Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

The Role Of Leguminous Browse Plants In A Cool Mediterranean Enviornment, P A. Lane, R Reid, D Parsons

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

There is considerable scope for improving the productivity and persistence of pasture systems, in the temperate low rainfall zones (< 550 mm annual rainfall) of Australia and New Zealand. Alternative pasture species, including leguminous browse plants, have potential to increase the diversity and stability of these pasture systems. The genus Dorycnium (canary clover), has previously been identified as containing a number of species with desirable forage and soil conservation characteristics. Preliminary investigations have indicated that at least two species, D. rectum and D. hirsutum, produce significant quantities of forage in the year of establishment and are palatable to sheep. It is proposed that these plants may provide a valuable source of forage on land which currently lacks productive and persistent pasture. Forage produced by these plants would be allowed …

Ecogeographic Assessment Of Mediterranean Environments For Targeting Legume Collections, S J. Bennett

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

The mediterranean area is the centre of diversity for many of the legume species of agricultural importance and their wild relatives. Ecogeographical assessments are a method of determining the areas within the mediterranean that are homologous with a particular area within southern Australia. Using Geographical Information Systems the distribution of legume species are mapped and related to other climatic and edaphic factors. Using this data it is possible to show which areas of the mediterranean have been well collected and where the edaphic requirements of a species can be found and therefore where to collect it. The detail of an …

Integrating Plant Secondary Metabolites And Foraging Behavior To Enhance Animal Health In Ruminant Production Systems, J. J. Villalba, J. W. Macadam, S. Van Vliet, F. D. Provenza

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Legumes and forbs contain bioactives or plant secondary compounds (PSC) with potential to enhance animal health through their antibiotic, antioxidant and immunomodulatory properties that are evident even at small dietary concentrations. In turn, ruminants can regulate their ingestion of PSC through behavioral mechanisms that allow for the efficient achievement of homeostasis. High concentrations of PSC lead to food avoidance, whereas lower content of PSC in the diet achieved through regulatory mechanisms of ingestion could promote medicinal and/or prophylactic effects in the animal and concomitant health benefits to milk and meat products. Under this context, we discuss the restructuring of rangelands …

Comparison Of Two Low-Input Cow/Calf Production Systems On Temperate Grassland, W. B. Bryan, Mata Padrino, E. Felton, E. C. Prigge, V. W. Temu, O. J. Gekara

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Two systems of grass farming were compared in an eight-year experiment in West Virginia, USA. The grassland consisted primarily of cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerara L.), Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.), tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.), and red (Trifolium pretense L.) and white clover (T. repens L.). The objective was to compare two systems of beef cow calf production. The experiment was a randomized complete block with two replicated treatments. The grassland of treatment 1 (system 1) was overseeded with legumes, grazing started 1 wk earlier and continued 1 wk later than treatment 2 (system 2) and …

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

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

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. …

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 (1997-2023)

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 …

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

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

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 …

Production And Persistence Of Self-Regenerating Annual Clovers In The Pacific Northwest, Ian Silvernail, Serkan Ates

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Self-regenerating annual legumes are commonly included in dryland pastures to increase the production of high-quality forages to meet the nutritional demands of growing and lactating animals. Balansa clover (Trifolium michelianum Savi), not as widely evaluated as subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L.), has shown promise in Western Oregon. However, there is a paucity of information on the productivity and persistence of annual clover cultivars that have various flowering times. This study investigates the biomass production and persistence of early, mid and late flowering subterranean clover and balansa clover cultivars in Corvallis, Oregon. Averaged across the cultivars, the total annual …

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 (1997-2023)

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.

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

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

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 (1997-2023)

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.

Overgrazing Influence On The Presence Of Legumes In A Natural Pasture Of Sardinia, L. Salis, M. Vargiu, E. Spanu, F. Loche

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

The knowledge of forage production and botanical composition in natural pasture is essential to plan forage crop systems. Floristic balance often changes due to overgrazing, which affects forage quality and causes the disappearance of less competitive and more palatable species. This trial aimed to evaluate the forage yield in a natural pasture and to verify the effect on botanical composition of overgrazing by dairy ewes.

Accumulation And Decomposition Rates And N, P And K Returned To The Soil By The Litter Of Tropical Legumes And Grasses, Gustavo Crespo, I. Rodríguez, M. F. Días, Sandra Lok

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

The return of plant nutrients through litter decomposition of legumes and grasses is important for the sustainability of grassland ecosystems (Sánchez et al., 1989). Therefore, the selection of species that produce high amounts of decomposable litter is important . The objective of the present work was to study the production and decomposition rates of litter from various legumes and grasses in Cuba.

