bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Effects of lime and nitrogen fertilizer on two sward types over a 10-year period
Authors: Stevens R. J. , Laughlin R. J. 
Published: March 2009

SUMMARYTwo long-term field experiments were conducted on a clay soil near Carrickfergus, County Antrim from 1983 to 1993. The main experiment tested the effects of lime (0,4, 8 and 12 t/ha applied in 1983), N (160 and 320 kg N/ha per year as ammonium nitrate/calcium carbonate), sward type (permanent pasture and perennial ryegrass reseed) and initial soil pH (5·1 and 5·5) on the yield and composition of herbage for 10 years. The secondary experiment studied the interaction between lime (0, 4 and 8 t/ha applied in 1985) and N (80 and 160 kg N·ha per year) for 8 years. In both experiments the plots were fertilized three times each year for three cuts of herbage. In the main experiment, dry matter (DM) yield and N offtake over all 10 years depended little on initial soil pH. Over all cuts and years, DM yields of both sward types increased with lime. Responses peaked after 3 years and were largest with the first cut of the reseed at the lower rate of N fertilizer. Over the first 6 years after lime application, the average responses from the reseed at the lower rate of N fertilizer to 4, 8 and 12 t/ha of lime were 1·02, 1·85 and 1·65 t DM/ha per year respectively at the first cut. At the higher rate of N fertilizer, the response in DM yield of the reseed to lime averaged 0·91 t/ha at the first cut over the same period. In the last 3 years of the experiment, lime had no effect on DM yield even though soil pH ranged from 5·0 to 6·3 A significant response in N offtake due to lime only occurred at the first cut. Responses at the first cut averaged over all treatments were 3·5, 6·5 and 6·6 kg N/ha per year for 4, 8 and 12 t/ha of lime respectively. In the secondary experiment, responses to lime were again mainly at the first cut. There were few lime × N interactions in either experiment. Liming increased N availability either by increasing mineralization of soil N or by improving the uptake of ammonium and nitrate by roots. The effects of soil pH and Ca supply on these two processes are difficult to separate. All rates of liming at both N rates were cost-effective for the reseed, but only the lower rates of liming at 160 kg N/ha per year were cost-effective on permanent pasture. Current recommendations for liming grasslands should continue, particularly for swards reseeded with perennial ryegrass.
Effect of pH, temperature, amount of litter and storage density on ammonia emissions from stable manure
Authors: Dewes T. 
Published: March 2009

SUMMARYIn laboratory tests using stable manure consisting of wheat straw and slurry, ammonia emission was found to have two peaks corresponding to the population dynamics of proteolytic bacteria and amino acid-degrading bacteria respectively. Cumulative ammonia emissions over 14 days were 0·8–23·2% of the initial total nitrogen (Nt) and were both abiotically and biotically induced. Changes in pH had the most significant effect on the abiotically induced ammonia emissions. After 14 days of decomposition, at pH values of 6·0 and 7·5, abiotically induced emissions remained close to the limit of detectability, whereas at pH 9·0 as much as 9·8% of the initial Nt was lost. An increase in storage pressure from 0 to 400 and 800 kp/m2 generally decreased the biotic emissions to 9·6, 2·8 and 2·3%; while increasing the amounts of litter (2·5, 5·0 and 15·0 kg straw/LAU per day) led to a decline not only in the biotic (17·1, 12·8, 3·5%) but also in the abiotic emissions (6·1, 5·5, 1·6%). Varying the temperature (20, 30 and 40 °C) resulted in biotically induced emissions of 7·9, 11·7 and 11·6%, respectively, and abiotically induced emissions of 1·1, 1·4 and 2·2% of the initial Nt. At temperatures of 30 and 40 °C, the amount of microbially digested sources of carbon available was obviously sufficient to permit almost total reincorporation of NH4+ from 4 days onwards.
Voluntary intake and rumen digestion of a low-quality roughage by goats and sheep
Authors: Domingue B. M. F. , Dellow D. W. , Barry T. N. 
Published: March 2009

