bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Some observations on high- and low-potassium Chokla sheep given water intermittently under semi-arid conditions
Authors: More T. , Rawat P. S. , Sahni K. L.
Published: March 2009

Non-breeding groups, I, II and III, each with six high-potassium (HK) and six lowpotassium(LK) Chokla ewes were given water once in 24, 48 and 72 h respectively. In the next summer, seven ewes (4 HK and 3 LK) from each group I, II and III were switched over to a watering schedule of once in 24, 72 and 96 h respectively and were naturally bred. All the animals were maintained on grazing alone.

Water deprivation for 72 h caused 18·8 and 19·2% body weight loss in HK and LKewes respectively; an overall average maintenance of weight loss in LK ewes was significantly higher than in HK ewes from the same group. There were significant differences in water intake due to treatments only. The HK and LK ewes from groups I and III showed a similar trend.

Pregnant ewes of HK and LK types given water once in 96 h lost 21·7 and 23·8% of their body weights respectively. Corresponding weight loss in aborted ewes were 23·8 and 33·3%. Two ewes, each from 3 LK and 4 HK animals aborted owing to water deprivation for 96 h. The water intake reached 30 and 36·5% of body weight in LK and HK pregnant ewes given water intermittently.

The wool attributes of non-pregnant ewes did not indicate a significant influence of blood potassium types. Four out of five ewes of the LK phenotype died during 3 years, irrespective of watering schedule.
Inhibition of iron precipitation from field drainage water
Authors: Vaughan D. , Ord B. G.
Published: March 2009

In field drainage waters, Fe(II) can be oxidized to Fe(III), which is precipitated as iron ochre. At a farm near Aberdeen, Scotland, ochre is precipitated both chemically and biologically. The precipitation was delayed using the antibiotic D-threo-chloramphenicol and Cu(II) ions. Iron deposition was delayed on glass slides coated with copper filings. It is suggested that the incorporation and slow release of substances which inhibit ochre formation, from drainage pipe material, would be a valuable method of controlling the ochre problem.
Potassium in soils under different cropping systems:1. Behaviour of K remaining in soils from classical and rotation experiments at Rothamsted and Woburn and evaluation of methods of measuring soil potassium
Authors: Johnston A. E. , Addiscott T. M.
Published: March 2009

Measurements made on soils from the Ley–Arable rotation experiments and some of the Classical experiments at Rothamsted and Woburn are described. Values of exchangeable K, equilibrium activity ratio, equilibrium K potential, and buffer capacity are given for each plot. Potassium quantity/intensity relationships measured for each plot showed that no differences in K exchange behaviour have arisen as a result of manuring or of ley or arable treatments. The only fundamental variation was in the quantity of K in the soils. Continuous ley plots, whether given N fertilizer or containing clover, contained much more K than plots carrying crop rotations. In the Classical experiment soils, quantity of K depended largely on manuring.

Potassium uptakes by ryegrass grown on the soils from the various plots are discussed. Potassium uptake was well-related to quantity of K, better so than to the other K parameters. The release of non-exchangeable K to the crop was non-linearly related to the fall in exchangeable K in the soils from the Rothamsted Ley-Arable experiments.

Drying and re-wetting the cropped soils released K in amounts inversely proportional to the amount of K in the moist cropped soil. This release of K was unrelated to the original exchangeable K contents of the soils.
Influence of the growth promotant Synovex-H® on growth, resistance to parasites and reproduction of cattle heifers of three breeds
Authors: Frisch J. E. , Hunter R. A.
Published: March 2009

Synovex-H®, a combination of testosterone propionate and oestradiol benzoate, was implanted on three occasions at about 90-day intervals into Hereford × Shorthorn (HS), Brahman (B) and BX(B × HS) heifers to try to increase live weights and hence pregnancy rates at first breeding. Half of both the implanted and nonimplanted heifers of each breed was treated every 3 weeks to control cattle ticks and gastro-intestinal helminths. Treatment to control these parasites increased live weights, the increase depending on the breed. Implanting with Synovex-H also increased growth, the magnitude of the increase depending on both breed and treatment to control parasites. When parasites were present in significant numbers in the environment, the implanted groups had higher tick and helminth burdens and, in consequence, their live weight gains in response to the implant were lower than those of the nonimplanted group. The reason for the increase in susceptibility to parasites of the implanted group was not sought. It is suggested that it is associated with the presence, either alone or in combination, of the androgen and oestrogen components of Synovex-H.

By the start of the 10-week breeding season, 290 days after the last dose of Synovex-H was implanted, previous advantages of the implanted groups in live weight had been eroded to the point where the differences between groups were no longer statistically significant. Subsequent fertility both as maidens and as first-calf heifers was generally significantly lower in the previously implanted groups of all breeds. Calves born to implanted heifers were not as heavy as those born to nonimplanted heifers both at weaning and 120 days after weaning. The particular regimen of use of Synovex-H followed in this study cannot be recommended if heifers are to be used for breeding.
Proceedings of the Twenty-Second Meeting of the AFRC Modellers' Group
Authors: France J.
Published: March 2009

