Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons^™

Grazing Cover Crops In The Eastern Us: Performance Of Sheep, Goats, And Cattle Grazing Brassica Cover Crops, K. Cassida

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Grazing annual forage crops has attained new interest with the increase in use of cover crops. Grazing annual forages grown as cover crops not only allows livestock producers to extend the grazing season but also gives row crop growers a way to recoup the cost of planting cover crops through grazing leases. Species in the Brassicaceae family (turnip, rape, kale, radish, and hybrids) have wide adaptability across the eastern US, excellent forage yield potential, and extremely high nutritional value. Brassicas are sometimes described as “high-moisture concentrates.” Their low effective fiber content drives the common recommendation to grow them with annual …

Extended Season Grazing On Two Ranches At Opposite Ends Of The Americas, Brett Chedzoy

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Dormant season feeding of stored forages accounts for the majority of beef cattle production expenses across the world (Geiser and Boetel 2017). Additionally, most beef cattle production and particularly cow-calf operations are relegated to less accessible and productive landscapes, which reduces access to and increases costs for stored feeds. A comparison of two cow-calf operations owned and operated by the same family in the Province of Cordoba, Argentina and State of New York, USA are offered as case studies of creative solutions to these challenges. In Argentina, appropriate stocking for year-long grazing is the key to surviving the winter dormant …

The Partial Replacement Of Perennial Ryegrass Silage With Ensiled Biorefined Perennial Ryegrass Press Cake, And Its Impact On Productivity Of Late Lactation Dairy Cows, H. Costigan, B. Lahart, M. Kennedy, T. Rumley, L. Shalloo

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Although necessary to maintain milk production in late lactation when grass is scarce, dependency on imported concentrate has negative environmental credentials; diversifying native feeds i.e., perennial ryegrass, using biorefinery, to produce high quality by-products may be a solution (Sanders et al., 2020). To validate these suggestions, a study was undertaken on dairy cows during the winter period; 60% of a perennial ryegrass silage diet was replaced with perennial ryegrass (PRG) press cake in treatment cows (GSPC; n=20), while a perennial ryegrass silage diet was offered to control cows (GS; n=20). Cows substituted with press cake produced 9.1 and 10.5 % …

A Novel Technique To Label Cover Crop Biomass Using Stable Isotopes, L. M. D. Queiroz, José C. B. Dubeux Jr., Lynn E. Sollenberger, M. Wallau, D. R. S. Loures, M. A. Bernardini, I. L. Bretas, S. F. Novo, K. R. Trumpp, K. T. Oduor, J. D. Pereira Neto, M. Ruiz-Moreno

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Stable isotopes can be used as tracers for carbon and nitrogen pathways being a great tool to track nutrients in integrated systems. The objective of this experiment was to understand the partitioning of 15N and 13C within cover crop plants when they were labeled with stable isotopes, using chambers under field conditions. Cover crops were planted at the University of Florida, North Florida Research and Education Center-Marianna, located in Marianna, FL. Treatments were four cover crops, in which one was considered a typical cover crop system and the other three consisted of an integrated crop-livestock system with or without the …

Grazing And Animal Welfare Of Dairy Cows In Europe, What Do We Know?, A. Van Den Pol-Van Dasselaar, D. Hennessy, J. Isselstein

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Grazing systems are important components of the landscape in almost all European countries. Grazing is inherently close to the nature of herbivores, but no longer applied everywhere in Europe. This paper discusses the extent of dairy cow grazing in Europe and the effect of grazing on animal welfare. The study builds on results of surveys from the European Grassland Federation (EGF) Working Group “Grazing” (WGG) in the period 2010–2022 and a focus group meeting in 2022. Data on the extent of grazing of dairy cows in Europe are provided. Europe can be divided into six distinctive regions with respect to …

Isoflavones In Legumes As Functional Forages And Feeds In Ruminant Grazing Systems, B. E. Davis, Michael D. Flythe, T. A. Hamilton, D. G. Ely, L. H. Anderson, J. R. Weinert-Nelson

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Legumes are often utilized in livestock grazing systems to improve diet quality, diversity, and consequently animal performance. In addition to their nutritional utility, legumes contain phytoestrogenic isoflavones that have selective antimicrobial activity in the rumen and once absorbed can cause arterial vasodilation. These added bioactive functions of isoflavones suggest that legumes could be strategically utilized in grazing systems as functional forages to improve ruminant performance and health. The objective of this presentation will be to discuss past and current research on the application of isoflavones via legumes as an antimicrobial for growth promotion and as a mitigation strategy for fescue …

