bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An Investigation of the Cognitive and Perceptual Dynamics of a Colour–Digit Synaesthete
Authors: Odgaard Eric C , Flowers John H , Bradman H Lynn
Published: November 2005

L, a 47-year-old female of Choctaw descent, was first identified as a potential synaesthete on the basis of self-report data regarding digit-colour associations. Upon completion of the identification procedures typified in the literature, it was concluded that L met the classic memory-performance criteria used to identify synaesthetic ability. A series of Stroop-type tasks were then performed to identify the dynamics of her synaesthetic experiences. The results of these analyses provided three findings of note. First, the clear pattern of response-time differences between L and the control group suggests that tasks designed to produce involuntary divisions of attention can be an effective means by which to demonstrate that synaesthetic experiences are involuntary but elicited. Second, the significantly slower performance by L on a negative-priming Stroop list shaped around her colour – digit associations indicates the presence of a lexical component in her synaesthetic experience. Third, the use of a manual colour-classification task for which a verbal response was not employed served to confirm the presence of a lexical component in L's synaesthetic experiences. The implications of these results for current synaesthetic theories are then discussed. Finally, a clustering solution of a portion of L's colour–digit experiences is presented, along with the ramifications of its results on the nature of L's perceptual experience.
The Framing Effect with Rectangular and Trapezoidal Surfaces: Actual and Pictorial Surface Slant, Frame Orientation, and Viewing Condition
Authors: Reinhardt-Rutland Anthony H
Published: November 2005

The perceived slant of a surface relative to the frontal plane can be reduced when the surface is viewed through a frame between the observer and the surface. Aspects of this framing effect were investigated in three experiments in which observers judged the orientations-in-depth of rectangular and trapezoidal surfaces which were matched for pictorial depth. In experiments 1 and 2, viewing was stationary-monocular. In experiment 1, a frontal rectangular frame was present or absent during viewing. The perceived slants of the surfaces were reduced in the presence of the frame; the reduction for the trapezoidal surface was greater, suggesting that conflict in stimulus information contributes to the phenomenon. In experiment 2, the rectangular frame was either frontal or slanted; in a third condition, a frame was trapezoidal and frontal. The conditions all elicited similar results, suggesting that the framing effect is not explained by pictorial perception of the display, or by assimilation of the surface orientation to the frame orientation. In experiment 3, viewing was moving-monocular to introduce motion parallax; the framing effect was reduced, being appreciable only for a trapezoidal surface. The results are related to other phenomena in which depth perception of points in space tends towards a frontal plane; this frontal-plane tendency is attributed to heavy experimental demands, mainly concerning impoverished, conflicting, and distracting information.
Glass Patterns: Grouping by Contrast Similarity
Authors: Earle David C
Published: November 2005

Recent work has shown that certain contrast phenomena associated with Glass patterns can be accounted for by filtering mechanisms applied within the luminance or energy domain. Hitherto, these phenomena were regarded as problematic for energy-processing models, and were taken as evidence in support of symbolic-processing accounts. An additional, and controversial, contrast effect is investigated. It is shown that in a Glass pattern consisting of simultaneous vertical and horizontal translations of different contrast strength, the most salient structure is determined by grouping (pairing) of the two low-contrast elements of the pattern. The finding that grouping in such patterns is by contrast similarity, as opposed to energy, is consistent with the symbolic-processing approach, but has yet to be accounted for by filtering mechanisms.
Surface Formation and Depth in Monocular Scene Perception
Authors: Albert Marc K
Published: November 2005

The visual perception of monocular stimuli perceived as 3-D objects has received considerable attention from researchers in human and machine vision. However, most previous research has focused on how individual 3-D objects are perceived. Here this is extended to a study of how the structure of 3-D scenes containing multiple, possibly disconnected objects and features is perceived.

Da Vinci stereopsis, stereo capture, and other surface formation and interpolation phenomena in stereopsis and structure-from-motion suggest that small features having ambiguous depth may be assigned depth by interpolation with features having unambiguous depth. I investigated whether vision may use similar mechanisms to assign relative depth to multiple objects and features in sparse monocular images, such as line drawings, especially when other depth cues are absent. I propose that vision tends to organize disconnected objects and features into common surfaces to construct 3-D-scene interpretations.

Interpolations that are too weak to generate a visible surface percept may still be strong enough to assign relative depth to objects within a scene. When there exists more than one possible surface interpolation in a scene, the visual system's preference for one interpolation over another seems to be influenced by a number of factors, including: (i) proximity, (ii) smoothness, (iii) a preference for roughly frontoparallel surfaces and ‘ground’ surfaces, (iv) attention and fixation, and (v) higher-level factors. I present a variety of demonstrations and an experiment to support this surface-formation hypothesis.
Risks of gene flow from transgenic herbicide-resistant canola (Brassica napus) to weedy relatives in southern Australian cropping systems
Authors: Rieger Mary A. , Preston Chris , Powles Stephen B.
Published: November 2005