This group, which is concerned with the applications of mathematics to agricultural science, is sponsored by the Agricultural and Food Research Council. It was formed in 1970, and has since met at approximately yearly intervals in London for one-day meetings. The twenty-second meeting of the group, chaired by Professor J. M. Forbes of the Department of Animal Physiology and Nutrition at the University of Leeds, was held in the Wellcome Meeting Room at the Royal Society, 6 Carlton House Terrace, London on Friday, 10 April 1992, when the following papers were read.
Effects of cold conditions on heat production by young sambar (Cervus unicolor) and red deer (Cervus elaphus)
Authors: Semiadi G. , Holmes C. W. , Barry T. N. , Muir P. D.
Published: March 2009

An experiment to measure the effects of cold conditions upon heat production in young sambar (Cervus unicolor) and red deer (Cervus elaphus) was conducted during winter 1994, at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand (NZ), using four young animals of each species. Animals were fed a pelleted concentrated diet (total N 29g/kg DM; 11·9MJ metabolizable energy (ME)/kg DM) at approximately maintenance ME intake (MEI). Hair coat characteristics were measured on samples cut from a patch on the mid-side of the body. Pairs of animals (one sambar and one red deer) were confined in two open circuit calorimetry chambers (one deer in each chamber) for 18-day periods, and oxygen consumption was measured at 20 and 5 °C, with and without simulated wind (6 km/h). Heat production was calculated as 20·5 MJ/1 oxygen consumed.

Hair coats of sambar deer were less deep, lighter in weight (g/m2) and contained a lower proportion of undercoat than those of red deer. Fibre length of both guard hairs and undercoat were shorter in sambar deer than in red deer, whilst fibre diameter of both guard hairs and undercoat was greater in sambar deer. Heat production (HP) at 20 °C was lower in sambar than in red deer (P <0·05; 0·46 v. 0·48-0·53 MJ/kgW0·75 per day). Increases in HP from 20 to 5 °C and from 20 °C to 5 °C W (i.e. with wind effect) were greater in sambar than in red deer (P < 0·01; 34 v. 16% and 44 v. 20%, respectively). Calculated lower critical temperatures (LCT) were higher for sambar than for red deer (P < 0·10) both in the absence (0 km/h; 11·6 v. 8·9 °C) and in the presence of wind (6 km/h; 140 v. 11·1 °C). Under field conditions, young sambar deer are likely to require more shelter and better feeding during cold weather than do red deer.
Sources of variation in the grazing behaviour of dairy cows
Authors: Rook A. J. , Huckle C. A.
Published: March 2009

Measurements of grazing, ruminating and idling time and number and duration of bouts of these activities were made on cows grazing a perennial ryegrass-white clover sward on a number of different occasions between 8 May and 10 July 1990 at the North Wyke Research Station, Devon, UK. Repeatabilities, calculated using the residual maximum likelihood method, were low for all measurements, the highest being for idling time. Coefficients of variation were generally lower between periods than between animals for total activity times and ruminating and idling bout duration but were higher for the number of bouts of all activities and for meal duration. Grazing time and meal duration increased significantly as the season progressed, while the number of bouts of all activities declined. Behaviour was not significantly correlated with meteorological conditions. There were no significant correlations between production traits and mean behaviour of cows across periods.
Effects of fungal diseases on linseed (Linum usitatissimum) growth and yield, 1988–1990
Authors: Fitt B. D. L. , Ferguson A. W.
Published: March 2009

Effects of diseases on growth and yield of linseed (cv. Antares) were assessed by controlling diseases with fungicide treatments in field experiments at Rothamsted from 1988 to 1990. Fungicide seed treatments decreased the incidence of Alternaria lesions on cotyledons and stem bases of emerging seedlings in 1989 but decreased emergence in 1990. The incidenceof leaf browning, associated with Alternaria spp. and Botrytis cinerea, was less in 1989 and 1990 than in 1988 when the period, in July, between flowering and harvest was wet, but the incidence of powdery mildew was greater in 1989 and 1990 than in 1988. Fungicide spraysdecreased leaf browning in 1988 and powdery mildew in 1990. In 1988 there were more capsules per plant and the crop was taller than in either 1990 or 1989, when July and August were hot withperiods of dry weather. The incidence of plants with dark brown stems, associated with Verticillhun dahliae, was greater in 1989 and 1990 than in 1988, but was not greatly affected byfungicide treatments. The incidence of Alternaria linicola on sepals, capsule cases and seed from capsules sampled before harvest was decreased by fungicide treatments. Other fungi isolated from these tissues included A. alternata, A. infectoria, B. cinerea, Fusarium spp. and V. dahliae. Yields of grain and oil were increased by fungicide treatments in all three years, but the yield increases were greatest in 1988 when fungicide treatments also increased 1000-grain weight. The incidence of fungi on the harvested seed was not greatly affected by fungicide treatments.
Simple water-balance models for simulating moisture, salinity and sodicity profiles in soils under wheat
Authors: Pal R. , Kapoor A. K. , Poonia S. R. , Raj M.
Published: March 2009

