Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons^™

Opportunities For Promoting The Adoption Of Forages In Kenya, Joseph G. Mureithi, Elkana M. Nyambati

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Livestock production plays an important socio-economic role in many areas across Kenya. They are kept in all the major livestock production systems including smallholder mixed crop- livestock system, crop-livestock-tree production system, and pastoral/extensive livestock production system, which occupy about 70% of land in Kenya. Livestock production is mainly constrained by inadequate feed quantity and quality. Forage forms the major source of feed for ruminant livestock as they provide high-quality forage to alleviate feed shortages. The demand for pasture and fodder production and conservation to meet livestock feed requirements, particularly during the dry seasons, has created the need to re-position the …

Annual Clovers Around The World: Current Status And Future Prospects, P. G. H. Nichols, G. R. Smith, D. J. Moot, Serkan Ates, Claudio Porqueddu, Esteban F. Rios, Mounir Louhaichi, Alejandro Del Pozo, N. Kotze, Alan W. Humphries, K. Ghamkhar, M. H. Ryan

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

This paper reviews the distribution and importance of annual clover (Trifolium) species for pasture and fodder production systems globally. Of the 158 recorded annual Trifolium species, 65.2% are endemic to the Mediterranean basin and surrounding areas, 14.6% to sub-Saharan Africa, 17.7% to the United States of America and 2.5% to Chile. Fourteen species have been commercialised, while other endemic and naturalised annual clovers are also utilised. Key species for self-regenerating pastures include T. subterraneum, T. michelianum and T. respinatum var. resupinatum, while major dual-purpose grazing and fodder species include T. incarnatum, T. vesiculosum, T. alexandrinum and T. …

Industrial Hemp Forage Potential, Swarup Podder, John H. Fike, B. Wilson

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) has been a valuable species for humans throughout history due to its adaptability and diverse uses. Farmers are interested in hemp as a forage and feedstuff due to its unique nutritional properties and fast summer production. Moreover, the presence of cannabinoids in leaf and bud tissues may provide pharmacological benefits to animal health, productivity, and product quality under different regulatory frameworks. This study examined two hemp cultivars, Grandi and Joey, solely as forage crops, and samples were taken at different growth stages in Blacksburg, VA, USA, in 2021. The highest biomass production of 1.41 tons per …

Accuracy And Precision Of Near Infra-Red Spectroscopy (Nirs) Versus Wet Chemistry In Forage Analysis, U. K. Saha, R. J. Kern-Lunbery

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Near Infra-red Spectroscopy (NIRS) is an attractive option for forage analysis. NIRS is less labor intensive, nondestructive, rapid, environmentally friendly and provides accurate and precise results. However, many nutritionists are quick to brush off NIRS, citing ‘poor accuracy’. We evaluated the accuracy and precision of dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), acid detergent fiber (ADF), and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) of 33 National Forage Testing Association (NFTA) proficiency test (PT) alfalfa hay samples analyzed by NIRS in 7 NIRS Forage and Feed Testing Consortium (NIRSC) member laboratories. The reference method averages (RMA), used to evaluate the NIRS results, were based …

Back To The Future: How Do We Get There From Here? Making Restoration Work, K. Swilling, E. Bisangwa, Pat D. Keyser

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Extreme temperatures and long periods of drought observed with increasing frequency in the southeastern United States (U.S.) have demonstrated the need to develop more robust forage systems. Native warmseason grasses (NWSGs) are well adapted to fill this role, but their expanded use comes with several challenges, most notably, reliable establishment. The high cost of site preparation, high cost of seed, and slow initial growth of NWSG seedlings must be addressed to achieve increased adoption of NWSG in the eastern U.S. If these challenges are overcome, incorporating NWSG into grazing systems would benefit producers by filling the summer forage gap, mitigating …

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 …

Participatory Plant Breeding In Uruguay, D. Real, G. A. Ferreira, D. F. Risso, C. Mas

