Earth Sciences Commons^™

Messina (Melilotus Siculus)–A New Pasture Legume For Saltland, Amanda L. Bonython, Andrew D. Craig, Ross A. Ballard, Nigel Charman, Philip G. H. Nichols, Clinton Revell, Natasha L. Teakle

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Messina (Melilotus siculus ((Turra) Vitman ex B.D. Jacks)) is a new annual pasture legume for saltland in temperate Australia and regions of the world that experience Mediterranean climates. Messina has greater tolerance to the combined stresses of salinity and water-logging than existing commercial pasture legumes. Coupled with desirable agronomic traits these characteristics give messina the capacity to rehabilitate saltland and increase productivity on land where existing legumes fail. This paper reviews the agronomic perform-ance of messina in relation to top soil salinity levels.

Agronomic Traits In Tall Fescue Populations Under Irrigated And Rain-Fed Conditions, M. Anowarul Islam, Malay C. Saha

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Grasslands and native rangelands are the predominant land-use all over the world. Tall fescue [Schedonorus arundinaceus (Schreb.) Dumort] is a cool-season perennial grass widely grown throughout the temperate regions of the world and an important component of the grasslands. Drought can have serious consequences on performance of agriculture, soil and plant health, and economics. Developing drought tolerant plants that can maintain productivity during drought, will have great environmental and economic benefits to farmers. A tall fescue population was developed by crossing a drought tolerant genotype to a susceptible genotype. The population was evaluated for different morphological and yield traits …

Mechanisms Of Stress Tolerance In Xerophyte Zygophyllum Xanthoxylum And Their Application In Genetic Improvement Of Legume Forages, Suomin Wang, Aike Bao, Qing Ma, Lijun Yue, Jinlin Zhang, Guoqiang Wu, Jiejun Xi, Yanwen Wang

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Xerophytes, naturally growing in desert areas, have evolved multiple protective mechanisms to survive and grow well in harsh environments. Zygophyllum xanthoxylum, a succulent xerophyte with excellent adaptability to adverse arid environments and a fodder shrub with high palatability and nutrient value, colonizes arid areas in China and Mongolia. In this study, we found that Z. xanthoxylum grew better responding to salt condition with a typical feature for halophytes and became more tolerant to drought in the presence of moderate salinity (50 mM NaCl); 50 mM NaCl alleviated deleterious impacts of drought on the growth of Z. xanthoxylum by improving …

Advances In Improving Tolerance To Waterlogging In Brachiaria Grasses, Juan A. Cardoso, Juan Jiménez, Joisse Rincón, Edward Guevara, Rein Van Der Hoek, Andy Jarvis, Michael Peters, John Miles, Miguel Ayarza, Socorro Cajas, Alvaro Rincón, Henry Mateus, Jaime Quiceno, Wilson Barragán, Carlos Lascano, Pedro Argel, Martin Mena, Luis Hertentains, Idupulapati M. Rao

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Poor drainage is found on about 11.3% of agricultural land in Latin America where physiography promotes flooding, high groundwater tables, or stagnant surface water (waterlogging). Waterlogging drastically reduces oxygen diffusion into the soil causing hypoxia which is the main limitation that reduces root aerobic respiration and the absorption of minerals and water. Under waterlogging conditions plants can adapt with traits and mechanisms that improve root aeration such as production of aerenchyma and development of adventitious roots. During the rainy season Brachiaria pastures are exposed to waterlogging conditions that can severely limit pasture productivity and hence animal production. The main objective …

Improved Drought Stress Tolerance Of White Clover Through Hybridisation With Trifolium Uniflorum L., Shirley N. Nichols, Rainer W. Hofmann, Isabelle M. Verry

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of hybridisation with Trifolium uniflorum L. on drought resistance of Trifolium repens L. (white clover). Shoot dry weight of backcross 1 (BC1) hybrids was reduced less by water stress than for backcross 2 (BC2) hybrids and white clover, as were key morphological traits such as leaf area. Under water stress, important differences for the BC1 generation compared to white clover also included lower senescence, higher stolon density, increased root dry weight, and a higher maximum nodal root diameter. Drought decreased the net photosynthetic rate by up to 48% in BC2 …

Designing Resilient And Sustainable Grasslands For A Drier Future: Adaptive Strategies, Functional Traits And Biotic Interactions, Florence Volaire, Karim Barkaoui, Mark Norton