It is likely that transgenic canola expressing genes encoding resistance to
glyphosate and glufosinate ammonium will be introduced into the Australian
cropping system in the next few years. One risk associated with the
introduction of such cultivars is the release of herbicide resistance genes
into weedy relatives of canola. This review examines the currently available
experimental information regarding the possibility of gene flow from canola to
weedy relatives. Three species are identified as having the potential to
outcross with canola, Brassica juncea,
B. rapa, and
Raphanus raphanistrum. Two of these species are not yet
widespread weeds of the southern Australian cropping zone. In contrast,
R. raphanistrum is already a major weed in Australia
with existing resistance to ALS-inhibiting herbicides. Information is urgently
needed to determine whether successful hybrids between
B. napus and R. raphanistrum can be
produced under Australian conditions. Major deficiencies in the existing
information are identified in relation to some other important weed species
within the southern Australian cropping zone. Further studies are required to
determine the out-crossing potential of canola to
B. tournefortii,
Diplotaxis tenuifolia,
Sisymbrium officinale, and
S. orientale if transgenic canola is to be safely and
responsibly introduced into Australia.
Effects of mycorrhizae, established from an existing intact hyphal network, on the growth response of capsicum (Capsicum annuum L.) and tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) to five rates of applied phosphorus
Authors: Olsen J. K. , Schaefer J. T. , Edwards D. G. , Hunter M. N. , Galea V. J. , Muller L. M.
Published: November 2005

The growth response of 2 vegetable crops to 5 rates of applied phosphorus (P)in the presence or absence of an existing network of extraradical mycorrhizalmycelium was determined in 2 greenhouse pot experiments (Expt 1, autumnwinter; Expt 2, summer autumn) using a low-P growth medium (6 or 5 mgNaHCO3-extractable P/kg for Expt 1 or 2,respectively). In both experiments, capsicum(Capsicum annuum L.) and tomato(Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) plants were grown at 0(P1 ), 9.2 (P2), 27.5(P3 ), 82.5 (P4 ), or 248(P5) mg P/kg oven-dry soil (spot-placed at sowing)within a nylon mesh (pore size 44 µm). The mesh excluded roots from theoriginal sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) host plants,to which either live (VAM+) or killed (VAM–) mycorrhizal[Glomus etunicatum Becker & Gerdemann andGlomus mosseae (Nicol. & Gerd.) Gerdemann & Trappe] inoculum was added at sowing. The mesh did allow fungal hyphae togrow into the growth medium contained by the mesh.Whereas VAM+ plants generally had higher P concentrations in indextissues than VAM– plants at low P rates, a concomitant increase in drymatter yield was restricted to the P1 rate. AtP1 in Expt 2, the increase in the dry weight of wholeplants as a result of VAM colonisation was as large as 91.7-fold and 17.9-foldfor capsicum and tomato, respectively. Root starch analysis indicated that thelower dry matter yields of VAM+ plants than of VAM– plants at≥P2 could be attributed to insufficient photosynthateproduction by VAM+ plants to meet the carbon (C) demand of both host andendophytes within the relatively low-light environment of the greenhouse(average daily solar irradiance of 8.4 MJ/m2 forExpt 1 and 13.4 MJ/m2 for Expt 2).The growth response of vegetable crops grown within the greenhouse fromcolonisation by an established mycorrhizal mycelium appears to depend on acritical balance of P and C supply; i.e. at P1, P wasmore limiting than C, and the increased uptake of P as a result ofcolonisation of plant roots by VAM resulted in a growth response. At higher Prates, C was more limiting than P due to low light in the greenhouse, and theadditional demand for photosynthate imposed by the endophytes on the hostresulted in a growth depression relative to non-mycorrhizal plants.
Effect of pasture renovation on the size and composition of the germinable fraction of the seed pool beneath bent grass (Agrostis castellana) pastures in southern Victoria
Authors: Batson M-G.
Published: November 2005

This paper investigated the potential for propagation of grass weeds from seed
by measuring changes in the size and composition of the germinable fraction of
the seed pool beneath 4 bent grass (Agrostis castellana)
pastures in southern Victoria during renovation. Soil samples, for the
estimation of the seed pool by seedling emergence in the glasshouse, were
taken from a control and a renovated pasture on 3 occasions during renovation
at each of the 4 sites. The depth distribution of seeds in the top 0–100
mm was assessed by dividing collected soil samples into depths of 0–30
mm and 30–100 mm.
The total germinable seed pool (0–30 mm) ranged from 17 620 to 83 540
seedlings/m2, as affected by the time of sampling.
There were seedlings from 14 grass genera (12% contribution to the
total seed pool), Juncus (60%), 4 leguminous
genera (17%), and 22 other dicotyledonous genera (12%). The
percentage change in the number of germinated seeds of grasses and
dicotyledons between the first and second sampling was negative (
–7·3% to –31·4%) beneath renovated
pasture, as opposed to a positive change
(29·0–174·4%) beneath undisturbed pasture; this was
attributed to the prevention of seeding due to the cultivation of the pasture
associated with renovation. The percentage change in the number of germinated
seeds of grasses and dicotyledons did not differ significantly between
renovated and undisturbed pasture between the second and third sampling, which
suggested that no more seed germinated in response to renovation.
Re-distribution of germinable seed to lower depths (30–100 mm) with
renovation was apparent for grasses and other dicotyledons, and would depress
successful emergence of these seedlings.
Renovation prevented re-seeding of weeds and buried surface seed, but did not
significantly stimulate additional seed to germinate the following autumn
after renovation. Weed seeds were still present in the soil seed pool after
renovation, which indicated that these species could potentially germinate and
establish in new pastures.
Introduction and management of vetch/barley forage mixtures in the rainfed areas of Pakistan. 3. Residual effects on following cereal crops
Authors: Qamar I. A. , Keatinge J. D. H. , Mohammad (dec.) Noor , Ali Asghar , Khan M. Ajmal
Published: November 2005

