Agricultural Science Commons^™

The Evolving Definition Of Plant Cell Type, Sahand Amini, Jeffrey J. Doyle, Marc Libault

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

In 1665 Robert Hooke, looking at cork through his microscope, discovered that plants are composed of elementary structures he named “cells”. Variation in the expression of a single genome in a complex eukaryotic organism guides the initiation, maturation, physiology, and biochemistry of cells with different shapes and sizes, playing different structural and functional roles in space and time. How many kinds of cells—”cell types”— an organism possesses of course depends on the organism’s cellular complexity, but the plasticity within a cell type fuels the emergence of the concept of cell state (Figure 1). The transition between cell states is driven …

Shortening Harvest Interval, Reaping Benefits? A Study On Harvest Practices In Oil Palm Smallholder Farming Systems In Indonesia, Rosanne E. De Vos, Lisa Nurfalah, Fatima A. Tenorio, Ya Li Lim, Juan Pablo Monzon, Christopher R. Donough, Hendra Sugianto, Asri A. Dwiyahreni, Nurul L. Winarni, Nadia Mulani, Gilang Ramadhan, Muhammad Ali Imran, Antonius P. Tito, Pandu Sulistiawan, Muhammad Khoirul, Rana Farrasati, Iput Pradiko, Patricio Grassini, Maja Slingerland

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

CONTEXT: Smallholders are responsible for a large share of global palm oil production. Yet, in Indonesia, the main palm oil producing country, smallholders’ yields remain low. Better management practices, including short harvest interval (HI, the number of days between two harvest rounds), could help to raise smallholder yields. However, at present, HI is long in smallholder fields and the drivers underlying this phenomenon are poorly understood.

OBJECTIVE: We explored agronomic, socio-economic, and institutional factors that underlie harvesting practices in independent oil palm smallholder farming systems in Indonesia to assess scope for sustainable intensification through shorter HI and reduced …

Exotic Herbivores And Fire Energy Drive Standing Herbaceous Biomass But Do Not Alter Compositional Patterns In A Semiarid Savanna Ecosystem, Virginia D. Preiss, Carissa L. Wonkka, Devan A. Mcgranahan, Alexandra G. Lodge, Matthew B. Dickinson, Kathleen L. Kavanagh, Heath D. Starns, Douglas R. Tolleson, Morgan L. Treadwell, Dirac L. Twidwell Jr, William E. Rogers

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Questions: Fire regime alterations are pushing open ecosystems worldwide past tipping points where alternative steady states characterized by woody dominance prevail. This reduces the frequency and intensity of surface fires, further limiting their effectiveness for controlling cover of woody plants. In addition, grazing pressure (exotic or native grazers) can reinforce woody encroachment by potentially reducing fine-fuel loads. We investigated the effects of different fire energies on the herbaceous plant community, together with mammalian wildlife herbivory (exotic and native combined) exclusion, to inform best management practices.

Location: Texas semi-arid savanna, southern Great Plains, USA.

Methods: We conducted an …

Exome-Based New Allele-Specific Pcr Markers And Transferability For Sodicity Tolerance In Bread Wheat (Triticum Aestivum L.), Roopali Bhoite, Rosemary Smith, Urmil Bansal, Mirza Dowla, Harbans Bariana, Darshan L. Sharma

Grain and Other Field Crops Research Articles

Targeted exome-based genotype by sequencing (t-GBS), a sequencing technology that tags SNPs and haplotypes in gene-rich regions was used in previous genome-wide association studies (GWAS) for sodicity tolerance in bread wheat. Thirty-nine novel SNPs including 18 haplotypes for yield and yield-components were identified. The present study aimed at developing SNP-derived markers by precisely locating new SNPs on ~180 bp allelic sequence of t-GBS, marker validation, and SNP functional characterization based on its exonic location. We identified unknown locations of significant SNPs/haplotypes by aligning allelic sequences on to IWGSC RefSeqv1.0 on respective chromosomes. Eighteen out of the target 39 SNP locations …

Comparison Between The Electrical Conductivity Method And Radicle Emergence Test As A Rapid Test Of Sorghum Seed Vigor, Nugraheni, Bambang Pujiasmanto, Samanhudi, Amalia Tetrani Sakya

