interest in Kenya where the main forage species Napier grass was threatened by head smut and stunt diseases. Therefore, a study was carried out at Mtwapa research station in the coastal lowlands of Kenya under controlled condition to compare the lactation performance of dairy cattle fed on Urochloa hybrid cv. Mulato II, U. decumbens cv. Basilisk, U. brizantha cvs. Piata, MG-4 and Xaraes with Napier grass. An on-farm participatory study was conducted …


Growth And Yield Evaluation Of Urochloa Grass Cultivars In Sub-Humid Region Of Kenya, M. N. Kifuko-Koech, K. W. Ndung’U-Magiroi, M. C. Mutoko, M. Kamidi, Donald M. G. Njarui Oct 2021

Growth And Yield Evaluation Of Urochloa Grass Cultivars In Sub-Humid Region Of Kenya, M. N. Kifuko-Koech, K. W. Ndung’U-Magiroi, M. C. Mutoko, M. Kamidi, Donald M. G. Njarui

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Livestock production in sub humid region of Kenya is constrained by inadequate and low quality pasture. A study was conducted to evaluate growth and productivity of eight improved Urochloa grass cultivars in lower midlands, upper midlands and lower highlands agro-ecological zones (AEZ) in Eldoret, Kitale and Alupe respectively, western Kenya. The grass cultivars were; Urochloa brizantha cvs. Marandu, Xaraes, Piata, and MG-4, U. decumbens, cv. Basilisk, U. humidicola cvs. Humidicola and Llanero and Urochloa hybrid cv. Mulato II. Rhodes grass (Chloris gayana) and Napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum cv. Kakamega 1) were included as controls. At establishment …


Feed Intake And Liveweight Gain Of Goats Fed Urochloa Grass, P. M. Ngila, Donald M. G. Njarui, Michael N. Njunie Oct 2021

Feed Intake And Liveweight Gain Of Goats Fed Urochloa Grass, P. M. Ngila, Donald M. G. Njarui, Michael N. Njunie

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Crude protein and digestible dry matter are the most important components of a feed and determine animal performance. The natural pastures in Kenya are prone to great seasonal and spatial fluctuation in both quality and quantity. Consequently, there was need to explore other nutritious alternative feeds. Sixteen growing male Galla goats weighing 10 - 24 kg were used in a twelve weeks feeding trial in the coastal lowlands of Kenya. They were randomly allocated four grass diets consisting of Urochloa brizantha cvs. Piata and MG4, U. hybrid cv. Mulato II and Chloris gayana (Rhodes grass), which was used as the …


Warm-Season Legumes – Challenges And Constraints To Adapting Warm-Season Legumes To Transition Zone Climates With Examples From Arachis, G. M. L. Assis, José C. B. Dubeux Jr. Oct 2021

Warm-Season Legumes – Challenges And Constraints To Adapting Warm-Season Legumes To Transition Zone Climates With Examples From Arachis, G. M. L. Assis, José C. B. Dubeux Jr.

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Grass pastures in monoculture are the predominant system in transition zone climates, where warm-season perennial grasses are usually cultivated. Mixed grass-legume pastures are worldwide recognized for having advantages over pure stands, including pasture longevity, N input from biological fixation, efficient nutrient cycling, and greater animal production. The genus Arachis encompasses important and successful warm-season forage legume species cultivated in mixed pastures or in pure stands. Arachis pintoi and Arachis glabrata are potential tropical forage species that can be used in transition zone climates. Mixed pastures with these legumes have been shown to be resilient systems, able to withstand short-term perturbations, …


Breeding Cows Body Condition And Dry Matter Availability In Natural Pastures Under Rotational System, Dinah Pereira Rodrigues, Giuliano Teixeira Da Silva, Paulo Elias Borges Rodrigues, Alex Fabiano Fernandes Gomes, Gustavo Kruguer Gonçalves, Leonardo De Melo Menezes Oct 2021

