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Articles 31531 - 31560 of 294453

Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Forage Genomics Accelerate The Germplasm Resource Innovation, Fan Wu, Qi Yan, Pan Xu, Zhen Duan, Jiyu Zhang Feb 2024

Forage Genomics Accelerate The Germplasm Resource Innovation, Fan Wu, Qi Yan, Pan Xu, Zhen Duan, Jiyu Zhang

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

To achieve sustainability and food security we need expand the germplasm base and access novel genetic diversity to accelerate breeding. For developing new forage cultivars, the availability of a high-quality genome facilitates accurate characterization of new germplasm, and an understanding of the genetics underlying important traits. Here, we sequenced and assembled three high-quality chromosome-level forage genomes. The contig-level assembly of Cleistogenes songorica (2n = 4x = 40) comprised 540.12 Mb of the genome, with a contig N50 of 21.28 Mb. Complete assemblies of all telomeres, and of ten chromosomes were derived. The chromosome-scale genome size of elephant grass (2n = …

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Theory And Application Of No-Till Reseeding Technology In Degraded Grasslands In China, Jingying Jing, Hongyan Ma, Yingjun Zhang Feb 2024

Theory And Application Of No-Till Reseeding Technology In Degraded Grasslands In China, Jingying Jing, Hongyan Ma, Yingjun Zhang

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Grasslands occupy nearly 400 million hectares in China, accounting for about 40.7% of the total land area, provide multiple ecological and economic benefits. However, due to over-grazing and over-cultivation, more than 90% grasslands in China are threatened by degradation that has caused significant negative impact on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, such as biodiversity losses, decreased productivity, increased soil erosion etc. Thus, restoration of degraded grassland is urgent for sustainable grassland management in China. No-till reseeding has been found to be an effective way for grassland vegetation regeneration with improved productivity and increased plant diversity via reseeding suitable species with minimum …

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Rangeland-Centered Agroecosystems In Indian Central Himalayas: Operationalizing Ecological Sustainability In Mountain Agriculture, Vir Singh Feb 2024

Rangeland-Centered Agroecosystems In Indian Central Himalayas: Operationalizing Ecological Sustainability In Mountain Agriculture, Vir Singh

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Himalayan Mountains are home to unique agroecosystems harboring unique inter- and intra-species diversity in uncultivated and cultivated lands. The uncultivated lands are largely the rangelands which are ecologically more stable ecosystems than the cultivated lands which are ecologically prone areas. Rangelands, cultivated areas, and livestock in mountain agriculture are in organic linkages with each other, woven into a complex unitary whole, functionally oriented to produce foods and other life-supporting products – such as feed, fiber, fuel, fertilizers, etc. – and provide vital ecological functions. Rangelands in fragile Himalayan mountains serve as a key component of agriculture and the biodiversity conserved …

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Mentoring Graduate Students For Academic Careers In Grassland Science, L. E. Sollenberger Feb 2024

Mentoring Graduate Students For Academic Careers In Grassland Science, L. E. Sollenberger

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Effective mentorship enhances student productivity and career achievements, yet faculty generally do not receive mentorship training, nor does mentorship receive focused attention, evaluation, and recognition. The objectives of this paper are to 1) define mentorship and identify roles of a mentor, 2) highlight qualities and outcomes of effective mentoring, and 3) elaborate best mentoring practices, metrics for assessing mentoring, and challenges for mentoring the next generation of grassland scientists. Mentoring is a professional alliance where individuals work together to support the personal and professional growth, development, and success of the relational partners. Mentors should be altruistic discipline experts, have substantial …

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National Forage Week, B. Stefancik, K. Mullenix Feb 2024

National Forage Week, B. Stefancik, K. Mullenix

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Social media can be a powerful tool for producers, researchers, and grassland professionals. Social media enables us to connect with a wide audience of producers, Extension personnel, colleagues, industry partners, and even the non-agriculture related community. This presentation in the thematic session on “Understanding the role of social media and digital resources in forage education and promotion” will focus on the impact of National Forage Week. National Forage Week is national campaign initiated by the American Forage and Grassland Council to promote forages and their contributions to society.