Experiments were conducted in wheat planted in microplots at Hisar and Sirsa in Haryana state, India, to observe and simulate the depth distribution of moisture content, electrical conductivity in 1:2 soil-water extract (EC 1:2), and exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP) of soils after irrigation with water of high electrical conductivity (12–19 dS/m) and sodium adsorption ratio (20–80 (mmol/1)0·5). The three simulation models used differed in the procedure of estimation of evapotranspiration (models I and II, Reddy 1983; model III, Arora et al. 1987). In general, the means of the experimental moisture content profiles decreased and those of EC 1:2 and ESP increased with irrigation at both locations. Statistical analysis showed an overall good agreement between the experimental and simulated values of moisture content, EC 1:2 and ESP; the accuracy of simulation of the models followed the order model II = model III > model I, for moisture content and EC 1:2, but was identical for ESP.
Uptake of labelled phenylalanine into different blood fractions in the portal vein and cranial mesenteric vein of lambs
Authors: Neutze S. A. , Gooden J. M. , Oddy V. H.
Published: March 2009

Four lambs (mean 27 kg liveweight) offered 900 g/day lucerne chaff were prepared with catheters in the portal vein (PV), cranial mesenteric vein (CMV), femoral artery (FA) and abomasum. L-[2,6-3H]phenylalanine (Phe) and14C-(Phe)casein were infused into the abomasum in separate experiments. Concurrent samples of blood from the PV, CMV and FA were prepared as four fractions: plasma, deproteinized whole blood, free Phe in deproteinized whole blood, and whole blood. Ratios of net label uptakes in different blood fractions indicated that red blood cells and blood proteins were unlikely to contribute to net Phe uptake into the PV or CMV. Small peptides may have contributed up to 20% to total appearance of Phe in the PV and CMV. However, net uptake of peptides from the lumen was probably zero. It was concluded that the Phe uptake and, by implication, total amino acid uptake from the lumen of the small intestine into the PV and CMV were as free amino acids.
Shading effects on the yield of an Argentinian wheat cultivar
Authors: Savin R. , Slafer G. A.
Published: March 2009

Shading treatments of 50% of the incident radiation were applied to the semidwarf wheat cultivar Leones INTA before and after anthesis in two field experiments in Argentina in 1987 and 1988. The treatments reduced biological (above-ground dry matter) yield, grain yield and number of grains/m2. Number of grains/m2 was closely and linearly correlated with ear dry weight at anthesis and with the photothermal quotient, calculated from 20 days before to 10 days after anthesis. Grain yield was sink limited, and the shading treatments reduced sink strength. The contribution of preanthesis assimilates to grain yield was smaller in the shaded crops than in the unshaded controls; in unshaded crops, almost 40% of grain yield was contributed by preanthesis assimilates whilst in preanthesis shaded crops this contribution was negligible. The proportion of preanthesis assimilates contributed to the grain was closely related to the decrease in stem dry weight during grain filling. The effects of shading on main stems and tillers were the same.
Oestrous activity in three subtropical sheep breeds in Upper Egypt and response to long-day light treatment
Authors: Aboul-Naga A. M. , Mansour H. , Aboul-Ela M. B. , Mousa M. T. , Hassan Ferial , El-Hommosi F.
Published: March 2009

Oestrous activity in local Rahmani and Ossimi sheep and imported subtropical Awassi sheep at different times of the year in Upper Egypt and the effect of continuous exposure to long-day conditions from July till December on this activity was studied in 1986. The three breeds differed substantially in oestrous activity but differences did not seem to be directly related to latitude of origin. Rahmani ewes from the Nile Delta were mostly cyclic all year round; the percentage coming to oestrus each month never fell below 70%. Ossimi ewes originating from mid-Egypt had a very long breeding season; 74% had an anoestrous period of 68·8 days (v. 27% for Rahmani ewes). All Awassi ewes, except one, had an anoestrous period of 96·5 days on average.

Awassi ewes also showed more response to continuous exposure to long days (14 h) than Ossimi ewes, seen in a shorter reaction interval and a greater decrease in the percentage of ewes coming into oestrus (27 and 90% in control and treated Awassi ewes, respectively). The results indicated that changes in daylength, although small in subtropical regions, may be a major factor controlling seasonal changes in reproductive activity in subtropical sheep breeds, the more seasonal breed being more responsive to changes in daylength. The possibility of selection within these breeds for continuous reproductive activity is also indicated.
Factors influencing disease resistance in high and low tannin Vicia faba
Authors: Kantar F. , Hebblethwaite P. D. , Pilbeam C. J.
Published: March 2009

The in vitro resistance of five white and four coloured-flowered lines and cultivars of Vicia faba to seed and root inoculation with spore suspensions of the pathogenic soil-borne fungi, Fusarium culmorum and Pythium debaryanum, was investigated under aseptic conditions in the UK. The presence of foliar diseases was also assessed in the field in 1989/90. White-flowered lines were more susceptible than coloured genotypes to fungal infection during germination but equally resistant during seedling growth. High-tannin containing seed coats had chemical and physical properties which protected seeds against fungal infection during germination. Frequent cracking of the seed coat in a zero-tannin line was associated with a greater fungal contamination of seeds. Resistance to the foliar diseases Uromyces viciae-fabae and Botrytis fabae was not related to flower colour. The results are discussed in relation to emergence in white-flowered types.
Comparative performance of Omani goats and sheep
Authors: Al-Nakib F. M. S. , Al-Shukaily E. S. S. , Al-Hanai S. S. S. , Al-Nabhani S. A. M.
Published: March 2009

