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Aegic Blogposts - Grain Demand Overview, Ross Kingwell, Paul Meibusch, Jorge E. Mayer, Richard Williams, Peter Elliott, Chris Carter

Grain and other field crops published reports

The Australian Export Grains Innovation Centre (AEGIC) was an independent, not-for-profit organisation established in 2012 by the Western Australian Government and the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC). Its core mission was to increase the value and international competitiveness of Australia’s multibillion-dollar export grains industry. AEGIC ceased operation at the end of 2025.

Early in its history between 20 to 30 staff from the former Western Australian Department of Agriculture were seconded to AEGIC. Following the formation of DPIRD, AEGIC continued to receive substantial annual funding support from DPIRD.

This publication is a legacy document containing collated AEGIC blog posts …

Aegic Blogposts - Grain Demand: Health And Environmental Issues, Ross Kingwell, Nicholas Thorsager, Chris Carter

Grain and other field crops published reports

The Australian Export Grains Innovation Centre (AEGIC) was an independent, not-for-profit organisation established in 2012 by the Western Australian Government and the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC). Its core mission was to increase the value and international competitiveness of Australia’s multibillion-dollar export grains industry. AEGIC ceased operation at the end of 2025.

Early in its history between 20 to 30 staff from the former Western Australian Department of Agriculture were seconded to AEGIC. Following the formation of DPIRD, AEGIC continued to receive substantial annual funding support from DPIRD.

This publication is a legacy document containing collated AEGIC blog posts …

The Effect Of Addition Of Formic Acid, With Or Without Formalin, On The Conservation Quality, Digestibility, Nutritive Value, And Nitrogen Balance Of Direct-Cut Silage, C Demarquilly, Elisabeth Grenet, J P. Dulphy

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

From 34 standing crops of grasses or legumes, 93 direct-cut silages were prepared: 33 without additive, 37 with formic acid (3.5 or 5 1/t), 10 with formic acid and 1.5 1/t formalin, 15 with formic acid and 3.5 to 5 1/t formalin. The conservation quality of the silages was improved by the addition of formic acid and even further by the mixture of formic acid and formalin. Silage digestibility is similar to that of the corresponding green forage, but the addi­tion of formalin considerably reduces protein digestibility (by 2 to 8 points). The voluntary intake of silage is lower than …

The Effects Of Mixtures Of Formalin And Acid On Silage Fermentation, Robert F. Wilson, Roger J. Wilkins

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Three experiments are described in which herbages were ensiled in test-tube silos without additive or after the addition of mixtures containing formalin with formic, sulphuric or phosphoric acid in order to restrict fermen­tation in the silo. Silages containing less than 5 % of the dry matter as fermentation acids and with low contents of ammonia were pro­duced with mixtures containing either 0.1 % of the fresh crop weight as formaldehyde with 10 meq of formic or sulphuric acid/ 100 g of crop or with 0.2 % of formaldehyde with 5 meq of either acid. Phosphoric acid was less effective than …

Effect Of Zinc, Copper, Molybdenum And Cobalt On Develop­ Ment, Yield And Hay Quality Of Lucerne, B Miskovic, P Eric, M Pantovic

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The effect of zinc, copper, molybdenum and cobalt exerted on the development, yield and quality of various cultivated plants is favourable in many ways. Our studies of their application in the nutrition of luceme in a pot experiment and field trials on chernozem soil were carried out to determine the effect of the above micro­elements on the yield, development and quality of lucerne hay, when applied togeµier with NPK fertilizers. The results of our experiments have shown that the application of these microelements, especially of zinc and copper, together with NPK fertilizers resulted in considerable increase of lucerne hay yields …

Influence Of Mineral Fertilization On The Quality Of Meadow Grasses, A Klesnil, F Turek

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The effect of different rates of nitrogen fertili­zation combined with PK on the quality of 6 important meadow grasses (Dactylis glomerata, Poa pratensis, Holcus lanatus, Trisetum jla­vescens, Alopecurus pratensis, and Deschampsia caespitosa) was studied from 1973 to 1975. Complete NPK nutrition at rates of I 00 and 100 + 50 kg N/ha distinctly increased the di­gestible crude protein content in the tested grasses, especially in the first cut (in Dactylis glomerata by 44-56 %, in Poa pratensis by 54 %, and in Trisetum jlavescens by 35 %). Application of 50 kg N/ha after the first cut produced maximum increase of …