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Maize-Alfalfa Intercropping Promote Ecosystem Services Than Fertilized Single Crops, D. X. Tao, Y. Z. Gao Feb 2024

Maize-Alfalfa Intercropping Promote Ecosystem Services Than Fertilized Single Crops, D. X. Tao, Y. Z. Gao

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Phosphorus is a non-renewable source of fertilization, which will challenge the future of food production and cropland sustainability worldwide. Crop diversity is known to promote food production, yet its capacity to alleviate the dependence of multiple ecosystem services on non-renewable fertilization remains virtually unknown. Here, we conducted a field experiment to quantify the contribution of maize-alfalfa intercropping to support multiple ecosystem services under contrasting levels of phosphorus fertilization. We showed that unfertilized intercropping systems can support larger levels of multiple ecosystem services such as soil microbial habitat, plant-soil mutualism, nutrient cycling, and soil carbon storage compared with phosphorus-fertilized single crops. …

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Identification Of Hyperspectral Characteristics Of The Main Plants In Seriphidium Transiliense Desert Grassland, Wenhao Liu, Wanqiang Han, Guili Jin, Ying Li, Ke Gong, Jian Ma, Zhibiao Liu, Jiazin Li, Mengtian Chen Feb 2024

Identification Of Hyperspectral Characteristics Of The Main Plants In Seriphidium Transiliense Desert Grassland, Wenhao Liu, Wanqiang Han, Guili Jin, Ying Li, Ke Gong, Jian Ma, Zhibiao Liu, Jiazin Li, Mengtian Chen

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Ground hyperspectral images of sericite–Artemisia desert grassland in different seasons were obtained by a soc710 VP imaging spectrometer. Analysis of variance was used to extract the main species Seriphidium transiliense, Ceratocarpus arenarius, and Petrosimonia sibirica and the spectral characteristic parameters and vegetation indices of bare land in different seasons. On this basis, Fisher discriminant analysis was used to divide the samples into a training set and test set according to a ratio of 7:3. The spectral characteristic parameters and vegetation indices were used to identify the three main plants and bare land. Results showed that under Fisher discriminant analysis, …

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A Transdisciplinary Approach To Landscape Transformation Towards Perennial, Diverse, Circular Systems: Why And How, V. Picasso, C. Williams Feb 2024

A Transdisciplinary Approach To Landscape Transformation Towards Perennial, Diverse, Circular Systems: Why And How, V. Picasso, C. Williams

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Prevailing agricultural systems in the U.S. are dominated by intensification through annual crop monocultures and high amounts of external inputs. Increased yields per unit of land have resulted but many undesirable environmental, ecological, and socioeconomic outcomes have co-occurred. Lack of resilience within intensified agricultural systems is a factor in these outcomes. Redesign of agricultural systems and changes in federal policy are needed to better support resilience in agriculture. Redesign for greater resilience must encourage adoption of agricultural systems that are diverse, perennial, circular, and include forages. We developed a transdisciplinary framework within a project orientation with a focus on crops …

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Brain-Inspired Continual Learning: Robust Feature Distillation And Re-Consolidation For Class Incremental Learning, Hikmat Khan, Nidhal Carla Bouaynaya, Ghulam Rasool Feb 2024

Brain-Inspired Continual Learning: Robust Feature Distillation And Re-Consolidation For Class Incremental Learning, Hikmat Khan, Nidhal Carla Bouaynaya, Ghulam Rasool

Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering Departmental Research

Artificial intelligence and neuroscience have a long and intertwined history. Advancements in neuroscience research have significantly influenced the development of artificial intelligence systems that have the potential to retain knowledge akin to humans. Building upon foundational insights from neuroscience and existing research in adversarial and continual learning fields, we introduce a novel framework that comprises two key concepts: feature distillation and re-consolidation. The framework distills continual learning (CL) robust features and rehearses them while learning the next task, aiming to replicate the mammalian brain's process of consolidating memories through rehearsing the distilled version of the waking experiences. Furthermore, the proposed …

