Agricultural Science Commons^™

The Effect Of The Species, Stage Of Maturity And Level Of Intake Of Grass On The Efficiency Of Microbial Protein Synthesis In The Rumen Of Cattle, F J. Hart, Jane Leibholz

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

This study was undertaken because there is a paucity of information in the literature on the efficiency of microbial protein synthesis in the rumen of cattle when grass is fed as the sole diet. There is also little experimental data available on the factors which affect the efficiency of microbial protein synthesis. The work involved feeding six rumen fistulated Friesian steers with three species of grass which were harvested at various tages of maturity. In addition each maturity of forage was fed at three 15levels of orp5 nic matter ( OM) intake.

as sampled at the omasum and microbial protein …

The Influence Of Aging On Forage Quality Of Individual Switchgrass Leaves And Stems, B Anderson

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Cattle selectrively graze switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) tops prior to the boot stage and prefer vegetative culms and new tillers following heading. Therefore, a study was conducted to evaluate the changes in forage composition of individual leaves and stems during growth to determine if grazing selection may be influenced by aging. Plants were cut periodically at ground level from collaring of the first leaf until anthesis. Leaves (leaf blade plus sheath) of different ages, stems, and the whorl were hand separated at each harvest. Crude protein, in vitro dry matter disappearance (IVDMD), neutral and acid detergent fiber, lignin, and …

Harvesting Alyceclover For Maximum Dry Matter Yield And Nutrient Value, D D. Baltensperger, W G. Blue, W H. Anderson

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Limited information is available on the quality of alyceclover (Alysicarpus vaginalis) in relation to plant stress. This study was undertaken to clarify the relationship between plant maturity and forage yield, quality and mineral composition in order to optimize each at harvest. Alyceclover was grown for two summers and new plots were harvested weekly through the pod-fill stage of development beginning eight weeks after planting. Samples were analyzed for dry matter, organic matter, In vitro dry matter digestibility, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, manganese, copper, iron and zinc. Dry matter yields increased through the flowering stage of development except …

Adaptation Of The Inra System Of Determination And Expression Of The Nutritive Value Of Forages To The Tropical Conditions In The Caribbean Island, A Xande, R Garcia-Trujillo

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

This program have undertaken a series of trials of systematic measure of nu tritive value on the tropical forages. The choice of the calculation and of the way of expression of energetic and nitrogen values required comparation measures in different systems as well as attempts in alimentation before adopting the new french INRA system of energy (UFL-UFV) and of the protein value (POI). The general results of this study is a preamble to the diffusion of the table of nutritive value of the tropical forages. For this purpose 450 samples of forages have been analysed on sheep in cage of …

First Detection And Tracing Of Grapevine Red Blotch Virus (Grbv) In Australia Using Tiled Amplicon Sequencing, Tonny Kinene, Andrew S. Taylor, Richard Fennessy, Brenda A. Coutts, David Lovelock, Cuiping Wang, Kamalpreet Kaur, Thao Tran, Brendan Rodoni, Fiona E. Constable, Monica A. Kehoe

Viticulture Research Articles

Grapevine red blotch virus (GRBV; species Grablovirus vitis, genus Grablovirus, family Geminiviridae) poses a significant threat to viticulture worldwide, impacting grapevine health and wine quality. Here, we report the first detection and tracing of GRBV in Australia and provide a summary of a subsequent survey to determine the extent of GRBV distribution in Western Australia. Additionally, the study introduces a tiled amplicon sequencing method, which, when combined with long-read nanopore sequencing, enables rapid GRBV genome sequencing. Our analysis suggests a single introduction of GRBV from North America to Australia through the state of Victoria and subsequently to …

Hemp Cultivation Under Off-Season High Tunnel Growth Chamber Environments In South Louisiana, Gabriel Lococo

LSU Master's Theses

Industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa) production in Louisiana began in 2020 with 932 acres cultivated for fiber and cannabidiol (CBD) extraction. By 2024, production had declined to just 58.4 acres (Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry, personal communication). During the 2020–2021 season, over 40% of field-grown hemp was lost due to tropical storms, insect pressure, and diseases associated with warm, wet conditions. To mitigate these challenges, hemp was planted and harvested between November and January, a cooler period with reduced environmental stress.

‘Sour Citron’, a day-neutral cultivar, was selected for its insensitivity to photoperiod, enabling flowering during shorter days. …

Small Policy Changes Can Accelerate The Adoption Of Improved On-Farm Storage Among Smallholder Farmers, Michael Brander, Zewdu Abro, Menale Kassie, Wolfgang Mittmann, Lukas Stiefel, Matthias Huss

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Reducing food losses is a significant and often overlooked opportunity to bolster global food security and enhancing the resilience and sustainability of global food systems. Food losses are highest in low-income countries where millions of smallholder farming households remain particularly vulnerable. As yet, smallholders’ adoption of loss-minimizing storage technologies, such as hermetic storage bags, remains low. Here, we study the effects of two types of policy options on the adoption of improved on-farm storage in the case of Ethiopia. Using a randomized controlled trial, we show that a small partial subsidy, which mirrors the current fiscal burden on these technologies, …

