Agricultural Science Commons^™

Land Surface Characterization For Identification And Assessment Of Potential Grazing Lands In Arid Western Rajasthan, India, Pratap Chandra Moharana, R. K. Goyal, C. B. Pandey, R. K. Bhatt

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Grazing lands (non-arable terrestrial ecosystems) play a vital role in the rural economy and environmental conservation. Modern tools in which, GIS, GPS and satellite remote sensing play vital role in the assessment, characterization and management of grazinglands (Paul et al., 2010). The present study aims to assess the physical conditions and distribution pattern of permanent pastures and other grazing lands in arid Rajasthan using remote sensing and GIS techniques. Though grazing lands do occur in a number of habitats, the study has focused on those sites which have water resources for its rational utilization for pasture/grassland development. Rapid advances in …

Production Potential Of Different Pasture Grasses Under Off-Season Rainfall In Arid Conditions Of Bikaner, India, A. K. Patel, Ghous Ali, S. M. K. Naqvi, M. Patidar

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Livestock rearing is the important source of livelihood in arid region of Rajasthan where the crop production is unstable due to low and erratic rainfall. The rangelands and pastures are important land use system and provide main support to the livestock in the arid region of Rajasthan. Grazing of livestock is a common practice in arid zone as about 50 % of total area of western Rajasthan is available for grazing mainly for cows, sheep and goat, however, the availability of green fodder is restricted to monsoon and post monsoon months only and during rest of the period livestock graze …

Identification And Characterization Of Pastureland And Other Grazing Resources Of Jammu & Kashmir Using Gis And Satellite Remote Sensing Technique, J. P. Singh, I. Dev, D. Deb, R. S. Chaurasia, S. Radotra, Suheel Ahmed

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Livestock acquires special importance in mountain farming system from both ecological and socioeconomic point of view. They are an integral part of the farming system and a “bridge’’ connecting two types of land viz., forest and cultivated. In hilly regions, the arable agriculture is not very remunerative; therefore farmers of all categories rear sheep, goats, cattle etc. under sedentary, semi-migratory and migratory systems to supplement family income (Dev et al., 2014). The common property resources (CPR) and degraded pasturelands are the major feed sources. Remotely sensed satellite imagery and Geographic Information System (GIS) are being widely used for the …

Evaluation Of Grasslands Of Mahboobnagar District, Telangana State, M. Shanti, T. Shashikala, R. V. T. Balazzii Naaiik, Ch. Chiranjeevi, R. Susheela, M. Anuradha

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Telangana state is gifted with rich livestock resources; 50.3 lakh cattle, 41.9 lakh buffaloes, 128.7 lakh sheep and 46.7 lakh goats ( Livestock census, 2012).The district of Mahboobnagar in this newly formed State is known for its huge cattle, sheep and goat population. The district ranks first in sheep (37, 30,689) and goat (6, 87,066) population among all districts of state, though ranks second and sixth in cattle and buffalo population, respectively (Live stock census, 2012). The most common sources of fodder to feed these livestock are crop residues (68%), forages from common property resources (CPRs) like forests, pastures and …

Estimating Above Ground Tree Biomass Of Semi-Arid Bundelkhand Region Using Satellite Data, Regression Modelling And Ann Technique, Dibyendu Deb, J. P. Singh, R. S. Chaurasia

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Remotely sensed satellite imagery can be used to classify and monitor vegetation dynamics (Tucker, 1979). The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) computed from satellite data is a good measure of photosynthetic activity at landscape scales, and can be used to estimate vegetation biomass and Net Primary Production (NPP) (Tucker, 1979; Myneni et al., 1995, Nemani et al., 2003). As in the present environmental condition the climate change has adversely affected the ecosystem and the forest cover, NDVI has an important role to play to track and quantify the change taking place in plant ecosystem process (Myneni et al., …

Mapping Of Thar Desert Grasslands Using High Resolution Carto-Data (A Case Study Of Jodhpur District), Mahesh Kumar Gaur, Pratap Chandra Moharana, C. B. Pandey, R. K. Bhatt

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The spatio-temporal condition and trend of grasslands in India at village-level is still not known completely. Historical and contemporary monitoring and assessment protocols are primarily based on the wisdom, knowledge and experience of village-level revenue officer (patwari) which is just significant from the statistical point of view. Contrastingly, such grassland areas are considered to be of high priority by government authorities for the long-term conservation of biodiversity. Protection, development and sustainable use of grasslands are very important for the rural economy and livestock. The major grasslands now survive west of isohyets 200 to 250 mm rainfall where livestock …

