Agricultural Science Commons^™

Warm-Season Legumes – Challenges And Constraints To Adapting Warm-Season Legumes To Transition Zone Climates With Examples From Arachis, G. M. L. Assis, José C. B. Dubeux Jr.

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Grass pastures in monoculture are the predominant system in transition zone climates, where warm-season perennial grasses are usually cultivated. Mixed grass-legume pastures are worldwide recognized for having advantages over pure stands, including pasture longevity, N input from biological fixation, efficient nutrient cycling, and greater animal production. The genus Arachis encompasses important and successful warm-season forage legume species cultivated in mixed pastures or in pure stands. Arachis pintoi and Arachis glabrata are potential tropical forage species that can be used in transition zone climates. Mixed pastures with these legumes have been shown to be resilient systems, able to withstand short-term perturbations, …

Temperate/Tropical Transition Zones: A Hotspot For Breeding Forages With Climate Resiliency, Kenneth H. Quesenberry, Esteban F. Rios, Kevin E. Kenworthy

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Species resiliency to climate change is critical for sustainability of grassland agricultural systems. Transition zones between temperate and tropical climates (between 27 and 31° N and S latitude) with variable annual frost/freeze events have proven to be ideal zones for identification of species with variable climate adaptation. This paper will identify these regions around the globe and show how these regions offer distinct advantages in terms of selection for abiotic and biotic stresses, and thus resiliency to changing climate. Programs located in these regions have the advantage of exposure to alternating extreme warm and cold temperatures, drought and flood conditions, …

Moving Warm-Season Forage Bermudagrass (Cynodon Sp.) Into Temperate Regions Of North America, W. F. Anderson, L. Baxter, D. Hancock, R. N. Gates, Esteban F. Rios

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Warm-season (C4) perennial grasses are grown over millions of hectares in the Southeastern United States. These grasses produce optimal growth at 30 to 38°C diurnal temperature. Bermudagrass (Cynodon sp.) has been adopted as the preferred forage for many livestock and hay producers. Compared to other native and introduced warm-season perennial grass species, improved bermudagrass varieties produce high biomass with enhanced digestibility for ruminant grazing or feed. Until the 1930’s pastures in the region consisted of unimproved ‘common’ bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.) that had been introduced earlier. However, in the early 20^th century, new germplasm, including stargrass …

Breeding Perennial Warm-Season Grasses For The Subtropical Belt In South America, Carlos A. Acuña

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Perennial warm-season grasses share several agronomic characteristics, such as marked seasonal growth, cold susceptibility and photoperiod sensitivity. Breeding efforts in South America have been focused on attempting to improved cool-season growth, cold tolerance and also adaptation to the alternation of flooding and drought periods. Warm-season grasses also have in common that most of them are polyploid and some have very low fertility. Apomixis is also a common trait among these species. For polyploid species with limited seed yield, which commonly have stolons or rhizomes, F₁ hybrids are created and released as cultivars. Acroceras macrum and Hemarthria altissima will be …

Breeding Cows Body Condition And Dry Matter Availability In Natural Pastures Under Rotational System, Dinah Pereira Rodrigues, Giuliano Teixeira Da Silva, Paulo Elias Borges Rodrigues, Alex Fabiano Fernandes Gomes, Gustavo Kruguer Gonçalves, Leonardo De Melo Menezes

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The livestock production in Rio Grande do Sul is based on natural pastures, which suffer great productive seasonality throughout the year, especially due to the quantitative and qualitative deficit that it goes through in the winter months. The existing dynamic between the animal and the forage is fundamental for a better reproductive performance of the brood cows, and consequently an increase of the productivity of beef cattle. The calf herd generation is, certainly, the fundamental element of the full cycle livestock. Knowing the potentiality and understanding the dynamism of the natural fields is a fundamental condition for the choice of …