The residual effects of winter-sown forage mixtures grown in the northern
rainfed parts of Punjab province and south-eastern North West Frontier
Province in Pakistan were examined. Studies were carried out during
1994–97 primarily at the National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC),
Islamabad, which has an annual rainfall of around 1000 mm and, secondarily, at
a much drier site at the Arid Zone Research Centre (AZRC) at Quetta. Common
vetch (V), barley (B), and their mixtures at seed ratios of V75B25, V50B50,
and V25B75 were sown and 3 harvest time treatments (pre-flowering, full
flowering, and maturity) were imposed. Sorghum, and then wheat, were grown as
succeeding crops to monitor the residual effects of the introduction and
management of legume forage mixtures. Significant residual effects on the dry
matter production and nitrogen (N) content of sorghum (P
< 0·01) were observed at both NARC and AZRC following different
vetch/barley seed ratio treatments. Sorghum dry matter yield after pure
vetch and after the mixture ratio treatment of V75B25 was higher (4·5
t/ha) than after other mixtures and it was lowest after sole barley
(2·5 t/ha). The N taken up by the sorghum after pure vetch amounted
to 56 kg/ha and after pure barley was 25 kg/ha. Nitrogen yield from
the sorghum decreased with increasing amount of barley in the mixture. There
were no apparent effects of the previous harvest time treatments imposed on
the forages. Differences in dry matter production and N content in wheat
following sorghum at NARC were just detectable after different
vetch/barley seed ratios. The greatest amount of dry matter (>4
t/ha) with an N content of 29 kg/ha was found following pure vetch and
sorghum and the lowest dry matter (3·4 t/ha) and N (23 kg/ha)
following pure barley and sorghum. At AZRC, the same trends in sorghum were
observed as at NARC but with reduced yields due to the substantially lower and
less well distributed rainfall and suboptimal temperatures, which restricted
the productivity of the initial crops in the sequence.
Estimating the risk associated with drying-off strategies for irrigated sugarcane before harvest
Authors: Robertson M. J. , Muchow R. C. , Donaldson R. A. , Inman-Bamber N. G. , Wood A. W.
Published: November 2005

The development of recommendations for drying-off management in sugarcane is
difficult due to climatic variability and lack of knowledge of the sensitivity
of changes in sucrose content and cane yield to severity of water deficit.
Relative cane biomass targets were developed for drying-off irrigated
sugarcane before harvest based on derived relationships between cane yield,
cane dry weight, and sucrose concentration, using pooled data from previous
field studies. These targets were then linked to a crop–soil model and
long-term climate data to determine the economically optimum duration of
drying-off, and its variability from season to season for 2 locations in
Australia and one location in South Africa, for a range of harvest dates and
soil types. The crop–soil model was validated on yields measured in 37
drying-off treatments conducted in South Africa and Australia. The simulation
results show that the required drying-off duration can be highly variable,
although the level of variability is not necessarily correlated with rainfall
per se. There were interactions between soil type and
harvest date, but not at every location.
The systems approach outlined here can be useful in developing recommendations
for drying-off where experience is limited, such as in expanding areas of
sugar industries, for districts in which the practice of irrigation is
increasing, or for harvest dates outside the current harvesting season.
Mathematical equations to describe lactation curves for Holstein- Friesian cows in New South Wales
Authors: Tozer P. R. , Huffaker R. G.
Published: November 2005

Researchers have characterised dairy milk production using a wide variety of
statistically estimated equations that regress the average yield per unit time
of cows in a given parity against time. The various functions employed to
explain average daily milk yield include the incomplete gamma, the inverse
polynomial, the Mitscherlich exponential form, and the multiphasic curve. Most
of the lactation research has been carried out in the Northen Hemisphere and
the applicability of the results to Australian conditions is limited due to
differences in herd and feed management practices. The usefulness of some
functions in developing management strategies is also limited, as it is
difficult to determine lactation characteristics, such as time to peak yield
and the milk production at this peak. Herd recording data from New South Wales
were used to estimate equations for ‘average’ Holstein-Friesian
dairy cows of varying parities. Of the 4 functions used in this study, one was
not statistically appealing, the multiphasic function, and of the others, 2
functions, the incomplete gamma function and the inverse polynomial, performed
well statistically and in replicating the underlying data. Thus, the simplest
functions were more robust.
Genetic control of mineral concentration and yield in perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.), with special emphasis on minerals related to grass tetany
Authors: Smith K. F. , Rebetzke G. J. , Eagles H. A. , Anderson M. W. , Easton H. S.
Published: November 2005