Breeding Cows Body Condition And Dry Matter Availability In Natural Pastures Under Rotational System, Dinah Pereira Rodrigues, Giuliano Teixeira Da Silva, Paulo Elias Borges Rodrigues, Alex Fabiano Fernandes Gomes, Gustavo Kruguer Gonçalves, Leonardo De Melo Menezes

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The livestock production in Rio Grande do Sul is based on natural pastures, which suffer great productive seasonality throughout the year, especially due to the quantitative and qualitative deficit that it goes through in the winter months. The existing dynamic between the animal and the forage is fundamental for a better reproductive performance of the brood cows, and consequently an increase of the productivity of beef cattle. The calf herd generation is, certainly, the fundamental element of the full cycle livestock. Knowing the potentiality and understanding the dynamism of the natural fields is a fundamental condition for the choice of …


Crossing The Great Divide: Bridging The Researcher–Practitioner Gap To Maximize The Utility Of Remote Sensing For Invasive Species Monitoring And Management, Kelsey Parker, Arthur Elmes, Peter Boucher, Richard A. Hallett, John E. Thompson, Zachary Simek, Justin Bowers, Andrew B. Reinmann Oct 2021

Crossing The Great Divide: Bridging The Researcher–Practitioner Gap To Maximize The Utility Of Remote Sensing For Invasive Species Monitoring And Management, Kelsey Parker, Arthur Elmes, Peter Boucher, Richard A. Hallett, John E. Thompson, Zachary Simek, Justin Bowers, Andrew B. Reinmann

Advanced Science Research Center

Invasive species are increasingly present in our ecosystems and pose a threat to the health of forest ecosystems. Practitioners are tasked with locating these invasive species and finding ways to mitigate their spread and impacts, often through costly field surveys. Meanwhile, researchers are developing remote sensing products to detect the changes in vegetation health and structure that are caused by invasive species, which could aid in early detection and monitoring efforts. Although both groups are working towards similar goals and field data are essential for validating RS products, these groups often work independently. In this paper, we, a group of …


Linking Demand With Supply For Tropical Forage Genetic Resources To Reach Impact At Scale, M. Peters, S. Burkart, U. Ohmstedt, C. Castiblanco, E. Stern, A. Nicolayevsky, K. Enciso, M. Díaz, S. Mwendia, S. Douxchamps, A. O. Notenbaert, B. Lukuyu, K. Fuglie Oct 2021

Linking Demand With Supply For Tropical Forage Genetic Resources To Reach Impact At Scale, M. Peters, S. Burkart, U. Ohmstedt, C. Castiblanco, E. Stern, A. Nicolayevsky, K. Enciso, M. Díaz, S. Mwendia, S. Douxchamps, A. O. Notenbaert, B. Lukuyu, K. Fuglie

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Over the last decades a wealth of information on tropical forage genetic resources has been collated and is accessible to users ranging from farmers, development practitioners and researchers to decision makers and academia, e.g. through online tools such as Tropical Forages: An interactive selection tool (www.tropicalforages.info). However, while genetic diversity is being conserved by international gene banks, adoption of improved tropical forages is still far from reaching its full potential. Major bottlenecks in our view include lack of awareness of available forage genetic resources, confirmation of adaptation in a wide range of bio-physical, socio-economic, political and cultural contexts …


Rebuilding A Tropical Forages For The Future Network – A Call For Resuscitating Enthusiasm For A Commodity With Great Prospects And Innovation Potential, B. C. Pengelly, B. L. Maass Oct 2021

Rebuilding A Tropical Forages For The Future Network – A Call For Resuscitating Enthusiasm For A Commodity With Great Prospects And Innovation Potential, B. C. Pengelly, B. L. Maass

