bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The quality of‘brown midrib‐3’mutant maize grown for forage under field conditions in southern England
Authors: SHELDRICK R. D. 
Published: April 2006

AbstractA field trial with maize (Zea mays) was sown in two successive years at Hurley to examine whether the advantages in terms of low lignin concentration and high digestibility demonstrated in USA and France for the‘brown mid‐rib‐3’(bm3) mutant over its otherwise isogenic counterpart would still be manifest in a cool maritime climate. Plants of the bm3 mutant and the normal counterpart (cv. Troyer Reid) together with a locally adapted earlier maturing variety (cv. Caldera 535) were grown in 1976 and 1977 and sampled on three occasions. Despite considerable contrast in the two growing seasons, 1976 being unusually hot, differences of 4 to 8 units in whole‐crop D‐value and 6 to 10 units in stover D‐value were demonstrated in favour of the mutant form, together with significantly lower lignin concentrations (1976, normal 22 g per kg DM, mutant 14; 1977, normal 25 g per kg DM, mutant 16). The results give strong support to the case for introducing the bm3 gene into forage maize breeding programmes in Britain.
Prevention of damage to grass swards from applications of silage effluent by neutralization or dilution of effluent acids
Authors: STEWART T. A. 
Published: April 2006

AbstractEstimates of the total acidity of silage effluent from a range of first‐cut silages varied from 1025 to 21,125 mg Ca CO3 per l with a weighted mean of 8817 mg l‐1. Quick‐lime (CaO), hydrated lime [Ca(OH)2] or caustic soda (NaOH) were found to be effective neutralizing agents when thoroughly mixed with the effluent. Results from seven field‐plot experiments carried out between 1973 and 1977 involving application of silage effluent to grass swards are reported. Leaf scorch occurred when silage effluent with a total acidity equivalent to more than 6000 mg CaCO3 per l was applied at rates exceeding 50 m3 ha‐1 to swards with several weeks regrowth. Scorch was most severe when applications were made during periods of dry sunny weather and to mechanically damaged swards. In these conditions reducing the total acidity to below 2000 mg CaCO3 per l by neutralization or dilution allowed rates of over 100 m3 ha‐1 to be applied without harmful effects.Acid neutralization was found to be unnecessary when silage effluent was applied to recently cut swards. Here rates of up to 150 m3 ha‐1 were applied without adverse effects and generally resulted in increased grass growth.
Herbage measurement in situ by electronics 2. Theory and design of an earth‐plate capacitance meter for estimating forage dry matter
Authors: ANGELONE ALFONSO , TOLEDO JOSE M. , BURNS J. C. 
Published: April 2006

AbstractA forage capacitance‐measuring scheme is presented which uses the earth and plants growing in it as one plate of a two‐plate capacitor. Low frequency analogue circuitry is coupled with digital circuitry to sense and read out digitally the capacitance as a function of the forage under the sensing head. The circuitry is linear, reasonably stable and offers the opportunity for electrically confining the sensed area. The apparatus behaviour is characterized by a mathematical describing function.
Grass production studies in the uplands of north‐east Scotland 1. The effects of soil parent material, altitude and soil major group
Authors: RILEY H. C. F. , MACLEOD D. A. 
Published: April 2006

AbstractSites were established on good quality grass swards in areas representative of three of the most extensive soil parent materials in north‐east Scotland and covering an altitudinal range of 260–460 m. Overall yields of herbage dry matter in 1975 were high, ranging from 6280 kg ha‐1 with no fertilizer to 9190 kg ha‐1 with an application of 100, 26 and 50 kg ha‐1 N, P and K respectively. Differences in production between parent material and altitude groupings were found to be associated with differences in major soils group and past land use, with long‐enclosed brown earths outyielding podzols recently reclaimed from heather moorland by about 30% overall. Increasing inputs of fertilizer appeared to reduce the effects of soil and climatic conditions. Brown earths showed higher apparent recoveries of N fertilizer than did podzols.
Regulating the content of white clover in mixed swards using grass‐suppressing herbicides
Authors: HAGGAR R. J. , BASTIAN C. J. 
Published: April 2006