SUMMARYPrairie grass (Bromus catharticus) straw (13·7 g N/kg DM) was fed ad libitum to six goats and seven sheep kept in metabolism cages at Palmerston North, New Zealand in 1986 and 1987.Goats had greater voluntary feed intake (VFI) (56 v. 36 g DM/kg W0·75 per day), greater apparent DM digestibility (36·8 v. 32·6%) and a larger rumen pool of DM and liquid (W0·75) than sheep. Goats also had greater apparent digestibility of fibre, especially of lignin, and greater rumen fractional degradation rates (FDR) of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin. Goats had a higher rumen ammonia concentration (115 v. 80 mg N/l), lower rumen pH (6·73 v. 6·90), a smaller proportion of large particles and greater proportion of small particles in rumen contents than sheep. Passage through a 1 mm sieve was established as the threshold particle size to have a high probability of leaving the rumen in both goats and sheep. Voluntary water intake/unit DM consumed was lower in goats than in sheep and, whilst rumen fractional outflow rate (FOR) of water and particulate matter also tended to be lower in goats, the difference was not significant. Irreversible loss rate of rumen NH3 and the amount of N calculated as recycled to the rumen, both expressed as mg N/kg W0·75 per day, were greater for goats than for sheep.It was concluded that the ability of goats to maintain a higher rumen NH3, concentration than sheep, their larger rumen pool and the higher proportion of small particles in rumen contents were all contributing factors to their greater VFI and fibre digestion of this low-quality roughage.
Growth, water use and yield of barley in Mediterranean-type environments
Authors: Shepherd K. D. , Cooper P. J. M. , Allan A. Y. , Drennan D. S. H. , Keatinge J. D. H. 
Published: March 2009

SummaryRelations between yield, water use and pre-anthesis growth were analysed for cropsof barley grown for three seasons at several sites in northern Syria. The relations obtained were compared with those for other cereal crops grown in similar regions of Mediterranean climates.Phosphorus fertilizer application increased the rate of crop development from emergence to floral initiation and advanced anthesis by up to 11 days. Grain and total shoot dry-matter yields were increased by fertilizer (nitrogen + phosphorus) applications at all sites in all years, in most cases without increasing total evapotranspiration. The increased dry matter at anthesis was produced without having used a larger proportion of the total evapotranspiration in the whole season. Consequently, the ratio of grain yield to total above-ground dry-matter yield (harvest index) and kernel weight were also relatively stable between sites and years, despite some very low amounts of post-anthesis water use. Grain yield appeared to be largely determined by anthesis and there were strong linear relationships between grain yield or total dry-matter yield and number of kernels. Differences in water use efficiency of crops given fertilizer between sites and years were closely related to the differences in amounts of winter growth.Some responses differed from those predicted from models of growth, water use and yield developed in other regions with similar climates. It is concluded that agronomists and breeders should increase amounts of early growth thereby increasing grain and dry-matter yields. Future research emphasis should also be on the development of dynamic simulation models of pre-anthesis growth and water use.
Solar radiation interception and utilization by chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) crops in northern Syria
Authors: Hughes G. , Keatinge J. D. H. , Cooper P. J. M. , Dee N. F. 
Published: March 2009

SummaryAn analysis of chickpea experiments carried out in northern Syria during the 1980–1 and 1981–2 growing seasons showed that both intercepted solar radiation and its rate of conversion to dry matter were variable components of dry-matter production. Among the sources of variation in the experiments, the most important factor affecting both interception and utilization of solar radiation was site. Winter planting also led to increased solar radiation interception and utilization. Used in conjunction with chickpea lines resistant to blight, winter planting seems likely to lead to increased productivity. In higher rainfall areas, where the crop is usually grown, such an increase would be of commercial significance. In drier areas, winter planting would enable the cultivation of chickpea as a subsistence crop.
Response of maize cultivars to sowing in the winter
Authors: Narwal S. S. , Dahiya D. S. , Singh G. , Malik D. S. 
Published: March 2009

SummaryIn a 2-year field study, all the maize cultivars tried (Partap-1 Ageti-76, Ganga-5 and DHM-103) produced similar length of ears and equivalent grain yields. However, Partap-1 and Ganga-5 produced greater 100-kernel weight and greater grain yield per ear but fewer ears per hectare than Ageti-76 and DHM-103. The yield attributes and grain yields of maize sown on 19 December, 29 December and 8 January were identical and were superior to those of the 19 January sowing. Maize sown on 19 December, 29 December and 8 January exhibited longer ears, more ears and fully developed kernels and thereby produced greater grain yields than the 18 January sowing.During 1983–4, in the 19 December and 29 December sowings all the cultivars gave identical grain yields. In the 8 January sowing Partap-1 and Ageti-76 produced similar yields and proved better than Ganga-5 and DHM-103. In the 18 January sowing Ageti-76, Ganga-5 and DHM-103 yielded more than Partap-1.
Effect of sulphur on prevention of iron chlorosis and plant composition of groundnut on alkaline calcareous soils
Authors: Sahu M. P. , Singh H. G. 
Published: March 2009

