Agricultural Science Commons^™

Assessment Of Human Health Risk Of Zinc And Lead By Consuming Food Crops Supplied With Excessive Fertilizers, Kafeel Ahmad, Asma Ashfaq, Zafar Iqbal Khan, Shahzad Akhtar, Sana Rani, Farzana Siddique, Shamayem Aslam, Ghulam Mustafa, Rana Muhammad Zubair, Hafsa Memona, Aima Iram Batool, Muhammad Nadeem, Javed Shoukat, Shahzadi Mahpara, Mumtaz Akhtar, Muhammad Umer Farooq Awan, Ilker Ugulu, Hamid Raza, Muhammad Ameer Hamza

Journal of Bioresource Management

For the study of heavy metals impact on human beings, areas in Sargodha city that were supplied with various types of fertilizers were chosen. The three industrial areas; (Bhalwal, Sillanwali, and Sahiwal) of this city were explored for research reasons. The researchers wanted to know how much heavy metal was in the soil, food crops, and human. Excess fertilizer use contributes to global pollution. Farmyard manure, urea, and potassium chloride were used on Site 1; urea phosphate, manure, and ammonium sulphate were used on Site 2; and super phosphate, ammonium phosphate, and nitrate phosphate were used on Site 3. Samples …

First Things First: Widespread Nutrient Deficiencies Limit Yields In Smallholder Oil Palm Fields, Hendra Sugianto, Juan Pablo Monzon, Iput Pradiko, Fatima A. Tenorio, Ya Li Lim, Christopher R. Donough, Sunawan, Suroso Rahutomo, Fahmuddin Agus, James Cock, Joni Amsar, Rana Farrasati, Ridho Iskandar, Juan I. Rattalino Edreira, Shofia Saleh, Heri Santoso, Antonius P. Tito, Nadib Ulfaria, Maja A. Slingerland, Patricio Grassini

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

CONTEXT: Indonesia is the most important oil palm producing country. Nearly 40% of planted area is managed by smallholders, with yields well below the potential. Efforts to increase productivity have focused on the source of planting material, with little attention paid to plant nutrition.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the degree to which current productivity in smallholder oil palm fields is limited by nutrients in scenarios with distinct sources of planting material.

METHODS: We collected detailed data on leaf nutrient concentration from 30 fields to derive minimum sampling size needed to diagnose nutrient status. Subsequently, we collected data on …

Cover Crops And Soil Health In Rainfed And Irrigated Corn: What Did We Learn After 8 Years?, Humberto Blanco-Canqui, Sabrina J. Ruis, Katja Koehler-Cole, Roger Elmore, Charles A. Francis

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Duration of cover crop (CC) management, CC biomass production, and other factors could impact how CC affects soil health. We studied the 8-year cumulative impacts of winter rye (Secale cereale L.) CC on soil physical, chemical, and biological properties in rainfed and irrigated no-till corn (Zea mays L.)-based systems in the western US Corn Belt. Average annual CC biomass production was 0.56 ± 0.51 Mg ha⁻¹ at the rainfed site and 0.98 ± 0.95 Mg ha⁻¹ at the irrigated site. After 8 years, CC improved particulate organic matter (POM) and mean weight diameter of waterstable aggregates …

Editorial: New Insights Into Mechanisms Of Epigenetic Modifiers In Plant Growth And Development, Volume Ii, Ming Luo, Tomasz Jacek Sarnowski, Marc Libault, Gabino Ríos, Jean-Benoit Charron, Nitin Mantri, Shoudong Zhang

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

As we have learned, chromatin modifications, including histone modifications and DNA methylation, play a key role in plant development (Ng and Bird, 1999). However, accumulated evidence shows that, besides chromatin biochemical modifications, other epigenetic regulations such as chromatin architecture also function at a pivot point to regulate plant development (Zhang et al., 2021). In this Research Topic, five research papers describe multiple developmental facets mediated by different epigenetic mechanisms besides histone modifications. These manuscripts report experimental evidence or summarize recent advances in epigenetic regulations of some important developmental genes or development-related mechanisms. This Research Topic allows readers to learn of …

The Effect Of Harvesting Strategy Of Grass Silage On Milk Production, K. Kuoppala, M. Rinne, J. Nousiainen, P. Huhtanen

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Timing of harvest in primary growth of grass is a major factor affecting D-value (digestible organic matter, g/kg DM) of silage and dry matter (DM) consumption and milk production of dairy cows (Rinne, 2000). The objective of this research was to investigate whether there is a similar pattern in regrowths of grass.