Effect Of Rainfall Reduction And Competition On The Phenology Of The Mediterranean Forage Perennial Legume Bituminaria Bituminosa Var. Albomarginata Cv. Lanza, Jesus Fernandez-Habas, Daniel Real, Tom Vanwalleghem, Jose Ramon Leal-Murillo, Jesus Fernandez-Rebollo

Grain and Other Field Crops Research Articles

Tedera (Bituminaria bituminosa (L.) C.H. Stirt.) is a Mediterranean drought-tolerant species that shows potential as a forage perennial legume for Mediterranean livestock systems. This three-year study investigated the phenology of the newly developed variety of tedera (Lanza) in response to an annual 24% rainfall reduction and competition compared to alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) in a typical Mediterranean environment of the Iberian Peninsula. Tedera showed early phenology for the reproductive stages from inflorescence emergence to ripening compared to alfalfa, with a long flowering period from early April to mid-May, overlapping with mature fruits. In general, tedera responded to a …

Soil Health In Nebraska: Exploring Practitioners' Needs And Insights From A Long-Term Organic Farm, Ingrids Isabel Mata Vigil

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Soil health is foundational to sustainable agriculture, environmental resilience, and long-term food security. Yet, the adoption of soil health assessments remains limited, often perceived as too technical, costly, or difficult to implement in real-world contexts. To better understand these challenges, the first chapter presents findings from a statewide survey of 41 soil health practitioners in Nebraska, including farmers, extension educators, NRCS staff, and conservation professionals. Respondents highlighted the need for simpler, more accessible, and context-specific tools for soil health assessment that help practitioners make informed decisions aligned with their management goals. Complementing these insights, the second chapter includes an independent, …

Evaluating The Effects Of Row Spacing, Legume Intercropping, Fertilizer Source, And Fertilizer Timing On Intermediate Wheatgrass In Eastern Nebraska, Madeline M. Johnston

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Kernza^® is the trademarked name of the perennial crop intermediate wheatgrass (Thinopyrum intermedium). In addition to its potential for dual-use as a grain and forage crop, Kernza is marketed to provide needed environmental services by increasing crop biodiversity, sequestering soil carbon, and reducing nitrate leaching. However, more work is needed in cultivar selection and crop management to increase total grain yields and prevent long-term grain yield decline. Furthermore, research in quantifying and understanding Kernza’s ability to affect soil properties and water dynamics is limited.

Two field experiments were conducted at the Eastern Nebraska Research Extension and Education …

Evaluating Biodegradable Mulch As A Soil Conservation Tool And The Impact On Soil Properties And Yield In Soybean (Glycine Max) Cropping Systems In Eastern Nebraska, Ana Clara Gomes

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This study, conducted during the 2024 growing season, evaluated short-term effects of soil management practices on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, soil microclimate, nitrogen dynamics, weed suppression, and soybean (Glycine max) yield. In addition to conventional tillage and no-till, this research included cereal rye (Secale cereale) cover cropping and a novel sprayable biodegradable mulch (BioWRAP®) to assess emerging strategies for sustainable soybean systems under contrasting moisture regimes.

Field trials were established at two eastern Nebraska locations: Havelock (dryland, silty clay loam) and ENREEC (irrigated, clay loam). A strip-block randomized design with four replications tested six soil management …

Response Of Wheat To Phosphorus-Enriched Ironstone Gravel, David Weaver, David Rogers, Ron Master, Peta Richards, Robert Summers, Simon D V Clarendon

Grain and Other Field Crops Research Articles

Context

Gravel fractions ( > 2 mm) in soil are almost always excluded from laboratory analysis and glasshouse experiments as they are considered to be inert; however, the > 2 mm fraction is always present in field experiments. Aims

To determine whether the > 2 mm fraction of ironstone gravel (IG) soil enriched with phosphorus (P) can supply P to wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Methods

An IG soil was separated into different size fractions ( < 2, 2–4, 4–6, 6–8 and 8–10 mm), and adsorption and desorption experiments, volumetric moisture measurements and glasshouse experiments were conducted. Each of the > 2 mm fractions were enriched with P to different levels and added to a sand culture, or to the enriched < 2 mm fraction in different amounts (25%, 50% and 75% IG). Wheat was grown in pots and growth correlated to P added from enriched soil fractions, weighted Colwell P, soil solution P concentrations and volumetric water content. Key results

The < 2 mm fraction of the IG soil adsorbed more P than the > 2 mm fraction of the IG …

Comparison Of Energy Efficiency And Vegetation In Different Establishment And Management Systems Of Steep Mountainous Grassland In The Aso Area, Japan, K Kabata, C Okamoto, M Shimizu, M Kikuchi

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The Aso area is one of the most important areas for grass­land agriculture in Japan. In this area there exists ca. 44,000 hectares of which ca. 28,700 ha are steep mountainous lands ( a gradient of more than 15 degrees). Additionally, there is much precipitation (ca 2.600 mm/year) in the area. Consequently, there is a problem of grassland destruction due to soil erosion. Therefore, in order to promote the utilization and conser­vation of steep grasslands, the following two experimental grazing were carried out: 1) a two pasture system and 2) a coexistent pasture system with introduced and native grasses. In …