Experiments About The Nutrition Of Grassland Ecosystems With Respect To Different Times Of Npk Application, Eduard Halva, Josef Lesak

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Experiments carried out during the years 1971 to 1973 have shown that a uniform system of the nutrition of grassland associations cannot be introduced into all production areas and all types of forage crops represented in Czechoslo­vakia. In relation to the complexity of the studied problems and to the diversity of soil and climatic conditions in the production areas, it is necessary to propose the adequate systems of nutrition after several series of experiments or to base them on empirical experience drawn from the studied production area. The testing of different times of application of identical nutrient rates (150 kg …

Problems Of Nitrogen Nutrition Of Medicago Sativa L. With Respect To Rhizobia, Eduard Halva, Josef Lesak

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The effect of increasing rates of nitrogen (80, 140, 200, 260, and 320 kg/ha) on the yields of above-ground biomass and nutrients in alfalfa was studied in 1974 and 1975. Applica­tion of nitrogen increased dry matter and crude protein production in relation to the unfertilized control, but the yield increase was statistically insignificant. Further it was shown that increasing rates of nitrogen had a negative effect on the number and weight of rhizobia. A close negative cor­relation of high significance ( estimated by the t-test) was found between the rates of nitrogen and the number of rhizobia. The experiments conducted …

Some Remarks Concerning The Theory Of Nutrition And Biology Of Grass Stands, A Korab

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The growth rate and yielding capacity of grasses, expressed as kg crude protein/ha per unit of time, are dependent upon the plants' capacity to take up and utilize nitrogen. This character is specific in individual grass species and has been found to be more or less heredi­tarily determined and relatively coincident in different sites. These assumptions and inter­relations have been utilized for determining the yield indices to express not only the rela­tive yielding capacity of major cultivated grasses but also their requirements in terms of effective nitrogen nutrition. The principle of determining effective doses of nitrogen using the index method …

The Intensification Of Grass Production Through Nitrogen Fertilization, And The Nitrate Problem, Klau Ebert, Henrich Koriath, Gunter Rinno

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Two-year pot and five-year field tests with increasing nitrogen doses revealed an increase in the nitrate content of forage grasses. In the pot tests the content of 0.25 % N03-N in the dry matter, which is safe in animal nutrition, had by far been exceeded. In the field tests the· nitrate content increased more slowly for the average of the tests and did not reach this limit when giving 140 to 240 kg N/ha. In single cases this value had, however, already been reached when giving 100 kg N/ha. By selecting grass species with a lesser tendency to nitrate accumulation, …

Yield And Nutritive Value Of Forage Plants As Influenced By Stage Of Plant Development At Harvest, Khindrek Older, Ants Linnutaya, Yulo Oll

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Field experiments were conducted for the pur­pose of studying yield formation in six single­crop sown grass species and two clover/grass mixtures, as well as the. chemical composition and in vitro digestibility of the forage as in­fluenced by the stage of plant development at the time of harvest. Highest dry matter yields were obtained from two-cut use with harvesting in flower. Highest digestible dry matter levels were obtained from three-cut use in the stage of shooting. Highest protein levels were recorded in the context of four-cut use in the heading stage. Digestible nutrients were high in the tillering and shoot­ing stages. …

Forage-Animal Systems For Economic Calf Production, R E. Blaser, R C. Hammes Jr, J P. Fontenot, H T. Bryant

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Nine forage-cow-calf systems with constant ,stocking but variable grazing pressures to pro­vide for changing nutritional needs of beef cows, and continuous high calf nutrition with creep grazing gave similar high weaning weights of autumn and winter calves for all-year grazing vs. hay feeding and for 2 stocking rates. The all-fescue systems lowered calf weights. Nine forage-cow-calf systems with constant ,stocking but variable grazing pressures to pro­vide for changing nutritional needs of beef cows, and continuous high calf nutrition with creep grazing gave similar high weaning weights of autumn and winter calves for all-year grazing vs. hay feeding and for 2 …