Grasslands Of Arid Kachchh, India: Present Status And Management Strategies For Higher Productivity, Devi Dayal, Shamsudheen Mangalassery

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The hot arid region covers an area of 31.70 million hectares in India, covering seven states that include Rajasthan, Gujarat, Punjab, Haryana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra. The arid region in Gujarat is distributed in eight districts namely, Kachchh (100% of the district area), Jamnagar (80%), Surenderanagar (29%), Junagadh (20%), Banaskantha (18%), Mehsana (7%), Ahmadabad (6%) and Rajkot (6%). Gujarat accounts for 19.6% of the total arid zone in the country of which Kachchh district alone accounts for more than 70% arid area of the state (Shamsudheen et al., 2009). Under the conditions of low and erratic precipitation, high evapotranspiration …

Study On Population Distribution, Morphological Structure And Physiological-Biochemical Characteristics Of Dactylis Glomerata In Different Geographical Areas Of Tianshan Mountains Of Xinjiang In China, Xianhua Zhang, Jinzhong Zhu

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

As one important cool-season grass with high resource value, Dactylis glomerata has many characteristics such as good adaptability, high nutritional value and so on. It is one of the major cultivated species planted in high quality artificial grassland in the world. Xinjiang is one of the major areas have rich germplasm resource of wild Dactylis glomerata, and it is a natural gene pool. In order to protect and make good use of wild plant resources, this study focused on the distribution patterns, distribution regulation, morphological structure and physiological-biochemical characteristics of wild Dactylis glomerata grown in different geographical areas of …

Natural Silvipastoral Resource Covers Of India, D. R. Palsaniya

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Silvipastures are one of the important resource bases of a country. They are not only the main source of herbage availability for the livestock rearing and wildlife but also the major instrument for wasteland rehabilitation. Despite of enormous importance, there was a huge gap about the available information on natural forage resources (grasslands/forage trees/silvipastures), their makeup, successions, and coverage constrains and scope for improvement (Dabadghao and Shankarnarayan, 1973). Therefore, an attempt has been made to identify and delineate the natural silvipastoral cover of India which will help in effective planning and execution of watershed development and other forage programmes wherein …

Long-Term Effects Of Tillage And Residue Management On The Soil Microbial Community Structure In The Loess Plateau, Qian Yang, Xianzhi Wang, Yuying Shen

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The severe soil erosion present in the Loess Plateau of western China has resulted from a combination of highly erodible soil, variable rainfall and intensive cultivation (Shi and Shao 2000). Conservation agriculture practices, including no till, crop residue retention and crop rotation, have been found to increase crop yield, improve water use efficiency, reduce energy inputs and improve soil fertility (Bukert et al. 2000; Rahman et al. 2008). The soil microbial community function and structure play key roles in the decomposition of organic matter, nutrient cycling and altering the availability of nutrients to plants, which has been shown …

Does Litter Decomposition Rate Indicate Species Status In The Plant Community Of Alpine Meadow?, Yongchao Zhang, Decao Niu, Tong Han, Dianye Zhang, Hua Fu

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Litter decomposition is the physical and chemical breakdown of dead plant material, which is affected by the litter quality, environmental conditions and the composition of decomposer communities (Parton et al. 2007). Within biomes, environmental conditions set a similar background broadly (Berg et al. 1993; Moore et al., 2001; Raich et al. 2006; Parton et al. 2007) and microbial communities are assumed to be ‘functionally equivalent’ in terms of carbon metabolism (Andrén and Balandreau 1999). Consequently, litter quality has been considered as the predominant control on the rate of decomposition of organic matter in the ecosystem (Cornwell …

Effect Of Slope Aspect On Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Colonization Of Centipedegrass In A Hill Pasture, Manabu Tobisa, Yoshinori Uchida, Yoshinori Ikeda

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) form a symbiotic association with more than 80% of terrestrial plants and benefit their hosts principally by increasing uptake of nutrients. This is particularly important for phosphorus uptakes as fungal extraradical mycelium can access relatively immobile phosphate ions through an ability to grow beyond the phosphate depletion zone that rapidly develops around the root (Gosling et al. 2006). This symbiotic association is known to promote growth and improve drought and disease resistance of the host plants (Gosling et al. 2006). Centipedegrass (Eremochloa ophiuroides (Munro) Hack.) is a warm-season perennial that is native to central …

The Characters Of Soil Microbial Biomass And Metabolic Quotient Associated With Shrub Development In The Arid Region, Hongyang Chen, Decao Niu, Shigao Jiang, Li Liu, Caixia Wu, Hua Fu