Jurnal Kultivasi

Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) belongs to multipurpose crops. All parts of sorghum can be used both as main products and derivative products; some derivative products produced from the sorghum plant consist of sugar, bioethanol, biomass, handicraft raw materials and starch. This study aims to determine the time required for testing the vigor and viability of sorghum seeds using the electrical conductivity and radicle emergence methods. The study was conducted in two experimental stages using a completely randomized design. The first experiment consisted of two factors: the number of sorghum seeds (40, 70 and 100 grains) and the volume of …

Targeted Sequencing Of The Panicum Miliaceum Gene Space And Genotyping Of Variant Sites From Population Genetics Studies, Combined In A Single Assay, As A Tool For Broomcorn Millet Assisted Breeding, Gabriele Magris, Serena Foria, Silvano Ciani, Dipak K. Santra, Ombretta Polenghi, Virna Cerne, Michele Morgante, Gabriele Di Gaspero

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) is a prehistorical cereal, today cultivated as a minor crop with low yields but with a renewed interest for its high water use effciency and gluten-free grains. To reverse the downward trend in broomcorn millet cultivation, the crop needs genetic improvement and creation of novel genetic variation to increase productivity. In order to facilitate genomics-assisted breeding, we designed a reduced representation genome-sequencing assay that investigates 1.8% of the nuclear DNA in a targeted and reproducible way, with an intensity of genomic sampling that is a direct function of local recombination rate. We used this …

Indigenous Lakadong Turmeric Of Meghalaya And Its Future Prospects, Manjit Kumar Ray, Dipak K. Santra, Piyush Kumar Mishra, Saurav Das

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Turmeric (Curcuma longa) has long been used in traditional Indian medicine. India accounts for 80% of total global turmeric production. Lakadong turmeric gets its name from the tiny village of Lakadong, which is located in the foothills of the Jaintia Hills in Meghalaya, India. It is known for having a high curcumin content of more than 7%, as opposed to 2 - 4% in regular varieties. The tribes of this region brought Lakadong turmeric from the forest and domesticated it for medicinal purposes centuries ago. Growth in local coal industries and a gradual decline in the market have …

The Effects Of Application Of Biochar From Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunches On Chemical Properties Of Ultisols And The Growth Of Cacao Seedlings, Wulan Kumala Sari, Panji Abdul Malik

Jurnal Kultivasi

It is necessary to redevelop cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) commodity due to the decrease of cacao planting areas in Indonesia since the last decade. One of the ways is by providing a growing medium to produce cacao seedlings with good quality, such as by adding ameliorant i.e., oil palm empty fruit bunch (OPEFB) biochar to marginal soil of Ultisols. This research aimed to study and obtain the best OPEFB biochar dose to improve the chemical properties of Ultisols and the growth of cacao seedlings. This research was conducted in the Experimental Field of the 3rd Campus Andalas University from August …

Characteristics Of The Moringa Mother Tree In The Population Of East Flores, East Nusa Tenggara, Adi Setiadi, Evert Yulianes Hosang

Jurnal Kultivasi

The moringa plant (Moringa oleifera Lam.) is a member of the Moringaceae family that grows in Indonesia. Moringa plants have many benefits, both as a source of food, medicine, and cosmetics. The development of moringa plants in Indonesia has not been carried out because it is still constrained by the absence of a mother tree and a source of moringa seed gardens. This study aims to identify morphological characters and production potential in two populations of moringa plants. The research was conducted in August 2021 in East Flores District, East Nusa Tenggara Province. The research was conducted by determining the …

Scaling Up Of Site Carbon Dynamics To Predict The Carbon Dynamics In Kazakhstan, Central Asia, B. K. Wylie, Tagir Gilmanov, S. L. Stensaas, N. Z. Saliendra, D. A. Johnson, K. Akshalov, S. B. Frank, L. Zhang, R. F. Doyle, E. A. Laca, Montague W. Demment

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Climate and management determine whether rangelands are net carbon sources or carbon sinks. Regional carbon dynamics of the Kazakh Steppe has not previously been documented. The objective of this study is to quantify the regional carbon flux dynamics of these extensive steppes.