The Effect Of Harvesting Strategy Of Grass Silage On Milk Production, K. Kuoppala, M. Rinne, J. Nousiainen, P. Huhtanen

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Timing of harvest in primary growth of grass is a major factor affecting D-value (digestible organic matter, g/kg DM) of silage and dry matter (DM) consumption and milk production of dairy cows (Rinne, 2000). The objective of this research was to investigate whether there is a similar pattern in regrowths of grass.

The Effects Of Offering Hay, Pit-Stored Grass Silage Or Big-Bale Silage To Pregnant Ewes On Ewe And Lamb Performance, T. F. Crosby, P. J. Quinn, J. J. Callan, T. Mcgrane

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Hay and pit silage have been used extensively for feeding sheep over the winter period, but in recent years, especially on smaller farms, big-bale silage has become increasingly popular. However, there is limited comparative information on the use of big-bale silage for sheep, especially in relation to the effects of chopping and growth stage at harvest. This study compared the performance of ewes offered hay, pit silage, or big-bale grass silage made from either chopped or unchopped grass and cut from the same field at the same time.

The Effects Of Offering Grass Or Maize Silages To In-Lamb Ewes On Body Weight And Condition Changes, Colostrum Yield And Quality, T. F. Crosby, P. J. Quinn, J. J. Callan, P. Reilly, B. Flynn, D. Cunningham, T. Massey

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Hay and more recently grass silage (GS) have been the traditional feeds for sheep in Ireland over the winter period. Alternatives such as maize silage (MS) are becoming increasingly important as winter forage sources especially for cattle. This study sought to evaluate grass silage and maize silage when offered to pregnant ewes.

Round-Bale Silage Preparation Of Rice Straw, Yimin Cai, C. Xu, N. Yoshida, M. Ogawa

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Rice straw is an important feed resource for ruminants. In Japan, rice straw cannot be fully dried due to the usually humid autumn season, which leads to about 70% of the production being ploughed back or incinerated. Therefore, the development of techniques to enhance the long-term preservation and quality of rice straw is of great importance. In this work, a new lactic acid bacterium was used as a silage inoculant, and its effect on round-bale silage preparation from fresh rice straw was examined.

Factors Affecting Bag Silo Densities And Losses, R. E. Muck, B. J. Holmes

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Bag silos (polyethylene tubes, 30 to 90 m length, 2.4 to 3.7 m diameter, 0.22 mm thick) are used on approximately one-third of the dairy farms in the U.S.A. for making silage, and the level of adoption is increasing rapidly. Unfortunately, almost no research data have been published on these types of silos. Our objective was to measure densities and losses in bag silos at three farms, looking for causes of variation in both.

Moisture Control, Inoculant And Particle Size In Tropical Grass Silages, S. F. Paziani, L. G. Nussio, D. R. S. Loures, L. J. Mari, José Leonardo Ribeiro, P. Schmidt, M. Zopollatto, M. C. Junqueira, A. F. Pedroso

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Decreased fermentation and spoilage losses with improved aerobic stability during feed out can be accomplished by several strategies, such as wilting, addition of microbial additives and moisture absorbents. Particle size reduction may increase bulk density and improve the fermentation. The objective of this trial was to evaluate the effects of particle size, moisture content and a microbial additive on chemical-physical parameters and losses in silages made from Tanzania grass.