Linking Demand With Supply For Tropical Forage Genetic Resources To Reach Impact At Scale, M. Peters, S. Burkart, U. Ohmstedt, C. Castiblanco, E. Stern, A. Nicolayevsky, K. Enciso, M. Díaz, S. Mwendia, S. Douxchamps, A. O. Notenbaert, B. Lukuyu, K. Fuglie

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Over the last decades a wealth of information on tropical forage genetic resources has been collated and is accessible to users ranging from farmers, development practitioners and researchers to decision makers and academia, e.g. through online tools such as Tropical Forages: An interactive selection tool (www.tropicalforages.info). However, while genetic diversity is being conserved by international gene banks, adoption of improved tropical forages is still far from reaching its full potential. Major bottlenecks in our view include lack of awareness of available forage genetic resources, confirmation of adaptation in a wide range of bio-physical, socio-economic, political and cultural contexts …

Rebuilding A Tropical Forages For The Future Network – A Call For Resuscitating Enthusiasm For A Commodity With Great Prospects And Innovation Potential, B. C. Pengelly, B. L. Maass

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

A series of Forages for the Future newsletters, outlining some of the latest tropical and subtropical forage (TSTF) research and development impacts and expertise, has been published since 2016. Amongst the research highlights were Brazilian scientists’ focus on grasses such as Urochloa, Megathyrsus maximus, Paspalum and Cenchrus purpureus, and on legumes, especially Arachis and Stylosanthes. Argentinian researchers are similarly targeting Acroceras macrum and Setaria sphacelata; while Indian and ILRI (East Africa) researchers are using plant breeding to overcome disease constraints in Napier grass (Cenchrus purpureus and associated hybrids). Also demonstrated were successfully using genetic …

Future Generations – Will Any Be Lacking Tropical Forage Genetic Resources?, B. L. Maass, B. C. Pengelly

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

It’s high time to stop talking about the (forage) plants and talk about the people. Three (Australia, India, USA) of the about a dozen curators of tropical and subtropical forage (TSTF) genetic resources collections involved in developing a Global Strategy on Conservation and Utilization of Tropical and Subtropical Forage Genetic Resources on behalf of the Global Crop Diversity Trust in 2015 have since retired. In all cases their replacements were not expert in this challenging commodity. Why? The commodity is highly diverse and requires understanding of a substantial body of knowledge generated over more than five decades. It requires a …

Forage Genetic Resources In Brazil, Liana Jank, Mateus F. Santos, Cacilda B. Do Valle, Sanzio C. L. Barrios, Rosangela M. Simeão

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

To maintain the largest herd in the world, 214 million heads of beef cattle grazing exclusively on pastures (only 14% finished in feed-lots), Embrapa (Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation) in Brazil, has intensely invested on forage breeding programs since the 1980s. Nowadays, there are circa thirteen forage grass and legume species being bred at different Embrapa Units around the country and other six Units focusing on collection and research of regional native forages. Breeding depends on good germplasm sources. Therefore, breeding activities in Brazil will remain highly dependent on exotic and native genetic basis maintained in the Germplasm Banks. Despite the …

Forage Production And Utilisation: Forage Production For Improved On-Farm Wealth And Wellness, John Caradus

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

It is often overlooked that the world’s largest agricultural land use by far is grassland, where these are mostly grazed by livestock, either domesticated or wild animals. Native grasslands are referred to as savanna (in Africa), steppe (in sub- Artic Eurasia), prairie (in North America), or pampas (in South America). Grasslands contribute to the livelihoods of more than 800 million people (FAO 2000). Native grasslands are maintained by restricted rainfall that reduces the opportunity for succession by forest. Grasslands are not only food for livestock, but also provide a habitat for wildlife, prevent soil erosion, support pollinators, and capture carbon …

Sustainable Use Of Grassland Resources For Improved Livelihoods, Liana Jank, Cacilda Borges Do Valle, Rosangela Maria Simeão, Roberto Giolo De Almeida, Mateus Figueiredo Santos, Sanzio Carvalho Barrios