Cool-Season Annual Legumes And Forbs For Grazing And Cover Crop Systems, S. L. Dillard

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Annual forage legumes and non-leguminous forbs can be used to interseed into perennial forage grasses or as a short-term grazing option between row crop rotations. Diversification of cropping systems by increasing number or type of cover crops in crop rotation plays an important role in improving land-use efficiency and in promoting sustainable agriculture. Legumes and other broadleaf forages provide increased forage digestibility and crude protein as a result of their greater leaf-to-stem ratio. In the Southeast U.S, few novel cultivars have been released in the last 20 years, resulting in the reliance on only a few forage cultivars and species. …

Animal And Forage Performance Of Integrated Crop-Livestock Systems, S. L. Dillard

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Grazing of cool-season cover crops has been shown to be a viable tool for extending the grazing season while mitigating environmental risks associated with row-crop farming systems. Grazing cover crops is not novel, but most recent information available on this practice focuses on soil health as opposed to forage production and animal performance. Research has shown that forage quality of cool-season annual cover crops is sufficient to maintain an average daily gain of at least 1 kg/d and as high as 1.5 kg/d. Forage species selection plays an important role in the success of an integrated crop-livestock system. Grasses typically …

Use Of Agroforestry Tree Leaf Meal Mixtures As Alternative Feed Additives For Improving Production Potential Of Kadaknath Poultry Birds In Himalayan Region Of Jammu And Kashmir, India, Mandeep Singh Azad, Ishtiyak Ahmad Mir, Helen I. Ajayi

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The present study was carried out to assess the effect of locally available agroforestry tree leaves in hilly areas of Jammu and Kashmir, India on the production potential of Kadaknath poultry birds. Kadaknath birds are the only black-colored meat breed in India. Data was collected on feed intake, feed conversion ratio, weight gain, fecal egg counts, and overall body score in 240 Kadaknath birds during an experimental period of 105 days (15 weeks).Results from this experiment showed the use of agroforestry tree leaves as a leaf meal mixture with guava (Psidium guajava L.), neem (Azadirachta indica L.),jamun ( …

Swath Grazing: Feeding “Hay” Without The Production Expenses, V. Baron, A. C. Dick, A. Omaha

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Swath grazing is a practice for overwintering beef cows on small grain forage left in the field to graze through snow, but annual variation occurs. The objective is to review 18 years of research at Lacombe, Alberta (AB) to describe how production attributes are related to cost mitigation and cow performance. Five trials compared swath grazing management options to pen-fed controls to determine feasibility. Associated studies monitored forage quality, soil fertility requirements and planting date impacts on yield. Mean, standard deviation, coefficient of variation, maximum and minimum values (n=18) for forage yield, pasture days, carrying capacity and percent utilization were …

Preliminary Results: Complementary C4:C3 Grazing Systems, M. Berry, P. Keyser, S. Jagadamma, H. Nauman, K. Coffey, C. Nieman, P. Owens, A. Ashworth, E. Bisangwa

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Native warm-season grasses (NWSG) can produce high quality forage and high rates of gain for beef cattle. However, little data is available on how NWSG affect the productivity of cow-calf operations on a farm scale. Therefore, we implemented an experiment at three sites, Booneville, AR, Linneus, MO and Louisville, TN, with cow-calf pairs (mature cows over ≥ 3 years old, spring calving). We evaluated two forage systems that mix either a drought or drought/flood tolerant native C₄ species [big bluestem (BB) blend or eastern gamagrass (EG)] with a cool-season perennial, tall fescue (TF), and compared them to the most …

Fodder Scenario And Hortipastoral Opportunities To Enhance Fodder Production In India, Nagaratna Biradar, C. Lakshmi Devi, Vinod Kumar, Narendra S. Kulkarni, G. K. Kumar Anil, S. S. Guledagudda, A. Bheemappa

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Food grain production and livestock production are closely related in India as crop-residue forms the major source of fodder for livestock. It’s thus assumed that increase in food grain production has positive effect on availability of dry matter to the livestock. Using land use classification, crop production (2015 to 2020) and livestock census (2019) data, dry matter (DM) availability for livestock for 28 states of India was estimated. Hortipastoral opportunities by estimating area available under orchards in southern India were done to assess the possibility of introducing fodder crops in orchards. Some of the fodder crops were introduced in orchards …

Productivity And Variability Of Pastures And Cover Crops In Lowland Rice-Pasture Rotations In Uruguay, Walter Ayala, J. Terra

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

No abstract provided.