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The introduction of forage legumes into the native pastures of Uruguay is considered an environmentally safe method with which to increase the level of production through the addition of biologically fixed nitrogen. An integrated plant breeding programme was initiated at INIA (National Agricultural Research Institute), Uruguay, with the aim of developing forage legumes able to persist and produce in co-existence with the native (grass dominant) vegetation under cattle and sheep grazing. The programme was conducted in parallel with rhizobial strain selection. During 1998 to 2001 at Glencoe Research Station (32^o 01'32"S lat; 57^o 00^o 39"W long), 326 …

Adapting The Cropgro Model To Predict Growth And Perennial Nature Of Bahiagrass, S. J. Rymph, K. J. Boote, J. W. Jones

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The objective of this research was to modify an existing crop growth model for ability to predict growth and composition of bahiagrass (Paspalm notatum Flügge) in response to daily weather and management inputs. The CROPGRO-CSM cropping systems model has a generic, process-oriented structure that allows inclusion of new species and simulating cropping sequences and crop rotations. An early adaptation of CROPGRO-CSM "species files" for bahiagrass over-predicted growth during late fall through early spring, and totally failed in re-growth if all foliage was lost from freeze damage. Revised species parameters and use of "pest damage" offered only a partial solution. …

Forecasting Forage Yields Using The Arima Model In Pastoral Areas Of East Africa, Robert J. Kaitho, J. W. Stuth, Jay Angerer, A. A. Jama

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Predicting forage supply is an age old quest for pastoralists, particularly in fragile and drought- prone areas of Africa. Traditional methods of forecasting forage used by many communities have become less effective due to climate change, frequent droughts and decline of grazing areas. Conflicts relating to available forage and water resources are increasing, because more marginal lands are put to crop production. A new forage forecasting technology has been developed that provides a comprehensive view of current forage condition (Stuth et al., 2004). A multiple species grazing land plant growth hydrology based model (PHYGROW) was parameterised with site-specific soil, …

American Forage And Grassland Council Technology Interaction And Policy Development, E. K. Twidwell, W. A. Tucker

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The American Forage and Grassland Council (AFGC) is a national organisation which has been in existence since 1968. Membership of AFGC is about 2,500. The membership of AFGC is divided into three main sectors: private, public and industry. The private sector has the largest membership (60%), and private members are usually producers that are engaged in some type of agricultural enterprise involving the use of forages. The public sector members (30%) are educators and other government agency personnel that work with the general public. The industry sector (10%) involves various companies that deal with the forage industry. The AFGC Board …

Soil Carbon Sequestration Under Three Years Of No-Till Forage Cropping Systems, D. H. Min, J. D. Deyoung, Richard Leep

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The effects of reduced tillage on soil organic carbon (SOC) are generally well established (Chan et al., 2002; Cabardella & Elliott, 1992). The effects of different crops are also somewhat understood (Drinkwater et al., 1998). However, many of these studies are done in the laboratory to study the effects of crop residues on SOC. Many forage-based systems have very little crop residue returned to the field. What residue does return is often in the form of manure or compost, which is usually broken down much more rapidly than most crop residues. The objective of this study is to …

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.

An Appraisal Of The Potential For Soybeans In The United Kingdom, C. A. Sawyer, G. P. F. Lane, W. P. Davies

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Soybean is a most important crop worldwide, accounting for 56% of world oilseed production and 69% of world protein meal consumption in 2003 (Soystats, 2004). Since their introduction in the early 1800's, forage soybeans have been grown widely in USA. Used originally as a forage crop, this use largely had been forgotten until Dr T. E. Devine (United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service; USDA-ARS) released 4 new forage cultivars. Soybeans potentially offer UK farmers a high quality protein source in a short season and also meet the requirements of supermarket chains to remain GM free. This paper aims …

Species And Chlorine Fertilisation Affect Dietary Cation-Anion Difference Of Cool-Season Grasses, Gilles Bélanger, Sophie Pelletier, H. Brassard, Gaëtan F. Tremblay, Philippe Seguin, R. Drapeau, A. Brégard, Réal Michaud, Guy Allard