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Absorbance Enhancement Of A Treated Tanzanian Kaolin For Removal Of Synthetic Dyes From Water, Samwel Paul Mziray Feb 2024

Absorbance Enhancement Of A Treated Tanzanian Kaolin For Removal Of Synthetic Dyes From Water, Samwel Paul Mziray

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

The absorbance efficiency of local kaolin clay from Tanzania (Pugu kaolin) has been enhanced to improve its utilization in removal of textile dyes from water. The clay was acid-activated using H2SO4, after calcination at 750oC. Characterization by XRF, XRD, ATR-FTIR and Porosimeter showed kaolinite [Al2Si2O5(OH)4], silica (SiO2) and microcline [KAlSi3O8] as the main phases. Upon acid treatment, silica increased from 44.18% to 58.81% due to the appearance of tridymite, and alumina decreased from 26.70% to 12.74% due to disappearance of the kaolinite. Surface area increased from 15.36 to 149.61 m2/g due to removal of acid-soluble impurities. The chemical composition showed …

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Comprehensive Survey On Applications Of Internet Of Things, Machine Learning And Artificial Intelligence In Precision Agriculture, Paul Stone Stone Brown Macheso S.B. Feb 2024

Comprehensive Survey On Applications Of Internet Of Things, Machine Learning And Artificial Intelligence In Precision Agriculture, Paul Stone Stone Brown Macheso S.B.

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

A comprehensive, multidisciplinary analysis of the latest developments in digital agriculture is conducted with the use of artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and the Internet of Things. By automation and the use of modern, scalable technology solutions that reduce risks, support sustainability, and give farmers predictive advice, traditional agricultural processes are being updated and improved to maximize production. In this paper, the applications of AI, IoT, and ML in agricultural production systems are discussed in detail. The applications that have been explored can be broadly categorized into three areas: soil management, livestock management, and crop management. Weed detection, disease …

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A Two-Stage Based Life Cycle And Principal Component Analysis For Decision Support Of Potential Municipal Solid Wastes Management Scenarios, Case Study Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, Edwin Richard Ndibalema Dr Feb 2024

A Two-Stage Based Life Cycle And Principal Component Analysis For Decision Support Of Potential Municipal Solid Wastes Management Scenarios, Case Study Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, Edwin Richard Ndibalema Dr

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

In most of the urban areas of Tanzania, poor and inadequate solid waste management is a growing environmental and public health concern. Despite an array of solid waste management options, choosing an appropriate one remains a challenge. This study applied a novel two-stage-based approach to assess the environmental impacts and sustainability performance of the 27 scenarios for municipal solid wastes (MSW) management of Dar es Salaam City, Tanzania. In the first stage, the study utilized a life cycle analysis (LCA) to quantify the environmental impacts of MSW scenarios. In the second stage, the study used the principal component analysis (PCA) …

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An Overview Of Maternity Healthcare Monitoring In Developing Nations, Godphrey Kyambille Feb 2024

An Overview Of Maternity Healthcare Monitoring In Developing Nations, Godphrey Kyambille

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

A healthcare monitoring arrangement is essential for frequently monitoring a patient's health status. Specifically, maternal healthcare systems for tracking are utilized to evaluate the clinical status and monitor any abnormal condition changes during all three trimesters. This paper's objective is to conduct an extensive literature review and acknowledge earlier initiatives and studies conducted previously in maternal health care monitoring. This review focuses on accumulating information from earlier work and presents a general overview of previous studies concerning maternal health care monitoring (MHCM). The paper focuses on the maternal healthcare systems in developing countries accessed by pregnant women during the antenatal …

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Stack For Computational Science, Mathematics And Engineering E-Learners, Idrissa S. Amour Feb 2024

Stack For Computational Science, Mathematics And Engineering E-Learners, Idrissa S. Amour