Adverse Consequences Of Herbicide Residues On Legumes In Dryland Agriculture, Ronald J. Yates, Emma J. Steel, Tom Edwards, Robert J. Harrison, Belinda F. Hackney, John Gregory Howieson

Grain and Other Field Crops Research Articles

Context or problem

Selective herbicides control weeds in cereal cropsand break down over time, allowing safe planting of legumes in the following years. However due to climatic inconsistencies and changing farming practices, this is not always the case, and residues can inhibit formation of legume/rhizobia symbioses.

Objective or research question

The objectives were to determine whether: i) exposure to triasulfuron, even at extremely low levels, reduces shoot and root growth and nodulation of five diverse and widely sown legume pasture cultivars in Australian farming systems; and ii) sowing legumes prior to recommended plant-back criteria being met for chlorsulfuron, …

Oxyfluorfen-Resistant Rice Tolerance And Weed Control When Using Oxyfluorfen, Casey H. Arnold, Jason K. Norsworthy, Thomas R. Butts, Trenton L. Roberts, Nicholas R. Bateman, Chad W. Shelton

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Herbicide-resistant barnyardgrass and weedy rice control, without crop injury, is a challenge for rice producers in the United States. Herbicides not initially labeled for rice, such as oxyfluorfen, are now being evaluated as new tools for weed control. The ROXY® trait allows for the use of oxyfluorfen in rice for weed control preemergence and postemergence. Experiments were initiated in 2021 and 2022 to evaluate (1) the effectiveness of preemergence- and postemergence-applied oxyfluorfen on barnyardgrass and weedy rice, (2) the sensitivity of oxyfluorfen-resistant rice to oxyfluorfen as a function of application timing, and (3) the influence of soil moisture on oxyfluorfen-resistant …

An Evaluation Of Bacterial Wilt (Ralstonia Solanacearum) Resistance In A Set Of Tomato Germplasm From The United States Department Of Agriculture, Theresa M. Phiri, Gehendra Bhattarai, Kenani Edward Chiwina, Qiurong Fan, Haizheng Xiong, Ibtisam Alatawi, Ryan Dickson, Neelendra K. Joshi, Alejandro Rojas, Kai-Shu Ling, Ainong Shi

Horticulture Faculty Publications and Presentations

Bacterial wilt (BW), caused by Ralstonia solanacearum, is one of the devastating diseases in tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum L.). The use of resistant cultivars and breeding for genetic resistance is the most effective, economical, and environmentally friendly management strategy for this disease. It is necessary to screen diverse germplasm and cultivated genotypes to identify resistant resources and to develop resistant cultivars in tomatoes to combat the changing pathogen isolates. This study evaluated 40 United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) tomato accessions for their BW resistance to the R. solanacearum isolate P822 under greenhouse conditions. The tomato plants were inoculated …

Evaluation Of Drought Tolerance In Usda Tomato Germplasm At Seedling Stage, Kenani E. Chiwina, Gehendra Bhattarai, Haizheng Xiong, Neelendra K. Joshi, Ryan W. Dickson, Theresa M. Phiri, Ibtisam Alatawi, Yilin Chen, Zachary Stansell, Kai-Shu Ling, Ainong Shi

Horticulture Faculty Publications and Presentations

Drought, a crucial abiotic stressor, markedly reduces the growth and yield of tomato crops (Solanum lycopersicum L.). Consequently, adopting drought-resistant cultivars and implementing breeding programs to enhance drought tolerance have emerged as enduring solutions to alleviate the adverse effects of drought in various tomato cultivation regions. In this study, 68 United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) tomato accessions were assessed in a controlled greenhouse experiment, encompassing both water deficit treatment and a control group subjected to standard watering conditions. The experiment was arranged in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The results of this study pinpointed four …

Intensifying Rice Production To Reduce Imports And Land Conversion In Africa, Shen Yuan, Kazuki Saito, Pepijn A.J. Van Oort, Martin K. Van Ittersum, Shaobing Peng, Patricio Grassini

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Africa produces around 60% of the rice the continent consumes, relying heavily on rice imports to fulfill the rest of the domestic demand.Over the past 10 years, the rice-agricultural area increased nearly 40%, while average yield remained stagnant. Here we used a process-based crop simulation modelling approach combined with local weather, soil, and management datasets to evaluate the potential to increase rice production on existing cropland area in Africa and assess cropland expansion and rice imports by year 2050 for different scenarios of yield intensification. We find that Africa can avoid further increases in rice imports, and even reduce them, …