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Grasslands occupy about 80% of global agricultural land and represent a wide range of ecosystems (Bosi et al., 2020). Pastureland represents approximately 889 million ha in Africa, followed by China (~506 million ha), Oceania (~345 million ha), Asia (~307 million ha, excluding China and India), United States (~252 million ha) and Brazil (~149 million ha) (Goldewijk et al. 2017; Bosi et al. 2020; Landau et al., 2020). Rangelands alone are the world largest land surface, and in 28 countries they represent more than 60 percent of total land area (FAO, 2009). The livelihoods of almost one billion people depend on …

Exploring The Information Base Needed For Sustainable Management Of Rangeland Resources For Improved Livelihoods, K. I. Johnsen, M. Niamir-Fuller, A. Bensada, A. Waters-Bayer

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Pastoralism is one of the most sustainable production systems worldwide and plays a major role in safeguarding ecosystem services and biodiversity in rangelands. The unique biological and cultural diversity of rangelands contributes to goods, services and knowledge that benefit humans also beyond the herding communities.

Yet data currently available on grassland, forestry, agriculture and livestock are inadequate for informing policymaking on rangeland-based livestock systems. A review of global environmental assessments, online databases, peer-reviewed literature and international project documents showed that available information seldom disaggregates rangelands from other ecosystems or pastoralists from other rural dwellers. Few peer-reviewed publications address pastoral and …

Perennial Legume Intercrops Provide Multiple Belowground Ecosystem Services In Smallholder Farming Systems, Laurie E. Drinkwater, Charles A.O. Midega, Rachel Awuor, Dickens Nyagol, Zeyaur R. Khan

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Soil degradation is a major underlying cause of poverty and malnutrition in smallholder agrarian communities across the globe. Legume diversification, through polyculture or intercropping, is a strategy that increases yields and income while improving family nutrition. However, the potential for these legume-cereal intercrops to restore soil functions in smallholder fields remains uncertain, with many studies failing to detect increases in soil organic matter (SOM). In sub-Saharan Africa, smallholders typically grow maize either intercropped with short-lived annual food legumes or as a monoculture. Recently, a novel maize system which includes perennial legumes in the genus Desmodium as intercrops, known as “push-pull” …

Environmental Factors Effect On Rangeland Plant Diversity In Al Sabaloga Area, Sudan, Salma Abdelghaffar Hassan Alamin, Hala Ahamed Hassan

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The study was conducted in AL Elsabaloga area in Sudan in 2017. This study aimed to assess environmental and biotic factor effects on rangeland plant diversity in the study area. A total sample size of 130 was chosen randomly to collect primary data. The data were coded, summarized, tabulated and processed. Analysis was conducted using (SPSS) computer program. The results were presented in the form of a frequency distribution. There were many problem effects on Rangeland plant diversity. Among these were floods (P < 0.01), expansion of agriculture (P < 0.01), over grazing (P < 0.01), drought, sand marching and desertification (P < 0.01), insect (P < 0.01). In addition, disappear of some plant and appear invader plant. The study was concluded expansion of agriculture, seasonal fire, overgrazing, drought, sand marching and desertification are important factors that effect on plant diversity in the study area. The study recommended protection of rangeland needs to be by improvement of the extension services, management of rangeland through opening of fire lines. Development and improvement, plant diversity and demarcation of routes relevant ministries is essential.