Forage And Feedstuff Analysis With Infrared Reflectance Spectro/Computer System1, J S. Shenk, K H. Norris, R F. Barnes, G W. Fissel

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

An infrared reflectance spectro/computer sys­tem (IRSCS) has been established at The Pennsylvania State University to evaluate the nutritional quality of forage and feedstuffs. Studies with alfalfa forage clearly show that the reflectance spectral curve of the forage is a composite curve consisting of various chemical constituents in the forage such as water, protein and cellulose. Chemical constituents are not measured directly by IRSCS but calibration prediction equations are developed from sam­ples with known chemical constituents and animal response data. After this is completed, forage samples can be analyzed for multiple chemical constituents and animal responses in less than 2 minutes. …

Abstracts Of The 71st Annual Conference Of The Mississippi Association Of Entomologists, Nematologists, And Plant Pathologists (Maenpp)

Midsouth Entomologist

October 27 & 28, 2025

Nitrogen Management Strategies For Specialty Tea Production In Louisiana: Rate, Source Type, And Nutrient Dynamics, Autumn D. Hilderbrand

LSU Master's Theses

Tea (Camellia sinensis L.) is an emerging specialty crop in Louisiana and the southeastern United States; however, region-specific nitrogen (N) management recommendations remain limited. This research evaluated N fertilizer source, application rate, and nutrient leaching to identify management strategies that improve nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) and environmental sustainability during tea establishment.

Three complementary studies evaluated N source replacement, application rate, and fertilizer source effects on nutrient retention and movement. The first study evaluated the replacement of urea ammonium sulfate (UAS) with blood meal (BM) while maintaining a constant annual N application rate. Fertilizer replacement did not significantly affect leaf …

A Comparative Expression Analysis Of Selected Genes Involved In Secondary Metabolites Biosynthesis Among Three Alfalfa Cultivars Grown In Iraq, Izdehar Yahia Obaid, Bushra M. J. Alwash

Al-Bahir

Because of its abundance in proteins, vital amino acids, vitamins, and minerals that promote balanced nutrition, Medicago sativa L., also known as alfalfa, is regarded as a nutritionally excellent forage crop. In addition to its nutritional value, alfalfa produces a range of bioactive secondary metabolites, including flavonoids, alkaloids, and phenolic acids, further supporting its use in medicinal and nutritional applications. Three alfalfa cultivars grown in Iraq were examined for gene expression levels of the primary genes involved in secondary metabolite biosynthesis (PAL, COMT, CHS, and OMT). Among these cultivars are Victoria (VC), Green Gold (GC), and a local cultivar (LC). …

Nutritive Values Of Three Edible Green Seaweeds Collected From Dar Es Salaam Coast, Tanzania, Amelia S. Buriyo, Denis Gahunde, Kristian M. Kitali, David C. Simiyu

Tanzania Journal of Science

Tanzania is endowed with different seaweed (macroalgae) species, found abundantly along the coastline. Most of these hold a great potential as nutritious food sources with promising applications in food industry. These seaweeds could be highly utilized for effective management of the high levels of malnutrition in the country. Nonetheless, the nutritional potential of most seaweeds occurring in Tanzania is still unknown. Understanding the nutritional value of the commonly available edible seaweeds, could be an important step towards promoting them as food supplements in the country. In this study, the nutritive values (crude proteins, total carbohydrates, lipids, crude fibre, vitamins, and …

Tips For Growing Garden Vegetables In Utah: Soil Preparation, Gastone Makalaya, Josh Martin, Milena Oliveira

All Current Publications

To help Utah gardeners maintain healthy soils and enhance early vegetable production, this fact sheet provides practical guidance and tips on soil preparation for vegetable gardening.

