Digital Commons Network^™

Restoring North America’S Sagebrush Steppe Ecosystem Using Seed Enhancement Technologies, Matthew D. Madsen, Kirk W. Davies, Chad S. Boyd, Jay D. Kerby, Daniel L. Carter, Tony J. Svejcar

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Rangelands occupy over a third of global land area, and in many cases are in less than optimum condition as a result of past land use, catastrophic wildfire and other disturbance, invasive species, or climate change. Often the only means of restoring these lands involves seeding desirable species, yet there are few cost effective seeding technologies, especially for the more arid rangeland types. The inability to consistently establish desired plants from seed may indicate that the seeding technologies being used are not successful in addressing the primary sources of mortality in the progression from seed to established plant. Seed enhancement …

Comprehensive Evaluation Of Wild Elymus L. Germplasm In Inner Mongolia, Juan Qi, Wen-Xia Cao, Ting Jiao, Xiao-Peng Pu, Wei-Hong Yan

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Grassland degradation is increasing in severity and is an important global issue in the 21st century. Increasing research is being conducted on how to solve these problems (Niu and Jiang 2004). Restoration and revegetation of degraded grassland and the establishment of artificial pastures are important in addressing degradation. Successful restoration requires the identification of species and seed sources that are adapted to the ecological conditions of the restoration site. Elymus L. is a large genus that contains about 150 species distributed across a wide range of ecological sites across temperate and subtropical regions of the world (Dewey 1984; Love 1984). …

Controlling Lethal Browning Of Hemarthria Compressa Tissue Cultures, Chunhua Yang, Yaohua Xu, Lingzhi Chen, Yifang Sui

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Hemarthria compressa is an important warm-season forage grass for use in Southwest China. However, due to poor seed set, it is propagated by vegetative cuttings of stolons, rhizomes, and nodal sections. The in vitro propagation of H. compressa is still faced with difficulties including blackening or browning of tissues prior to culturing due to the oxidation of phenolic compounds by polyphenolic oxidase enzyme present in excised tissue (Yang et al. 2008). The objectives of the study were to investigate possible means of successful initiation of cultures through elimination of phenolic browning.

Challenges To Domesticating "Native" Forage Legumes, James P. Muir, José C. B. Dubeux Jr., Mércia V. F. Dos Santos, Inacio C. Maposse, William D. Pitman, Twain J. Butler

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

If ruminant production from cultivated and natural grasslands is to depend less on petroleum-based products, forage legumes must serve as protein sources. Commercially available legumes for warm-dry climate grasslands are, however, very limited and resources available for developing such legumes are inadequate. Indeterminate flowering and dehiscent seed pods combined with the need for specialized seed harvesting equipment are major impediments (Butler and Muir 2012). Warm climates often present environmental challenges such as poor rainfall distribution, extended dry seasons, temperature extremes and aggressive grass species (Muir et al. 2011). Erosion of indigenous knowledge and replacement with inappropriate land management approaches …

Row Spacing Effects On Biomass Components And Accumulated Energy In Elymus Sibiricus L., Jinping Liu, Minghong You

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Elymus sibiricus L. is widely distributed in the eastern Tibetan Plateau of China. Current research on E. sibiricus mainly focuses on resource assessment, breeding, cultivation and dynamics of forage yield. Little is known about the effects of row spacing on the biomass components and accumulated energy of E. sibiricus. We conducted a study to determine the effects of row spacing on biomass components and accumulated energy in E. sibiricus. These data are important to optimize forage and seed production of E. sibiricus, and can assist in developing animal husbandry, structurally adjusting the agricultural industry and protecting the …

Seeding Rate And Row-Spacing Effects On Seed Yield And Yield Components Of Leymus Chinensis (Trin.) Tzvel., Yunhua Han, Xianguo Wang, Tianming Hu, Zhenlei Zhu, Zhengwei Wang, Ying Wang

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Chinese sheepgrass (Leymus chinensis (Trin.) Tzvel.) is widely distributed in the eastern portion of the Inner Mongolian Plateau and the Songnen Grassland of China. This grass is highly salt, cold and drought tolerant and has been the major source of forage for cows and other ruminants in China (Gao et al. 2012). Seed yield of this grass is very low under native conditions because of the low heading percentage and percentage of seed set (Wang et al. 2010). The Hexi Corridor, located in China’s northwestern Gansu Province, is the seed production center of China because of its …

Using Common Gardens And Aflp Analyses To Identify Metapopulations Of Indigenous Plant Materials For Rangeland Revegetation In Western Usa, Douglas A. Johnson, B. Shaun Bushman, Thomas A. Jones, Kishor Bhattarai