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

A series of Forages for the Future newsletters, outlining some of the latest tropical and subtropical forage (TSTF) research and development impacts and expertise, has been published since 2016. Amongst the research highlights were Brazilian scientists’ focus on grasses such as Urochloa, Megathyrsus maximus, Paspalum and Cenchrus purpureus, and on legumes, especially Arachis and Stylosanthes. Argentinian researchers are similarly targeting Acroceras macrum and Setaria sphacelata; while Indian and ILRI (East Africa) researchers are using plant breeding to overcome disease constraints in Napier grass (Cenchrus purpureus and associated hybrids). Also demonstrated were successfully using genetic …


Forage Genetic Resources In Brazil, Liana Jank, Mateus F. Santos, Cacilda B. Do Valle, Sanzio C. L. Barrios, Rosangela M. Simeão Oct 2021

Forage Genetic Resources In Brazil, Liana Jank, Mateus F. Santos, Cacilda B. Do Valle, Sanzio C. L. Barrios, Rosangela M. Simeão

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

To maintain the largest herd in the world, 214 million heads of beef cattle grazing exclusively on pastures (only 14% finished in feed-lots), Embrapa (Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation) in Brazil, has intensely invested on forage breeding programs since the 1980s. Nowadays, there are circa thirteen forage grass and legume species being bred at different Embrapa Units around the country and other six Units focusing on collection and research of regional native forages. Breeding depends on good germplasm sources. Therefore, breeding activities in Brazil will remain highly dependent on exotic and native genetic basis maintained in the Germplasm Banks. Despite the …


Forage Production And Utilisation: Forage Production For Improved On-Farm Wealth And Wellness, John Caradus Oct 2021

Forage Production And Utilisation: Forage Production For Improved On-Farm Wealth And Wellness, John Caradus

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

It is often overlooked that the world’s largest agricultural land use by far is grassland, where these are mostly grazed by livestock, either domesticated or wild animals. Native grasslands are referred to as savanna (in Africa), steppe (in sub- Artic Eurasia), prairie (in North America), or pampas (in South America). Grasslands contribute to the livelihoods of more than 800 million people (FAO 2000). Native grasslands are maintained by restricted rainfall that reduces the opportunity for succession by forest. Grasslands are not only food for livestock, but also provide a habitat for wildlife, prevent soil erosion, support pollinators, and capture carbon …


Sustainable Use Of Grassland Resources For Improved Livelihoods, Liana Jank, Cacilda Borges Do Valle, Rosangela Maria Simeão, Roberto Giolo De Almeida, Mateus Figueiredo Santos, Sanzio Carvalho Barrios Oct 2021

Sustainable Use Of Grassland Resources For Improved Livelihoods, Liana Jank, Cacilda Borges Do Valle, Rosangela Maria Simeão, Roberto Giolo De Almeida, Mateus Figueiredo Santos, Sanzio Carvalho Barrios

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Grasslands occupy about 80% of global agricultural land and represent a wide range of ecosystems (Bosi et al., 2020). Pastureland represents approximately 889 million ha in Africa, followed by China (~506 million ha), Oceania (~345 million ha), Asia (~307 million ha, excluding China and India), United States (~252 million ha) and Brazil (~149 million ha) (Goldewijk et al. 2017; Bosi et al. 2020; Landau et al., 2020). Rangelands alone are the world largest land surface, and in 28 countries they represent more than 60 percent of total land area (FAO, 2009). The livelihoods of almost one billion people depend on …


Exploring The Information Base Needed For Sustainable Management Of Rangeland Resources For Improved Livelihoods, K. I. Johnsen, M. Niamir-Fuller, A. Bensada, A. Waters-Bayer Oct 2021

Exploring The Information Base Needed For Sustainable Management Of Rangeland Resources For Improved Livelihoods, K. I. Johnsen, M. Niamir-Fuller, A. Bensada, A. Waters-Bayer

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Pastoralism is one of the most sustainable production systems worldwide and plays a major role in safeguarding ecosystem services and biodiversity in rangelands. The unique biological and cultural diversity of rangelands contributes to goods, services and knowledge that benefit humans also beyond the herding communities.