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

Petroleum economic evaluation involves estimating revenues from forecasted production profiles and field costs including capital expenditures (CAPEX), drilling expenses (DRILLEX), and operating expenses (OPEX). The existing cost-estimating tool requires several inputs making it time-intensive and difficult to use with few data during the early stages of projects. Majority of the previously developed time saving cost estimations proxy models rely on unrealistic assumptions that include uniform operational costs for different fields with a different number of wells, casings, and drilled depths. This work focused at developing proxy models that consider the variability of the development costs with different parameters. The developed …

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Hadamard Matrices Of Orders 60 And 64 With Automorphisms Of Orders 29 And 31, Makoto Araya, Masaaki Harada, Vladimir Tonchev Feb 2024

Hadamard Matrices Of Orders 60 And 64 With Automorphisms Of Orders 29 And 31, Makoto Araya, Masaaki Harada, Vladimir Tonchev

Michigan Tech Publications

A classification of Hadamard matrices of order 2p + 2 with an automorphism of order p is given for p = 29 and 31. The ternary self-dual codes spanned by the newly found Hadamard matrices of order 60 with an automorphism of order 29 are computed, as well as the binary doubly even self-dual codes of length 120 with generator matrices defined by related Hadamard designs. Several new ternary near-extremal self-dual codes, as well as binary near-extremal doubly even self-dual codes with previously unknown weight enumerators are found.

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Investigations Of The Eutectic Formation And Skin Rejuvenation By Hyaluronan - Kojic Acid Dipalmitate System, Syed Waqar Hussain Shah, Sumbal Imran, Iram Bibi, Kashif Ali, Nadia Bashir Feb 2024

Investigations Of The Eutectic Formation And Skin Rejuvenation By Hyaluronan - Kojic Acid Dipalmitate System, Syed Waqar Hussain Shah, Sumbal Imran, Iram Bibi, Kashif Ali, Nadia Bashir

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Eutectic phenomenon has been investigated in binary system based on biopolymer hyaluronan (HN) and kojic acid dipalmitate (KAD). Solid-liquid phase diagram showed a significant dependence of melting points on weight fraction of KAD up to KAD < 0.5. A negligible regain to melting temperature of pure KAD occurred later. Simulations of molecular mechanics using a four-unit segment of HN and KAD revealed the interaction between carbonyl of KAD with 4-OH on N-acetylglucosamine unit of oligomer. Infrared vibrational spectroscopy also endorsed the existence of a weakly interacting system. Such behavior was expected due to steric hinderance and rigidity of biopolymer. The thermal decomposition temperature of HN (i.e., 215 °C) was increased to 322 °C in HK50 having HN and KAD in 1:50 w/w. Bioelectric impedance analysis revealed that these green materials could promote skin health in humans.

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Synthesis And Characterization Of Renewable Heterogeneous Catalyst Zno Supported Biogenic Silica From Pineapple Leaves Ash For Sustainable Biodiesel Conversion, Nadila Pratiwi, Suriati Eka Putri, Yulia Shinta, Arya Ibnu Batara, Diana Eka Pratiwi, Abd Rahman, Nur Ahmad, Heryanto Heryanto Feb 2024

Synthesis And Characterization Of Renewable Heterogeneous Catalyst Zno Supported Biogenic Silica From Pineapple Leaves Ash For Sustainable Biodiesel Conversion, Nadila Pratiwi, Suriati Eka Putri, Yulia Shinta, Arya Ibnu Batara, Diana Eka Pratiwi, Abd Rahman, Nur Ahmad, Heryanto Heryanto

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

This study reports on the first case of the low-cost and environmentally friendly ZnO/SiO2 heterogeneous catalyst from pineapple leaves ash (PLA). Catalyst shows excellent performance in catalyzing the transesterification of waste cooking oil (WCO) with methanol for biodiesel conversion. This study focuses on assessing the influence of Zn content on physicochemical characteristics, using XRD, FTIR, SEM, and N2 adsorption-desorption methods. In addition, three different Zn content levels (20, 25, and 30 %wt) were applied. The results showed that all ZnO/SiO2 samples exhibited characteristics suitable for use as catalyst with an average crystallite size of 31.83-34.15 nm, and a surface area …