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In many regions of the world, such as Southern Europe and most Mediterranean areas, the frequency and magnitude of droughts and heat waves are expected to increase under global warming and will challenge the sustainability of both native and sown grasslands. To analyze the adaptive strategies of species, genotypes and cultivars, we aim both: (1) to understand the composition and functioning of natural grasslands; and (2) to propose ideotypes of cultivars and optimal composition for mixtures of species/genotypes under water deficit and high temperatures. This review presents a conceptual framework to analyze adaptive responses of perennial herbaceous species, starting from …

Australian Grasslands Research At The Crossroads, Alan Robson

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Grasslands research in Australia is at a crossroad. There are several difficulties. First, the decline of sheep production and dairying within Australia and increased cropping has focused attention on crop research rather than pasture research. Second, enrolments in agricultural and related education have declined, and graduate numbers are insufficient to meet demand for expertise. Third, there has been a move towards specialisation in research and there are relatively few generalist agricultural scientists able to integrate research results into agricultural ecosystems. There remain very many challenges. Adapting grassland production to minimize the emission of carbon dioxide and methane is a major …

International R D & E Investment: Revitalising The Skill Base In Grassland Research And Practice, Ralph Von Kaufmann

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Grasslands make up about 40.5% of the world’s land surface, and almost everywhere they make vital contributions to food supplies, livelihoods, watersheds, conservation of biodiversity and to ameliorating climate change through carbon sequestration. However, grasslands are under-represented in discussions on food security and livelihoods. Despite large investments in building human capacity, improving production systems and in research, grasslands are continuing to degrade and there is no let-up in sight for the consequent strife, famines and conflicts among the pastoral and other communities that depend on them. This review of grassland issues identified many critical skills that are lacking but it …

Drivers Of Change For Grassland And Forage Systems: A Case Study Of China, Yingjun Zhang, L. Z. Zhang, M. L. Wang, X. L. Li, Q. C. Yang, J. Hanson, M. A. Jorge

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Grassland and forage systems have changed dramatically across the world. This paper describes some of the key drivers of change of grassland and forage systems using examples from China as a case study. The key drivers of change for grassland and forage systems include political, economic, social, technical and environmental factors and their impact on changes in grasslands ecosystems in China is discussed. There are interactions among the drivers and their impact is similar in many developing countries.

Legumes, Livestock And Livelihoods In The Australian Mixed Farming System, E. C. Wolfe

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

This Howard Oration describes the pathway that I have taken towards my specialisation in ‘big picture’ agriculture. A simple protocol is presented for the analysis of agricultural systems by using descriptive or quantitative indicators of five system properties: productivity, sustainability, profitability, social wellbeing and political acceptability. These properties are further illustrated by considering four important issues in the Australian sheep-wheat belt, a distinctive world food production system. The issues are the supply of and demand for legume nitrogen for crops, reconciling agricultural and natural resource objectives, the low profitability of farms in relation to production and marketing risks, and the …

Does Intensification Of Grassland And Forage Use Lead To Efficient, Profitable And Sustainable Ecosystems?, Oene Oenema, Cecile De Klein, Marta Alfaro

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The increasing demand for safe and nutritional dairy and beef products in our globalizing world, together with the needs to increase resource use efficiency and to protect biodiversity, provide strong incentives for intensification of grassland and forage use. This paper addresses the question in the title. Firstly, we present some notions about ‘intensification of agricultural production’. Secondly, we discuss the intensification of grassland-based dairy production in The Netherlands (NL), Chile and New Zealand (NZ). Finally, we arrive at some conclusions. External driving forces and ‘the law of the optimum’ provide strong incentives for intensification, i.e., for increasing the output per …

New Frontiers And Perspectives In Grassland Technology, Jürgen Schellberg, E. Verbruggen

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Grassland scientists and farmers are increasingly faced with emerging new technologies and in-formation systems that have been primarily developed by engineering sciences in particular: precision agriculture, remote sensing, geographic localization and biotechnology. Whether the implementation of any of these technologies may be beneficial in economic and ecological respect is a challenging judgment call, especially for those who have to carry over that decision on their farm. Compared to arable land, new technologies have been applied on grassland only partially and with some delay. However, as we will demonstrate, there is place for a successful implementation of new technologies in various …

Diversity, Trends, Opportunities And Challenges In Australian Grasslands–Meeting The Sustainability And Productivity Imperatives Of The Future?, Lindsay W. Bell, Richard C. Hayes, Keith G. Pembleton, Cathy M. Waters