The Evaluation Of Relationships Between Ecological Factors And Production On Permanent Grassland, Vladimir Krajovic

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

On 42 sites in 10 districts of the Carpathian region of the CSSR, relationships were exam­ined between grassland production and region­al, climatic (precipitation, temperature, solar radiation), and soil conditions (soil type, pH, S, 'r, V, C0., nutrients, and clay fraction). To this, five variants of fertilization were used (0; PK; 120 kg N/ha + PK, 240 kg N/ha + PK; 480 kg N/ha + PK). None of the natural ecofactors is generally characteristic enough for determining an opti­mal production. But the nutrition and the utilization of grass stands are important under each condition. Therefore, a system of differ­entiated grassland management …

Flood Adaptation And Productivity Of Savanna Grasses, E Gonzalez Jimenez, A Escobar

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Savannas subjected to seasonal flooding occupy· vast areas of the Tropics. Above-ground bio­mass values for Venezuelan flooded savannas are high and related to the longer availability of water. C3 plants colonized the waterlogged unit and showed the highest productivity and nutritive value. This natural system permits a prolonged grazing season. These first results show the great potential for animal production of this ecosystem, stressing the need for coor­dinated research efforts in order to gain a better understanding of it.

Influence Of Plant Nutrition And Method Of Utilization On The Accumulation And Decomposition Of Root Matter In Meadow Soils, Yan Liyv, Rikhard Toomre

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Root matter formation of forage plants de­pends primarily on soil fertility. In fertile soils and under intensive fertilization less root matter is formed than in soils of low fertility. The decomposition of root matter as influenced by microbiological processes was found to be more intensive under grazing than under mow­ing. The application of high rates of nitrogen fertilizer (more than 200 kg N/ha) over longer periods is likely to cause undesirable changes in the relationship between forage plants and soil microorganisms, this resulting in yield decline and in lower efficiency of the fertilizers applied.

Tips For Growing Garden Vegetables In Utah: Soil Fertilization, Gastone Makalaya, Josh Martin, Milena Oliveira

All Current Publications

A successful vegetable garden requires precise nutrient management to achieve maximum yields. Fertilization must provide adequate nutrients to support plant growth throughout the season. Fertilizer applications should be based on soil test recommendations and crop nutrient requirements. This fact sheet provides Utah gardeners with practical guidance and tips on soil fertilization for vegetable gardening.

Survey Increases Understanding Of United States Sweetpotato Producer Clean Seed Needs, Lorin Harvey, Mark Shankle, Rachael Carter, Kelsey Harvey

Journal of Extension

A needs assessment of sweetpotato producers across the United States was conducted as part of a strategic planning process to enhance the applicability of research and education. A national survey and a 2-day grant-planning workshop were also used to engage stakeholders to develop a USDA–NIFA Specialty Crop Research Initiative Proposal to improve and promote clean seed programs. Ninety-five U.S. sweetpotato producers completed the survey, representing more than 73,000 acres of production. Therefore, the survey respondents are estimated to account for nearly half of U.S. sweetpotato production, underscoring the importance and relevance of the results.

New Problems And Results Of Grass Breeding In The Czechoslovak Socialist Republic, Frantisek Bures

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Turf grass species are among the topics of forage grass breeding in Czechoslovakia at present. Breeding goals, however, are highly differentiat­ed, and testing methods have to be adjusted to that diversity of purposes. Agrostis tenuis Sibth., 'Golf variety, is a perennial turf grass which forms short stolons. Tiller formation has been 263/dm2 on average over several years. Its colour is deep green, and the grass is unpretentious in terms of nutrition and soil. Mean root expansibility is 6.9 per cent, mean tensile strength 3,249 kg/cm2, and aver­age compressive strength 112,768 gcm/cm3. Frequent deep mowing is well tolerated. Variety 'K 7' …

The Environment And Population Differences In Anjan Grass (Cenchrus Ciliaris) In Western India, S C. Pandeya

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Cenchrus ciliaris (anjan or buffel grass) is a gregarious fodder species with high nutritive value. The species is an inhabitant of drier sandy areas throughout Africa, Canary Island, Madagascar and eastwards to India, where it mostly occurs in western parts of the country, constituting the States of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Hayana and the adjoining portions of Punjab, U ttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh ( called here in as Western India). In Western India, Cen­chrus ciliaris (Cc) variously dominates the nat­urally occurring grazing lands exhibiting great morphological variations with respect to habit. and spike characters. The ecoclimate of Western India is arid …