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Breeding Cool-Season Forage Grasses For A Warming Climate, D. P. Malinowski, J. Ford, A. Stewart, D. Woodfield, W. E. Pinchak Feb 2024

Breeding Cool-Season Forage Grasses For A Warming Climate, D. P. Malinowski, J. Ford, A. Stewart, D. Woodfield, W. E. Pinchak

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In many parts of the world, changing climatic conditions are resulting in increased temperatures and more variable precipitation, intensifying the duration and severity of drought, especially in summer. Warming climate is considered one reason for the increasing failure of traditional, summer-active cool-season perennial grasses at the margin of their zone of adaptation in naturally C4 grass-dominated ecosystems of the Southern Great Plains of the USA. Two cool-season perennial forage grasses orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.) and tall fescue (Lolium arundinaceum (Schreb.) Darbysh.) are of major economic and ecological importance in these regions. In 2008, we initiated a breeding program …

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Invasive Annual Grass Issues In Canadian Rangelands, V. Maloney Feb 2024

Invasive Annual Grass Issues In Canadian Rangelands, V. Maloney

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

It has been understood for several years now that Canadian grasslands are among the world’s most endangered ecosystems. While the endangerment of the world’s coral reefs and rainforests may make the news more often, the increasingly fast decline of native Canadian grasslands is having a major impact on species diversity as well as global carbon supplies. In this paper, I will discuss the impact invasive annual grasses have had on two important rangeland ecosystems in Canada. Furthermore, strategies for protecting and restoring these invaluable lands will be discussed.

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Forage Data Hub – A Platform For Sharing Valuable Datasets For Resilience, Amanda J. Ashworth, L. Marshall, J. J. Volenec, M. Berti, E. Van Santen, C. Williams, V. Gopakumar, J. Foster, V. Picasso, J. Su Feb 2024

Forage Data Hub – A Platform For Sharing Valuable Datasets For Resilience, Amanda J. Ashworth, L. Marshall, J. J. Volenec, M. Berti, E. Van Santen, C. Williams, V. Gopakumar, J. Foster, V. Picasso, J. Su

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In accord with the necessity to enhance ecosystem services and productivity in food systems, is the increase of data availability at multiple scales and over time. To help meet this need, we discuss the development of a National Forage Data Hub which will act as a platform to curate, share, and analyze data pertaining to forage systems. This centralized hub will leverage existing datasets by bridging multiple sources including forage crop—soil, water, and nutrient availability—yield (animal and crop) potential (and gaps)— climate—management systems at high spatial and temporal resolution enabling system interaction assessments through next-generation analytics. This novel approach to …

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Tennessee Master Beef Producer Program Promotes Sustainable Beef Production, K. M. Mason, G. E. Bates, J. D. Rhinehart Feb 2024

Tennessee Master Beef Producer Program Promotes Sustainable Beef Production, K. M. Mason, G. E. Bates, J. D. Rhinehart

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Tennessee is home to 1.75 million beef cattle as of January 2022 (USDA, 2022). The majority of cattle farms in Tennessee are cow-calf operations, with a few stocker-backgrounder operations across the state. Most of the cows in the state are maintained on tall fescue (Schedonorus arundinaceus (Schreb.) Dumort. pastures, with hay being fed in the winter months and sometimes during the summer. Maintenance of a strong cow herd and sufficient grazing land relies on utilization of sustainable production practices. With urban sprawl creating competition for land area, it is important to use production practices that are efficient and attainable …

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Guidelines For Optimal Use Of Near Infrared Spectroscopy (Nirs) With Sample Preparation And Presentation Across Instrument Platforms, D. W. Mcintosh Feb 2024

Guidelines For Optimal Use Of Near Infrared Spectroscopy (Nirs) With Sample Preparation And Presentation Across Instrument Platforms, D. W. Mcintosh