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Grassland production systems contribute 40% to Australia’s gross agricultural production value and utilise over 50% of its land area. Across this area a broad diversity of systems exist, but these can be broadly classified into four main production systems: 1. Pastoral grazing of mainly cattle at low intensity (i.e. < 0.4 DSE/ha) on relatively unimproved native rangelands in the arid and semi-arid regions of northern and central Australia; 2. Crop-livestock systems in the semi-arid zone where livestock graze a mixture of pastures and crops which are often integrated; 3. High rainfall permanent pasture zone in the coastal hinterland and highlands and; 4. Dairy systems covering a broad range of environments and production intensities. A notable trend across these systems has been the replacement of wool sheep with beef cattle or meat sheep breeds, which has been driven by low wool prices. Although there is evidence that most of these systems have lifted production efficiencies over the past 30 years, total factor productivity growth has failed to match the decline in terms of trade. This has renewed attention on how research and development can help increase productivity. In addition, these industries are facing increasing scrutiny to improve their environmental performance and develop sustainable production practices. We propose several areas in which grasslands research and development might help provide gains in system productivity and sustainability. In particular, pasture productivity might be improved by filling gaps in the array of pastures available either through exploring new species or improving the adaptation and agronomic characteristics of species currently sown. Meanwhile there is a need to maintain efforts to overcome persistent and emerging constraints to pasture productivity. Improving livestock forage feed systems and more precise and lower cost management of grasslands would translate into improved utilisation and conversion of forage produced into livestock products. There is significant scope to capture value from the ecological services grasslands provide and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions from livestock production. Multi-purpose grasslands provide not only grazing for livestock but produce other food products such as grain which may also have potential to integrate livestock with cropping. However, reduced human research capacity in pasture science will challenge our ability to realise these potential opportunities unless efforts are made to attract and support a new generation of pasture scientists.

Managing Grassland Systems In A Changing Climate: The Search For Practical Solutions, Jean-François Soussana, Luis Gustavo Barioni, Tamara Ben Ari, Rich Conant, Pierre Gerber, Petr Havlik, Alexandre Ickowicz, Mark Howden

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

By the end of the XXI^st century, a global temperature rise between 1.5 and 4°C compared to 1980-1999 and CO₂ concentrations in the range 550-900 ppm are expected, together with an increased frequency of extreme climatic events (heat waves, droughts, and heavy rain) that is likely to negatively affect grassland production and livestock systems in a number of world regions. Grassland management has a large potential to mitigate livestock greenhouse gas emissions at a low (or even negative) cost, by combining a moderate intensification, the restoration of degraded pastures and the development of silvo-pastoral systems. Climate change vulnerability …

Feeding The World In 2050: Trade-Offs, Synergies And Tough Choices For The Livestock Sector, Jimmy Smith, Shirley Tarawali, Delia Grace, Keith Sones

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Feeding the World in 2050 is a major challenge at the forefront of the global development agenda. The importance of agriculture in addressing this challenge has re-emerged in recent years as food security issues are considered in a more holistic manner. The role of livestock as part of the solution is, however, often not considered. This article presents a brief overview of the global food security challenge, and considers the increased focus on holistic food systems. It contends that animal agriculture is relevant to this complex, multifaceted and dynamic global challenge. However, if livestock-based solutions are to become a reality …

Front Matter [22nd International Grassland Congress Proceedings], Organizing Committee, International Grassland Congress

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

No abstract provided.

Exploitation Of Wastelands For Fodder Production And Agroforestry, Gurbachan Singh

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Natural resources degradation for agricultural production and environmental protection has been a matter of concern for future food, nutrition, environment and livelihood security. As per current estimates, 120.7 million hectare (mha) is under degraded or wastelands. These lands provide ample opportunity for growing fodder trees and grasses to bridge the gap between demand and supply of green and dry fodder.Several species of fodder trees and grasses have been identified and their agro-techniques standardized for raising in different categories of wastelands such as affected by soil and wind erosion, salinity, acidity and mining etc. A brief account of such plants is …

Factors Influencing The Spatial Distribution Of Southern Rust In Corn, Justin Bailey

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Southern rust caused by the fungus Puccinia polysora (Underwood) is the most economically important foliar disease in corn (Zea mays) (Linnaeus) (Cyperales: Poaceae)) for Arkansas. The objective of this work was to determine distribution of southern rust in corn and to determine factors that may control its distribution.