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Past mismanagement, overgrazing, invasive weedy species, wildfires, marginal crop production, mineral and energy extraction, recreation and global climate change are challenges currently facing rangelands (Pierson et al. 2011). These disturbances may lead to long-term reductions in biodiversity, altered nutrient and water cycling, diminished forage production for livestock and wildlife, increased wildfire frequency and increased soil erosion and stream sedimentation (Sheley et al. 2008). Rangeland revegetation with desirable plant materials may be required to improve degraded conditions, speed recovery, and prevent further erosion and degradation. There is a critical need for plant materials to restore and revegetate rangeland ecosystems. …

Technical Challenges In Evaluating Southern China’S Forage Germplasm Resources, Changjun Bai, Guodao Liu, Yu Zhang, Daogeng Yu

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The present status of the collection, conservation and utilisation of the pasture germplasm in tropical and subtropical zones in China is reviewed. The Tropical Pasture Research Centre (TPRC) of Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences (CATAS) has been engaged in this research since the 1940s. A low temperature gene bank, an in vitro plant library and a nursery station have been established. In total, 5890 indigenous fodder materials belonging to 478 species, 161 genera and 12 families have been surveyed and collected in South China; 1130 exotic materials belonging to 87 species, 42 genera of grasses and legumes have been …

World Interest In Diverse Native Plant Stands, Michael P. Schellenberg, Bili Biligetu, Eric G. Lamb, Jenalee M. Mischkolz

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The objective of this paper was to provide a brief overview of native plant use and development including examples of native plant research being conducted in Canada. There is increasing interest in native plants in various countries. Currently, native plants are used in reclamation, biomass biofuel production, forage seeding, habitat restoration, and water and soil conservation efforts. Many countries have active programs for native plant preservation and new germplasm development, but seed cost, seed quality, and ease of establishment are still challenges for large-scale use. Many improved native plant germplasms have been released in recent years. In some countries, legislation …

The Values Of Warm-Season Native Perennial Grasses Grown For Pasture Or Biofuel In The Southern Great Plains, Usa, James K. Rogers, Bryan Nichols, Jon T. Biermacher, Jagadeesh Mosali

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The Renewable Fuel Standard under the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 mandated the production of 136 billion liters of cellulosic biofuel by 2022. Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) has been identified as a primary feedstock because it is a perennial, produces high yields and is adapted to a wide environmental range. Development of the cellulosic biofuel industry has been slow. A reason for this slow development is lack of available feedstock driven by lack of a developed market. Rather than considering switchgrass only as a dedicated biofuel feedstock, we examined its potential both for grazing and biofuel feedstock. …

The Use Of Functional Traits To Identify Grasses And Fodder Shrubs For Domestication To Suit A Changing Climate, Meredith L. Mitchell, R. D. B. Whalley, Hayley C. Norman

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

There is uncertainty about future climatic predictions; however there is little doubt amongst experts that the future will be warmer. Climate change and the associated elevation in atmospheric CO₂ level and temperatures will provide novel challenges and potential opportunities for cultivated plant species. Plant breeding and domestication can contributed to improvements in both yield and quality of grasses and fodder shrubs. A range of key functional traits is required to cope with this changing climate. The main challenges that are discussed are new pests and pathogens; changes in the pattern of nutrient supply and forage quality; challenge associated with …

Genetic Diversity And Relationships In Cocksfoot By Molecular Markers, Bing Zeng, Fu-Yuan Zuo, Xinquan Zhang, Liang Huan

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata L.) originated from the Northern Hemisphere, including Eurasia and North Africa. It is widely distributed in temperate climates and has been widely used in the world more than 100 years, especially in North America, Europe and Japan. Genetic variability of cocksfoot had been detected by RAPD (Kölliker et al. 1999), and the correlation between genome size of natural populations of cocksfoot and location altitude has been analyzed by AFLP (Reeves et al. 1999). To date, information on the genetic diversity of cocksfoot at the molecular level is still scarce, This study is the first to …

Methods Of Ryegrass Establishment (Lolium Multiflorum Lam.) Affecting Optimal Sward Height To Maximize The Intake Rate, Delma Fabíola Ferreira Da Silva, Lidiane Fonseca, Carolina Bremm, Anibal De Moraes, Alda L. G. Monteiro, Hélio Mayer, Thiago Marzarotto, Paulo C. De F. Carvalho