A Systems Approach To Assessing The Viability Of Grazing Legume Systems Across Europe, C. F. E. Topp, C. J. Smith, L. Wu, G. Molle

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Forage legumes are important in grassland farming throughout much of the world because of their ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen, and hence they are expected to play an increasingly prominent role in low- input grazing farming systems in Europe. Nevertheless, the socio-economic impact of the adoption of the "new" legume based grazing technologies have been poorly researched (Rochon et al., 2004). Thus a methodology has been developed to:

* Assess the on-farm costs and benefits of including different legume crops for animal production;
* Determine the types of management systems and environmental conditions under which forage legumes may play …

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

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

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 …

Use Of Forage Legumes To Restore Overgrazed Natural Grasslands In Uganda, Elly N. Sabiiti, S. Mugasi, F. B. Bareeba

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

The natural grasslands of Uganda support over 95 % of the country's livestock. They are also used by wildlife and protect soil resources from heat and erosion. Unfortunately, the pastoral/agro-pastoral communities which derive their livelihoods from these grasslands have in turn degraded them through overgrazing and uncontrolled burning, thus lowering their productivity (pasture and animal production) and biodiversity. The natural grasses (e.g. Panicum maximum, Brachiaria brizantha, Setaria anceps, Themeda triandra) mature rapidly and lose quality. Furthermore, the indigenous legumes (e.g. Neonotonia wightii, Desmodium adcsendens, Indigofera errecta) are less persistent and productive to maintain feed quality and hence animal …

Compilation Of A Database Of Research Information On Legume Based Grazing Systems; A Part Of The Leggraze Research Project, J. J. Rochon, G. Molle, A. Hopkins, J. M. Greef

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

The establishment of a publicly accessible web-resident database of published and current European research on agronomy, animal production and environmental impact of legume based grazing systems is reported. This database facilitates the sharing of information among the partners of the "Low input animal production based on forage legumes for grazing systems" (Leggraze), a research project funded by the UE (QL K5 CT-2001-02328). It also forms an important tool for transferring the results of the project to the wider research community and to end users in the agricultural sector and to policy makers at national and community level.

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

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

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

Strip-Seeding Of Red Clover, Lucerne, Alsike Clover, White Clover And Sainfoin Into Grassland In Central Europe, P. Komárek, A. Kohoutek, V. Odstrčilová, P. Nerušil

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Strip-seeding of legumes into grassland improves forage quality and adds fixed nitrogen (N) to grassland, which decreases the need for mineral N.

The Input Of Forage Legumes In Sustainable Grassland Systems, Žydrė Kadžiulienė, L. Sarunaite

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

There is increased interest in sustainable grassland systems. One step towards sustainability is expansion of legume use, because of their potential to fix and transfer nitrogen (N) to subsequent crops. However, legumes can also have negative aspects, such as difficulties in establishment (Porqueddu et al., 2003), lack of persistence, N loss (Scholefield et al., 2002) and accumulation of soil borne disease agents (Kadziulis, 2001). The large variability within legume swards and between years in pastures and leys has encouraged us to search for possibilities to achieve stability of their inputs in sustainable grassland systems.

Planted Forage Legumes In West Africa, Shirley A. Tarawali, P. K. Thornton, N. De Haan

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Planted forage legumes were introduced into West Africa circa 1950. Since then, a range of species and strategies for their introduction into farming have been evaluated. Approaches to both evaluation and use have changed considerably, especially in the past 15 years. Much of the early research was on-station and focused on using mainly Stylosanthes species as introduced pastures. The Stylosanthes "fodder bank" concept followed this, but with a fairly stringent "recipe" for farmers to manage and use the legume "bank" for strategic ruminant supplementation in the dry season. Later evaluation included more legume species, more participatory approaches, and identification of …

Near Infrared Spectroscopy To Assess Feeding Value And Antinutritional Compounds In Legume Species, M. Odoardi, S. Colombini, G. Piluzza, M. Confalonieri

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

There is an increasing demand for information on the quality characteristics and chemical composition of forages in order to meet the demands of dietary specifications for feeding animals. Near Infrared (NIR) spectroscopy provides a tool for rapid and non-destructive analysis in agronomic and breeding programs of a number of chemical components of forages and grains. NIR spectroscopy in particular has the advantage of being able to simultaneously evaluate the samples for a number of qualitative traits of whole plants and seeds. In two experiments here presented, NIR Spectroscopy was used to predict: i) qualitative characteristics of field pea seeds and, …

Effect Of Three Legumes Containing Different Condensed Tannin Concentrations On The In Vitro Formation Of The Pastoral Flavour Compound; Skatole, N. M. Schreurs, M. H. Tavendale, G. A. Lane, T. N. Barry, W. C. Mcnabb

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Feeding legumes, such as white clover (Trifolium repens), results in higher intakes and increased animal production compared to grasses (Ulyatt, 1981). Skatole is produced in the rumen from plant protein fermentation and is associated with undesirable pastoral flavours in meat (Young et al. 2002). Feeding white clover causes a greater skatole concentration in the rumen compared to perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) or Lotus corniculatus, as the protein in white clover is highly soluble and rapidly degraded (Schreurs et al., 2004). The condensed tannins (CT) in Lotus species slow protein degradation in the rumen (Aerts …