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Guidelines for optimal use of near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) with sample preparation and presentation across instrument platforms will cover methods and resources specifically for NIRS analysis. Recommendations for sample preprocessing and scanning required to ensure compatibility across calibrations will be highlighted. Proper calibration determinations, monitoring, and performance will be demonstrated to create a baseline for correct use. Additional materials about the use and reporting of nutritive content predictions for publication will be discussed. Goals of this topic session are to develop an understanding of the basics of NIRS technology and provide the basics to what a laboratory is required to …

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Challenges And Opportunities For Revegetation In Areas Dominated By Invasive Annual Grasses, B. A. Mealor, J. A. Crose Feb 2024

Challenges And Opportunities For Revegetation In Areas Dominated By Invasive Annual Grasses, B. A. Mealor, J. A. Crose

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Invasive annual grasses (IAG) are a primary ecological threat to sustainability and ecological integrity of rangelands in the western U.S. While availability of effective tools to control IAG is increasing, ensuring compatibility of control practices with other management practices, such as seeding desirable species, is a critical information need. We summarize a series of studies investigating influences of timing, seeding depth, species selection, and planting timing with various herbicides in sites dominated by invasive annual grasses.

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Transitioning To Multiple-Use Polyculture Grassland-Derived Bioenergy Feedstock Systems, J. P. Muir, J. L. Foster, A. Falk, S. Weiss, W. D. Pitman, W. Alsion, H. D. Naumann, J. R. Bow, C. Shadrock, E. Osei, O. Lasater Feb 2024

Transitioning To Multiple-Use Polyculture Grassland-Derived Bioenergy Feedstock Systems, J. P. Muir, J. L. Foster, A. Falk, S. Weiss, W. D. Pitman, W. Alsion, H. D. Naumann, J. R. Bow, C. Shadrock, E. Osei, O. Lasater

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

We argue that research and development of grassland-derived bioenergy feedstock (GBF) has focused unduly on dedicated monospecific biomass systems to the detriment of more stable multiple-use multispecies grasslands. This has retarded GBF adoption as a viable, sustainable contribution to renewable energy production in North America. We hypothesize that focusing on multiple-use GBFs will foster greater feedstock availability for nascent renewable energy generation while minimizing financial risk to grassland husbandry during market transitions from current grazing systems to more flexible business models. Our hypothesis is that source and demand are more likely to develop simultaneously under less risky multiple-use grassland management. …

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Observing And Simulating Temperate Grasslands In Central Europe, C. Nendel Feb 2024

Observing And Simulating Temperate Grasslands In Central Europe, C. Nendel

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

This presentation summarises recent activities to observe grassland features using remote sensing and uses this data to feed mechanistic simulation models for temperate grassland vegetation in Central Europe, in order to assess underlying processes that are difficult to observe. Public interest has recently focused on grassland ecosystem services, such as carbon stocks, nitrate retention and greenhouse gas emissions; variables that in principle can be simulated using models. However, current grassland models suffer from the fact that species dynamics in grasslands are very active, and may change in response to water supply and management. As different species come with different traits, …

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The Effect Of Nitrogen Rates And Plant Density On Grain Yield Components And Persistence In Intermediate Wheatgrass (Thinopyrum Intermedium) And Mountain Rye (Secale Strictum), M. T. Newell, N. Munday, R. C. Hayes Feb 2024

The Effect Of Nitrogen Rates And Plant Density On Grain Yield Components And Persistence In Intermediate Wheatgrass (Thinopyrum Intermedium) And Mountain Rye (Secale Strictum), M. T. Newell, N. Munday, R. C. Hayes

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Intermediate wheatgrass (IWG; Thinopyrum intermedium) and Mountain Rye (Mtn Rye; Secale strictum) have potential for release as dual-purpose (grazing and grain production) perennial grains in Australia due to their superior longevity compared to hybrid perennial wheats. Initially developed as perennial forage grasses, few management guidelines exist to inform agronomic practices to maximise grain yields and profitability in Australian environments. An experiment was established in 2020 to examine the effect of plant density and nitrogen rates on grain yield components. The experiment compared the two species (IWG, Mtn Rye) sown at three plant densities (50, 100 and 200 plants/m2) …