As part of a long-term breeding programme aimed at improving the performance of Omani goats and sheep, a 3-year performance trial was carried out between 1991 and 1993 to evaluate the reproductive and productive performance of three breeds of goat: Batinah (BT), Dhofari (DH) and Jabal Akhdar (JA), and one breed of local Omani sheep. In each year, flushing started on 1 September, mating started on 1 October and terminated on 15 November, and the kidding/lambing season started on average on 1 March. Kids and lambs were weaned at c. 3 months of age, then put on a 3-month performance test, fed on concentrates ad libitum and Rhodes grass hay. Some 3706 dam and 3011 progeny performance records were available over a 3-year period from 1991 to 1993. Ewes were lighter in body weight and lower in litter size weaned but higher in fertility than the does. Although the lambs had lighter birth weights, they were heavier at weaning and at 6 months of age. Among the goats, the DH does had lighter body weight but higher litter size weaned than both the BT and the JA goats. DH kids were somewhat lighter at birth, weaning and 6-month body weights than the other two breeds but had higher survival.

The sheep had higher output per ewe exposed (3·28 kg, 33%) and per ewe lambed (3·27 kg, 26%) and were 35% more efficient in production than the goats. Although the DH goats had a lower output per doe exposed than the BT and JA goats (0·9 kg, 9 % and 0·76 kg, 7% respectively) and per doe kidded (1·11 kg, 9% and 1·29 kg, 10%), they had higher efficiency of production than both BT (0·05 units, 6%) and JA (0·11 units, 14%).

In view of these results, attention should be paid to the sheep industry through the introduction of promotion schemes. The DH goats would be even more useful if involved in a crossbreeding scheme and the JA goats would benefit from selection for maternal care.
Effects of sowing date and planting density on the structure and yield of autumn-sown, florally-determinate white lupins (Lupinus albus) in the United Kingdom
Authors: Shield I. , Stevenson H. J. , Leach J. E. , Scott T. , Day J. M. , Milford G. F. J.
Published: March 2009

The effects of varying the sowing date (early September-late October) and plant density (14–70 seeds/m2) on the establishment, overwinter survival, structure and yield of an autumn-sown, florallydeterminate line (CH304/70) of the white lupin (Lupinus albus) were examined in three contrasting growing seasons between 1991 and 1994. Crops established well when sown in early September and were sufficiently cold-hardy to survive prolonged and extremely severe early winter frosts, but crops sown in late October either lost many plants or were destroyed completely. There was a strong interaction between sowing date and autumn weather on crop structure and yield. Late sowing and cold autumn weather restricted the number of mainstem leaves and first-order lateral branches on the plant, and decreased plant height and yield potential.

Despite considerable differences between years in the weather during the summer and autumn, all crops were harvested in early September. Grain yields ranged from 0·3 to 4·5 t/ha depending on season, sowing date and plant density. Yields were strongly correlated with the number of podbearing axes and pods per m2 and, although actual yields differed depending on growing conditions, the same number of pod-bearing axes (100/m2) was required in each year to achieve maximum yield. The effects of sowing date and autumn weather on plant structure were well predicted by a simple developmental model that related vernalization and leaf development to post-sowing temperature.
Food intake, digestibility and rumen fermentation in reindeer fed baled timothy silage in summer and winter
Authors: Aagnes T. H. , Blix A. S. , Mathiesen S. D.
Published: March 2009

Reindeer calves(Rangifer tarandus tarandus) were used in parallel feeding trials with two different qualities of round-bale timothy silage in September 1992 (summer) and April 1993 (winter) in northern Norway, to determine the effect of season on their food intake and ability to utilize silage of different fibre contents. The silages were prepared from first-cut (FC) and regrowth (RG) timothy. The FC silage contained (on a dry matter (DM) basis) 12·3% crude protein, 30·4% cellulose and 6·2% water soluble carbohydrates (WSC), whereas the RG silage contained 14·3% crude protein, 18·7% cellulose and 30·0% WSC. For each trial, six male calves were taken directly from a natural range and divided into two groups of three animals. One group was offered FC silage and one RG silagead libitum, for 46 days. Mean daily DM food intake (g/kg liveweight) was not significantly different in summer compared to winter(P> 0·05), but significantly higher in the animals fed RG silage compared to the animals fed FC silage (P< 0·0001). The apparent digestibility coefficient of DM was high for both silages both in summer and winter, ranging from 74·4 to 86·6%. However, the digestibility in winter was significantly higher than in summer(P< 0·002) and the digestibility of RG silage was higher than that of the FC silage (P< 0·009). The ruminal VFA concentration was significantly higher in winter than in summer (P< 0·03) and in the animals fed RG silage (range 55·3–104·9 mM) compared to the animals fed FC silage (range 35·2–61·7 mM) (P< 0·002). In spite of the high digestibility of both the FC and RG silages, the nitrogen balance was significantly higher in the animals in winter compared to summer(P< 0·0001) and in the animals fed RG silage compared to the animals fed FC silage(P< 0·0001). Thus, utilization of grass silage in reindeer appears to be influenced both by season and by plant quality.
Effects of temperature, wind speed and air humidity on ammonia volatilization from surface applied cattle slurry
Authors: Sommer S. G. , Olesen J. E. , Christensen B. T.
Published: March 2009

Ammonia losses from surface-applied cattle slurry were measured under field conditions using a wind tunnel system that allows variables affecting ammonia loss to be examined under controlled conditions. The experiments were carried out on a sandy soil with seven different surface covers. This report considers the effect of wind speed, temperature and water vapour deficit on the ammonia loss over a series of 6-day periods. During October 1986 to November 1989 42 treatments were examined, using slurries taken from the same slurry tank to provide slurries of similar chemical composition.