SummaryA microplot experiment was conducted for two consecutive years, 1978–9 and 1979–80, on alkaline calcareous soils of Chittor, Kapasan, Nimbaheda and Chhotisadari blocks at the Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture, Udaipur (India). It was found that soil application of 250 kg S/ha both of elemental sulphur and gypsum significantly increased chlorophyll a and b and concentrations of N, K and S of plants. Leaf sap pH and P and Fe concentrations were, however, significantly reduced by sulphur treatments. Foliar application of 0·2% Fe-EDDHA increased chlorophyll a and b and caused marginal increase in N concentration of plants. K and S concentrations remained unaffected but P and Fe concentrations underwent significant reduction. Leaf sap pH was not at all affected by this treatment.Failure of metabolic translocation of iron and hence its inactivation inside the plant is suggested to be the most probable cause for the incidence of chlorosis despite high tissue Fe concentration. Sulphur application created a balanced nutritional environment and thus kept iron physiologically active for chlorophyll synthesis. Reduced efficacy of Fe-EDDHA might be due to high P concentration in the plant.
Field investigations into the manurial value of lagoon-matured digested sewage sludge
Authors: Coker E. G. , Hall J. E. , Carlton-Smith C. H. , Davis R. D. 
Published: March 2009

SummaryExperiments were carried out during 1978–81 in which lagoon-matured digested sludge (LMDS) was applied in November and in February to four soils which were cropped with ryegrass and the effects compared with ammonium nitrate fertilizer.Over the whole experimental series the nitrogen in spring-applied LMDS was 47·6% as effective in producing dry matter as nitrogen in ammonium nitrate fertilizer, and was 40·2% as effective in nitrogen uptake. Overall, 20·3% of the N available from the LMDS was derived from mineralization of sludge organic nitrogen, equivalent to a 1st-year release from the organic-N in sludge of about 9%. This compares with reported values of 15–16% for 1st-year release of organic-N liquid digested sludge. Overall, autumn-applied LMDS sludge gave poorer results than when applied in spring. This did not apply to a silty loam with a pH of about 5, but poorer results with autumn-applied LMDS were associated with soils with pH values of 7·5 or more. On average an application of 140 m3 LMDS/ha provided 178 kg available-N/ha and 36 kg potassium/ha; this is an N:K ratio of 4·9:1.There were increases of Cd, Cu and Zn in herbage as a result of applications of both fertilizer and of sludge; the effects were additive. Sludge increased herbage Ni concentrations but fertilizer-N reduced them. Three years' applications hardly raised Cu and Zn herbage concentrations to the threshold level for deficiency for ruminant animals, and were not near toxic levels for plant growth or animal nutrition.
Field investigations into the manurial value of liquid undigested sewage sludge when applied to grassland
Authors: Coker E. G. , Hall J. E. , Carlton-Smith C. H. , Davis R. D. 
Published: March 2009

SummaryTwo sets of experiments were carried out during 1978–82 in order to compare the value of nitrogen in liquid undigested sludge (LUDS) with that in ‘Nitro-Chalk’. One set took place in the area of north Hertfordshire-south Bedfordshire, and the other at the University of Leeds. In the first growing season after application the relative effectiveness of LUDS-N was about 20%. In subsequent years it was about 40% though it was less on a soil initially very deficient in soil-N. At Leeds the 2nd-year value was 60–75%.In the growing season immediately following treatment, N mineralized from LUDS became available too late to increase D.M. yields greatly; much of this appeared to be retained in the turf mat and increased the yield of D.M. the following year. When the lower 1st-year responses were taken into account there did not appear to be any yield penalty in making autumn (November) applications, compared with spring (February). This overall result concealed differences between soils.In a year when it was dry during the main growing period yields were reduced by about 25%. It seems that LUDS-N is most valuable when it is applied regularly to the same area, and in the wetter parts of the country. Much LUDS comes from smaller rural sewage treatment works which are much less likely to carry contamination from potentially toxic elements.
Effects of chloride fertilizers on yield and uptake of chloride, potassium and sodium by fodder beet (Beta vulgaris L.) in two New Zealand soils
Authors: Magat S. S. , Goh K. M. 
Published: March 2009