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Participatory Evaluation Of Urochloa (Brachiaria) Grasses In The Cool Highlands Of Central Kenya, Elkana Nyambati, W. Ayako, S. K. Mailu Feb 2024

Participatory Evaluation Of Urochloa (Brachiaria) Grasses In The Cool Highlands Of Central Kenya, Elkana Nyambati, W. Ayako, S. K. Mailu

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Grasslands are increasingly threatened by over exploitation, degradation and climate change that has undermined their productive capacity, leading led to inadequate quantity and quality feed. Urochloa grass, a native of eastern Africa has been widely improved and adapted as livestock forage. A farmer participatory study was conducted to evaluate productivity of eight Urochloa grasses (Urochloa brizantha cv. Marandu, U. brizantha cv. Xareas, U. brizantha cv. Piata, U. brizantha cv. MG4, U. decumbens cv. Basilisk, U. humidicola cv. Humidicola, U. humidicola cv. Llanero and Urochloa hybrid Mulato II) compared to controls of Pennisetum purpureum (Napier grass cv. Kakamega 1 …

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Is There A Need For Tailored Graduate Programs For International Students?, K. T. Oduor, Lynn E. Sollenberger, J. Dubeux, L. M. D. Queiroz Feb 2024

Is There A Need For Tailored Graduate Programs For International Students?, K. T. Oduor, Lynn E. Sollenberger, J. Dubeux, L. M. D. Queiroz

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

International studies often present opportunities for capacity development and mentorship for students to equip them with the knowledge and skills to address the challenges in their home countries. Typically, international graduate students are drawn from diverse educational and cultural backgrounds different from those in their host countries. Adjusting to these changes might be challenging and time-consuming, thus influencing their academic journey. Understanding these challenges might provide international students the opportunity to address them in time and, where possible, seek help. In this paper, we discuss some graduate program-related challenges international students face and provide potential recommendations that might result in …

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Sunn Hemp As An Alternative Forage In The Texas High Plains Region, S. A. O’Shaughnessy, H. M. Mosqueda, D. K. Brauer Feb 2024

Sunn Hemp As An Alternative Forage In The Texas High Plains Region, S. A. O’Shaughnessy, H. M. Mosqueda, D. K. Brauer

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Forage production in the Texas High Plains, a semi-arid region, is critical to sustain the local cattle industry. However, the main source of water for irrigation is the highly depleted Ogallala Aquifer, making forage crop water productivity (CWP) of high importance. In this one-year study, three types of forages were cultivated under deficit irrigation treatments of 80% and 50% of full crop water use. The forages were: a non-brown midrib forage sorghum; a legume, sunn hemp; and a sorghum/sunn hemp mix. The experiment was conducted in Bushland, Texas in 2019. Treatment plots were arranged in a split plot design with …

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Differences In Carbon Sequestration And Water Use Between A Semi-Arid Native Grassland And Encroaching Vachellia Karroo Woodland, C. Weideman, A. R. Palmer, G. Carolyn, Kathleen Smart Feb 2024

Differences In Carbon Sequestration And Water Use Between A Semi-Arid Native Grassland And Encroaching Vachellia Karroo Woodland, C. Weideman, A. R. Palmer, G. Carolyn, Kathleen Smart

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Tree and shrub encroachment and proliferation in global grasslands and savannas is widely considered to imply a trade-off between ecosystem C and H2O regulating functions, based on the premise that increased C sequestration associated with higher woody biomass ostensibly drive declines in water production through concomitant increases in evapotranspiration (ET), but evidence for this across climatic and environmental gradients is equivocal. To evaluate these claims, we ran a paired eddy covariance experiment in a native semi-arid C4 grassland and adjacent encroaching Vachellia karroo woodland on the eastern seaboard of South Africa and compared ecosystem C and H2O budgets over nearly …

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