When temperatures were near zero, the rate of ammonia loss was generally low. The accumulated loss over 6 days was high, however, because the rate of loss was constant throughout the period. In these experiments the soil was saturated with water and partly frozen, and the infiltration of slurry into the soil reduced. At 19 °C initial loss rates were high but, after 12 h, almost no further loss occurred. Apart from these extremes, the ammonia loss rates within the initial 24 h were significantly affected by temperature and wind speed.

Ammonia volatilization after 6 h was exponentially related to temperature (r2 = 0·841) but the correlation weakened with time after slurry application. An increase in ammonia volatilization with increasing water vapour pressure deficit was considered to be an effect of temperature.

The ammonia loss rate increased when wind speeds increased up to 2·5 m/s. No consistent increase in ammonia volatilization was found when the wind speed increased from 2·5 to 4 m/s. Ammonia loss after 24 h increased with increasing initial pH of the slurry.

A two-stage pattern for ammonia volatilization from slurry is proposed. During the first stage (the initial 24 h) ammonia loss rate is high due to an elevated pH at the slurry surface followingv application, and temperature significantly affects the loss rate. In the next stage, pH declines and the rate of ammonia volatilization decreases. During this stage other factors, including the dry matter content of the slurry, control the rate of ammonia loss.
Yield performance of field beans (Vicia faba L.) in relation to interactions between inflorescences at different nodes
Authors: Aufhammer W. , Götz Isabella , Peter Maria
Published: March 2009

Competitive and regulatory effects of defined inflorescences on the development of other inflorescences and subsequent yield performance of field beans (Vicia faba L.) were investigated. Genotypes differing greatly in yield performance (two inbred lines and the F1 hybrid produced from the two inbred lines) were used in both field and pot experiments. Yield was manipulated by the removal of defined inflorescences at various times and positions.

In comparison with untreated control plants the removal of up to four inflorescences from basal, central or apical nodes caused a loss of yield potential of up to 65%. Nevertheless the final seed yield per plant was not reduced. This was because additional pods and seeds developed at remaining inflorescences. After the removal of inflorescences from either basal or apical regions of the plant significant overcompensation effects occurred. The effects were influenced by the growing conditions. The capacity for compensation existed at differing yielding levels regardless of different genotypes or growing conditions.

The results are discussed with respect to the utilization of the initiated yield potential and to yield reliability.
Portable apparatus for separating roots from soil cores
Authors: Nwadukwe P. O. , Abdulmumin S. , Arora Y.
Published: March 2009

One of the most widely used methods of root study involves obtaining soil cores and washing the roots contained free of soil (Wellbank & Williams, 1968; Ellis & Barnes, 1971; Kolesnikov, 1971; Schuurman & Geodewaagen, 1971; Bohm, Maduakor & Taylor, 1977). However, the process of root washing is time consuming and laborious. Some of the washing assemblies elsewhere (Peyev, 1952; Schuurman & Goedewaagen, 1971; Wellbank et al. 1974) have not gained popularity with researchers in developing countries because of the high costs involved or the sophisticated facilities needed. There is therefore a need for a low-cost root washing apparatus which can be fabricated with locally available materials. This note reports the development of such an apparatus.
Management of fertilizer nitrogen for direct-sown, rainfed lowland rice (Oryza sativa L.)
Authors: Panda D. , Samantaray R. N. , Patnaik S.
Published: March 2009

Field experiments were conducted in wet seasons (June-December) for 4 years on a clay loam Haplaquept, to study the effects of different N management practices on yield, urea and ammonium-N in flood water and N nutrition of an clite rice cv. CR 1009, grown in rainfed lowlands. During the first 3 years of the experiment, fertilizer management practices like band placement of neem-cake-coated urea (NCU), broadcast application of sulphur-coated urea (SCU) at sowing, or point placement of urea supergranules (USG) 3 weeks after germination at 40 kg N/ha gave grain yields of 3·1–3·4 t·ha, which were almost equal to that of split application of prilled urea (PU). In the 4th year of the experiment, besides NCU and USG, single dose applications of PU as band placement, incorporation in the soil at sowing or broadcast incorporation of soil-treated urea at early tillering was also found to have similar effect on grain yield and N uptake as split application of PU. The flood water of the treatment receiving broadcast application of PU at tillering contained some urea and ammonium N, which rapidly decreased to negligible amounts in 3·4 days.

The results suggest that, depending upon the feasibility, any one of the single dose application methods at sowing time or 3 weeks after germination may be adopted in this system of rice culture, which avoids top-dressing of PU to surface flowing flood water of greater depths at later stages of crop growth.
The chemical effect of the addition of a “spreader” to the mixed lime sulphur-lead arsenate spray
Authors: Goodwin W. , Martin H.
Published: March 2009

1. The addition of casein to the mixed lime sulphur-lead arsenate spray causes:

(a) an increase in the amount of soluble arsenic formed on the decomposition of the spray,

(b) no change in the reactions of the polysulphide sulphur.