AbstractA preliminary investigation evaluated six grass‐suppressing herbicides applied on two occasions in late winter to a predominantly ryegrass ley containing only 15% ground cover of white clover. Substantial increases in clover growth, estimated visually, and flower head numbers per unit area were recorded in the first summer after treatment with 2·8 kg ha‐1 carbetamide, 0·8 kg ha‐1 propyzamide and 0·6 kg ha‐1 paraquat. To achieve these increases, visual estimates suggested that spring growth of grass was reduced by 40–80%. However, grass growth recovered fully by mid‐summer on the majority of the treatments.The following year five of the herbicides were compared in a field experiment. Dry matter (DM) and nitrogen (N) assessments of the grass and legume components were made at three harvests in the first growing season and a single harvest in the second year. Carbetamide, paraquat and, especially, propyzamide increased the proportion of clover in the DM (to 89% in the case of 1·2 kg ha‐1 propyzamide); in general, using herbicides to raise clover contents above 20% lead to reductions in spring grass growth of about 70%. However, such reduction was offset by subsequent increased growth so that total annual yields were largely unaffected. The increased legume content resulted in an increased N concentration in both grass and legume components, measured in the second summer. At this time, the greatest increase in total N yield (up to 35%) was recorded from 0·6 kg ha‐1 propyzamide. Potential uses to achieve legume dominance by grass‐suppression are suggested and the needs for further research are outlined.
Sowing date, harvest date and the yield of forage brassica crops
Authors: HARPER F. , COMPTON I. J. 
Published: April 2006

AbstractThe effect of sowing date, within the period from late May to mid‐August, on the DM yield of five leafy forage brassica crops sown to a stand was examined over the period 1976–78. Kale was the crop most sensitive to variation in sowing date and yields declined progressively with later sowings. There was no yield benefit from sowing rapes or stubble turnips earlier than mid‐ to late‐June. Raphanobrassica produced yields as good as rape when sown in June. In 1978, DM yields of rape, kale and Raphanobrassica increased from September to early November, largely as a result of stem growth; kale was slower to accumulate DM than rape in late summer but continued growing longer into the autumn. The DM concentrations of all crops increased from September to December. Rape had a higher DM concentration than stubble turnip. Raphanobrassica was 10–25 g kg‐1 lower in DM concentration than rape or kale. Raphanobrassica produced 23–59% flowering plants from late‐May to early‐June sowing. Harvest date affected DM yield and concentration, leaf: stem ratio and flowering percentage. The effects of sowing dale on DM concentration were small.
Sclerotinia trifoliorum Erikss. on white clover (Trifolium repens L.)
Authors: SCOTT S. W. , EVANS D. R. 
Published: April 2006

AbstractHerbage dry‐matter yields of sown plots of white clover were greatly reduced by a natural infection of clover rot (Sclerotinia trifoliorum), the extent of the reduction being related to the level of infection. Examination of seasonal yield patterns suggested that although the plants apparently recovered from the disease it re‐exerted its influence later in the season. No effects on seed yield could be detected but effects on the development of inflorescences and the proportion of ripe heads surviving to harvest were noted. Marked differences between varietal types existed for some of the characters examined.
Silage and milk production: a comparison between three grass silages of different digestibilities
Authors: CASTLE M. E. , RETTER W. C. , WATSON J. N. 
Published: April 2006