Grass tetany is a common metabolic disorder of ruminants in southern
Australia. To investigate the genetic control of mineral concentrations
leading to this disorder, replicate populations of perennial ryegrass half-sib
families were grown at Hamilton and Timboon in southern Australia. Variation
in herbage yield, and Mg, P, K, Ca, Na, Cl, S, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, and
K/(Mg+Ca) (tetany ratio) concentrations in the herbage of these
families was measured in the early spring of 1994. Large environmental effects
on herbage mineral concentration were detected, with location differences
accounting for 60–80% of the total variance. Both the mean and
range for mineral concentration were similar for each population. As expected,
Mg, Ca, and K were significantly correlated with tetany ratio; however, the
concentrations of other minerals were not consistently associated with tetany
ratio. Tetany ratio and Mg showed a negative genetic correlation in both
groups. The genetic correlation for tetany ratio with K or Ca was less
repeatable across groups. Significant family variance components
(σ2f) were detected for
yield, Mg, Ca, K, and tetany ratio, and narrow-sense heritabilities for these
traits were moderate to high (h2 =
0·46–0·81). However, family location interactions were
also significant, with σ2fl
often >σ2f. A large
proportion of the family location interaction for K and Mg concentration was
associated with non-rank family changes indicating that family selection for
low K or high Mg concentration would be effective across environments.
However, family × location effects for Ca and tetany ratio were
associated with substantial rank changes across locations. Selection for
increased Mg concentration would appear the most suitable strategy for
reducing the tetany ratio of perennial ryegrass, with possibly different
cultivars required for the environments represented by Hamilton and Timboon.
The developing pattern of damage in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) due to the combined stresses of salinity and hypoxia: experiments under controlled conditions suggest a methodology for plant selection
Authors: Barrett-Lennard E. G. , van Ratingen P. , Mathie Moira H.
Published: November 2005

The response of wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cv. Gamenya)
to the interaction of salinity and hypoxia was examined by growing plants
under glasshouse conditions in salinised nutrient solutions bubbled with air
or N2 gas.
Expts 1 and 2 examined the effects of 7 days of salinity and hypoxia on young
(13–20-day-old) plants. These experiments showed that
(a) hypoxia substantially increased net rates of
Na+ and Cl uptake to the shoots,
(b) hypoxia increased Na+ and Cl
concentrations in the expanded leaves but not in the expanding leaf, and
(c) these changes preceded adverse effects on shoot
growth.
Expt 3 considered the effects of longer term hypoxia and salinity on growth
(production of leaves on the main culm, shoot ethanol-insoluble dry weight).
Plants were grown for 33 days in aerated or hypoxic solutions containing up to
60 mol/m3 of NaCl (at which time Harvest 1 was
taken). Some plants were then transferred back into aerated solutions for a
further 13 days to assess recovery from hypoxia (at which time Harvest 2 was
taken). For plants grown in aerated solutions, rates of leaf production
exceeded rates of leaf senescence at all salt concentrations tested. In
contrast, with plants grown in hypoxic solutions, rates of leaf production
only exceeded rates of senescence with 0 and 15
mol/m3 of NaCl. The plants grown in aerated
solutions had 1.4–2.8-fold increases in ethanol-insoluble dry weight
over the 13 days between Harvests 1 and 2 at all salt concentrations tested.
In contrast, with the plants grown in hypoxic solutions, increases only
occurred in shoot ethanol-insoluble dry weight for plants grown with 0 and 15
mol/m3 of NaCl. At higher salt concentrations, the
shoots were moribund.
The results are discussed in terms of the sequence of damage that occurs in
wheat following the onset of salinity and hypoxia, and the implications of
these observations for the selection of cereals with tolerance to salt and
waterlogging in the field.
Assessing the value of improved marbling in beef breeding objectives and selection
Authors: Barwick S. A. , Henzell A. L.
Published: November 2005

A method of assessing the economic value of improved marbling for use in
deriving beef breeding objectives for individual decision-makers is described
and illustrated. Correlations between breeding objectives that account for
marbling score were examined for 6 cases that differed in their breeding role,
market-addressed (Domestic Australian, high quality Japanese), and other
production system characteristics. Under the assumptions considered, the
economic value of improved marbling varied with mean marbling score (i.e. was
non-linear) in objectives for the Japanese market. Marbling improvement was a
more important aim in populations with a greater propensity to marble.
Differences between some breeding objectives were large (genetic correlations
≤0.65), with marked differences (genetic correlations <0.40) between an
objective that targeted only feedlot finishing performance for the Japanese
market and objectives that targeted complete pasture-fed production for the
Domestic Australian market. Varying individual assumptions had only small
effects on results. A procedure is described for including marbling
evaluations in selection indices where marbling contributes non-linearly to
the breeding objective.
Cool season grain legumes for Mediterranean environments: the effect of environment on non-protein amino acids in Vicia and Lathyrus species
Authors: Berger J. D. , Siddique K. H. M. , Loss S. P.
Published: November 2005