Comparison De La Dynamique De La Vegetation De Deux Ecosystemes Herbagers Mesoxerophiles Apres Deprise Agricole Dans Le Massif Vosgien, S Muller

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Les orientations actuelles de !'agriculture europeenne dans le cadre de la Politique Agricole Commune de la Communaute Economique Europeenne devraient conduire a !'abandon dans les decennies a venir de plusieurs millions d'hectares de terres agricoles en France, entrainant des modifications ecologiques et paysageres considerables. Dans le Massif Vosgien la deprise agricole, consecutive a la regression des industries traditionnelles et a !'elevation du niveau de vie, a provoque !'abandon depuis les annees 1950 de nombreux herbages, autrefois entretenus surtout par des pluri­actifs. Ces milieux evoluent alors vers des friches herbacees seboisant plus ou moins rapidement de maniere spontanee.

Massif Vosgien constitue …

Le Role Des Plantes Herbageres Dans La Limitation Des Pertes Des Principaux Elements Nutritifs Par Le Drainage, S Kopec

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Depuis longtemps on connait !'action anti-erosive des plan­tes herbageres qui empechent d'une fa< ;on tres efficace l'affais­sement des particules de sol, en particulier sur des surfaces en pente. Dans ces derniers temps on parle de plus en plus souvent du role des herbages dans la limitation du drainage des elements nutritifs du sol et de nombreuses recherches menees a cet effet dans plusieurs pays le confirment (Jones, 1972; Gachon et Tri­boi, 1967; Kopec, 1985). Dans cette etude on a presente les resultats des recherches lysimetriques Sur la quantite des principaux elements nutritifs draines par les eaux s'evacuant des terrains agricoles couverts d'herbages et d'autres cultures.

Degradation Models And Their Use In Determining The Condition Of Southern African Grasslands, O.J H. Bosch, K Kellner, S.H E. Scheepers

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

An understanding of the processes of change is an important prerequisite for the development of techniques for the monitor­ing of condition and trend, and to interpret the ecological sig­nificance of determined condition classes. The approach to develop and use degradation models for determining range condition is illustrated in this paper by means of basic ecological data from the relatively high rainfall zone in the climatic climax grasslands (Mentis and Huntley, 1982) of southern Africa.

An Experiment And Study On A Air-Seeding Astragalus Adsurgens For Soil Conservation On The Loess Plateau Of China, Yimin Liang, Daiqiong Li, Xinhai Cong

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The irrational land utilization has resulted in destruction of original vegetation and serious soil erosion on the Loess Pla­teau in China. At present, 1600 million ton of sediment is disch­arged into the Yell ow River per year. In order to explore effec­tive avenues to speed reestablishing vegetation for controlling soil erosion, we made an experiment in seeding forage and shrubs by airplane for four years, from 1976 to 1979, in semi­arid region on the Loess Plateau. We selected suitable plant species for aerial seeding on semiarid region, determined fit aerial seeding time and seeding rate through manual broadcast and air-seeding. …

Role Potentiel Des Legumineuses Annuelles A Ressemis En France, P Masson, G Gintzburger

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

L'interet pour les legumineuses annuelles a ressemis est recent en France malgre !'importance de la zone mediterra­neenne et atlantique dont ces plantes sont originaires. Le trefle souterrain (Trifolium subterraneum) et les luzernes annuelles (Medicago sp.) apparaissent respectivement dans notre littera­ture specialisee a la suite de travaux d'amelioration pastorate en Corse (Etienne, 1977) et des travaux de plusieurs labora­toires de l'Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique a Montpellier (Gintzburger et Prosperi, 1987). Apres 4 ans d'experimentation dans diverses situations des Pyrenees Orientates dans le sud de la France en climat mediter­raneen (pluviometrie moyenne annuelle de 575 mm a …

Agroforestry In The Southeastern United States, H A. Pearson, C E. Lewis

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Agroforestry has been practiced for many years in the tropics by intermixing forages under palms, fruit trees, or hardwoods. Interest has increased in temperate zones for combining trees, pastures, crops, and livestock. Agroforestry in the United States is generally limited to the combining of pines, tame pastures, and cattle. Our purpose is to summarize results of research and developments in the southeastern United States on cool-and warm-season forages under planted pines and pine regeneration in tame pasture.

The Effects Of Heavy Metals Applied In Digested Sewage Sludge To Grassland, A Desira Buttigieg, D A. Klessa, D A. Hall

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The application of potentially toxic elements in sewage sludge to grassland has implications to environmental pol­lution and the health of grazing rumiµants. In Scotland, mod­erately acid grassland receives most of the sewage sludge applied to agricultural land and there is therefore a risk of heavy metal mobilisation and uptake by herbage. In addition, soil ingestion (Fleming, 1986) and intake of herbage contami­nated with sludge adhering to leaf surfaces may present an important means by which potentially toxic elements are absorbed by ruminants. In this paper, two aspects of sewage sludge use on grassland are studied, namely : 1. Factors affecting …