AbstractThree first‐harvest grass silages made from S23 perennial ryegrass cut on 25 May, 13 June and 25 June, and termed early, medium and late silages respectively, were compared in a 16‐week feeding experiment with fourteen Ayrshire cows. The early, medium and late silages had D‐values of 71·2, 65·0 and 62·5 respectively. The early silage was offered alone, whereas the medium and late silages were supplemented with a concentrate containing 208 g crude protein per kg DM at rates of 2, 3 and 4 kg per 10 kg milk. Silage DM intake was 12·8 kg per cow per d on the early silage treatment, and decreased progressively as concentrate intake increased on the other silage treatments. The mean daily milk yields were 16·0 kg per cow in the early silage treatment, 17·0, 18·4 and 20·4 kg per cow in the medium silage treatments, and 16·8, 18·1 and 20·2 kg per cow in the late silage treatments on the 2‐, 3‐ and 4‐kg concentrate treatments respectively. Fat concentration in the milk was not affected significantly by treatment, whereas the CP and SNF concentrations increased progressively and significantly as supplementary feeding increased. From the relationship between milk yield and concentrate intake it was calculated that the medium and late silages required a daily concentrate supplement of 2·1 kg DM per cow to give the same daily milk yields as the early silage.
The effect of defoliation upon yield, flowering and vegetative spread of Holcus lanatus growing with and without Lolium perenne
Authors: WATT TRUDY A. , HAGGAR R. J. 
Published: April 2006

AbstractPlants of Holcus lanatus L. and Lolium perenne L. were grown in monocultures and in 50:50 mixtures and cut at three heights and at three frequencies during 24 weeks. The higher the H. lanatus plants were cut the greater was their harvested yield but height of cutting did not affect the yield of L. perenne. Reduction in the frequency of cutting increased the total harvested yield of both species in monoculture. In mixture, H. lanatus dominated L. perenne, especially with high and infrequent cutting. Stubble yields generally followed harvested yields.In a second experiment, H. lanatus plants were cut sequentially in spring; plants cut in early June produced very few panicles in the regrowth.In a third experiment the growth of decumbent tillers in late summer on spaced plants of H. lanatus produced a stoloniferous growth habit. The production of lateral shoots and roots on these stolons was measured in spring on plants undergoing various types of defoliation. Regular cutting of the parent plant increased the production of lateral shoots on stolons but did not affect the production of lateral roots.The significance of these results is discussed in relation to the manipulation of swards containing these two species.
Influence of nitrogen and sewage sludge on botanical composition of an old hay field†
Authors: MAGDOFF F. R. , AMADON J. F. , WOOD G. M. 
Published: April 2006

AbstractApplications of either sewage sludge or N as ammonium nitrate were made to a 15‐year‐old hayfield over a 2‐year period. The original seeding mixture was unknown but was believed to be timothy (Phleum pratense L.) and red clover (Trifolium pratense L.). During the second year, botanical separations indicated that applications of both N and sewage sludge resulted in reduced proportions of red and volunteer white clover (Trifolium repens L.) as well as volunteer Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.). During the growing season a decline in proportion of timothy (Phleum pratense L.) was observed for the control as well as for the N and sludge treatments. In contrast, quackgrass (Agropyron repens (L.) Beauv.) was markedly stimulated by the treatments and the proportion of it in the hay increased during the growing season.
Changes in the lignin and hemicellulose concentrations of ten varieties of temperate grasses with increasing maturity
Authors: MORRISON I. M. 
Published: April 2006

AbstractThe lignin and total hemicellulose concentrations of ten varieties of temperate grasses (five species) were determined with increasing maturity. A strong correlation existed between the lignin and hemicellulose concentrations. Lignin and hemicellulose concentrations tended to be higher in cocksfoot and timothy than in perennial ryegrass and diploid varieties also had higher lignin and hemicellulose concentrations than their tetraploid counterparts. The hemicellulose fractions were further separated into their linear and branched components whose compositions were determined. The varieties with higher lignin concentrations showed a higher linear:branched ratio and the ‘linear’ components also had higher xylose: arabinose ratios. These findings were consistent for both leaf and stem tissue although the effects from stem tissue were more marked.
The effects of paraquat and glyphosate residues in sprayed herbage on the development of seedlings of a normal and a paraquat‐tolerant variety of Lolium perenne
Authors: FAULKNER J. S. 
Published: April 2006