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Soil microbial biomass (MBC), as the most active of soil organic constituents, controls many important ecological processes in the ecosystem including nutrient cycling and litter decomposition (Jia et al. 2010), and is considered to be the most sensitive biological indicator of soil quality (Sinha et al. 2009). Moreover, soil microbial metabolic quotient (qCO2) reflects the quantity and quality of soil organic matter, soil nutrient availability, microbial substrate utilization efficiency and ecosystem stability (Mao et al. 2010). Shrub is the dominant vegetation of desert ecosystems, contributing to soil nutrient conservation and carbon sequestration. Considerable research related to shrubs in desert …

Isolation Of Root Endophytic Bacteria In Elephant Grass (Pennisetum Purpureum Schum.) Cultivars, José C. B. Dubeux Jr., João Tiago Correia Oliveira, Karina Rodrigues De Miranda, Mario De Andrade Lira Jr., Mércia V. F. Dos Santos, Mario De Andrade Lira, Erinaldo Viana De Freitas

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum Schum.) is one of the most productive warm-season grasses. Farmers utilize elephant grass in different forms, such as cut-and-carry operations, grazing, conserved forage (silage, hay), and as an energy source (Lira et al. 2010). Nitrogen (N) is an essential element for plant growth and development and it is usually a limiting factor for forage production in the tropics (Boddey et al. 2004). Biological N fixation (BNF) may occur in warm-season grasses by their association with diazotrophic bacteria. These bacteria colonize different niches in the host plant. Endophytic bacteria form colonies inside the plant tissue …

Pernambuco Semiarid Native Rhizobial Populations Nitrogen Fixation Potential With Native Macroptilium, Mércia V. F. Dos Santos, Rerisson Jose Cipriano Dos Santos, Mario De Andrade Lira Jr., Márcio V. Da Cunha, José C. B. Dubeux Jr., Eunice Maria De Souza, Alexandre C. L. De Mello, Vicente Imbrosi Teixeira

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Nitrogen (N) is one of nature´s most abundant elements, accounting for about 78% of the atmospheric gases, but mostly as the inert N₂ form. As such it is not directly available to plants, and is relatively scarce in most agroecosystems. Biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) through diazotrophic bacteria represents ca. 63% of the yearly N input in terrestrial ecosystems (Taiz and Zeiger 2004). Legumes which form effective symbiosis with the diazotrophic group of bacteria commonly known as rhizobia, are a very important source of available N. Tropical forage legumes are usually able to nodulate with a diverse population of rhizobia, …

Microbial Community Response To Various Degrees Of Pasture Soil Disturbance, Pieter A. Swanepoel, Philip R. Botha, Johan Habig

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Commercial dairy farming from planted pasture is commonly practised in the southern Cape region of South Africa. These pastures are established by various methods ranging in degree of disturbance from no-tillage to conventional tillage. Different establishment methods may alter the below-ground ecosystem, and depending on the degree of disturbance, lead to changes in microbial biodiversity and soil health. Disturbance of pasture soil may play an important role in regulating soil microbial community structure. The aim of this study was to investigate changes in soil microbial community-level physiological profiles of kikuyu (Pennisetum clandestinum) pastures reinforced with annual ryegrass ( …

Rehabilitating Degraded Frontage Soils In Tropical North Queensland, Trevor J. Hall

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The extensive tropical grasslands of north Queensland are grazed by beef cattle and provide a significant proportion of the water flowing into the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) lagoon. Soil sediments and nutrients eroding from the grazing lands of the Burdekin and Fitzroy catchments in north-east Queensland contributes to reduced water quality in the GBR lagoon. Degraded and eroded D-condition bare areas and eroding gullies in grazing lands provide a disproportionate amount of soil and nutrient losses from predominately native pasture grasslands used for cattle grazing. Rehabilitating these degraded areas will help improve water quality flowing onto the reef.

Rehabilitation methods …

Relationship Between Soil Chemical And Physical Properties And Vegetation In The Latest Decade Of Alpine Grasslands Of Southern Qinghai, China, Sachiko Idota, Jiahua Yang, Manabu Tobisa, Xiaoqin Li, Guomei Li, Rende Song, Haizhu Li, Nobumi Hasegawa, Masahiro Tasumi, Naoyuki Yamamoto, Aya Nishiwaki, Yasuyuki Ishii

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The Tibetan Plateau is one of the most important ecosystems in the world (Yang et al. 2009), particularly because of the global importance of its climate (Tian et al. 2008; Wang et al. 2008). Grassland ecosystems on the plateau are sensitive to global change, because the plateau is located in marginal land areas where the growth and distribution of plants depend heavily on local climatic conditions (Zhang et al. 1996). The alpine grassland of Qinghai Province in China has been traditionally used for extensive grazing by sheep and yak (Bos grunniens), but is now degraded from …