Yet data currently available on grassland, forestry, agriculture and livestock are inadequate for informing policymaking on rangeland-based livestock systems. A review of global environmental assessments, online databases, peer-reviewed literature and international project documents showed that available information seldom disaggregates rangelands from other ecosystems or pastoralists from other rural dwellers. Few peer-reviewed publications address pastoral and …


Environmental Factors Effect On Rangeland Plant Diversity In Al Sabaloga Area, Sudan, Salma Abdelghaffar Hassan Alamin, Hala Ahamed Hassan Oct 2021

Environmental Factors Effect On Rangeland Plant Diversity In Al Sabaloga Area, Sudan, Salma Abdelghaffar Hassan Alamin, Hala Ahamed Hassan

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The study was conducted in AL Elsabaloga area in Sudan in 2017. This study aimed to assess environmental and biotic factor effects on rangeland plant diversity in the study area. A total sample size of 130 was chosen randomly to collect primary data. The data were coded, summarized, tabulated and processed. Analysis was conducted using (SPSS) computer program. The results were presented in the form of a frequency distribution. There were many problem effects on Rangeland plant diversity. Among these were floods (P < 0.01), expansion of agriculture (P < 0.01), over grazing (P < 0.01), drought, sand marching and desertification (P < 0.01), insect (P < 0.01). In addition, disappear of some plant and appear invader plant. The study was concluded expansion of agriculture, seasonal fire, overgrazing, drought, sand marching and desertification are important factors that effect on plant diversity in the study area. The study recommended protection of rangeland needs to be by improvement of the extension services, management of rangeland through opening of fire lines. Development and improvement, plant diversity and demarcation of routes relevant ministries is essential.


Collective Approach Of Rural Development: Case Study Of “Maronna Foundation” In The Pampa Bioma, Rio Grande Do Sul, Brazil, Adriana Ferreira Da Costa Vargas, Vicente Celestino Pires Silveira Oct 2021

Collective Approach Of Rural Development: Case Study Of “Maronna Foundation” In The Pampa Bioma, Rio Grande Do Sul, Brazil, Adriana Ferreira Da Costa Vargas, Vicente Celestino Pires Silveira

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The Maronna Foundation was created in the 1980s by two brothers who were heirless farmers. After a visit to Massey University, New Zealand, they decided to use their fortune to support rural farming in the Brazilian Pampa through an agropastoral institute. Over the last four decades, the foundation has developed diverse research, education, and extension projects in partnership with local, regional, national, and international institutions, especially universities, research centers, non-governmental organizations and local governances. Recent surveys conducted in the area of the Maronna Foundation demonstrate the interest of local breeders in technologies applied to farming systems, mainly for rangeland and …


Visual Assessment Of Soil Structure As An Early Indicator Of Soil Quality In Response To Intensive Rotational Grazing, N. Teutscherova, E. Vazquez, D. Baquero, N. E. Velasquez-Ruiz, M. Pulleman, Jacobo Arango Oct 2021

Visual Assessment Of Soil Structure As An Early Indicator Of Soil Quality In Response To Intensive Rotational Grazing, N. Teutscherova, E. Vazquez, D. Baquero, N. E. Velasquez-Ruiz, M. Pulleman, Jacobo Arango

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Grasslands can play a crucial role in mitigation of global warming by serving as carbon sink. Nevertheless, to achieve the grasslands’ potential, sustainable management is of the utmost importance as it determines system’s productivity and ecosystem services. Due to the increasing demand for animal products in developing countries, grazed areas increase exponentially in the tropics, mainly due to unsustainable management leading to low productivity and soil degradation. We evaluated the impact of intensive rotational grazing management (IRG) on early indicators of soil quality following land-use change based on on-farm observations of visual soil characteristics using two different widely used assessment …