Variation among a range of potentially deleterious non-protein amino acids
found in the seeds of the genera Vicia and
Lathyrus was determined by growing species at up to 31
sites covering the range of environments experienced in the cropping region of
south-west Australia. γ-Glutamyl-S-ethenyl cysteine (GEC) concentrations
in V. narbonensis were correlated to seed sulfur levels
(r = 0.95, P < 0.001) in
1 of 2 genotypes, and shown to increase under conditions of increasing soil
sulfur availability, pH, clay content, cation exchange capacity, concentration
of exchangeable cations, and salinity. To capitalise on the agricultural
potential of this species we recommend the selection of genotypes that break
the linkage between GEC and seed sulfur. In Lathyrus
species the degree of variation of β-N-oxalyl-L-α,
β-diaminopropionic acid (ODAP) in the seed appears to be proportional to
the species mean ODAP concentration; L. ochrus was more
responsive than L. sativus, which was in turn more
responsive than L. cicera. Seed ODAP concentrations in
L. ochrus and L. sativus were
positively correlated with soil phosphorus, and negatively correlated with
clay content and salinity, and may constrain the species potential for human
and animal consumption. In V. ervilia seed, canavanine
concentrations were extremely variable in the field (0.01–0.17%),
but are unlikely to reduce the stockfeed potential of this species for either
monogastrics or ruminants.
Cool season grain legumes for Mediterranean environments: species × environment interaction in seed quality traits and anti-nutritional factors in the genus Vicia
Authors: Berger J. D. , Siddique K. H. M. , Loss S. P.
Published: November 2005

Seed size and protein, sulfur (S), total phenolics, condensed tannins, and
proteinase inhibitor concentrations were measured in 4
Vicia species (V. faba,
V. sativa, V. ervilia,
V. narbonensis) grown at up to 30 locations in the
south-west of Western Australia. There was a species × environment
interaction for all seed traits, and this was reflected in the relationships
with environmental parameters and other seed traits within each species. For
V. faba, it was difficult to account for the production
of seed quality traits or antinutritional factors on the basis of descriptive
environmental parameters such as climate or edaphic characteristics. The
remaining species were more responsive to environmental factors measured
throughout the study. Seed size was negatively associated with soil salinity
in V. narbonensis and V. ervilia.
Seed protein content was positively correlated with soil total nitrogen (N)
and phosphorus (P) in V. sativa and
V. ervilia, and also with electrical conductivity, pH,
and exchangeable cations in V. ervilia. The S content of
V. narbonensis seeds increased with increasing soil S
availability, while the opposite occurred in V. ervilia
and V. sativa. Total phenolics were positively
associated with total N and P in V. sativa, and negatively correlated with
soil clay content, S, and salinity in V. ervilia.
Proteinase inhibitors in V. sativa were positively
associated with soil salinity, while the opposite was the case in
V. ervilia. Proteinase inhibitors in
V. ervilia were also negatively correlated with pH, clay
content, total N, and exchangeable cations, whereas the total N and
exchangeable cations were associated with increasing proteinase inhibitors in
V. narbonensis. These complex and contrasting
relationships between antinutritional factors and environmental parameters
suggest that the carbon: nutrient balance hypothesis, the pre-eminent paradigm
used to predict plant resource allocation to N and C based defence, may not be
applicable to the seeds of legumes.
The agricultural significance of the species ´ environment interaction
above depends on the seed characteristic in question. Increased S uptake by
V. narbonensis relative to
V. ervilia and V. sativa may
advantage this species as a fodder crop, given that these species are targeted
at alkaline, fine-textured soils where soil S availability is likely to be
relatively high. However, in the seed of V. narbonensis
and V. sativa, fluctuating concentrations of
polyphenolics and condensed tannins occasionally reach the relatively high
levels recorded in V. faba, and other anti-nutritional
factors not withstanding, this may limit their palatability to monogastrics.
Flooding tolerance in five populations of Lotus glaber Mill. (Syn. Lotus tenuis Waldst. et. Kit.)
Authors: Vignolio O. R. , Fernández O. N. , Maceira N. O.
Published: November 2005

Lotus glaber Mill. is a herbaceous legume, tolerant to
flooding, that in a few decades has colonised the Flooding Pampa grasslands,
an extensive wetland of 90 000 km in central-east Argentina. In this study,
the growth and nodulation of flooded plants in 5 local populations were
evaluated. Thirty-day-old seedlings, grown in pots, were flooded outdoors
during 4 months. Stem, leaf, and root biomass, as well as the number of
nodules per plant, were lower in flooded plants than in non-flooded ones. In
flooded plants, the submerged portions of stems were hypertrophied and
populations differed in the proportion of plants with adventitious roots.
Flood tolerance was significantly related to the proportion of plants with
adventitious roots in stems of each population. A positive relationship was
shown between the proportion of plants with adventitious root and number of
nodules per plant. The plants were also tolerant of low temperatures and
ice-sheeting of water. These results underline the importance of morphological
adaptations related to the maintenance of plant functionality under flooding
conditions. The results provide evidence of the existence of characters
related to flooding tolerance, which should be taken into account in
ecological studies and agronomic selection programs
Pathological and molecular genetic variation in the interaction between Sporobolus spp. and Bipolaris spp.
Authors: Hetherington S. D. , Irwin J. A. G.
Published: November 2005