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The Dietary Cation-Anion Difference [DCAD = (Na + K) - (Cl + S); Ender et al., 1971] is used in balancing rations for dry dairy cows. Low DCAD diets induce a mild, compensated metabolic acidosis that stimulates bone resorption, improves Ca homeostasis, and prevents milk fever. Dry cow rations contain a high proportion of forage and, therefore, forages fed two to four weeks prepartum should have a low or negative DCAD value. Our objectives were to evaluate the DCAD of five cool-season grass species grown in eastern Canada and to determine the effect of Cl fertilisation on the DCAD …

Seasonal Variation Of Forage Productivity And Quality Of Communally Managed Grassland In The N’Komati River Basin, D. W. Nguluve, C. Menezes, A. Buluveze, A. P. Laita

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Livestock production is increasing in Mozambique. This trend, however, is facing such challenges as land tenure, erratic and not well-distributed rainfall (resulting in floods or droughts), overgrazing, wildfires, and the unsustainable resource management practices of communities. The study objectives were to evaluate forage species occurrence and seasonal variation and to estimate grassland productivity, nutritive value and savanna carrying capacity.

Modelling Of Nitrogen Allocation And Partitioning Within Lucerne (Medicago Sativa) Shoot Tissues During Recovery From Defoliation: An Approach To Estimate Forage Production And Nitrogen Composition, F. Meuriot, A. Escobar-Gutiérrez, J-C. Avice, J-C. Simon, F. Lesuffleur, F. Gastal

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Lucerne has been grown over centuries for forage. Its forage production is strongly correlated to the initial taproot and stubble N reserves (Avice et al., 1996; Meuriot et al., 2004). However, the influence of cutting management on the level of N storage and the contribution of these N reserves to forage production still remain unclear and need to be studied at the whole plant level. For this purpose, a deterministic model of N allocation within the different organs and partitioning within different biochemical N pools was developed for lucerne with high and low initial N status and cutting …

Traditional Cattle Feeding Stuffs: Fatty Acid Profile, A. M. Peres, L. Dias, J. Sá Morais, F. Sousa, J. M. Pires

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) are perceived to be healthier than saturated fatty acids. Therefore, in order to be able to manipulate the fatty acid profile of meat and/or milk, to respond to the consumer demands, knowledge of the fatty acid profile of feeding stuffs for cattle is of major importance (LeDoux et al., 2002; Petit, 2002). In this work a preliminary study was made of the fatty acid profile of the cow's diet in a traditional farm production system.

New Advance In Forage Production And Dairy Industry In China, Zhiqiang Q. Li, J. G. Han

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

There were 6.9 million dairy cows in China in 2002 with milk yield of 13 million t. These values were 21.4 and 26.7% higher respectively than in 2001. Milk yield per cow was 1891 kg, 4.4 % higher than in the previous year, but still one third lower than the world average. Milk fat and protein contents were about 3.2 and 3.0 % respectively, a little below the world average. Milk consumption was 10.9 kg per person, much lower than the world average (97.6 kg) So, although great changes have taken place in dairy breeding, forage production and disease control, …

The Feasibility Of Autoclave-Assisted Water Soluble Carbohydrate Extraction To Distinguish Annual Ryegrass Genotypes At The Seedling Stage, L. P. Passos, F. B. De Sousa, A. Mittelmann, M. C. Vidigal, I. G. Perry, L. O. Cruz, J. A. Magalhães

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) swards are being used increasingly in Southern Brazil as animal forage (Carvalho et al., 2001). As observed elsewhere, reduced forage availability and quality during dry or cold seasons often limits the efficacy of pasture utilisation. As reported by Meissner et al. (1992), this demands breeding efforts to improve forage nutritive value. However, lack of concurrent examination of large number of samples for important nutritional parameters, like water-soluble carbohydrate (WSC) levels, which could lead to more precise selection strategies, is a common constraint of those programs. This study aimed to verify the suitability …