Soil And Crop Productivity Under On-Farm Vermiculture-Based Farming System At Smallholder Rates In The Sub-Humid Tropics, Felix Matheri, Edward Karanja, David Bautze, Milka Kiboi

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Introduction – Vermiculture-based manures such as vermicompost and its byproducts like vermiculture are gaining importance as viable alternative soil amendments. This is practically feasible, especially in subsistence farming, by replacing common organic and synthetic inputs that are often costly and inaccessible to farmers. However, the effectiveness of vermiculture tea as a sole amendment or in combination with other inputs has not been tested under field conditions. Moreover, its longterm impact on soil and crop productivity has not been established. Methods – We conducted an on-farm field study in farmers' fields to evaluate the effects of sole vermiculture tea (Vermi), in …

Evaluating Fungicide Programs For Grapevine Disease Management And Fungicide Sensitivity Monitoring, Abraham Ahumada

Master's Theses

Grapevine diseases, such as powdery mildew and Botrytis bunch rot, require repeated fungicide applications to maintain fruit quality and reduce yield losses. However, fungicide performance can vary among products, application programs, disease pressure, and pathogen sensitivity. This thesis evaluated fungicide programs for control of powdery mildew in ‘Chardonnay’ grapes and assessed fungicide sensitivity of Botrytis cinerea isolates collected from California vineyards.

Powdery mildew, caused by the fungal pathogen Erysiphe necator, is a major threat to the production of Vitis vinifera grapes worldwide. Because powdery mildew management relies heavily on fungicide applications, field evaluations are needed to compare the efficacy …

Has Plant Domestication Compromised Plant Defensive Chemistry? Aphid Induced Stress In Tomatoes, Nhi Do, Satinderpal Kaur, Minxing Zhu, Esther N. Ngumbi

MICRO-CCS student projects

Tomato plants have natural defensive mechanisms.

Direct: Phenolics are secondary metabolites that can protect the plant by intoxicating the herbivores and/or producing strong repulsive odors.

Indirect: VOCs, Volatile Organic Chemicals, are gas phase signals that attract the predators of the attacking herbivore to the plant.

Domestication of plants may chemically alter these defenses by prioritizing fruit production over defensive traits.

We hypothesize that wild/ancient tomato plants would have a greater quantity of volatiles and increased concentration of leaf total phenolics compared to cultivated tomatoes during aphid herbivory.

The Multifaceted Medicinal Properties Of Momordica Charantia: Insights Into Phytochemistry And Therapeutic Applications, Maham Ashfaq, Haroon Ur Rashid, Javaria Ashfaq, Shazia Ramzan, Fatma Hussain

Journal of Bioresource Management

Momordica charantia (bitter melon) is a significant medicinal plant, having been long used in traditional medicine in Asian, African and South American systems. M. charantia is more than a traditional medicine; by consolidating existing evidence, it is a promising source of drug discovery and can serve as a complementary in contemporary therapeutics. Over the last several decades, it has become the subject of contemporary biomedical studies due to its abundance of phytochemicals, such as saponins, flavonoids, alkaloids, and polypeptides. These bioactive compounds present a wide range of pharmacological processes that M. charantia can be a natural solution to some of …

A Review On Nanoparticles: Classification And Roles In Plant Systems, Muhammad Junaid Zafar, Muhammad Shafiq, Muhammad Azeem Rana

Journal of Bioresource Management

Nanotechnology has been a new paradigm of the twenty-first century with several good breakthroughs. These tiny particles, known for their outstanding qualities, are enjoying an increasing influence in many research fields concerning foodstuff, cosmetics, electronics, and pharmacology. Synthesis of nanoparticles includes utilizing chemical processes with reducing agents, alongside employing physical techniques such as top-down and bottom-up approaches for NP formation. The biological approach, known as green synthesis, utilizes plant extracts to ensure increased safety. Biological methods also involve bacteria and fungi, known as the major sources of nanoparticles. It is acknowledged as the most effective and environmentally conscious approach, attributed …