summaryThe effects of applications of sodium chloride (NaCl) and potassium chloride (KCl) ranging from 0 to 720 kg Cl/ha on the yield and uptakes of chloride (Cl) potassium (K) and sodium (Na) by fodder beet were studied in field experiments at two sites in New Zealand. At 360 kg Cl/ha applied, both NaCl (590 kg/ha) and KC1 (758 kg/ha) increased significantly yields of fresh roots, dry roots and fresh sugar content of fodder beet over the minus-Cl plants. Compared with the sulphate anion, chloride application stimulated K uptake in tops and roots. Results indicated that in the beet crop, uptake of K is enhanced with the presence or addition of Cl (as NaCl) compared with SO4 (as NaSO4).In both soils, total (tops and roots) uptakes of K, Cl, and Na were significantly correlated with fresh roots, dry roots and fresh sugar content. Multiple regression analyses showed that total K uptake was the main nutritional factor which determined yields of fresh and dry roots in the Templeton soil, whilst in the Wakanui soil total Cl uptake and total K+total Cl uptakes determined fresh root and dry root yields, respectively. In both soils, high Cl uptake was required for increased sugar yields.
Interaction between Phytophthora infestans and potato viruses X and Y in potato
Authors: Kalra A. , Grover R. K. , Rishi N. , Khurana S. M. P. 
Published: March 2009

SummaryThe interaction between Phytophthora infestans and potato viruses X (PVX) and Y (PVY) was studied in the potato cultivar Kufri Chandramukhi. Prior infection by PVX and PVY reduced the susceptibility of the plants to P. infestans. The reduction in susceptibility was more marked when leaflets were inoculated with P. infestans 72 h after inoculation with PVY. The same type of reaction was observed in whole plants when the interval between PVY and P. infestans inoculation was 30 days. No significant differences were observed when the sequence of inoculation was reversed.
Comminution of roughages by red deer (Cervus elaphus) during the prehension of feed
Authors: Dryden G. McL. , Stafford K. J. , Waghorn G. C. , Barry T. N. 
Published: March 2009

SUMMARYThe chewing behaviour of red deer (Cervus elaphus) during eating and the effectiveness of chewing on feed comminution was studied in two experiments. In Expt 1, deer were fed long or chopped lucerne (Medicago sativa) hay, and feed intake and chewing activity were recorded. In Expt 2, the rumen was emptied and test meals of fresh chicory (Cichorium intybus cv. Puna), lotus (Lotus corniculatus cv. Grasslands Goldie), ryegrass (Lolium perenne cv. Ruanui) forage and long lucerne hay were given, chewing activity recorded and the ingested forage quantitatively removed from the rumen. In Expt 1, the chopped hay was eaten more quickly than long hay (11·4 v. 8·3 g dry matter/min), and required fewer chewing bites per g dry matter eaten. In Expt 2, the four forages were consumed at similar rates (mean 4·3 g organic matter/min) and there was no significant difference in the chewing required to consume either total organic matter (OM) or cell wall OM. Deer chewed more quickly when eating lucerne hay than when eating lotus, and it was estimated that a greater number of chewing bites were required to form a bolus of lucerne hay than to form a lotus bolus. The proportion of ingested OM which was comminuted so as to pass a 1 mm sieve (efficiency of chewing) was greater for lotus (0·485) and lucerne hay (0·.518) than for chicory (0·.267). The efficiency of chewing ryegrass (0·.366) was intermediate and not significantly different from any other forage. For all forages, the main effect of chewing during eating appeared to be the release of cell contents, rather than the comminution of cell wall. Physical breakdown to particles which passed a 1 mm screen but were retained on an 0·25 mm screen was low for fresh forages (0·074–0·086) but was slightly higher for lucerne hay (0·127). Deer reduced feed particle size during eating with a similar efficiency to sheep, but were less efficient than goats.It is suggested that the chewing effort associated with forage consumption by red deer is related to the need to form a bolus. The amount of chewing may be as much influenced by the physical characteristics of the forage (e.g. leaf size and shape) as by its chemical composition, and the extent of comminution during eating may be determined by the processing needed to form a bolus and the resistance of the feed to bolus formation.
Herbage allowance and intake of cattle
Authors: Dougherty C. T. , Lauriault L. M. , Cornelius P. L. , Bradley N. W. 
Published: March 2009