Application Of Molecular Technologies In Forage Plant Breeding, K. F. Smith, J. W. Forster, M. P. Dobrowolski, N. O. I. Cogan, N. R. Bannan, E. Van Zijll De Jong, M Emmerling, G. C. Spangenberg

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Key points

1. A range of molecular breeding technologies have been developed for forage plant species including both transgenic and non-transgenic methodologies.
2. The application of these technologies has the potential to greatly increase the range of genetic variation that is available for incorporation into breeding programs and subsequent delivery to producers in the form of improved germplasm.
3. Further developments in detailing the phenotypic effect of genes and alleles both through research in target species and through inference from results from model species will further refine the delivery of new forage cultivars.

The Effect Of Harvest Management On Forage Production And Self-Reseeding Potential Of Italian Ryegrass (Lolium Multiflorum L.), P. W. Bartholomew, R. D. Williams

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum L.) (IRG) can be managed to produce a seed output sufficient for effective re-establishment, without compromising forage yield, it may provide an alternative to perennial cool-season grasses in the Southern Great Plains of the U.S.A. The reduction in cost of replanting and avoidance of cultivation offered by a self-seeding crop may be particularly useful in low-input production systems. We examined the effect of dates of initial harvest in spring and of partial harvests on forage yield, seed output and re-establishment of Italian ryegrass.

Adapting The Cropgro Model To Predict Growth And Perennial Nature Of Bahiagrass, S. J. Rymph, K. J. Boote, J. W. Jones

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The objective of this research was to modify an existing crop growth model for ability to predict growth and composition of bahiagrass (Paspalm notatum Flügge) in response to daily weather and management inputs. The CROPGRO–CSM cropping systems model has a generic, process-oriented structure that allows inclusion of new species and simulating cropping sequences and crop rotations. An early adaptation of CROPGRO-CSM “species files” for bahiagrass over-predicted growth during late fall through early spring, and totally failed in re-growth if all foliage was lost from freeze damage. Revised species parameters and use of “pest damage” offered only a partial solution. …

Grasses As Biofactories: Scoping Out The Opportunities, Nick Roberts, K. Richardson, G. Bryan, Christine R. Voisey, W. Mcnabb, T. Conner, M. Christey, R. Johnson

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

1. Plant biopharming is set to dominate commercial recombinant protein expression for specific proteins.
2. The choice of plant species depends on a multitude of factors and is determined on a case- by-case basis.
3. As a leaf based expression system grasses would have to compete predominantly with tobacco and alfalfa.
4. The grass-endophyte symbiosis offers a number of unique possibilities for biopharming.

Sheep Preference For Fresh Leaf And Stem Of Seven Accessions Of Tedera Was Not Influenced By Prior Grazing Experience And Wilting Made No Difference, Justin Hardy, Chris Oldham, Phil Vercoe, Dean Thomas, John Milton, Daniel Real, Andrew Van Burgel, Eric Dobbe

Grain and Other Field Crops Research Articles

Tedera is a valuable high-quality forage for sheep during summer–autumn. There is evidence that prior grazing experience of novel forages influences preference and haymaking of tedera improves preference by goats. In the first experiment, it was hypothesised that the voluntary feed intake (VFI) of fresh leaves and stems of tedera by sheep would be greater for experienced vs. naïve sheep. In the second experiment, it was hypothesised that the VFI of naïve sheep fed wilted leaves and stems of tedera would be greater than fresh leaves and stems of tedera. To test these hypotheses, adult Merino sheep were fed seven …

Grasses As Biofactories: Scoping Out The Opportunities, Nick Roberts, K. Richardson, G. Bryan, C. Voisey, W. Mcnabb, T. Conner, M. Christey, R. Johnson