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In integrated systems it is common to use the no-tillage method. The adoption of this method improves the system's sustainability (Laurent et al. 2011). It is necessary to understand the effects of the integrated systems on sward structure and its consequences in the grazing process and in animal production. The intake rate of grazing animals is primarily responsible for the animal performance (Coleman 2006), which short-termdepends mainly on sward structure (Laca and Demment 2006). The sward height has great influence on the animal decision on where to take the next bite (Mcgilloway et al. 1999). The hypothesis of …

Timely Autumn Seeding Of Annual Ryegrass Is Essential For High Yield, Jennifer M. Johnson, Edzard Van Santen

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The use of annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) as a winter cover crop and grazing option in the Southeast Unit-ed States has become a common practice. Recent research evaluating the effects of seeding time on seed yield in Canada determined autumn seeding produces the most desired results relative spring seeding, but indicated that varied autumn seeding rates would further their findings (Coulman et al. 2013). A University of Arkansas study utilized cool season annuals, wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and annual ryegrass, to evaluate animal performance and seeding date effects. This research indicated that seeding cool-season annuals in …

Three Dimensional (3d) Reconstruction Of Subterranean Clover, Helen G. Daily, Jianming Guo, Xavier R. R. Sirault

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Three dimensional (3D) plant reconstructions, extended to four dimensions with the use of time series and accompanied by visual modelling, is being used for a number of purposes including the estimation of biovolume and as the basis for functional structural plant modelling (FSPM). This has been successfully applied to crop species such as cotton (Paproki et al. 2012). Measuring the growth pattern and arrangement of a pasture sward is a difficult task but can be used as an indirect measure of other variables of interest, such as growth rate, light interception, nutritional quality, herbivore intake, etc. (Laca and …

Physiological Characterization Of Cut-To-Cut Yield Variations Of Alfalfa Genotypes Under Controlled Greenhouse Conditions, Defeng Li, Baoluo Ma, Chengzhang Wang, Pufang Li

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In a temperate region, alfalfa (Medicago sativa) crops are usually harvested 3-6 times per annum. The biomass yields of first and second cuts in the spring are generally the high-est. However, in subsequent cuts the biomass yields decline, with the final 1 or 2 cuts producing the lowest yields (Wang et al. 2009). This seasonal reduction in alfalfa biomass yields could be associated with prevailing changes in environmental factors such as rainfall and heat stress or due to biological characteristics of alfalfa crop itself. In this study, alfalfa was grown under controlled greenhouse conditions with suitable temperature, …

Biomass Yield And Nutritive Quality Of Panicum Maximum In The Natural Pastures During The Dry Season In Abeokuta, Nigeria, Adetayo B. Adekeye, Olufemi S. Onifade, Jimoh A. Olanite, Olubukola A. Isah

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Panicum maximum Jacq. is among the prominent grass species in the grazing lands of the South-western part of Nigeria. An understanding of cutting management to find out the best agronomic practices that will improve the yield and nutritive value of these grass species, especially in the dry season formed the focus of this research work. The objective of the research is therefore to evaluate the effects of cutting height and interval on the dry matter yield (DMY), digestibility and chemical composition of P. maximum in the natural pasture during the dry season.

Dry Matter Yield Of Perennial Ryegrass Cultivars Under Mechanical Cutting And Animal Grazing, Patrick A. Cashman, Trevor J. Gilliland, Michael O’Donovan, Marion Beecher, Mary Mcevoy

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Perennial ryegrass evaluation trials are essential to identifying and promoting the most productive cultivars for use at farm level to maximise sward productivity (Grogan and Gilliland 2011). Cultivar testing is predominantly conducted under simulated grazing trials to predict dry matter yield (DMY) performance under animal grazing. Previous studies have shown a high correlation in DMY between these two defoliation methods (Camlin and Stewart 1975; Creighton et al. 2010). In contrast, Binnie and Chestnutt (1991) demonstrated that swards grazed by animals had higher DMY performance than those exposed to simulated grazing managements. Animal pressures such as pulling, treading and nutrient …

Fodder Yield And Quality Of Lucerne (Medicago Sativa) Grown As Pure Stands And In Mixture With Oats (Avena Sativa), Mustard (Brassica Campestris) And Ryegrass (Lolium Perenne) Under Different Cutting Managements, Balwinder Kumar, U. S. Tiwana, Ajaib Singh

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Legume-cereal mixtures are important protein and carbohydrate sources for livestock and provide a balanced chemical composition for livestock feeding along with higher green forage yields than the pure stands (Berdahl et al. 2001; Albayrak and Ekiz, 2005). Lucerne is the most important rabi legume crop of Punjab grown under limited irrigation conditions and provides succulent, palatable and nutritious fodder to dairy animals. The fodder yield of first cut of lucerne is very low so it is usually grown in mixture with oats and or mustard. The information on the mixtures of lucerne and suitable cutting times is scant. This …