AbstractParaquat and glyphosate were sprayed on to simulated swards in a glasshouse experiment. Residues of these herbicides depressed emergence, growth and survival of Lolium perenne seedlings sown after spraying.Residues of paraquat applied at a rate (1·5 kg ha‐1) within the range normally used for sward destruction killed nearly all seedlings of a normal L. perenne variety, Barlenna, but had much less effect on the paraquat‐tolerant variety, Causeway. It was estimated that Causeway was almost nine times as tolerant of paraquat residues as Barlenna. Sowing at a depth of 20 mm gave some protection against paraquat residues. A delay of 10 d between spraying and sowing had equivocal effects. It was concluded that residues of paraquat used for killing swards before direct drilling may hinder the establishment of normal L. perenne varieties but not of paraquat‐tolerant varieties.Residues of glyphosate had equal effects on the two varieties and the effects were severest on seedlings sown on the soil surface immediately after spraying. It is thought to be unlikely that glyphosate residues in sprayed herbage would be a problem in direct drilling.
The development of response to fertilizer nitrogen in the first regrowth of perennial ryegrass
Authors: HUNT I. V. , FRAME J. , HARKESS R. D. 
Published: April 2006

AbstractThe experiment was undertaken to examine the interactions between yield responses to secondary applications of fertilizer N and length of regrowth interval following three levels of primary N. A sward of S24 perennial ryegrass received all combinations of three fertilizer treatments, nil, 50, and 100 kg ha‐1 N for primary growth harvested on 21 May and four treatments, nil, 33, 66 and 100 kg ha‐1 N for the second growth harvested 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7 weeks later.Cubic equations of growth were derived from the yields of dry matter and both the direct response to secondary N and the residual responses to primary N increased as regrowths developed. A positive residual effect to increasing primary N was obtained at the three lower levels of secondary N for weeks 4–7 but a negative response was obtained with the highest level of secondary N. The implications are discussed in terms of target responses and yields and the growth interval required to attain these targets.
The rate of water loss from cut grass of different species dried at 20°C
Authors: JONES LEWIS , PRICKETT JULIA 
Published: April 2006

AbstractThe water loss from tall fescue cv. S170, perennial ryegrass cv. S24, Italian ryegrass cv. RvP and timothy cv. S352 when dried as a thin layer under controlled conditions at 20°C and r.h. 50% is described. Comparisons were made on six occasions between mid‐April and mid‐June. Tall fescue dried faster than the other species and the time to reach a water concentration of 0·2 g water per g dry matter varied little between the six harvests. In contrast, the drying time for the ryegrasses and timothy increased to maximal values in mid‐May and then fell. Drying time was dependent on the initial water concentration of the grass, the ratio of leaf to stem and on the amount of true stem exposed to the drying environment. The practical implications in relation to haymaking are discussed.
Variations in the surface characteristics of the sward and the short‐term rate of herbage intake by calves and lambs
Authors: HODGSON J. 
Published: April 2006

AbstractThe results are reported of an examination of detailed measurements on the ingestive behaviour of calves and lambs in response to variations in the surface characteristics of swards under strip‐grazing and continuous stocking managements. It is shown that intake per bite and the short‐term rate of herbage intake were both sensitive to the height of the surface horizon above ground level but, at least under strip‐grazing management, not to variations in herbage density in the grazed horizon. The rate of biting was less sensitive to variations in sward conditions, particularly under strip‐grazing.Both intake per bite and rate of intake were more sensitive to variations in grazing height under strip‐grazing, where sward changes were rapid, than under continuous stocking, where they were slow. Under continuous stocking, ingestive behaviour was more sensitive to changes in sward conditions in lambs than in calves.
Effect of plant density and removal of ears on the quality and quantity of forage maize in a temperate climate
Authors: LESHEM Y. , WERMKE M. 
Published: April 2006

AbstractThe present study was aimed at testing the hypothesis that a dense maize stand (320–720·203 plants ha‐1) will produce more dry matter of acceptable quality than a stand sown at the density generally advocated (105 plants ha‐1). It was also aimed at proving that grain is not essential in order to obtain a high yield of good‐quality forage maize.It was found that dry matter yield increased with density, especially at the early stages of growth. When ear‐formation was depressed by increasing plant density, the resulting reduction of ear yield and its quality due to the absence of ear was partly compensated for by the increased yield and quality of the stem.
The effect of drying and processing red clover on the digestion of the energy and nitrogen moieties in the alimentary tract of sheep
Authors: BEEVER D. E. , THOMSON D. J. 
Published: April 2006