A New System For Plant Experiments On Biodiversity Or Multi-Species Competition, John Connolly, L. Kirwan

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Considerable discussion in recent years has focused on the design of competition and biodiversity experiments (Connolly et al., 2001a; Allison, 1999). Few agronomic experiments with >2 plant species have been conducted in greenhouse conditions (Gibson et al, 1999) or in the field (Connolly et al., 2001b). In many experiments the effects of density and initial species size have been confounded. The effects of species richness and evenness also are confounded frequently. The proposed system provides a framework of design and analysis, in which to address questions of function at community level and of structure and competition at …

Native Grasses Seeded Into A Cool-Season Pasture Encouraged By Low Resource Availability, J. E. Doll, R. L. Cates, R. D. Jackson

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Native prairie of the Upper Midwest, which was dominated by warm-season (C₄) grasses, now exists as relatively small relict and restored patches (Curtis 1959). Re-introduction of natives into grazed agroecosystems would promote genetic, species, and landscape diversity. Extensive re-introduction of C₄ grasses will require a shift away from the paradigm of maximizing production because C₄ grasses have higher C:N ratios than C₃ grasses rendering them inferior forage species. Nonetheless, there is great interest amongst the grazing community of the Upper Midwest in establishing native grasses as a means of improving wildlife habitat and increasing belowground …

The Ag-Biota Project: A Preliminary Assessment Of Potential Indicators Of Biodiversity In Agricultural Grasslands, Gordon Purvis, A. Anderson, A. J. Helden, L. Kirwan

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In compliance with European commitments to the Convention on Biological Diversity, the conservation and enhancement of biodiversity within agricultural land is a primary objective of current agri-environmental measures. However, there is a widespread lack of information concerning the effectiveness of agri-environmental schemes in Europe, (Kleijn & Sutherland, 2003). In large part, this is due to uncertainties about selection of appropriate biological indicators of biodiversity (Buchs, 2003; Duelli & Obrist, 2003).

Effects Of Plant Species Diversity In Multifunctional Grasslands On Avian Communities, K. K. Bakker, K. F. Higgins

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Grasslands, planted or native sod, can provide multiple simultaneous functions (e.g., hay-forage production, biomass fuel products, bird nesting cover, soil and water conservation). Bird use of and abundance in grasslands is dependent on vegetation structure, size, and surrounding landscape (Bakker et al., 2002) but little is known about avian relationships to plant species diversity. We evaluated the relationship between plant species diversity and avian community structure in 5 grassland types. The results have application to grazing, haying, burning, and conservation practices applied to native and sown grassland stands and to conservation strategies for declining grassland bird populations.

Diversity And Adaptation Of Perennial Plants From North Africa: Legumes And Grasses, Aissa Abdelguerfi, M. Laouar, K. Abbas, M. M'Hammedi Bouzina

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

A variety of climates, soil types and reliefs characterise North Africa (Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia). These natural conditions have produced a large diversity of environments, landscapes, plant formations and flora. Several factors have contributed to the spread of a wide floristic variety: the influence of the Mediterranean in the north and in the north-east, the Atlantic in the west, and the Sahara in the south, as well as the presence of mountain ranges, particularly the Rif, the Tell Atlas, the Sahara Atlas, the Middle Atlas, the High Atlas, and the Anti-Atlas. This diversity of landscapes, environments and ecosystems has generated …

Comparison Of Compositional Changes In Multi-Species Grass/Legume Mixture Experiments Across Three Nordic Countries (Iceland, Sweden And Finland) Over Two Years, Caroline Brophy, Anne-Maj Gustavsson, A. Helgadottir, Oiva Nissinen, J. Connolly

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

A multi-site experiment was established at 39 sites across Europe, Australia and Canada within COST Action 852 to: (1) assess the benefits of grass/legume mixtures over monocultures, (2) test the stability of mixtures and (3) evaluate the consistency of the observed patterns over broad environmental gradients. This paper compares the results from 3 Nordic sites using the same plant species: Korpa Experimental Station in Iceland, Lapland Research Station in Finland and Piteå in Sweden to investigate if compositional changes in mixtures are consistent across the sites.