Tedera: From A Promising Novel Species To A Commercial Pasture Option For Mediterranean Southern Australia, Daniel Real, Chris Oldham, Matthew N. Nelson, Janine Croser, Marie-Claire Castello, Steve Gherardi, John Finlayson, Clinton K. Revell, Aneeta Pradhan, Graham O'Hara, Enrique Correal

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Tedera (Bituminaria bituminosa var. albomarginata and var. crassiuscula) is a traditional forage species used for centuries in the Canary Islands (Méndez and Fernández 1990), that has increasingly attracted interest from researchers in regions with Mediterranean-type climates from Spain, Italy, Israel, Greece, Portugal, Morocco, Turkey and Australia. In 2000, Australian pasture researchers started a large and systematic screening process that evaluated about 720 species of exotic and native legumes, grasses and herbs for adaptation and productivity in Mediterranean and temperate environments (Real et al. 2011). Tedera was one of the few novel perennial legumes to show potential for …

Genetic Maps Of Diploid Orchardgrass (Dactylis Glomerata L.), Wengang Xie, Xinquan Zhang, Linkai Huang, Peng Yan

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.) is indigenous to Eurasia and northern Africa. It has been naturalized on nearly every continent and is one of the top four economically important perennial forage grasses grown worldwide (Stewart and Ellison 2010). It has been used widely as forage due to its quality, biomass production and good shade tolerance. Despite its various agricultural uses, little information is available for functional and comparative genetic analysis and concomitant genetic improvement of this species. To date, a number of linkage maps have been constructed for forage grasses such as perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) (Jones et …

Adaptability And Extension Activity Of Dwarf Napiergrass In Southern Kyushu And Elsewhere Since Its Introduction To Japan 15 Years Ago, Yasuyuki Ishii, Dong-Jin Kang, Asuka Yamano, Sachiko Idota, Kiichi Fukuyama

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Southern Kyushu is well suited to the cultivation of tropical grasses due to its warm climate, history of herbage production, and extensive areas of abandoned arable land. In 1996, a C4-tropical dwarf variety of a late-heading (DL) napiergrass (Pennisetum purpureum Schumach) was introduced from the USA into southern Kyushu via Thailand. Since 2004, DL napiergrass has been evaluated for its production potential, overwintering ability, and suitability for grazing. In Miyazaki, napiergrass exhibits superior sustainability, persisting for more than 5 years without annual renovation. The species shows excellent overwintering ability in coastal areas and is resilient to pathogens and insects. …

Commercialisation And Impacts Of Pasture Legumes In Southern Australia–Lessons Learnt, Clinton K. Revell, Michael A. Ewing, Daniel Real, Phillip G. H. Nichols, Graeme A. Sandral

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Forage legumes are a key feature of temperate grasslands in southern Australia, valued for their ability to increase animal production, improve soil fertility and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Of the 36 temperate annual legume and 11 temperate perennial legume species with registered cultivars introduced or domesticated in Australia over the last 100 years, a third have made a major contribution to agriculture, a third have modest use and a third have failed to make any commercial impact. Highly successful species include subterranean clover, barrel medic, white clover, lucerne, French serradella and balansa clover. Species were assessed on the scale of their …

Global Impact Of Sown Temperate Pastures On Productivity And Ecosystem Stability–What Progress Have We Made?, E. Charles Brummer

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Twenty years ago, in 1993, we published one of the first two alfalfa genetic linkage maps. At the time, hopes ran high that genetic marker technologies would revolutionize selection, making the development of superior cultivars both easier and faster. The objective of this paper is to critically examine forage improvement since that time and to suggest ways to more fully capitalize on those initial hopes in the future. Marker studies have been conducted around the world, identifying quantitative trait loci (QTL) for the major agronomically important traits, including biomass yield, nutritive value, disease resistance, abiotic stress tolerance, and others. But …

Structural Characteristics Of Porto Rico Stargrass (Cynodon Nlemfuensis) Pastures Under Different Frequencies And Severities Of Defoliation, Carlos Augusto Brandão De Carvalho, Sergio Trabali Camargo Filho, Domingos Sávio Campos Paciullo, Pablo Giliard Zanella, Elisa Cristina Modesto, Priscila Beligoli Fernandes