AbstractThe effect of artificial dehydration and processing of red clover on nutrient digestion and absorption has been studied with sheep. A total of three diets were fed, each at an intake of 900 g DM d‐1; comprising frozen (to represent fresh control), wafered and pelleted red clover.Dehydration caused small depressions in energy and N digestibility. Grinding and pelleting had no further effect, although both treatments reduced the amount of energy digestion occurring in the rumen, frozen 63, dried 60, pelleted 48 MJ per 100 MJ digestible energy. Digestion of energy in the caecum and colon was increased on both dried diets, and in the small intestine on the pelleted diet.Almost 40% of the extra duodenal energy on the pelleted diet was due to increased cellulose flow, with only 79% of digestible cellulose being digested in the rumen compared with 96% on the other two diets. There was an associated decrease in ruminal volatile fatty acid production of approx. 20%. Approximately half of the extra energy was due to an elevated flow of protein on the pelleted diet, but this increase was not reflected in amino acid absorption due to a reduced efficiency with the dried diets (frozen 72%, dried diets 54%).The results demonstrate that dehydration and processing of red clover can markedly influence nutrient digestion and supply and thus offer attractive means of improving the nutritive value.
Economics of irrigating grassland in the United Kingdom
Authors: DOYLE C. J. 
Published: April 2006

AbstractA mathematical model which simulates the response of grass to irrigation over a range of rainfall and soil conditions is described. Using the model the probable costs and benefits from investing in irrigation facilities for intensive beef and dairy production have been determined. Irrigation only appears to show a reasonable return on investment where the mean summer rainfall is less than 350 mm or the water‐retaining capacity of the soil is low. Furthermore, investment in irrigation is only likely to be logical where the rate of fertilizer N applied is greater than 300 kg N ha‐1. It also appears that a strategy of partial irrigation is unlikely to yield the maximum financial gain. Overall the indications are that for the foreseeable future only a small percentage of the total grassland area in the UK can be irrigated profitably.
The effects of variety, cutting interval and nitrogen application on the morphology and development of stolons and leaves of white clover
Authors: WILMAN D. , ASIEGBU J. E. 
Published: April 2006

AbstractSix varieties of white clover, each grown with perennial ryegrass, four intervals between cuts and two levels of applied nitrogen in all combinations, were compared in a field experiment during the first 27 months after sowing. Information about yields, crop fractions, heights and ryegrass tillers has been presented in an earlier paper (Wilman and Asiegbu, 1982). The present paper is concerned with the more detailed studies of white clover, which help to explain the yield results and contribute to the understanding of the response of this species to management when grown in competition with grass.Increasing the interval between harvests increased the length of clover stolon per unit area of ground and increased stolon diameter, petiole length, weight per leaf and number of leaves harvested as a proportion of the number present in the sward while only slightly reducing the rate of leaf emergence, helping to explain the positive effect of increasing the interval on clover yield noted in the earlier paper. During regrowth, successive leaves had longer petioles and the length of individual petioles increased beyond the stage at which the leaflets were fully opened. Weight per leaf in clover increased considerably from April to June and declined to below the April value by October. It was shown that weight per leaf can be greatly increased by increasing the interval between harvests without reducing the number of leaves harvested per unit area per year. The stolon length measurements provided some support for the view that medium large‐leaved varieties of white clover can with advantage be defoliated rather less frequently than small‐leaved varieties. Stolon length was less adversely affected by applied N in the medium large‐ than in the small‐leaved varieties. The small‐leaved varieties had thinner stolons than the medium large‐leaved varieties but about twice the stolon length when no N was applied, and a relatively high proportion of leaves which escaped defoliation. The application of N reduced stolon diameter, increased petiole length and had little or no effect on weight per clover leaf.