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Key points

1. Plant biopharming is set to dominate commercial recombinant protein expression for specific proteins.

2. The choice of plant species depends on a multitude of factors and is determined on a caseby- case basis.

3. As a leaf based expression system grasses would have to compete predominantly with tobacco and alfalfa.

4. The grass-endophyte symbiosis offers a number of unique possibilities for biopharming.

Effectively Reaching The Equine Community In Kentucky, S. L. Musen, Krista L. Lea, S. Ray Smith, R. J. Coleman

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Since 2009, Extension Specialists and County Extension Agents from the University of Kentucky in the Southeast United States have conducted an annual educational event; the Kentucky Equine Farm and Facilities Expo field-day. These annual field-days have provided practical, hands-on demonstrations and seminars for 135-250 members of the equine community per event. Participants have been a mix of horse owners in relation to farm size, number of horses and business vs. recreation. Many participants have not been previous consumers of Extension educational programming. One of the major draws of the Farm and Facility Expo field days has been the host sites, …

Variation Of Pollen Viability In Brachiaria Species And Opportunity In Increased Filled Seed Percentage, Weenaporn Juntasin, Sarayut Thaikua, Rattikan Poungkaew, Pichet Chanpeng, Sompon Waipanya, Yasuhiro Kawamoto

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

On pseudogamy process, pollen fertility affects endosperm development in Brachiaria apomictic hybrids. Also, it was well-known that self-incompatibility could affect the fertilization in cross pollination species. Evaluation of pollen viability and percentage of filled seed, and the demonstration of pollen induction technique for increasing filled seed percentage in Brachiaria spp. are presented in this paper. In the first experiment, 8 cultivars/breeding lines of Brachiaria, including 2 open-pollinated cultivars, an apomictic cultivar and 5 hybrids, were planted in randomized completely block design, with 3 replications at northeast Thailand. Each experimental unit consisted of 20 plants, 6 central plants were evaluated. …

Participatory Evaluation Of Urochloa And Megathyrsus Forage Species In Western Kenya: Farmers Perspective, Ruth Odhiambo, Solomon Mwendia, David Mwangi, Alfred Juma, An Notenbaert

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Despite western Kenya potential in dairy production, it has lagged behind compared to other regions in the country. This comes against growing per capita milk consumption in Kenya currently estimated at 120 litres per person per year. As a result, western Kenya is largely net importer of milk from neighbouring counties albeit the possibility improving productivity within. Among the most prevalent constraint to increased productivity is limited forage quality and quantity throughout the year. Napier stunting disease, which suppresses forage production from Napier grass, the most prevalent cultivated forage in western Kenya, exacerbates this. To contribute to addressing the problem, …

Genetic Diversity Among And Within Accessions Of A Lablab (Lablab Purpureus) Collection Maintained In The Ilri Forage Genebank, M. S. Muktar, A. M. Sartie, A. T. Negawo, E. Habte, C. S. Jones

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Lablab (Lablab purpureus L.) is an important annual multi-purpose legume used as a vegetable for human consumption, as forage for livestock, and as green manure and a cover crop to improve soil fertility. It has a high feed value with good digestibility and high crude protein content. The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) forage genebank holds a diverse set of 340 lablab accessions collected from different regions of the world. A total of 1,843 plants from 142 lablab accessions (1 to 29 plants per accession genotyped individually) were genotyped by the genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) method of the DArTseq platform. The …

The Functional Importance Of Forbs In Grassland Ecosystems, F. Siebert, C. Morris, S. Chamane, N. Ntuli, S. J. Siebert

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Herbaceous vegetation in grassland ecosystems is characterised by grass dominance in a species-rich forb-grass mixture. Forbs (i.e. the non-graminoid herbaceous component) represent the largest proportion of total species- and functional richness, which secure important ecosystem functions. Although grasses remain the most important forage source, certain forb species provide nutritious food sources for herbivores. Moreover, forbs provide food- and habitat sources to enhance invertebrate diversity and hence, agricultural food security through the maintenance of healthy pollinator communities. Important food and medicinal sources for human livelihoods in developing countries are also largely contributed by forbs. However, the dynamics and ecology of forb …