Site Effects On The Composition Of Multi-Species Grass/Legume Mixtures During Sward Establishment, Rosemary P. Collins, M. Fothergill, John Connolly

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Under the auspices of COST Action 852, a multi-site experiment investigated issues of community structure, function and their interrelationships in multi-species grass/legume mixtures (Collins et al., 2004; Sebastià et al., 2004). We describe the effects of 2 contrasting sites on forage yield and species composition during sward establishment.

Unplanned Fires And Sustainability Of A Semi-Arid Rangeland In South Africa, Hennie A. Snyman

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Whether due to lightning or human negligence, large-scale unplanned fires affect large areas of the semi-arid southern African rangelands during the dormant winter (June-August) period (Everson 1999). These fires cause enormous fodder flow problems, and also influence ecosystem functioning (Snyman 2003). The short-term impact (2 years) of an unplanned fire on the sensitivity of above- and belowground productivity of a semi-arid rangeland was therefore investigated.

Effects Of Burning On Grassland Vegetation Cover On The Northeastern Side Of The Alborz Ranges In Iran, F. Amiri, M. R. Chaichi, A. Atrakchali

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Golestan National Park is located on the northeastern side of the Alborz ranges, Golestan province, Iran. Because of the special vegetation cover and being located close to two wet and dry weather areas, this park is vulnerable to fire hazards. Between 1957 and 2004 more than 67 fires have been reported in the park. The international importance of the park requires a careful study on fire effects on vegetation cover, phytomass production, grass diversity and successional process after fires.

The Influence Of Tree Thinning And Subhabitat Differentiation On Panicum Maximum And Urochloa Mosambicensis Of A Bush Encroached Semi-Arid Savanna In South Africa, G. N. Smit

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The productivity of grasses is most important for herbivores in extensive semi-arid savannas. In these areas an increase in woody plant abundance, commonly referred to as bush encroachment, suppresses grasses. This is the main reason why landowners often consider thinning or even total clearing of all woody plants. The aims of this study were to investigate the influence of different intensities of tree thinning and subhabitat differentiation on the grass layer of a semi-arid South African savanna.

The Effect Of Different Utilisation Methods On Composition Of Semi-Natural Grassland, J. Jančovič, L'. Vozár, L'. Jančovičová

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

There has been much research on application of mineral fertilisers to permanent grasslands to maximise production of above-ground phytomass (Folkman & Jančovič 1990), but the changes arising after exclusion of fertilisers have not been studied in Slovak Republic up to now despite current interest in low input ststems. This paper reports on the effects of cessation of fertiliser inputs for an eight-year period.

Impact Of The Agricultural Use On The Biodiversity Of A Festuca Rubra Meadow, I. Rotar, F. Păcirar, R. Vidican, N. Sima

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Technological inputs into meadow ecosystems trigger significant changes in the sward. In this paper we present the effect of organic and mineral fertilisation on the biodiversity of a Festuca rubra meadow.

Long-Term Effect Of Levels Of N-, P-, K-Supply On The Shannon-Index For Two Pastures Located In Central Germany, Judith F. Oerlemans, W. Opitz Von Boberfeld

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Intensive grassland production, including the use of mineral fertilisers, has degraded the botanical diversity of grassland communities seriously (Chapman, 2001). There is little information on optimal amounts of soil nutrient availability to maintain/regenerate species-rich grassland communities. This study in Central Germany aimed to quantify the long-term effect of different N-, P-, K-supply combinations on biodiversity, expressed in terms of the Shannon-Index (Sh-Id), of 2 pastures classified as Lolio-Cynosuretum.

The Effect Of Npk Fertilisation On Structure And Species Composition Of Grasslands, Frantisek Hrabě, Jiří Skládanka

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Long-term research into the effect of N+PK nutrition enables an objective evaluation of the trend and rate of succession and a prediction of changes including production development in permanent grassland (Hrabě et al., 1991). Former research (Hrabě & Halva, 1993) and evaluation within an eco-system concept (Rychnovská et al., 1994) demonstrated marked changes in the species composition of grass communities with the application of N+PK fertilisation that did not correspond to the sward type and site conditions.