Members of the Sporobolus indicus complex, particularly
Sporobolus indicus (L.) R. Br. var.
major (Buse) Baaijens (Giant Parramatta Grass; GPG) and
S. pyramidalis P. Beauv. (Giant Rat’s Tail Grass;
GRTG), are serious pastoral weeds in coastal areas of Australia. Ovariicolous
fungal pathogens from the genus Bipolaris Shoem. are
agents of the disease false smut on these plants. The hosts are
morphologically plastic and variation in disease susceptibility may affect the
use of the fungus as a biological control agent. Variation was investigated by
screening 22 clones representative of 5 taxonomic entities within the
S. indicus complex with 39 fungal isolates
representative of 4 Bipolaris species. Both weed
entities were highly susceptible to B. ravenelii and
B. crustacea and only slightly susceptible to
B. cylindrica and B. australis.
The converse was true for other Sporobolus entities
tested. Genomic DNA was extracted from 20 Sporobolus
clones (genotypes) and the RAPD technique used to generate an index of
variation. This technique was able to separate the members of the complex into
taxonomic groupings. There was only a 2% difference in banding patterns
of S. indicus var. major clones
collected in New South Wales. Variation amongst clones of
S. pyramidalis was greater (15%), indicating a
more genetically diverse plant population. The more variable genetic
background of S. pyramidalis is more likely to provide
variation in susceptibility than that of S. indicus var.
major
Spray-topping annual grass pasture with glyphosate to delay loss of feeding value during summer. I. Effects on pasture yield and nutritive value
Authors: Leury B. J. , Siever-Kelly C. , Simpson R. J. , Gatford K. L. , Ciavarella T. A. , Dove H.
Published: November 2005

Annual grass pasture (mainly annual ryegrass) was treated at seed head
emergence (12 October 1990) with the herbicide glyphosate to delay loss of
digestibility during late spring and summer. The lowest rate of glyphosate
application needed to retain a high digestibility in the dry matter (DM) of
the senescent grass sward was 180 g a.i./ha. The
in vitro DM digestibility of control (unsprayed) pasture
declined rapidly from relatively high levels near anthesis (28 October)
(77–86%, leaves and seed head; 66%, stems) until about 38
days after anthesis (51–71%, leaves and seed head; 24%,
stem). Thereafter, the digestibility of the plant parts did not change
appreciably over at least 4 months. Treatment with glyphosate significantly
slowed the loss in digestibility of stem, leaf sheaths, and seed head but did
not affect the decline in digestibility of leaf blades. For example, the
digestibility of stem in the sprayed pasture was 26 percentage units higher
than that in the control pasture 38 days after anthesis. If the time at which
digestibility of stems reached 50% is taken as an indication, the
effective delay in loss of digestibility was of the order of 5 weeks. However,
improved digestibility in the treated pasture was achieved at the expense of
pasture yield, with the peak yield of control pasture being 4 t DM/ha
(45%) higher than that of the treated pasture. Improved digestibility
in treated grass pasture was mainly associated with delayed loss of
water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC), except in the seed head. Improved cell wall
(neutral detergent fibre) digestibility also contributed to varying degrees
and was the main factor contributing to improved digestibility in the seed
head. The major WSC present in the treated pasture was fructan. The crude
protein concentrations of all plant parts of the senescent pasture, except the
leaf blades, were also increased by treatment with glyphosate.
Spray-topping annual grass pasture with glyphosate to delay loss of feeding value during summer. II . Herbage intake, digestibility, and diet selection in penned sheep
Authors: Leury B. J. , Siever-Kelly C. , Simpson R. J. , Gatford K. L. , Dove H.
Published: November 2005

The treatment of annual ryegrass–silver grass pasture with the herbicide
glyphosate at seed head emergence delayed the loss of soluble carbohydrates
and improved herbage digestibility. The present study investigated whether
this improvement in nutritive value had any influence on the diet preference,
intake, and performance of housed sheep. Since the effects of glyphosate on
digestibility were most marked in stem tissue, preference was examined not
only in relation to sprayed v. unsprayed herbage, but
also in terms of preference for individual plant parts. In the preference
testing, sheep showed a marked preference for sprayed rather than unsprayed
herbage. They also consumed more of it, such that their digestible dry matter
intake from sprayed herbage was nearly twice that from unsprayed herbage. When
sheep were offered different plant fractions from the control herbage, they
selected against stem material and preferred leaf or seed head. By contrast,
when offered fractions from the sprayed material, they preferred stem to leaf,
but showed no strong preference for stem over seed head. Preference was
related more to the soluble carbohydrate content of a plant part than its
digestibility, and only when soluble carbohydrate contents were similar was
there preference for the more digestible material. The consumption of sprayed
herbage, compared with control herbage, led to higher concentrations of rumen
volatile fatty acids in the period 4 h after feeding. Moreover, the feeding of
these herbages over a 6-week period resulted in significant reductions in
pre-feeding plasma urea and β-hydroxybutyrate concentrations. When control
herbage was fed with supplements of fructose, urea, or fructose+urea, in
an attempt to mimic the possible differences in nutritive value between
control and sprayed herbage, the responses in rumen and blood metabolites were
less marked than when sprayed herbage was fed. As a consequence of the higher
nutritive value of the sprayed herbage and the higher intakes by the animals
fed this material, sheep fed sprayed herbage were able to maintain weight over
the feeding period, whereas those offered the control herbage lost weight at
130–150 g/day
Reducing metabolic rate by immunoneutralisation of catecholamines
Authors: Gazzola C. , Hunter R. A.
Published: November 2005

