Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons^™

Response Of Reproductive Phenology To Soil Water Content Of Stipa Breviflora Under Warming And Nitrogen Application, L. Bai, H. Y. Ren, G. D. Han

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Plant phenology is considered as the most direct and sensitive characteristic indicators of plant response to regional climate change. Based on the observation data of phenology and soil water content of Stipa breviflora in an experimental platform of warming and nitrogen application in Inner Mongolia desert steppe from 2009 to 2019. The results showed that warming and nitrogen application significantly advanced the reproductive phenological period (P < 0.001), and the interaction of warming and nitrogen application promoted the advance of reproductive phenological period (P < 0.05).

Conference Agenda, Igc

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

No abstract provided.

Modelling Basal Area Of Perennial Grasses In Australian Semi-Arid Wooded Grasslands, S. G. Marsden, K. C. Hodgkinson

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In many semi-arid pastoral systems, landscape processes easily become dysfunctional. Shifts to less functional states may be irreversible, and have long-term consequences for pastoral profitability and social viability of rural communities. Typically, shifts to lower functional states involve a decline in perennial grasses (Hodgkinson, 1994). Here we develop a conceptual basis for modelling the basal area of perennial grasses in a semi-arid grassland and validate the model using data from a 10-year grazing study.

The Effect Of Manipulated Conservation Margins In Intensively Grazed Dairy Paddocks On The Biodiversity Of Pteromalidae And Braconidae (Hymenoptera: Parasitica), A. Anderson, G. Purvis, A. Helden, H. Sheridan

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Conserving field margins provides an opportunity to enhance biodiversity in agricultural landscapes. The parasitoid Hymenoptera represent one of the most diverse and biologically specialised of all insect groups and play an important role in insect pest control (LaSalle & Gauld, 1993). The diversity of parasitiods in any habitat is theoretically likely to reflect the diversity of host taxa. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of field margin manipulations on the diversity of parasitoids as a wider indication of effects on general arthropod diversity.

Plant Diversity Patterns Along Altitudinal Gradient In Understory Communities Of Darkesh Region, Bojnord, Iran, A. Arjmandi, H. Ejtehadi, F. Memariani, Mansour Mesdaghi

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The ecotone region of Darkesh with an area of 22,500 hectares is located in the Irano-Turanian xeric-continental bioclimatic zone of Khorassan-Kopet Dagh. To investigate the plant diversity patterns of understory communities along three elevation classes of 1100-1600, 1600-2100, and 2100-2600 m, 187 plots were sampled randomly and abundance and cover of species were recorded using 4-m² plots. Beta diversity and Hill indices were calculated by using R and PAST software. A total of 252 species were recorded including 31 perennial grasses. The most abundant grasses were Poa nemoralis, Poa bulbosa, Bromus sterilis, Brachypodium sylvaticum, and Dactylis glomerata subsp. glomerata …

Using Genetic Diversity In Deep Root Systems Of Perennial Forage Grasses And Rice To Capture Carbon In Tropical Soils, J. Arango, Daniel M. Villegas, R. N. Jauregui, J. A. Cardoso, C. Costa Jr., C. Rebolledo, M. F. Alvarez, M. Selvaraj, L. Rodriguez, M. Mayorga, P. Chavarriaga, A. Notenbaert, M. Quintero, M. Da Silva, Manabu Ishitani, M. Peters, I. Rao, Joe Tohme

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Agricultural soils have the potential not only to be sinks of carbon dioxide (CO₂) but also to mitigate the emissions of this gas to the atmosphere, thus, alleviating global warming. Perennial tropical grasses and rice upland and lowland varieties exhibit a large untapped genetic diversity in their root systems (e.g., deep rooting ability, exudation rates and chemical composition) that, if unlocked, could contribute to increased food production in crop-livestock systems while enhancing soil organic carbon (SOC) in tropical regions. Naturebased solutions that improve crop adaptation and SOC storage in tropical soils could help to remove CO₂ from …

Salt Tolerance Mechanisms In Perennial Fodder Grasses, Edna Antony, B. Aravind, A. Amulya, T. Anushree, P. V. Rakshata, F. H. Savitha, M. B. Doddamani, P. V. Kuligod, Akbar, Vinod Kumar, K. Sridhar, Vijay Kumar Yadav