2. The addition of lime to the spray:

(a) decreases the formation of soluble arsenical compounds,

(b) reduces the fungicidal value of the spray owing to its reaction with the sulphur liberated from the calcium sulphide.

3. The addition of lime-casein to the mixed spray is influenced by the composition of the lime-casein.

If much free lime is present:

(a) the formation of soluble arsenic is dependent on external conditions which in certain cases tend to decrease the amount of soluble arsenic formed,

(b) the fungicidal value of the spray is reduced as in 2 (b).

If slight excess of lime is present, or if the sample has badly carbonated:

(a) the amount of soluble arsenic is increased,

(b) there is little effect on the reaction of the polysulphide sulphur.

4. The addition of gelatine to the spray:

(a) increases the formation of soluble arsenic,

(b) has no effect on the reaction of the calcium sulphide.

5. The rate of decomposition of the mixed spray is retarded by the addition of casein, lime, lime-casein and gelatine.
Studies in soil cultivation: IX. The effect of inter-row tillage on the yield of potatoes
Authors: Pereira H. C.
Published: March 2009

The experiments conducted at Ottershaw Park in the years 1937, 1938 and 1939 indicate that for a well-drained sandy loam, under a considerable range of moisture-supply conditions, main-crop potatoes do not respond in the absence of weeds to ridging-up, or to deep or frequent inter-row grubbings, by any increase in yield or in the percentage of ware. The crop showed successful powers of adaptation to a range of contrasting inter-row tillage treatments.

The potato crop showed considerable sensitivity to weed competition in the early stages of growth. This indicates that it is of great importance to maintain the crop in a weed-free condition during this early period.

Inter-row tillage operations on this type of soil should, therefore, be designed to destroy weeds and to provide moderate cover for the tubers. Intensification of such tillage beyond these limits is not of direct benefit to the plants.

No moisture-conservation effect of any importance was produced by a 3 in. soil mulch during dry weather, even when the water-table lay within 4 ft. from the surface.

A significant upward movement of water from the water-table to the surface soil was observed, but this was limited to a vertical distance of approximately 4 ft. for the soil type described. Beyond this limit the surface soil was apparently unaffected by the depth of the water-table.

These results may not be applicable to heavier soil types. It is probable, however, that they would hold good for most sandy loams.

The results indicate the desirability of carrying out further experiments on contrasting British soil types, especially in the important potato-growing areas.
Factors affecting birth weight and performance to weaning of Bunaji calves
Authors: Oni O. O. , Buvanendran V. , Dim N. I.
Published: March 2009

Birth weight and pre-weaning performance are recognized as important components in determing economic returns from beef cattle. The accuracy of ranking animals based on their breeding values, and hence the effectiveness of selection, will be increased when allowance is made for non-genetic sources of variation. Furthermore, the proper evaluation of identifiable sources of variation in calf weaning weight aids in more accurate appraisal of genetic differences in mothering ability among beef cows.
Barley response to nitrogen rate and timing in a Mediterranean environment
Authors: Ramos J. M. , De La Morena I. , Garcia Del Moral L. F.
Published: March 2009

Nitrogen is an important factor determining grain yield of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). Optimal rates and application timing can vary according to the environmental conditions under which the crop is grown. For 8 years (1979–86) barley yield, tillering, and leaf-area response to N application rates and timing were studied in southern Spain. The results showed that, under our experimental conditions, the most advantageous N rate for grain yield was 60 kg/ha, either split equally between sowing and tillering, or else with the greater proportion applied at tillering. Nitrogen applied at sowing increased number of tillers per plant, and N applied at tillering favoured tiller survival for later spike formation. In addition, N applied at tillering increased the number of leaves per plant, leaf area per plant, and the leaf area index, the maximum value of which occurred at anthesis.
Influence of the leaf curling plum aphid (Brachycaudus helichrysi) on stem diameter, seed yield, and their relationship, in sunflower
Authors: Lerin J. , Badenhausser I.
Published: March 2009

The leaf-curling plum aphid (Brachycaudus helichrysi Kalt.) is one of the main pests of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) in Europe. Yield losses were assessed in open field conditions and natural infestations over a 3-year period in Central West France. Plant variability and the choice of the more vigorous plants by aphids in open field conditions were two factors interfering with the experiments. To improve their sensitivity and to correct for biases without expanding the experimental design, an analysis of covariance was the best compromise. Field and cage experiments were conducted between 1985 and 1989 to assess the influence of aphids on the relationship between stem diameter at harvest and seed yield. As an indicator of plant vigour (size and yield), stem diameter at harvest was the best choice, as neither its relationship with seed yield nor its mean value was affected by aphid infestation. It was then used as a covariate to study yield losses. Aphid populations were quantified weekly from the beginning to the end of the infestations according to the leaf-curling symptom and to the number of aphids per plant. Multivariate analyses followed by cluster analysis identified groups of plants displaying similar infestation dynamics. It was found that when aphid populations reached > 100 per plant at the budding stage, yield losses occurred. When populations were < 100 aphids per plant at the budding stage and then decreased, no yield loss was observed. This gives growers ample time to monitor populations and treat crops.
Utilization of fish protein hydrolysates in milk substitutes for lambs
Authors: Soliman H. S. , Ørskov E. R. , Mackie I.
Published: March 2009

Male and female (Suffolk × (Finnish Landraee × Dorset Horn)) lambs were used in three experiments to examine the replacement of milk by undried and dried fish protein hydrolysates (FPH), a mixture of lard and coconut fat, and partially hydrolysed starch (Protamyl 110). The animals received the experimental diets from 1 week of age in Expts 1 and 2, and from 4 weeks of age in Expt 3. They were given the diets in eight equal feeds (i.e. every 3 h) from an automated teat bar system. The level of feeding was 1·046 MJ/kg0−76/day. Experiments 1 and 2 lasted for 35 days, during which live-weight gain and food conversion ratios were recorded and at the end the digestibility of N, dry matter and starch was determined. Experiment 3 consisted of three small digestibility trials.