A conjugate of noradrenaline and ovalbumin was used to produce
anti-noradrenaline antibodies in goats and Brahman steers. Three weeks after
the primary immunisation, anti-noradrenaline binding was detected in the sera
of 2 of 5 immunised steers but none was detected in any steers 6 weeks after
immunisation. Three weeks after immunisation, immunised steers, including the
ones with no detectable anti-noradrenaline antibodies, had a larger change
(P < 0.02) in fasting metabolic rate from
pretreatment values (–14.5 W) than did paired controls (+3.3 W).
After 6 weeks, the changes in fasting metabolic rate for the treated and
control groups were –17.8 Wand –36.6 W (P
< 0.08), respectively. Anti-noradrenaline polyclonal antibodies purified
from goat serum had an approximate dissociation constant for binding to
noradrenaline of 4 µM and a specific binding capacity of 178 nM in the
immunoglobulin solution prepared, equivalent to about 30 mg/L of
anti-catecholamine antibodies in the original goat serum. When 1 mL of this
immunoglobulin solution was injected into rats, their metabolic rate was
lowered by >10% relative to rats treated with control immunoglobulin
solution (P < 0.05). These results demonstrate that
the lowering of metabolic rate by an immunological approach which targets
control points in the sympathetic nervous system is feasible and could offer
an immunologically based method of growth promotion for beef cattle.
Apparent metabolisable energy and chemical composition of Australian wheat in relation to environmental factors
Authors: Choct M. , Hughes R. J. , Annison G.
Published: November 2005

A total of 81 wheats collected from New South Wales, Victoria, South
Australia, Queensland, and Western Australia over 3 harvests were assayed for
apparent metabolisable energy (AME) in broiler chickens. The non-starch
polysaccharides (soluble and insoluble) and their individual sugar components,
starch, and protein were also determined. The nutritive quality of wheat
varied significantly (P < 0.01), especially at time
of harvest, with approximately 40% having an average AME value <13
MJ/kg dry matter. The low-AME wheats usually caused copious quantities of
watery and sticky droppings. The occurrence of low-AME wheats was associated
more with climatic conditions during growth than with geographical region.
A pilot study investigating the complexity of Fusarium wilt of bananas in West Sumatra, Indonesia
Authors: Nasir Nasril , Pittaway P. A. , Pegg K. G. , Lisle A. T.
Published: November 2005

Fusarium wilt symptoms were observed on 15 different banana cultivars growing
in commercial plantations and backyard holdings, in 6 districts in the
Province of West Sumatra, Indonesia. Affected cultivars included the most
popular dessert bananas Pisang buai (AAA), Pisang raja (AAB), Pisang raja
serai (AAB), and Pisang ambon (AAA). Disease symptoms were also observed on
the most popular cooking banana Pisang kepok (ABB), formerly considered to be
resistant. However, no disease symptoms were observed on wild
Musa species.
The 37 isolates of the pathogen Fusarium oxysporum f.
sp. cubense (Foc) recovered from
the vascular tissue of the diseased bananas were assigned to the vegetative
compatability groups (VCGs) 0120–01215, 0124, 01213–01216, 01218,
and 01219. VCG 01216 was isolated from all districts, and from 14 of the 15
cultivars exhibiting wilt symptoms. However, the distribution of the other
VCGs was more variable, reflecting the patterns of human migration within the
different districts. Districts designated as expanding urban centres or as
transmigration centres had a higher diversity of banana genotypes present,
with a correspondingly higher diversity of VCGs isolated from the diseased
plants. The traditional practice of transplanting banana suckers and rhizomes
irrespective of the disease status of the parent plant, and the recent
increase in the mobility of the Indonesian population, indicate that disease
control strategies based on quarantine will not be effective. Accordingly, the
selection of both popular dessert and cooking banana cultivars with resistance
to VCG 01216 should be a priority for the control of Fusarium wilt in West
Sumatra.
In vitro screening of rumen fluid samples from indigenous African ruminants provides evidence for rumen fluid with superior capacities to digest tannin-rich fodders
Authors: Odenyo A. A. , McSweeney C. S. , Palmer B. , Negassa D. , Osuji P. O.
Published: November 2005

The capabilities of rumen fluid sources from indigenous African ruminants and
hindgut fluid from zebra to ferment leaves of
Acacia angustissima,
Calliandra calothyrsus,
Leucaena diversifolia,
Leucaena leucocephala,
Leucaena pallida, and
Tephrosia bracteolata were evaluated to determine the
presence of tannin tolerant or degrading microbes.
In vitro gas and ammonia production and loss of neutral
detergent fibre were estimated as indices for fermentation. The effect of
polyethylene glycol (PEG) on fermentation was tested. The ability of
microorganisms in rumen fluid sources to grow in the presence of tannin
extracts or tannic acid was also tested and their disappearance was determined
by HPLC. There was a significant (P < 0.001) rumen fluid source ×
fodder type interaction with all variables studied. The highest gas and
ammonia production was from samples incubated with rumen fluid from dik-dik
and goat. Addition of PEG enhanced fermentation with various rumen fluid
sources and from some plant leaves but its effect was greatest (P < 0.001)
in A. angustissima. HPLC results showed that tannin and
phenolic monomers were hydrolysed by all rumen fluid sources. The conclusion
from this work was that rumen fluid from goat, gazelle, Gunther™s
dik-dik, and impala effectively fermented tannin-rich fodders and therefore
may harbour tannin tolerant or degrading microorganisms.
Maternal fatness influences fetal size in ewes underfed in late pregnancy
Authors: McNeill D. M. , Kelly R. W. , Williams I. H.
Published: November 2005