Short-Term Dry Season Forage Monitoring In Rangelands And Savannas Of West Africa, J. Y. Anchang, C. W. Ross, W. Ji, Q. Yu, B. Lind, L. Prihodko, N. P. Hanan Oct 2021

Short-Term Dry Season Forage Monitoring In Rangelands And Savannas Of West Africa, J. Y. Anchang, C. W. Ross, W. Ji, Q. Yu, B. Lind, L. Prihodko, N. P. Hanan

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Dry season plant biomass is critical for livestock production and hence livelihoods in rangeland communities. We have developed a cloud-based application that employs remote sensing data to provide weekly spatially explicit information on plant vegetation cover in West Africa during the dry season (typically October-June). In this paper, we discuss the data analysis steps and results that drive the application. Linear spectral mixture analysis is used to derive endmember samples of basic landcover primitives (active/green vegetation, non-active vegetation, and bare soil) from very high-resolution imagery that spans the spatiotemporal spectrum from wet/peak-green to dry/dormant conditions in Senegal. These samples are …


Prescribed Fire Plus Grazing Horses: A Sustainable Model To Decrease Fire Hazard In A Mountain Landscape, F. Torres-Manso, R. Pinto, A. Marta-Costa, P. Fernandes, M. Fernandes Oct 2021

Prescribed Fire Plus Grazing Horses: A Sustainable Model To Decrease Fire Hazard In A Mountain Landscape, F. Torres-Manso, R. Pinto, A. Marta-Costa, P. Fernandes, M. Fernandes

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The mountain landscapes of northern Portugal have been modified through rural depopulation and the absence of rangeland management. As such, increased above-ground biomass and higher fire hazard resulted, as well as decreased ecosystem biodiversity. The objectives of the OpentoPreserve Interreg SUDOE project are to evaluate the effects of the combined use of prescribed fire with grazing horses, and also to develop strategies of socio-economic valorization of this model. Concerning the evaluation of prescribed fire and grazing effects, the experimental design consisted of three plots in the Natura 2000 Alvão/Marão Site, respectively Control, Fire x Grazing, and Fire. The Fire plots …


Positive Changes In Regional Vegetation Cover In Patagonia Shown By Maras Monitoring System, Gabriel E. Oliva, J. Gaitan Oct 2021

Positive Changes In Regional Vegetation Cover In Patagonia Shown By Maras Monitoring System, Gabriel E. Oliva, J. Gaitan

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

MARAS (Environmental monitoring of arid and semiarid lands) is a vegetation and soil monitoring system in Patagonia, a 700.000 km2 area in southern South America. Installed between 2008-2015 within INTA-Argentina and INIA-Chile national agricultural research institutes, it includes photographs, 500-point intercepts, 50-m canfield lines to detect patches, 10 land function observations and 0-10 cm soil samples in 458 ground sites. Data is centralized and freely accessible https://maras.inta.gob.ar. We analysed changes based in the first 255 reassessments made at 5-year intervals. At a regional scale significant changes (P < 0.05 paired T test) were detected for: perennial vegetation cover, that was originally 42% and increased +3.1%. Plant species richness of 13.7 species/monitor increased +0.7, bare soil of 35% decreased -7.9%. Length of bare soil interpatches was 157 cm and decreased -42 cm. Land function indexes of Stability 46.2%, Infiltration 45.1% and Recycling 31.0% showed small non-significant changes (-1.3, +0.7 and +1.42 respectively). Significant changes in soils under vegetated patches were: conductivity 0.59 dS/m increased +0.49, and pH 7.3 +0.33. Organic matter was 2.0% and increased 0.35%, and sand was 73% and increased 3%. Finer soil particles decreased non-significantly. Bare soil interpatches had 1.4% organic matter and also increased 0.33%, and clay, that initially was 9.3% reduced -2.3%. The long-term ground sites provide a means to monitor slow changes in these rangelands in relation to global climatic change and regional grazing patterns. Patagonia has currently the lowest domestic stocking rates of the last century and vegetation seems to be slowly growing in perennial cover, with significant reductions in exposed bare soil, increase in biodiversity and soil organic carbon.