Effect Of A New Microbial Strain As An Inoculant On The Quality Of Maize Silage, J. G. Kim, J. S. Ham, E. S. Chung, S. Seo, J. K. Lee

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Lactic acid bacteria play a key role in making silage from forage, and lactic acid bacteria selected from good silage could be expected to be suitable inocula for making good silage. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine the such novel lactic acid bacteria for making high quality maize silage.

The Potential Of Different Forage Combinations For Green-Chop Silage, Trevor L. Knight, Tom J. Fraser, T. A. White, M. G. Hyslop

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

On the Canterbury Plains of New Zealand (NZ) there is an opportunity on cropping farms, between summer harvest and autumn/winter sowing, to grow forage crops to make high quality silage. Recently, cereal cultivars have been specifically bred for forage production and suitability for whole-crop silage (de Ruiter et al. 2002), and also high legume (e.g. sulla) content forage mixes have resulted in high quality silages with high lactic acid and soluble carbohydrate content (Niezen et al. 1998). This trial aimed to determine the yield potential of various cereal/legume forage mixtures summer sown and harvested for silage in autumn.

A New System For The Evaluation Of The Fermentation Quality Of Silages, E. Kaiser, K. Weiß

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Depending on the content of nitrate in green forage, the pattern of fermentation products in silages differ significantly (Weiß & Kaiser, 2001). The systems, which are now common in practice for evaluating the quality of silage fermentation, characterise fermentation quality incorrectly because the evaluation is influenced by the chemical composition of green forage. The aim of this work was to derive an evaluation system for fermentation quality, which is independent from the chemical composition of green forage.

Calculation Of Forage Value And Suitability For Silage Of Autochthonous Plant Mixtures Found In Peat Soil Grassland In Relation To The Cut-Off Date, Lisa Dittmann, Renate Bockholt

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The semi-extensive management of permanent grassland results in autochthonous plant mixtures whose productivity and forage quality dynamics are relatively unknown, but important for its utilisation. There are enormous differences in forage value and the suitability for silage depending on botanical composition, cutting date or grazing date. The time-based changes in the forage value are of economic interest for the farmers and important for determining a utilisation strategy.

Influence Of Grass Species And Sample Preparation On Ensiling Characteristics, D. J. R. Cherney, M. A. Alessi, J. H. Cherney

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Laboratory silos are considered a practical method of comparing a number of treatments (O'Kiely, 1993). Cherney et al. (2004) reported that vacuum-sealed polyethylene bags effectively ensiled corn silage samples in the laboratory. Grasses, with their inherently higher buffering capacities and lower sugar levels, generally are more difficult to ensile. Objectives were to evaluate the influence of species and chopping (whole vs. shredded) on pH and volatile fatty acid profile of grasses ensiled in vacuum-sealed polyethylene bags and to assess the suitability of this method as a laboratory ensiling method.

Ensiling Characteristics And Ruminal Degradation Of Italian Ryegrass With Or Without Wilting And Added Cell Wall Degrading Enzymes, Z. Yu, Jianguo Han, Z. He, X. Qingfang, B. Chunsheng, N. Nishino

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The previous experiment (Yu zhu et al.,1999) has shown that the efficacy of added enzymes varied greatly according to the DM content of the material crop. The silage DM did not alter the effects of enzymes on the in vitro digestion of NDF (Yu zhu et al.,1999, Yu zhu et al.,2000). The aim of this experiment was to study the effect of wilting and enzymes on fermentation quality, chemical composition and in situ digestion of Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) silage.