Collective Approach Of Rural Development: Case Study Of “Maronna Foundation” In The Pampa Bioma, Rio Grande Do Sul, Brazil, Adriana Ferreira Da Costa Vargas, Vicente Celestino Pires Silveira

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The Maronna Foundation was created in the 1980s by two brothers who were heirless farmers. After a visit to Massey University, New Zealand, they decided to use their fortune to support rural farming in the Brazilian Pampa through an agropastoral institute. Over the last four decades, the foundation has developed diverse research, education, and extension projects in partnership with local, regional, national, and international institutions, especially universities, research centers, non-governmental organizations and local governances. Recent surveys conducted in the area of the Maronna Foundation demonstrate the interest of local breeders in technologies applied to farming systems, mainly for rangeland and …

Woody Plant Species Composition And Diversity In Rusinga Island, Homa Bay County, Kenya, M. N. Nyaga, S. M. Mureithi, V. O. Wasonga, O. K. Koech

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Information on the state of woody vegetation of Rusinga Island is urgently needed in order to develop appropriate and effective conservation guidelines. Rusinga Island is an ancient historic area with numerous archeological sites and a bountiful of birdlife. However, the Island is characterized by highly degraded ecosystems from human disturbances such as cutting down of trees for fuel, construction poles, and overgrazing resulting in a remarkable degradation of flora, alteration of the ecosystems and loss of biodiversity. This study sought to determine the composition and diversity of woody plant species in Rusinga Island to understand the current status in order …

Visual Assessment Of Soil Structure As An Early Indicator Of Soil Quality In Response To Intensive Rotational Grazing, N. Teutscherova, E. Vazquez, D. Baquero, N. E. Velasquez-Ruiz, M. Pulleman, Jacobo Arango

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Grasslands can play a crucial role in mitigation of global warming by serving as carbon sink. Nevertheless, to achieve the grasslands’ potential, sustainable management is of the utmost importance as it determines system’s productivity and ecosystem services. Due to the increasing demand for animal products in developing countries, grazed areas increase exponentially in the tropics, mainly due to unsustainable management leading to low productivity and soil degradation. We evaluated the impact of intensive rotational grazing management (IRG) on early indicators of soil quality following land-use change based on on-farm observations of visual soil characteristics using two different widely used assessment …

Short-Term Dry Season Forage Monitoring In Rangelands And Savannas Of West Africa, J. Y. Anchang, C. W. Ross, W. Ji, Q. Yu, B. Lind, L. Prihodko, N. P. Hanan

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Dry season plant biomass is critical for livestock production and hence livelihoods in rangeland communities. We have developed a cloud-based application that employs remote sensing data to provide weekly spatially explicit information on plant vegetation cover in West Africa during the dry season (typically October-June). In this paper, we discuss the data analysis steps and results that drive the application. Linear spectral mixture analysis is used to derive endmember samples of basic landcover primitives (active/green vegetation, non-active vegetation, and bare soil) from very high-resolution imagery that spans the spatiotemporal spectrum from wet/peak-green to dry/dormant conditions in Senegal. These samples are …

Range Condition Classification Based On Quantitative Characteristics Of Vegetation, Nafiseh Fakhar, Mansour Mesdaghi, Kamal Naseri

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Change in range condition classes over time are usually the basis for monitoring management effectiveness. Several approaches have been proposed to monitor the range condition classes in relation to a bench mark usually called climax stage. There are some types of range condition classification often included in a range inventory. In this paper, six factors of canopy cover, litter frequency, plant vigour, soil protection percentage, plant composition, and present production as a percentage of indicative state were described for determination range conditions. We have determined range condition classes by using R software. This method was developed by FAO projects in …

Prescribed Fire Plus Grazing Horses: A Sustainable Model To Decrease Fire Hazard In A Mountain Landscape, F. Torres-Manso, R. Pinto, A. Marta-Costa, P. Fernandes, M. Fernandes

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The mountain landscapes of northern Portugal have been modified through rural depopulation and the absence of rangeland management. As such, increased above-ground biomass and higher fire hazard resulted, as well as decreased ecosystem biodiversity. The objectives of the OpentoPreserve Interreg SUDOE project are to evaluate the effects of the combined use of prescribed fire with grazing horses, and also to develop strategies of socio-economic valorization of this model. Concerning the evaluation of prescribed fire and grazing effects, the experimental design consisted of three plots in the Natura 2000 Alvão/Marão Site, respectively Control, Fire x Grazing, and Fire. The Fire plots …