Designing Dual-Purpose Management Strategies For Sheep Production And Pollinators In Dryland Pastures, Mia Caudillo, Andony Melathopoulos, Mary Smallman, Sarah A. Kinkaid, David E. Prado-Tarango, Serkan Ates

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Development of novel grazing management practicesfor both livestock production and pollinator health is becoming increasingly crucial in pasture-based farming systems. The effect of pasture type and spring closing dates on lamb liveweight gain, pasture production, botanical composition, bloom density and bee visitation was monitored over 2 years at the Oregon State University in Corvallis. Total annual dry matter yield (DMY) of diverse pastures in 2020/2021 was 8.8 t DM ha^-1 and this was greater (P-1) and legume pastures (6.6 t DM ha^-1). In successive years, lambs grew faster in legume pastures (287, 215 g per head d …

Tillering Of ‘Marandu’ Brachiaria Under Different Nitrogen Rates In The Brazilian Savannah, A. B. O. Assis, A. L. Bocchi, T. C. Pedrosa, A. O. Matos, A. P. B. Soares

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The tiller is the basic unit of grass growth and tiller density determines the horizontal ground cover, leaves production and pastures perennially. The objective in this study was to quantify the number of aerial and basal tillers and basal:aerial tillers ratio in Urochloa brizantha cv. Marandu, established in Brazilian savannah, submitted to nitrogen doses (0, 50, 100 and 150 kg N/ha). The experiment was carried out in the Forage and Pasture Sector of Jataí Federal University (UFJ) and after soil correction and fertilization, plots were established with Marandu palisade grass in a randomized block design, with four replications and four …

Effect Of Soil Source And Variety On The Heavy Metal Contents Of Guinea Grass, C. C. Anotaenwere, P. O. Bankole, P. A. Dele, Alaba O. Jolaosho

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The aim of this study was to evaluate the heavy metal content in soils and grasses planted on selected contaminated soils. The study was a 3 x 2 factorial experiment in a completely randomized design comprising of two factors which are: 3 soil sources (i.e., industrial site, dump site and Fadama (a lowland around a river/stream) which was used as the control) and 2 varieties of Megathyrsus maximus (var. Local and Ntchisi) replicated four times. Soils were collected from the three sites and planting was done in a greenhouse. Soil samples were collected before and after planting. Samples of the …

Effect Of Nitrogen Source And Age At Harvest On The In Vitro Digestibility Of Oba Super Ii Maize Fodder, C. C. Anotaenwere, P. A. Dele, F. E. Salawu, B. T. Akinyemi, O. A. Okukenu, Alaba O. Jolaosho

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

This experiment was carried out in the Pasture Section of the Directorate of University farms and the laboratory of Department of Pasture and Range Management, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria, to evaluate the effect of nitrogen source (Swine manure, N.P.K. 15:15:15 as well as the control) and age at harvest on the in vitro gas production and digestibility of Oba Super II maize fodder. The experiment was in a split plot design. The nitrogen source was applied at the rate of 120 kgN/ha two weeks after planting. Maize was harvested at 8, 10 and 12 weeks after planting, oven …

Harvest Time Determine Biomass And Nutritive Value Of Forage Soybean In The Northwestern Loess Plateau Of China, An Dong, Jean Marie Vianney Nsigayehe, Y. Y. Shen

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Soybean is a critical legume crop, which can be used as high protein forage in a crop-forage rotation system to supplement forage and increase system productivity. According to the actual production demand, selecting a suitable harvest time and the best feeding variety of soybean can provide a theoretical basis for applying forage soybean in a rotation system. In this study, four forage soybean varieties were selected in the Loess Plateau of northwest China. They were harvested on three dates suitable for local rotation conditions, and their biomass and nutritive value were evaluated. At the early harvest (20 August), the nutritive …

Developing A Simple Bioassay For Detection Of Alfalfa Autotoxicity In Field Soils, P. Baisley, K. Cassida, S. Gruss, E. Hill