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Salinity stress is one of the most damaging stresses in crop plants. It reduces the productivity of the soil and makes it unsuitable for crop cultivation. Fodder crops are considered the best alternative in such uncultivable land. Using salinity-affected land for pasture development is the best alternative to utilize such lands. However, the extent of salinity tolerance varies among different grass species. In this study, Pearl millet Napier hybrids (PMN hybrid) and guinea grass varieties were studied for salinity tolerance in artificially created saline soils in the ratio of 13:7:1:2 (NaCl: Na₂SO₄: MgCl: CaSO₄, …

Effect Of Soil Nitrogen And Water Content On The Establishment Of A Lolium Perenne L. And Trifolium Repens L. Pasture, M. F. Alonso, Oscar A. Balocchi, I. Calvache, O. Martínez

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Climate change has decreased rainfall in Southern Chile affecting the productivity of the grasslands that sustain the dairy and beef cattle industries. These grasslands are mainly mixtures of Lolium perenne L. and Trifolium repens L. Thus, we study the response on the establishment of a mixture of these two species to three levels of soil water content and two levels of nitrogen (N) fertilization. The trial was carried out in containers sowed in a complete randomized block´s design. Soil moisture measurements were taken daily. N fertilizations was applied at the establishment and every 60 days. Leaf appearance rate was measured …

Impact Of Level Of Use On Plant Vigor And Weight Of Festuca Humilior And Calamagrostis Vicunarum, T. Edson, L. Aguirre, E. R. Flores

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Tussock grasslands of Festuca humilior and Calamagrostis vicunarum cover a significant extension of the central Andes of Peru, constituting a plant association highly appreciated by cattle ranchers. The objective of this research was to estimate the cumulative impact of the level of use of the key grasses Festuca humilior and Calamagrostis vicunarum on plant height, vigor, and weight. This study was conducted in a humid grassland of regular condition located at 4186 masl in the Puna ecoregion. The variables evaluated were: plant height, basal and canopy diameter and plant weight. The experiment lasted two years in which individual plants from …

Protecting Wa Crops Issue 35 - November 2023, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Protecting WA Crops

Protecting WA Crops Issue 35 - November 2023 contents:

• Modelling to increase understanding of Ascochyta blight aggressiveness in chickpea crops
• Meet Crop Protection team member – Dr Rodrigo Pires

Protecting Wa Crops Issue 34 - October 2023, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Protecting WA Crops

Protecting WA Crops Issue 34 - October 2023 contents:

• Does electric weed control work on herbicide resistant weeds?
• Meet Crop Protection team member – Miranda Slaven

Herbicide And Additive Impacts On Bradyrhizobium Japonicum Growth In Solution, Joy Amajioyi, Thandiwe Nleya, Senthil Subramanian, Sharon A. Clay

Agronomy, Horticulture and Plant Science Faculty Publications

Plant biostimulants include beneficial fungi and bacteria, and are often applied to foliage to improve crop growth, yield, and/or crop quality. Crop improvements due to biostimulant addition may be modest; therefore, solo applications may not be economical or climate smart. However, biostimulants combined with other postemergence treatments, such as herbicides, may provide an alternative application method, if mixtures do not harm the living organism(s). The growth of Bradyrhizobium japonicum, as a biostimulant surrogate, was assessed in solutions of glyphosate [N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine] and dicamba (3,6-dichloro-2-methoxybenzoic acid), with and without common spray additives (ammonium sulfate [AMS] and nonionic surfactant) in laboratory studies over …

Protecting Wa Crops Issue 33 - September 2023, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Protecting WA Crops

Protecting WA Crops Issue 33 - September 2023 contents:

• Aphid and Turnip Yellows Virus Management: Research Highlights
• Meet Crop Protection team member – Janette Pratt

Evaluation Of Organic And Synthetic Herbicides Applications On Indicators Of Soil Health And Weed Suppression In A Conventional Cropping System In Louisiana, Caitlin Denux

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Synthetic herbicides, with their varying modes of action, are well known for their efficiency in the suppression and control of weed species in U.S. agriculture. However, the consequences of using synthetic herbicides without attention to the surrounding environment can produce chemical run-off, changes in soil health and soil health conditions, and create herbicide-resistant weeds. These consequences have encouraged growers to find alternatives in their weed management programs. In this study, organic and synthetic herbicides were assessed on how well they performed in weed suppression surveys, and their potential effects on soil health indicators. Commonly used indicators include soil pH, β-glucosidase …

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.