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

An understanding of the effects of frequency and severity of defoliation on the sward structure of pastures is essential for identifying pasture management strategies that are more efficient in forage usage in tropical environments (Da Silva and Nascimento Jr 2007; Euclides et al. 2010). Some pasture species have not yet been investigated in this way, e.g. cultivars of Cynodon. The potential of this grass in tropical environments suggests that it should be given priority (Pedreira 2010). This study was designed to evaluate the effects of 2 frequencies (90 and 95% light interception) and severities (20 and 30 cm …

Effect Of Grazing Height On Marandu Pasture Production And Performance Of Soybean Grain-Supplemented Nellore Bulls, Andre L. S. Valente, Ricardo A. Reis, Sharadinny M. C. Dos Santos, Fernando H. M. De Souza, Telma T. Berchielli, Ana C. Ruggieri, Sabrina S. Santana, Juliana M. Serra

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The Brazilian beef cattle industry is primarily based on the use of pastures. Grasses belonging to the genus Brachiaria are extremely important, regardless of whether the production system used is intensive or extensive.

Appropriate management of the system is vital for obtaining a high efficiency of resource usage. Adjustment of stocking rate to maintain optimum forage allowance and feeding of supplements are strategies for achieving these aims. Feeding of concentrates on pasture can result in increased carrying capacity and higher weight gains over unsupplemented systems.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of 3 different grazing heights …

Establishment Of Leucaena Leucocephala Cv. Tarramba In Eastern Indonesia, Jacob Nulik, H. Dahlanuddin, Debora Kana Hau, Charles Pakereng, Resti G. Edison, Dessy Liubana, S. P. Ara, Hayley E. Giles

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The adaptability and productive value of Leucaena leucocephala cv. Tarramba (Tarramba) in eastern Indonesia has been observed since 2001 (Nulik et al. 2004), with many farmers and other stakeholders currently requesting seed for planting. Tarramba has greater forage and timber production, and psyllid tolerance than other commercial cultivars and locally grown leucaena. The variability of soils and climate in eastern Indonesia means that establishment techniques specific to the region are required to achieve maximum adoption and utilisation of Tarramba.

Potential Of Australian Bermudagrasses (Cynodon Spp.) For Pasture In Subtropical Australia, Andrew Hacker, Meena Puachuay, H. Max Shelton, Scott A. Dalzell, Haider Al Dabbagh, Margaret Jewell, Thinh Van Tran, The Ngo, Yi Zhou, Michael J. Halliday, Hayley E. Giles, Don S. Loch, Ian D. Godwin, Fukai Shu, Chris O’Brien, Will Pearce, William F. Anderson, Christopher J. Lambrides

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In Australia, little work has been carried out on the improvement of tropical or subtropical pastures in recent years. There seems to be an increasing demand for pastures that can withstand heavy grazing, while producing high yields of high quality forage in the humid subtropical regions of Australia. Most graziers, who live in these areas, have small acreages, which they graze intensively. Cynodon spp. represent a potential source of grasses with these attributes. This study will evaluate the pasture potential of a large number of bermudagrass (Cynodon spp.) ecotypes collected from across Australia.

Growth Of Bali Bulls On Rations Containing Sesbania Grandiflora In Central Lombok, Indonesia, H. Dahlanuddin, Baiq Tutik Yuliana, Tanda Panjaitan, Michael J. Halliday, H. Max Shelton

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The demand for meat in Indonesia is currently growing by up to 8% per year, with beef cattle fattening identified as a major livestock industry (Purwantara et al. 2012). Bali cattle (Bos javanicus) account for almost 27% of total beef cattle in Indonesia; they are the predominant breed in the eastern islands and are highly favoured by smallholder farmers for their high fertility, low calf mortality and generally higher price at markets (Purwantara et al. 2012). Lombok in west Nusa Tenggara is one of the biggest suppliers of Bali cattle in Indonesia.

A major constraint to …

Animal Performance And Productivity Of A New Cultivar Of Brachiaria Brizantha, Valéria P. B. Euclides, Denise B. Montagner, Cacilda B. Valle, Nayana N. Nantes

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Brazil has the competitive advantage of a very dynamic and cost-effective animal production system on pastures over other countries. The pursuit of more productive forages that will result in higher quality beef at a lower cost is justified. As Brachiaria is the most important forage genus utilised in Brazil, an intense search for new cultivars amongst collected and introduced ecotypes from Africa is underway. Following agronomic evaluation of this material in plots, 8 Brachiaria ecotypes were pre-selected. As part of Embrapa`s process of cultivar development, B. brizantha cv. Xaraés, characterised by high productivity (liveweight gain/area), was released in 2003, followed …