SummaryRates of intake of herbage and grazing time of beef cattle are essential components of simulation models of grassland agroecosystems. We studied the effects of herbage allowance on rates of intake and ingestive behaviour of twelve 2-year-old Angus heifers (Bos taurus)(364 ± 12 kg) grazing pastures of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.). A balanced change-over design and a novel tethering technique were used to estimate direct, residual and permanent effects of three herbage allowances on intake per bite, rate of biting and rate of intake. Herbage dry matter (D.M.) allowances, which were established by varying tether lengths, were 5, 9 and 13 kg (1·4, 2·5 and 3·6 kg/100 kg of live weight) and made available in circular plots of 15, 27 and 38 m2, respectively, for a single measured 2 h grazing session each day. Heifers grazing Kenhy tall fescue swards, composed of vegetative tillers and free from the endophyte Acremonium coenophialum, with herbage D.M. masses (> 5 cm) of 2000 kg/ha and D.M. allowances of 9 and 13 kg/2 h per heifer, ingested D.M. at 1·9 kg/h by taking bites averaging 800 mg D.M. at 38 bites/min. Allowances of 5 kg/2 h per heifer slowed the rate of intake to 1·3 kg/h by limiting D.M. intake per bite to 654 mg and biting rate to 35/min. Rate of D.M. intake of cattle grazing vegetative temperate grass swards appears to be ca. 0.5% of live weight per hour when allowance and availability of herbage are not limiting.
Effects of dietary deficiencies of energy, protein and calcium on the pregnant ewe: V. Chemical analyses and histological examination of some individual bones
Authors: Sykes A. R. , Nisbet D. I. , Field A. C. 
Published: March 2009

SUMMARYThe effects of low protein and low Ca intakes during pregnancy on the chemical composition and histological appearance of selected bones of ewes and lambs is reported. Twenty-eight 6½-year-old Blackface ewes were used in a 2 x 2 experiment in which semi-purified diets containing 11·8 and 6·0% crude protein and 1·2 and 0·11% Ca in the dry matter were offered in amounts designed to induce a level of undernutrition typical of that experienced by hill sheep in winter. In addition, six sheep were killed in early pregnancy as controls, and a further six were offered, during pregnancy, a conventional diet containing 16% crude protein and 1·9% Ca in the dry matter at levels which prevented energy undernutrition. Ewes and lambs were killed at parturition and the tibias, 3rd ribs and 3rd and 4th lumbar vertebrae removed for chemical and histological examination.The degree of mineralization of the organic matrix (ash:organic-matter ratio) of the bones at the beginning of pregnancy was poor and it increased in all groups during pregnancy largely irrespective of protein or Ca intake, but especially in the wellnourished sheep. The density of ash in the whole bone (ash:volume ratio) increased in the well-nourished and high-protein groups but did not change in the low-protein groups. These differences were attributable to the effect of protein nutrition on the density of the bone organic matrix (organic matter:volume ratio). Matrix density of the bones of the well-nourished groups increased while that of the low-protein groups decreased.The histological data essentially confirmed this picture and showed that trabecular or cancellous bone from the tibial head and vertebrae of the low-protein and to a lesser extent the high-protein sheep was porotic, but microscopic assessment conflicted with the chemical findings in that histologically Ca intake appeared to affect bone quality in the vertebrae.There was considerable variation in the histology of individual lamb bones which was independent of maternal nutritional experiences, but the overall size of the bones was determined by maternal protein nutrition.
Mixtures of annual legumes and small-grained cereals for forage production under low rainfall
Authors: Droushiotis D. N. 
Published: March 2009

SUMMARYTwo small-grained cereals, Mulga oats and a triticale line, and two legumes, local vetch and local peas, were grown in pure stands and in mixtures at various cereal: legume seed ratios (20:80, 40:60, 60:40 and 80:20) for three successive cropping years, 1981/82 to 1983/84, at Laxia and Dromolaxia, Cyprus, in each year.The cereal pure stands produced, on average, more dry matter, 8·40 t/ha, and more digestible organic matter, 4·12 t/ha, than the legume pure stands, 3·68 and 2·18 t/ha, respectively. On average, total dry matter production decreased linearly as the seed proportion of the legume component in the mixture increased. The proportion of the legume in the harvested material was much lower than expected from the seed ratios. The highest proportion of legume was seen in the mixtures of peas with triticale and ranged from 8·1 to 35·5% at the various sowing rates. Digestibility and crude protein content were highest in the mixtures of triticale and peas.