The effect of ewe fatness on fetal weight at term in ewes underfed in late
pregnancy was tested by minimising the confounding effect of differences
between fatness groups in placental weight. Twin-bearing Merino ewes in a fat
(n = 9, condition score 3.8 units) or moderate
(n =9, condition score 2.9) body condition were
underfed to 0.6 of their requirements for energy maintenance from Day 108 to
144 of pregnancy. The fatness groups were developed over an 80-day period
prior to mating by splitting a flock into 2 groups, each of similar mean
liveweight and body condition score, and then enhancing the nutrient intake of
one whilst restricting that of the other to maintenance levels until mating.
After mating, both groups were fed similarly until Day 108 of pregnancy in an
attempt to allow the development of placentas of a similar size in each.
Maternal fat and protein mobilised between Day 108 and 144 of pregnancy were
calculated on a per animal basis as the difference between maternal fat and
protein weights at Day 108, estimated by the tritiated water dilution
technique, and at Day 144, estimated by chemical analysis of fat and protein
tissue following slaughter. At slaughter, the fat ewes had placentas of a size
similar to those of the leaner ewes (588 v. 507 g,
pooled s.e. = 50.7, P > 0.10) but produced a
total weight of fetus that was 14% heavier (6646
v. 5826 g, pooled s.e. = 257.6,
P < 0.05). The fat ewes also mobilised more body fat
between Day 108 and 144 (3.62 v. 2.58 kg, pooled s.e.
= 0.446, P < 0.10), and maintained higher
levels of non-esterified fatty acids in their plasma during late pregnancy.
There was no effect of ewe fatness on the extent of protein mobilisation (0.66
v. 0.62 kg, pooled s.e. = 0.623,
P > 0.10) over late pregnancy. We conclude that
additional maternal fat reserves can limit the extent to which fetal growth is
restricted in ewes undernourished during late pregnancy.
The long-term influence of superphosphate and stocking rate on the production of spring-lambing Merino sheep in the high rainfall zone of southern Australia
Authors: Cayley J. W. D. , Kearney G. A. , Saul G. R. , Lescun C. L.
Published: November 2005

The productivity of spring-lambing fine wool Merino sheep grazing pastures
sown in 1977 to perennial ryegrass and subterranean clover was assessed from
1989 to 1998. The pastures were fertilised each autumn with single
superphosphate at 6 levels, and were stocked at a low, medium, or high
stocking rate (SR) at each level of fertiliser. The average phosphorus (P)
applied annually since sowing (P ) ranged from 1.6 to 32.9 kg/ha. The SRs
used varied with fertiliser level in that they were higher where more
fertiliser had been applied, so that the highest SR at each level of
fertiliser ensured that the pastures were well utilised. Each ewe raised 1
lamb, which was removed at weaning. The influence of fertiliser on the
productivity of the sheep at 4 classes (1–4) of SR (mean SR =
7.1, 10.1, 12.6, and 18.2 ewes/ha for classes 1–4, respectively) was
described by: y =
A−BCP, where y represents
production per sheep (kg), and A,
B, and C are constants. For greasy
fleece weight, estimates of B and
C were 1.59 and 0.84; and for SR classes 1–4, the
estimates of A were 5.06, 4.89, 4.78, and 4.46,
respectively. For weaning weight of lambs, estimates of
B and C were 8.4 and 0.82, and
estimates of A were 23.5, 22.7, 21.5, and 20.9 for SR
classes 1–4. The mean fibre diameter (µm) of the wool was
described by: D = 14.18+1.48 GW, where GW is the mean greasy wool
produced annually per sheep (kg) averaged over all sheep and years for each of
the 18 treatments. The price (cents/kg) of wool with a fibre diameter D (P
D) was given by: P D =
12197+4.94P2 +
688D−0.1945P20D − 5810√D, where 20
µm wool is P20 cents/kg. Supplements were fed
if the body condition of ewes fell to a predetermined level. The supplement
fed per ewe each year (S), expressed as metabolisable energy (in MJ) was
described by: S = −602 − 44.1S R + 178.5P + 8.71S
R P +539 √SR− 338.5√P−70.8P√SR, where S R
and P represent the mean stocking rate (ewes/ha) and mean P applied
annually.
When a current set of costs and prices was applied to these equations, the
maximum gross margin for a SR of 7.1 ewes/ha was $AU119/ha with
8.6 kg P/ha applied annually, and $AU262/ha for SR of 18.2
ewes/ha with 17.6 kg P/ha applied annually. If income derived from
sheep is maintained constant, intensifying the sheep enterprise from the low
to the high SR system would involve increasing sheep numbers by about
17%, but would release about 55% of the farm’s area for
another purpose.
Relationships between wheat varieties on the basis of grain yield for South Australian farms
Authors: Pederson DG
Published: November 2005

In South Australia there were 116 receival sites for wheat grown on farms in the 1984-85 and 1985-86 seasons. The amounts received were recorded according to variety, and in this study an analysis was carried out of the yields of the top 15 varieties for the two seasons.Distribution maps were produced for two of the varieties to demonstrate how the distribution of a variety can be related to environmental factors. A measure of association was calculated for each pair of varieties and graphical representations of the inter-varietal distances were obtained from principal coordinates analyses. Examples were given of closely associated varieties for which the probable link was tolerance to boron toxicity, for one pair of varieties, and resistance to cereal cyst nematode, for a second pair of varieties.