Supplementing Dairy Cows In Late Lactation With High Quality Silages, Todd A. White, Trevor L. Knight, M. G. Hyslop, Tom J. Fraser

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Agriculture on the Canterbury Plains of New Zealand is a mixture of integrated cropping and pastoral enterprises. Cropping farmers often provide supplementary feed for dairy farmers by growing forages for high quality silage. Such silages can improve milk production by increasing dry matter (DM) intake and/or by alleviating deficiencies of either soluble carbohydrate or protein in pasture (Woodward et al., 2002). Legumes and/or cereals have potential to make large quantities of high quality silage (de Ruiter et al., 2002). This trial aimed to determine milk production and composition differences between three silages fed during late lactation.

A High-Density Ssr Linkage Map Of Red Clover And Its Transferability To Other Legumes, S. Isobe, S. Sato, E. Asamizu, I. Klimenko, N. N. Kozlov, K. Okumura, S. Tabata

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

A high-density linkage map of red clover was constructed based on SSR and RFLP markers. In order to construct a linkage map with user (breeder) friendly markers; i.e. informative and easy detection, two policies were adopted for marker development. One was that the markers should be derived from cDNA or gene-rich regions, and the other was that the SSR markers should be detected polymorphisms on agarose gels. We also discuss the transferability of the markers on the map to other red clover germplasm and legumes. Such highly transferable markers could be used to screen anchor markers for both on a …

Influence Of Different Alfalfa-Grass Mixtures And The Use Of Additives On Nutritive Value And Fermentation Of Silage, P. Lättemäe, U. Tamm

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Legumes have a high nutritive value but they are known to be difficult to ensile and often result in poorly fermented silage. This is usually due to high buffering capacity and low available sugar concentration. However, the results have shown that silage quality can considerably be improved by using additives or when legume-grass mixtures are ensiled (Lättemäe & Tamm, 2002). Different legume-grass mixtures differ in their ensiling properties and also may affect the fermentation. The objective of this experiment was to study the effect of alfalfa-grass mixtures and the use of additives on nutritive value and fermentation of silage.

Leaching Losses Of N, P And K From Grazed Legume Based Swards: Some Preliminary Results, E. R. Dixon, A. C. Stone, D. Scholefield, D. J. Hatch

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

There is increasing interest in sustainable agricultural systems because of environmental concerns. Animal production which utilises mixed grass and legume swards could be an effective measure in increasing the efficiency of nutrient utilisation, and investigation into different legume species is necessary. Leaching losses of N, P and K from 3 legume species under grazing by sheep were measured using Teflon-coated suction cups. The experiment took place on the UK site of the EU-funded, multi-site experiment – LEGGRAZE.

Field Experiments To Help Optimise Nitrogen Fixation By Legumes On Organic Farms, A. Joynes, D. J. Hatch, A. Stone, S. Cuttle, G. Goodlass

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

During an organic rotation, the aim is to increase the nitrogen (N) content of the soil (and hence build up soil fertility) by recycling crop residues, applying manures/composts and from N fixed by legumes. IGER, with ADAS, Duchy College Cornwall and Abacus Organic Associates are developing improved guidance for organic farmers in the use of fertility-building crops. The main questions are: how to maximise N fixation and how to make the most efficient use of the fixed N? Available soil mineral N, which is generally thought to reduce N fixation, will be increased by manure applications, cutting/mulching and grazing. We …

The Effect Of Forage Legumes On Mineral Nitrogen Content In Soil, M. Isolahti, A. Huuskonen, M. Tuori, Oiva Nissinen, R. Nevalainen

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

The cultivation of forage legumes is often suggested as a possibility to improve nitrogen (N) utilisation in farming. However, previous studies have indicated examples in which the cultivation of legumes such as white clover has led to accumulation of large amounts of N in soil (Adams & Pattison, 1985). In this study the potential risks of N leaching were estimated by determining amount of mineral N in the soil.

From Theory To Practice: What Should We Have In Mind When Building Effective And Sustainable Payments For Ecosystem Services (Pes) Schemes For Silvo-Pastoral Systems? Evidence From Colombia, M. Díaz, K. Enciso, N. Triana, S. Burkart

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

In most Latin American countries, payment for ecosystem services (PES) can be a useful strategy for restoration and conservation of the environment, increasing productivity and promoting sustainable development in rural areas. Despite these plausible benefits, PES implementation can be challenging due to the contextual framework in which it takes place (e.g. institutional weakness in the implementation and monitoring stages, limited connectivity among stakeholders, low adoption levels of agricultural technology). This study aims at evaluating PES schemes for silvo-pastoral systems in Colombia by considering six dimensions based on an extensive literature review: policy and governance; social context; environmental context; risks and …