During the 2017 and 2018 season, seven corn fields in Arkansas were rated for southern rust. After disease confirmation, fields were marked with GPS sample point locations in a grid pattern across the entire field. Ratings for disease severity were taken below, at, and above the ear leaf at each point every …

Peningkatan Produktivitas Tanaman Kedelai Kultivar Anjasmoro Asal Benih Terdeteriorasi Dengan Kompos Trichoderma Dan Bokashi, Sumadi, Denny Sobardini Sobarna, Pujawati Suryatmana, Meddy Rachmadi, Erni Suminar

Jurnal Kultivasi

Trichoderma spp merupakan golongan fungi yang bersifat antipatogen, khususnya layu kecambah, sedangkan bokashi merupakan kompos yang diperkaya dengan beberapa mikroba yang bermanfaat bagi pertumbuhan tanaman.Tulisan ini merupakan rangkuman penelitian pot menggunakan kompos Trichoderma spp sebagai pelapis benih terdeteriorasi disertai bokashi kotoran hewan yang dilakukan pada tanah lahan kering dan tanah sawah pada tahun 2014 dan 2017. Percobaan pertama membandingkan efektivitas beberapa agen hayati sebagai pelapis benih pengaruhnya terhadap vigor benih dan hasil tanaman. Hasil percobaan menunjukkan penggunaan kompos Trichoderma hasilnya lebih baik dibandingkan agen hayati lainnya. Hasil percobaan selanjutnya menunjukkan bahwa pelapisan benih dengan 1 sampai 3 g kompos Trichoderma …

Gwas For Fusarium Head Blight Related Traits In Winter Wheat (Triticum Aestivum L.) In An Artificially Warmed Treatment, Elisane W. Tessmann, David A. Van Sanford

Plant and Soil Sciences Faculty Publications

Global temperature increases will affect Fusarium head blight (FHB) levels in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). A pressing question is whether current sources of resistance will be effective in a warmer environment. We evaluated phenotypic response to disease in 238 soft winter wheat breeding lines and cultivars grown in 2015–2016 and 2016–2017 under control and warmed (+3 °C) conditions. Warming was achieved with heating cables buried 3 cm in the rhizosphere. We measured heading date, plant height, yield, FHB rating, Fusarium damaged kernels (FDK), deoxynivalenol (DON), leaf blotch rating, powdery mildew rating and leaf rust rating. There were significant ( …

Preferensi Petani Terhadap Keragaan Padi (Oryza Sativa) Unggul Untuk Lahan Sawah Di Wilayah Pangandaran Dan Cilacap, Muhammad Khais Prayoga, Neni Rostini, Mieke Rochimi Setiawati, Tualar Simarmata, Silke Stoeber, Kustiwa Adinata

Jurnal Kultivasi

The object that conducted in this study is farmer's preferences of rice plant charac-teristics. This study was taken in 3 villages which are village Ciganjeng, village Pamotan, and village Rawaapu. The method used in this study was quantitative design with descriptive analysis. The respondents were 64 rice plant farmers. Measuring instrument used was questionnaire and interview. The result of this study showed that farmers has its own preference for the character of rice plants. Conclution of this study is farmers preferred rice plants which has an average height of plants, wide leaves, leave's surface, leave's angle, and rice straw's type; …

Identifying Rare Fhb-Resistant Segregants In Intransigent Backcross And F2 Winter Wheat Populations, Anthony J. Clark, Daniela Sarti-Dvorjak, Gina Brown-Guedira, Yanhong Dong, Byung-Kee Baik, David A. Van Sanford

Plant and Soil Sciences Faculty Publications

Fusarium head blight (FHB), caused mainly by Fusarium graminearum Schwabe [telomorph: Gibberella zeae Schwein.(Petch)] in the US, is one of the most destructive diseases of wheat (Triticum aestivum L. and T. durum L.). Infected grain is usually contaminated with deoxynivalenol (DON), a serious mycotoxin. The challenge in FHB resistance breeding is combining resistance with superior agronomic and quality characteristics. Exotic QTL are widely used to improve FHB resistance. Success depends on the genetic background into which the QTL are introgressed, whether through backcrossing or forward crossing; QTL expression is impossible to predict. In this study four high-yielding soft red …

Developing The Framework For A Risk Map For Mite Vectored Viruses In Wheat Resulting From Pre-Harvest Hail Damage, Anthony L. Nguy-Robertson, Arthur Zygielbaum, Anthony J. Mcmechan, Gary L. Hein, Stephen N. Wegulo, Abby R. Stilwell, Travis M. Smith

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

There is a strong economic incentive to reduce mite-vectored virus outbreaks. Most outbreaks in the central High Plains of the United States occur in the presence of volunteer wheat that emerges before harvest as a result of hail storms. This study provides a conceptual framework for developing a risk map for wheat diseases caused by mite-vectored viruses based on pre-harvest hail events. Traditional methods that use NDVI were found to be unsuitable due to low chlorophyll content in wheat at harvest. Site-level hyperspectral reflectance from mechanically hailed wheat showed increased canopy albedo. Therefore, any increase in NIR combined with large …