The Impact Of Conventional And Organic Farming On Soil Biodiversity Conservation: A Case Study On Termites In The Long-Term Farming Systems Comparison Trials In Kenya, John J. Anyango, David Bautze, Komi K.M. Fiaboe, Zipporah O. Lagat, Anne W. Muriuki, Sibylle Stöckli, Judith Riedel, Gladys K. Onyambu, Martha W. Musyoka, Edward N. Karanja, Noah Adamtey

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Background: A long-term experiment at two trial sites in Kenya has been on-going since 2007 to assess the effect of organic and conventional farming systems on productivity, profitability and sustainability. During these trials the presence of significant numbers of termites (Isoptera) was observed. Termites are major soil macrofauna and within literature they are either depict as 'pests' or as important indicator for environmental sustainability. The extent by which termites may be managed to avoid crop damage, but improve sustainability of farming systems is worthwhile to understand. Therefore, a study on termites was added to the long-term experiments in Kenya. The …

Vegetation Changes Following Biosolids Applications At An Old Boer Lovegrass Pasture In Northern Sonora, México, Martha R. Martin, Fernando F. Ibarra, Salomón M. Moreno, Alfredo V. Aguilar, Francisco B. Denogean, Fernando M. Ibarra, Felix A. Ayala, Ana D. Martinez

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Short grass prairies (Bouteloua-Aristida) are the main vegetation type in northern Sonora, México, however, factors such as land fragmentation, overgrazing, severe droughts and lack of infrastructure in most ranches poor grazing management has caused land degradation. Boer lovegrass (Eragrostis curvula var. conferta) is an introduced species planted to increase productivity on deteriorated rangelands. Forage production with Boer lovegrass increases two to three fold as compared to native grasses after range seeding but productivity declines as stands become old. Biosolids have been recognized as a useful soil amendment and source of nitrogen, phosphorus, organic matter and other …

Diversity Of Soil Biota In Canadian Grasslands In Relation To Agricultural Cropping Systems, Owen Olfert, N. Melnychuk, R. Weiss

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The Prairie Ecozone of the northern Great Plains of North America is a major contributor to world food production, encompassing the majority of the Canada's productive agricultural cropland, rangeland, and pasture. This has come with some ecological costs. Only small remnants of native short-grass prairie remain and field boundary habitats at best provide only narrow corridors between these remnant natural areas. The desire to maintain the capacity of the soil to sustain biological productivity has positively influenced the study of soil biota that contribute to the quality and health of our prairie soils. Soil meso-fauna (mites, millipedes, collembolans) also are …

Soil Invertebrates Of Lasiurus Sindicus Based Grazing Lands: Impact Of Management And Grazing Intensity, Sharmila Roy, N. R. Panwar, C. B. Pandey

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Arid Western plains of India are dominated by pasture and grazing lands. Lasiurus sindicus (LS) is the dominant na-tive grass species growing on sandy plains and low dunes under the low rainfall extreme desert climate. Palatability and higher crude protein (8-14% in early vegetative growth, 4-6% in 80-120 days of growth) make this grass a highly preferred grazing species. Since drought is frequent (47%) in this part of the country the LS grasslands are under tremendous grazing pressures and classified under poor or very poor condition for livestock. It is imperative to re-store the natural resources on which this grassland …

Investigation Of The Fire Effects On Some Physico-Chemical Characteristics Of Soil (Case Study: Miankaleh Rangeland, Iran), Mohammadreza Tatian, Reza Tamartash, Maedeh Yousefian, Fatemeh Montazeri, Mehdi Jafari

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Fire is one of the ecological factors that can have positive and negative effects on ecosystem processes. Nevertheless, prescribed burning is considered to be an important tool for grassland management, particularly to manipulate the balance between grasses and shrubs (Scheintaub et al. 2009). In Iran, for example, Khodagholi et al. (2001) in the Samirom rangelands of Isfahan Province suggest that fire reduces the shrubs cover and production and leads to the expansion of grasses. Sharifi and Imani (2006) showed that in the semi-steppe of Khalkhal Province shrub cover decreased in contrast to permanent grasses after fire was applied. …

Subsoil Acidity Determines Survival Of Lucerne On A Highly Acidic Soil, Guangdi Li, Mark Conyers, Richard Lowrie, Graeme Poile