In Expt 1, the replacement of milk protein with undried FPH and of milk fat with lard plus coconut fat had no significant effects on live-weight gain, food conversion ratio or nutrient digestibility. Somewhat lower gains for the lambs given the FPH than those given milk protein were observed during the first 15 days of the experiment. Apparent digestibility of milk protein and milk fat was 95 and 99% while that of PFH and lard plus coconut fat was 94 and 96% respectively. The replacement of milk fat with lard and coconut fat caused some reduction in live-weight gains and nutrient digestibility. Lactose was completely replaced by protamyl both in diets based on milk protein or FPH with no effect on live-weight gains or food conversion ratio.

Apparent digestibility of fish protein was not affected by the drying process. Fat digestibility of diets containing undried or dried FPH ranged from 46 to 98% according to the type of emulsifier used. The results are discussed in relation to published data concerning the problems associated with the use of fish protein in milk replacers.
The feed intake and grazing behaviour of cattle grazing a crop of Lablab purpureus cv. Rongai
Authors: Hendricksen R. , Minson D. J.
Published: March 2009

Eating behaviour and the diet selected by cattle progressively defoliating a crop of Lablab purpureus cv. Rongai were measured in three periods each of 12 days. Crop composition during defoliation was recorded.

At the beginning of grazing the crop contained 2230 kg green leaf/ha but after 12 days' grazing the crop contained only 300 kg/ha. In the first 6 days cattle selected a diet which contained 85% green leaf but after 12 days' grazing the selected diet contained only 17% green leaf. As available leaf declined, grazing time increased from 465 min on day 1 to 685 on day 6 before declining to 490 min on day 12. Maximum grazing time occurred with a green leaf yield of 1185 kg/ha. The number of eating bites increased from 26000 to 44500 between days 1 and 6 and then declined to 30000 after 12 days' grazing. Grazing time and the number of eating bites were significantly correlated (r = 0·99).

Bite size declined from 410 mg organic matter (OM)/bite on day 1 to 90 mg OM/bite on day 12. This decrease in bite size caused a linear decline (927 g/day) in estimated organic-matter intake. The rapid decline in bite size and intake was caused by the reduction in the quantity of leaf per unit area and the lack of desire of cattle to eat stem.

It was concluded that the desire of cattle to select leaf is so strong that stem yield should be largely disregarded when considering Rongai as a grazing crop.
The eating and rumination behaviour in sheep fed only grass diets in either the fresh or dried form
Authors: Fujihara T.
Published: March 2009

In ruminant animals, it is well known that the physical form of feed considerably affects rumination behaviour, which is considered to be an importantfunction related to the utilization of roughage feed (Balch, 1971; Ørskov, Fraser & Gordon, 1974; Morgan & Campling, 1978). It is also clear that the act of chewing during rumination has an important role in the reduction of particle size of ingested food, and this might facilitate microbial degradation in the rumen (Umezu, 1966). Furthermore, it is also obvious that rumination behaviour is considerably influenced by changes of dietary chemical composition. Campling, Freer & Balch (1962) observed a marked reduction in time spent ruminating when urea was added to an oat-straw diet in cows, and they suggested that there are important interactions between the two factors (chewing and bacterial degradation) responsible for reducing particle size in the reticulo-rumen. Similarly, there are several investigations of rumination behaviour in relation to the digestion of roughage diet in sheep and cattle (Welch & Smith, 1969a; Thomas, Kelly & Wait, 1976; Sudweeks et al. 1975).
Investigations into the Intensive System of Grassland Management. By the Agricultural Research Staff of Imperial Chemical Industries, Limited. IV. The Digestibility and Feeding Value of Artificially Dried Grass.
Authors: Watson S. J.
Published: March 2009

Digestibility trials have been carried out with sheep on a sample of dried grass and a grass meal, both of which were artificially dried on an experimental band drier. The analyses of the two materials were affected by the fact that the grass was cut in August after a very dry summer and the herbage was contaminated with a certain amount of stemmy material.