Ensilability And Silage Quality Of Different Festulolium Hybrids In Comparison To Festuca Arundinacea, K. Banzhaf, Wilhelm Opitz V. Boberfeld

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Festulolium hybrids as cool-season grasses may be used as dominant species for winter pastures in year-round outdoor livestock systems. The utilisation of these species during summer is limited due to low intake as a fresh pasture grass by grazing ruminants. Therefore, ensiling the primary growths of these hybrids may be an alternative approach to using these species during the growing season. However, information on the quality of Festulolium silages under central European conditions is not available. The objective of this research was to determine ensilability and silage quality of four Festulolium cultivars (of festucoid or loloid type) compared to one …

Effect Of Agronomic Management On Feeding Value Of Festulolium Hybrids For Winter Pasture, Wilhelm Opitz V. Boberfeld, K. Banzhaf

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Festulolium spp. are considered to combine the distinctive winterhardiness of Festuca species with the high forage quality of Lolium species. Such cultivars may be particularly appropriate for winter pastures, but knowledge about quality aspects during winter under central European conditions is not available. The objective of this research was to determine forage quality of four Festulolium cultivars (festucoid type or loloid type) during winter under varying agronomic treatments.

Nutrient Composition Of Napier Grass (Pennisetum Purpureum) And Napier Grass Silages Made With Different Additives, A. A. Aganga, U. J. Omphile, J. C. Baitshotlhi

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Forage contributes about 73% and 95% of the diets of ruminants fattened on grain supplements and on natural ranges respectively (Sarwar & Nisa, 1998). Napier grass is one of the highest yielding tropical forage grasses and was shown to provide a good quality silage when it was supplemented with molasses, as the fermentation quality was not affected by the high storage temperature (40^oC). The objectives of this study were to determine the chemical composition of silages when ensiled alone or mixed with additives.

A Modified Forage System For Stocker Production In The Southern Great Plains, Usa, B. K. Northup, H. S. Mayeux, W. A. Phillips

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Putting low-cost gain on yearling cattle with forages is an important agricultural activity in the Southern Great Plains. The primary forage system within the area incorporates two forages: winter wheat (Triticum aestivum) for grazing in fall through spring, and warm- season grasses in the summer (Fig. 1). These systems have significant gaps in time when high-quality forage is not available. This study tested the function of introduced cool-season perennial grasses in filling the spring gap, and their capacity as large-scale replacements for winter wheat.

Graze-Out Plus: Filling Forage Gaps In The Southern Great Plains, Usa, B. K. Northup, W. A. Phillips, H. S. Mayeux

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Putting low-cost gain on yearling cattle with forages is a significant agricultural activity in the Southern Great Plains. The primary forage system within the area has two components: winter wheat (Triticum aesitivum) grazed from fall through spring (Redmon et al., 1995), and warm-season perennial grasses for summer grazing. This system has significant gaps (Fig. 1) when high-quality forage is not readily available (September-November and May-June). Introduced cool-season perennial grasses have longer growing seasons than wheat, and could help fill these gaps. This experiment tested the function of an introduced cool-season perennial grass, new to the southern Great Plains, …

An Evaluation Of Grazing Value Of Maize And Companion Crops For Wintering Lactating Ewes, E. A. Van Zyl, C. S. Dannhauser

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Northwestern KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), in South Africa, is well known for its sheep production from natural rangeland in summer (October to May). During winter, however, the nutritional value of the rangeland cannot maintain young growing sheep or pregnant and lactating ewes. With this in mind, Lyle (1991) suggested the use of planted pastures for the winter. Crichton et al (1998) and Esterhuizen & Niemand (1989) suggested the use of maize crop residues for both cattle and sheep during winter, whereas Moore (1997) evaluated grazing (not harvested) maize for this purpose. He found that the crude protein content of the crop was …

An Agronomic Evaluation Of Grazing Maize Combined With Companion Crops For Sheep In Northwestern Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa, C. S. Dannhauser, E. A. Van Zyl

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Northwestern KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), in South Africa, is well known for its sheep production from natural rangeland in summer (October to May). During winter however, the nutritional value of the rangeland cannot maintain young growing sheep or pregnant and lactating ewes. With this in mind Lyle (1991) suggested the use of planted pastures for the winter. Crichton, Gertenbach & Henning (1998) and Esterhuizen & Niemand (1989) suggested maize crop residues for both cattle and sheep during winter, whereas Moore (1997) evaluated grazing maize (not harvested) for this purpose. He found that the protein content of the crop was inadequate and for …

The Use Of Forage Supplements To Overcome Seasonal Shortages Of Grazed Herbage In Dairy Production Systems, A. Hameleers, D. J. Roberts

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In most dairy production systems, grazed herbage is potentially the cheapest forage resource. However, while the availability is affected by seasonal changes in herbage growth, and/or between year variations in climatic conditions, the requirements of dairy production systems tend to remain constant throughout the season. This paper summarises five experiments that examined the effect of the characteristics of the forage supplement (dry matter, DM; metabolisable energy, ME, content; Type) and the effect of stage of lactation and access method to the supplement on animal performance.