Productivity And Biological Nitrogen Fixation Of Different Species Of Vetches (Vicia Spp.) Under The Rainfed Conditions Of West Asia, Ali Abd El Moneim, Mohan C. Saxena

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The low rainfall areas of West Asia are characterized by pastoral production system primarily based on small ruminants (sheep and goats). Rangelands serve as the main source of feed. With increasing population, the demand for livestock products has increased. As a consequence, the stocking rates have soared, increasing the pressure on rangelands. Rangeland degradation has therefore been increasing threatening the sustainability of livestock production system and the livelihood of the people dependent on it. Production of additional feed is essential to reduce the pressure on rangelands. Vetches (Vicia spp.) are endemic in the area and can be potential source …

Livestock Production From Grasslands With Improved Management Compared To Traditional Management, Florian Leiber

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The value of traditional versus improved management systems for grassland is discussed. The set target is the persistence of the ecological, economic and social multifunctionality of grasslands and the increase of food output from these areas without increasing parallel requirements for arable crop or energy inputs. Based on the fact that historically traditional systems were stable and sustainable in many cases, while severe damage is faced nowadays, it is argued that lot of improvement should be based on the acknowledgment of successful traditional practises. The challenge might rather be to define improvement as a contemporary development of traditional techniques. The …

Potential Of Forages In Crop Diversification And Crop Rotation, Martin H. Entz, Joanne Thiessen Martens

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Redesign of agricultural systems according to ecological principles has been proposed for the development of sustainable systems. We review a wide variety of ecologically-based crop production practices that focus on forage crops in farming systems and discuss their potential role in enhancing the profitability, environmental sustainability and resilience. Crop-livestock systems that most closely mimic natural systems through appropriate integration of diverse components appear to offer the greatest potential benefits. These systems are more energy efficient and combine high productivity with low ecological footprint. Greater understanding of ecological relationships within crop-livestock systems are required to purposefully and proactively redesign agricultural systems …

Forage Seed Quality: Dormancy, Standards And Quarantine, John G. Hampton

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

There are many dimensions to the concept of seed quality. Viable seed which will not germinate when provided with all the requirements for germination is dormant. Forage grasses mostly exhibit non-deep physiological dormancy (PD), while physical dormancy (PY) is common in forage legumes where imbibition is prevented by the seed coat’s impermeability to water (hard seed). Methods for breaking PD and PY to allow germination testing and/or crop establishment are discussed.

In the seed industry seed quality standards are an important feature of quality assurance and may apply for seed production contracts, seed certification, seed sale and seed importing. Standards …

Quality Seed Production And Effective Marketing Systems For Development Of Grasslands, M. Philip Rolston

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Seed quality is defined as (i) maintaining genetic purity using seed certification principles (generation system; isolation; previous cropping history); (ii) achieving high levels of physical purity (especially low weed seed levels) by in field weed control and seed cleaning; (iii) achieving high levels of seed germination at harvest and maintaining germination through the seed supply chain. Seed production systems must not only produce high quality seed but also achieve economic seed yields. Seed crops have to be profitable (by being high yielding) to justify the investment of time and input costs to achieve quality. This in turn requires supporting research …

Scouting Benefits And Developing Innovations In Temperate Grassland To Sustainable Agriculture Production, Walter Ayala, Ethel Barrios, Ignacio Macedo, Jorge Sawchik, José A. Terra

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Agricultural intensification raises concern about land use and future effects to natural resources. The world demand for grain, meat and forest products is increasing constantly. Changes are occurring at large scale, being a compromise for policy makers to contribute to identify opportunities to readdress the productive scenario. There is available technology to reduce impacts, without restricting necessarily productivity. Grasslands provide a large series of economical and ecological benefits to the agricultural systems, being the literature exhaustive in examples. Ley-farming and cover crops technologies are good examples of environmentally sound soil management practices. The society is also worried about an improper …

Evergraze: A Partnership Between Researchers, Farmers And Advisors To Deliver Effective Grassland Management, Warwick B. Badgery, Kate Sargeant, Michael A. Friend, Scott Glyde, Paul Sanford, Ralph Behrendt, Meredith L. Mitchell, Sean Murphy, Angela Avery

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The profitable and sustainable management of livestock production from grassland systems is challenging and it can be difficult to develop a research structure that addresses farmer’s needs and has acceptable rigour and on-ground impact. This paper describes the attributes of research, development and extension (RD&E) programs that are required for a successful partnership between researchers, farmers and advisors. Insights are provided from the EverGraze program that designed, tested and implemented farming systems based on perennial pastures across southern Australia. With this project farmers and advisors were involved in setting research direction, designing experiments, providing strategic guidance over the management of …