The digestibility of the two samples is of a high order and, with the exception of that of the crude protein, equal to the values quoted by Woodman for short grass. The sheep put on weight during both trials and there was a retention of nitrogen and mineral matter in all cases. The dried grass would appear to contain an adequate amount of available calcium, phosphorus and potash for the plane of nutrition at which it was fed.
The Value of Tapioca Flour and Sago Pith Meal in the Nutrition of Swine
Authors: Woodman H. E. , Kitchin A. W. Menzies , Evans R. E.
Published: March 2009

Tapioca flour, sometimes referred to as manioc meal, is now a comparatively well-known feeding stuff. Its value as a food for pigs has been tested in several recent farm feeding trials in this country and on the Continent (1, 2, 3), and, as a consequence, its merit, when used in partial replacement of barley or maize, is now generally recognised. Sago pith meal, on the other hand, has not hitherto been used in pigfeeding in this country, and no information respecting its composition and feeding value is available.
The Influence of Manurial Treatment on the Baking Quality of English Wheat. I. A Quality Study of the Rothamsted Broadbalk Wheats
Authors: Fisher E. A. , Jones C. R.
Published: March 2009

In each of the four seasons 1926 to 1929 samples of certain of the Broadbalk wheats were milled, and the straight-run flours tested in the bakehouse.

The results given in the text show that the nitrogen contents of the wheats were increased consistently only by the heaviest nitrogenous treatments. The baking tests, however, showed that increased protein content was not necessarily accompanied by improved baking quality. In none of the crops was unsoundness of grain or inadequate gas production during fermentation a factor in the poor quality observed in many of the flours.
Proceedings of the Twenty-Seventh Meeting of the Agricultural Research Modellers' Group
Authors: France J.
Published: March 2009

This group, which is concerned with the applications of mathematics to agricultural science, is sponsored by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council. It was formed in 1970, and has since met at approximately yearly intervals in London for one-day meetings. The twenty-seventh meeting of the group, chaired by Professor D. E. Beever of the Department of Agriculture, University of Reading, was held in the Wellcome Meeting Room at the Royal Society, 6 Carlton House Terrace, London on Friday, 13 October 1995, when the following papers were read.
Czechs, Germans, Arabs, Jews: Franz Kafka's “Jackals and Arabs” between Bohemia and Palestine
Authors: Shumsky Dimitry
Published: March 2009

Franz Kafka's short story “Schakale und Araber” (Jackals and Arabs) was published in October 1917 in the monthly journalDer Jude, the intellectual organ of German-speaking Zionism founded and edited by Martin Buber. The narrator, an unidentified and pleasant-mannered European man traveling in the desert, makes a stop at an oasis in an Arab area. The circumstances of his journey and its objectives are unknown. It becomes apparent from his story that the man has come to the Arab desert merely by chance “from the far North,” and that he has no intention of remaining in the area for long. All of a sudden, shortly after his “tall [and] white” Arab host has retired to the sleeping area, the narrator finds himself completely surrounded by a pack of jackals. One of them, who introduces himself as “the oldest jackal far and wide,” approaches the man and implores him to solve once and for all the long-standing dispute between the jackals and the Arabs, as the traveler alone—a man hailing from those countries in which reason reigns supreme, which is not the case among the Arabs—is capable of doing so. Once the jackal elder has related to the European traveler the story of his tribe's tribulations, and how they have been compelled to reside alongside the “filthy Arabs” from one generation to the next, another jackal produces a pair of scissors, which, according to the jackals' ancient belief, is to serve the long-awaited man of reason “from the North” to rescue them from their abhorrent and hated neighbors. But at that moment, the Arab caravan leader appears, wielding an immense whip. The reader learns that not only was the Arab awake while the jackal elder sought to persuade the European man to undertake the salvation project and listening attentively to the jackal's words, but in fact, he has been well aware of the jackals' intentions for a long time:

It's common knowledge; so long as Arabs exist, that pair of scissors goes wandering through the desert and will wander with us to the end of our days. Every European is offered it for the great work; every European is just the man that Fate has chosen for them. They have the most lunatic hopes, these beasts; they're just fools, utter fools.
The Equivalence of Two Graph Polynomials and a Symmetric Function
Authors: MERINO CRIEL , NOBLE STEVEN D.
Published: March 2009

The U-polynomial, the polychromate and the symmetric function generalization of the Tutte polynomial, due to Stanley, are known to be equivalent in the sense that the coefficients of any one of them can be obtained as a function of the coefficients of any other. The definition of each of these functions suggests a natural way in which to strengthen them, which also captures Tutte's universal V-function as a specialization. We show that the equivalence remains true for the strong functions, thus answering a question raised by Dominic Welsh.
Principles of volcanic risk metrics: Theory and the case study of Mount Vesuvius and Campi Flegrei, Italy
Authors: Marzocchi Warner , Woo Gordon
Published: March 2009

Despite volcanic risk having been defined quantitatively more than 30 years ago, this risk has been managed without being effectively measured. The recent substantial progress in quantifying eruption probability paves the way for a new era of rational science‐based volcano risk management, based on what may be termed “volcanic risk metrics” (VRM). In this paper, we propose the basic principles of VRM, based on coupling probabilistic volcanic hazard assessment and eruption forecasting with cost‐benefit analysis. The VRM strategy has the potential to rationalize decision making across a broad spectrum of volcanological questions. When should the call for evacuation be made? What early preparations should be made for a volcano crisis? Is it worthwhile waiting longer? What areas should be covered by an emergency plan? During unrest, what areas of a large volcanic field or caldera should be evacuated, and when? The VRM strategy has the paramount advantage of providing a set of quantitative and transparent rules that can be established well in advance of a crisis, optimizing and clarifying decision‐making procedures. It enables volcanologists to apply all their scientific knowledge and observational information to assist authorities in quantifying the positive and negative risk implications of any decision.