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Alfalfa autotoxicity causes yield reductions in alfalfa production by inhibiting plant establishment and decreasing plant productivity. Accurate predictions regarding autotoxic potential of the soil in a given field at a given time are an essential tool for alfalfa growers to make appropriate planting decisions. To address this issue, we are developing a soil bioassay that can be conducted as a mail-in soil test for alfalfa growers through plant diagnostic service laboratories. We hypothesize that we will detect differences in seed germination, emergence, root length, and root morphology between control and autotoxic soils. A preliminary trial testing alfalfa field soils and …

Phyllochron And Growth Dynamic Of Lolium Perenne L. And Bromus Valdivianus Phil. As Affected By Soil Ph, Phosphorus And Nitrogen Restriction, Oscar A. Balocchi, M. F. Alonso, I. Calvache

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Permanent grasslands are the main food for livestock production systems in Southern Chile. Therefore, it is essential to develop management tools that optimize the use of pastures. Among these tools, the phyllochron could be a better method to control grazing frequency. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of three levels of soil pH, phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) on the phyllochron and growth dynamic of Lolium perenne and Bromus valdivianus. Nine monophytic mini-swards of each species were established in 125 L containers for three different pH, P and N levels. For one year we measured: …

Mass Production And Morphology Of Marandu Brachiaria Under Different Nitrogen Rates In The Brazilian Savannah, V. L. Banys, A. O. Matos, A. L. Bocchi, I. I. Silva, L. V. D. Ribeiro

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Nitrogen is the nutrient that most contributes to increase forage productivity and quality. The objective was to evaluate Marandu brachiaria submitted to nitrogen doses in the Brazilian savannah through the total and green mass production, leaf:stem and brachiaria:weed ratio. Plots were established in a randomized block design, with four replications and four N doses 0, 50, 100 and 150 kg N/ha). After the uniformization cut, the data collect cycles occurred when the canopy reached 30 cm average height. Samples were taken until 15 cm from the ground in an area of 0.25 m². Fractions were separated according botanical …

Grazing Management For Alfalfa Persistence And Productivity In Warm-Climate Regions, D. Basigalup

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Alfalfa is the most important cultivated forage crop in Argentina, where about 3 million hectares are grown. Even though the use of direct grazing is coming down during the last 15 years, it is still important for both beef and dairy production. Alfalfa grazing can play an important role in reducing operative costs and decreasing quality loss due to forage conservation (hay or silage). In this paper, the main concepts necessary to implement adequate and practical rotational grazing systems are briefly discussed. Particular attention is given to issues such as grazing frequency, grazing period, pasture use efficiency, and alfalfa quality …

Genetic Improvement Of Bermudagrass For Hay Producers, W. F. Anderson, L. Baxter, R. N. Gates, E. Rios

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Bermudagrass (Cynodon spp.) is considered the most valuable warm-season perennial grass for hay producers in the Southeastern United States. Bermudagrass genotypes have overall good forage quality, high yields, and store well. However, there are challenges to producing good hay for the market. First, early green-up in the spring is needed to allow for four to five productive clippings during the summer. When first establishing production fields, quick emergence and cover are important for reducing weeds. Forage bermudagrass is somewhat tolerant to drought, however, low rainfall substantially reduces yields. If rainfall is too abundant, it is difficult to have timely …

Genetic Variability Of Lucerne Landraces From Central Italy Detected By Rapd Markers, L Russi, G Barcaccia, M Falcinelli, F Veronesi

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

With the aim to characterize six lucerne landraces (Medicago sativa L.), representing a sample of a collection from central Italy, sixty individuals per landrace were evaluated by screening for RAPD markers with three lucerne-specific primers. Twenty-one amplification products were scored as present or absent across all plants. The dendrogram from mean genetic similarity estimates displayed Casalina alone and the other landraces clustered into one distinct group, showing a single branch point with more than 73% of genetic similarity. The discriminant analysis grouped the landraces in a similar manner. The first function maximally separated the group Grosseto, Gubbio and C. …

Amphicarpic Legumes For Tropical Pasture Persistence, R Schultze-Kraft, A Schmidt, H Hohn

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Amphicarpy, by which a plant produces underground seeds in addition to aerial fruits, is found in many plant families and in species of at least 15 legume genera. First studies on the tropical Centrosema rotundifolium and subtropical Macroptilium panduratum revealed for both species, besides their stoloniferous growth habit, two important mechanisms for survival under unfavorable conditions: (1) Underground meristems and reserve organs, and (2) regeneration from a soil seed reserve based on underground, aerial-flowering independent, seed production. Underground seed production was for both species particularly high on very sandy soils, but amphicarpy enables the plants to exhibit a plasticity response …