Year-Round Forage Systems For Beef Cows And Calves, J. P. Fontenot, W. M. Clapham, W. S. Swecker, Jr. D. Fiske, J. B. Hall, J. H. Fike, G. Scaglia

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Beef cow systems in the USA are based on forages with little or no concentrates fed. Tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb. L.) is one of the important pasture forages in the lower Northeast and upper South (Allen et al., 2001). Limited research has been conducted on year-round all forage systems based on cool season forages. Stockpiling tall fescue in late summer-early fall provides good quality forage that is usually grazed rather than harvested. Forage systems including tall fescue and clover (Trifolium repens L.) produced excellent performance in beef cows and calves, with minimum inputs (Allen et al …

Alternative Feedbase Systems For Southern Australia Dairy Farms. 3. Economic Returns From Extra Dry Matter Consumption, D. F. Chapman, S. Kenny

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Growth rates of the 'traditional' perennial ryegrass pasture frequently fail to meet the seasonal feed requirements of herds in non-irrigated dairy systems in southern Australia, leading to a dependence upon additional feed at these times of the year. Farmers commonly purchase this feed off-farm, which can be costly. Growing extra feed on-farm may be more cost effective but will require additional inputs such as N fertiliser and alternative pastures/crops. The gross return to dairy farms of growing extra feed at certain times of the year can be estimated by connecting biophysical models of pasture growth to farm systems models and …

Alternative Feedbase Systems For Southern Australia Dairy Farms. 2. Seasonal Variability, S. Kenny, D. F. Chapman, D. Beca

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The standard feedbase on non-irrigated dairy farms in southern Australia is perennial ryegrass- dominant pasture supplemented by concentrate feeds, silage and hay to fill seasonal feed gaps. Using models, Chapman et al. (2005) concluded that dairy producers in this region can increase forage consumption and operating profit through the use of summer-active pastures and double-cropping (winter cereal grown for silage, followed by a summer grazing crop). However, these results were based on long-term average pasture and crop growth rates and therefore do not account for seasonal variability associated with climatic variation, which is important in southern Australia. This paper …

Alternative Feedbase Systems For Southern Australia Dairy Farms: 1. Predicted Pasture/Crop Consumption And Farm Financial Performance, D. F. Chapman, S. Kenny, D. Beca

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Traditional perennial ryegrass-based pastures have significant limitations for efficient feeding of dairy cattle in dryland dairy regions of southern Australia. These include strong seasonality of growth, with 50 - 60% of total annual dry matter arriving in spring and little or no growth during summer. There is clear potential for improving total forage production and the seasonality of forage supply in these regions through the use of alternative pastures (Nie et al. 2004) and fodder crops. This series of papers applies a modelling approach to investigate the potential improvements in farm productivity and profitability resulting from their use.

Seasonal Herbage Accumulation Of Different Dairy Pasture Types In Southern Australia, J. Tharmaraj, D. F. Chapman, Z. N. Nie

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Perennial ryegrass pastures, which are the mainstay of dairy feeding systems in southern Australia, are characterised by strong spring growth, little summer/autumn growth, and poor persistence. These limitations impose costs to farm businesses through the purchase of additional fodder to fill feed gaps, and regular re-sowing of pastures. The objective of the research reported here was to investigate the potential for alternative pasture types with different seasonal growth characteristics to improve the seasonal distribution of feed supply and overcome some of the limitations associated with perennial ryegrass.