Effect Of Aspect And Animal Movement On A Temperate Mountain Grassland Structure, Sorkunde Mendarte, I. Amezaga, Isabel Albizu, A. Ibarra, Iker Mijangos, M. Onaindia

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Mountain pasture systems are maintained by the combination of physical and environmental factors and human activity leading to highly complex ecosystems (Watkinson & Ormerod 2000). Differences between pastures are usually due to physical conditions and animal pressure (Fynn & O´Connor 2000). In extensive livestock production systems in the Basque Country (northern Spain), livestock graze in mountain pastures from May until October. This study examined the effect of aspect and animal movement on grassland structure.

Plant Functional Types And Grazing Management In Mediterranean Grassland: An 11-Year Synthesis, Marcelo Sternberg, Zalmen Henkin, Avi Perevolotsky, M. Gutman, Eugene D. Ungar

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Mediterranean ecosystems have high seasonality in resource availability, high year-to-year rainfall variability, many annual plants in the forage and a long history of grazing and disturbance. These facts, and results of previous studies (Sternberg et al., 2000) suggested that stocking rates could be increased above those of traditional grazing. However, the long-term effects of intensive grazing on the vegetation were not fully known. This study aimed to evaluate the responses of plant functional types (PFT) and community structure to different regimes of cattle grazing in Mediterranean grassland, particularly at high stocking rates.

Floristic Composition And Species Richness Model In Winter Rangelands Of Northeastern Iran, Anahita Rashtian, Mansour Mesdaghi

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Due to the variable annual rainfall, the plant communities of rangelands in northeastern of Iran are fluctuating and the productivity is highly variable. This ecosystem covers about 500,000 ha and is one of the important winter ranges in Iran. In this fluctuating ecosystem, species diversity and floristic composition are changing annually (Pabot, 1967). Under heavy grazing most of the range species were extinct, but under light and moderate grazing, species richness was improved, fitting with the humped-back model (Wilkinson, 1999). The objectives of this research were 1) to determine floristic composition in three vegetation types and 2) to show the …

Long-Term Trends Of Community Structures In Tall Grassland Vegetation Under Three Treatments In Northeastern Japan, M. Tsutsumi, S. Sakanoue, S. Takahashi, Y. Yamamoto, Y. Saito, S. Itano

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In order to acquire fundamental knowledge on sustainable use and conservation of grasslands in an Asian monsoon climate, we have investigated since 1982 the vegetation of typical Japanese tall-grass, Miscanthus sinensis (Japanese plume-grass) dominant grassland. Three treatments, cattle-grazing, cutting and abandoning were carried out at the study site. We report the results of this research here, in particular focusing on the analysis of the changes in community structure and the influence of different utilization.

Is Biodiversity Declining In The Traditional Haymeadows Of Skye And Lochalsh, Scotland?, G. E. D. Tiley, D. G. L. Jones

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Species-rich haymeadows have developed on crofts in the Isle of Skye and Lochalsh Districts of north-west Scotland as a result of a century or more of traditional land use. This has involved long rotations of late cutting for hay with aftermath grazing by cattle and short breaks for cropping. The traditional haymeadows are increasingly coming under threat from changes taking place in the countryside. A survey of the main haymeadows still remaining in Skye and Lochalsh was carried out during 2003 to assess the current botanical composition, management and conservation value, and to compare with earlier surveys.

Development Of Saline Vegetation On Embanked Grasslands At The Baltic Sea Coast After 10 Years Of Extensive Pasture Use, Renate Bockholt, S. Schmitz, S. Noel

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Since the establishment of the National Park "Vorpommersche Boddenlandschaft" in 1992, the objective has been the restoration the grasslands, which was used intensively before. The soil type is a fine- sand gley. Management of embanked grasslands has been changed into extensive management. Fertilisation, renewal of the sward and water control by drainage have been stopped. Instead of the previous use of cutting for silage, mother cows (1 cattle/ ha) were grazing the areas extensively.