Modelling Catchment-Scale Evapotranspiration And Net Primary Production In Sub-Humid African Grasslands: Towards Understanding Carbon And Water Trade-Offs In Communal Rangelands, A. R. Palmer, Z. Munch, L. Vermeulen Oct 2021

Modelling Catchment-Scale Evapotranspiration And Net Primary Production In Sub-Humid African Grasslands: Towards Understanding Carbon And Water Trade-Offs In Communal Rangelands, A. R. Palmer, Z. Munch, L. Vermeulen

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Being able to confidently predict net primary production within intensively used rangeland systems has become the goal of many rangeland scientists. The communally-managed rangelands of Africa, with their very high livestock numbers, represent such a challenge, as above-ground biomass is most often depleted before it has had chance to accumulate. In order to provide more accurate estimates of NPP for these rangelands, we explored the use of direct measurements of canopy cover, standing biomass and leaf area index, against standard vegetation indices from the Sentinel 2 sensors. Following intensive field surveys, we developed regression models of the relationships between Sentinel …


Lowveld Savanna Bush Cutting Alters Tree-Grass Interactions, E. R. Wedel, J. B. Nippert, A. M. Swemmer Oct 2021

Lowveld Savanna Bush Cutting Alters Tree-Grass Interactions, E. R. Wedel, J. B. Nippert, A. M. Swemmer

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Savannas are characterized by the coexistence of trees and grasses, and their interactions are modified by water availability and herbivore activity. Many savannas are experiencing bush encroachment, resulting in reduced herbaceous productivity and shifts in savanna structure. This study aims to understand the effects of tree density and tree cutting on herbaceous productivity, water use, and herbivore abundance in a mopane-dominated lowveld savanna. We present data from a 4-year mopane-cutting experiment in the Mthimkhulu Game Reserve bordering Kruger National Park (South Africa). We established three 60x60 m plots for experimental manipulation where mopane stems and re-sprouting shoots were cut 2-3 …


Status And Distribution Of Range Plants Genetic Resources In Al Sabaloga Biosphere Conservation Area, Sudan, Salma Abdelghaffar Hassan Alamin, Hala Ahamed Hassan Oct 2021

Status And Distribution Of Range Plants Genetic Resources In Al Sabaloga Biosphere Conservation Area, Sudan, Salma Abdelghaffar Hassan Alamin, Hala Ahamed Hassan

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The study was conducted in the Al Sabaloga area in 2017. The objective of this study was to investigate the status and distribution of range plants genetic resources in the study area. Sample size of 131 was chosen randomly to collect primary data. The data were coded, summarized, tabulated and processed. Analysis was conducted using (SPSS) computer program. The results were presented in the form of a frequency distribution. The result of this study represented in an ecological zone in the study area about (67%) Nile bank and island, Goz (35%), Valley (22%), Plains (17%) and Mountains (17%). For example, …


Rejuvenation Of Rangelands – Role Of Diversity And Improvement Strategies Of Range Grasses, A. K. Roy, D. R. Malaviya, P. Kaushal Oct 2021

Rejuvenation Of Rangelands – Role Of Diversity And Improvement Strategies Of Range Grasses, A. K. Roy, D. R. Malaviya, P. Kaushal

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In India, a major part of the rural economy is dependent on the grazing-based livestock husbandry which is unique integration of agriculture and livestock coupled with rich traditional knowledge. Ecosystems of common property resources had been a mainstay in rural economy and livelihood. The traditional grazing forage resources in arid and semi-arid regions have deteriorated a lot due to various factors including heavy grazing pressure, climate change and dominance of invasive species, thus, needs rejuvenation. Additionally, these are causing serious economic and ecological problems such as poor productivity, soil and water erosion and reduced carbon sequestration.

The genetic improvement of …