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Lucerne (Medicago sativa) is one of most productive perennial species in southern Australia. However, productivity is severely restricted under acid soils (Irwin et al. 2001). Fenton et al. (1996) reported that lucerne performs poorly if soil pH was below 5 and exchangeable aluminium was over 5%. It is estimated that there are 24 m ha of acidic subsoil in southern Australia (Dolling et al. 2001). A long-term liming experiment, 1992 to 2010, aimed to ameliorate subsoil acidity via a vigorous liming program (Li et al. 2001). This paper reports survival of lucerne during the …

Increasing Pasture Production On Drained Saltland, Penny Roberts Craig, Freya Hawker, Amanda L. Bonython, Andrew Craig

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The Upper South East of South Australia has been identified as being at risk of extensive soil degradation, with large areas already affected by dryland salinity and waterlogging. To mitigate this, an extensive network of drains has been installed. In 2009, 19 soil surveys were conducted on land adjacent to a number of deep drains (> 1.0 m) in order to determine soil salinity and pH. The surveys indicated low levels of topsoil salinity (0-10 cm) in the southern part of the region, while 66% of soil sampling sites in the northern zone had salinity levels (ECe) below 4 dS/m. …

Comparing Soil Compaction Under Different Grazing Systems With A Virgin Forest Soil To Determine Optimal Stocking Rates, Wellington W. Rocha, Bruno S. Pires, Moacir S. Dias Junior, Rita De C. R. Carvalho

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The understanding of how soil physical properties respond to differing grazing practices may help explain the main causes of pasture degradation. Soil compaction has been shown to be a main degradation form of soil and the knowledge of techniques to quantify and rectify this are necessary to maintain optimal yields. This research aims to measure the rupture lines of red yellow latossol under differing pasture grazing practices compared to cropping and a natural forest. With this information it is aimed to calculate the correction factor for stocking rates and traffic of tillage tools. The differing soil management practices examined was, …

Establishing Baseline Values For Soil Quality Indicators In The Southern Cape Of South Africa, Pieter A. Swanepoel, Philip R. Botha, Chris C. Du Preez, Hennie A. Snyman

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Commercial dairy farming on pasture is commonly practiced in the southern Cape region of South Africa. In terms of its sustainability, quantification of the impact of dairy-pasture management on soil quality is essential. To comprehend the behaviour of soils in terms of quality, indicators should be assessed to screen the general direction of soil quality within a management system. Development of a soil quality assessment framework necessitates establishment of baseline values for soil quality indicators. The aim of this study was to establish baseline values for soil quality indicators for dairy-pasture soils in the southern Cape. Physical, chemical and biological …

Soil Carbon And Nitrogen Stocks And Their Relationship With Plant And Soil Dynamics Of Degraded And Artificial Restoration Grasslands In An Alpine Region, Yuanyuan Li, Shikui Dong, Yu Wu

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Land disturbances and management approaches can significantly alter grassland soils. Therefore, understanding the carbon and nitrogen storage accompanying plant and soil physical and chemical properties due to anthropogenic disturbance and different management strategies is important. In our study, we investigated carbon and nitrogen storage in artificial grasslands with different durations of restoration and native grasslands with different levels of degradation. We found that total carbon and nitrogen were significantly higher five years after restoration than after seven and nine years, but decreased due to grassland degradation. Furthermore, soil carbon and nitrogen had a close relationship with plant and soil factors, …

Benefits And Uses Of Nematodes In Grassland Soils, Michael J. Wilson

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

To most grassland farmers nematodes mean trouble: they are important parasites of both pasture plants and livestock. While there is no doubting the considerable losses caused by nematodes, crop and livestock pests represent a tiny minority of the approximately 26,000 described nematode species. Here I examine the beneficial effects of nematodes within grassland systems and their beneficial uses. Nematodes in grassland soils increase plant available nutrients, move beneficial microbes through the rhizosphere and control insect and mollusc herbivores. We can use nematodes as biological control agents, and also as indicators of soil health/quality. While no single group of organisms can …

Assessment Of Methane Production By Goats Under Intermittent Grazing, Naomi C. Meister, Nailson L. S. Lemos, Fernando O. Alari, Victor C. Silva, William Koury Filho, Ana C. Ruggieri

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

There are 875 million goats worldwide (FAO 2012) and the majority are in developing countries where they are typically raised on pasture. Ruminants release gross energy as methane, which is a greenhouse gas. Mthane mitigation strategies require prior knowledge about emission of methane by animals under different management systems. Intake, quality and type of feed are factors that influence methane emissions, therefore the objective of this study was to investigate how grazing intensity, measured by the residual leaf area index (RLAI), influences methane emission by goats under rotational grazing on Tanzania grass pasture.