Barley Stubble Research Articles

AGRONOMIC PERFORMANCE OF FLAX GROWN ON CANOLA, BARLEY AND FLAX STUBBLE WITH AND WITHOUT TILLAGE PRIOR TO SEEDING

Field experiments were conducted to determine the effect of mature crop residues and volunteer seedling residues of canola (Brassica napus L.), barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) on the growth and yield of subsequent flax crops seeded after conventional tillage. A second set of field experiments was also conducted which included both flax and barley as test crops on canola and barley stubble and included an additional comparison between conventional tillage and no tillage. Flax yields were generally lower on canola and flax stubble than on barley stubble with conventional tillage before seeding. Averaged over 6 yr the reduction was 9% on canola stubble. With no tillage prior to seeding, flax yielded as well on canola as on barley stubble. Spring volunteer seedlings of canola and flax often reduced flax yields but fall volunteer growth had no marked effect. Barley yielded better on canola than on its own stubble, and tended to yield better with tillage prior to seeding than without.Key words: Flax, Linum usitatissimum L., crop residues, phytotoxins, tillage practices

The effects of fishmeal and postruminal glucose on the intake and digestion of low-quality herbages by grazing cattle in southern Australia

The intake and digestion of barley stubble and mature pasture were studied in grazing cattle given no supplement or supplements of fishmeal (800 g day-1 per rumen) or fishmeal (800 g day-1 per rumen) plus glucose (500 g day-1 per abomasum). Herbage intake was unaffected by supplements but was greater on pasture than stubble (P<0.001). While fishmeal increased ammonia levels above the basal level of 90 mg 1-1 , the flow of bacterial nitrogen was not increased. Bacterial efficiency (g bacterial nitrogen per kg dry matter apparently digested in the rumen) was 26 and 15 at pasture and stubble, respectively (P< 0.008), and was uninfluenced by supplementation with fishmeal. Similarly, the bacterial nitrogen content and the ratio of diaminopimelic acid to total nitrogen in the bacteria was unaffected by supplementation. Total non-ammonia nitrogen flow and the flow of essential amino acids from the rumen were greater at pasture than stubble (P<0.003) and were increased by fishmeal supplement (P<0.01). Plasma glucose was significantly affected by herbage type but not by supplement (P>0.05). Plasma insulin was not significantly altered by either herbage or supplement. It is concluded that large quantities of postruminal energy and protein supplements can be given to grazing cattle with no detrimental effects on herbage intake and utilization. Further work should be conducted to identify the cause of an apparent inefficiency of bacterial efficiency in cattle on low-quality stubble. It did not appear to result from a deficiency of either ammonia or branch-chain fatty acids.

Field Occurrence of Tapesia Yallundae, the Teleomorph of Pseudocercosporella Herpotrichoides.

Tapesia yallundae, the teleomorph of Pseudocercosporella herpotrichoides, is recorded in the field for the first time. Apothecia were found on wheat and barley stubble in Southland, New Zealand, during September 1987. All single-ascospore isolates obtained were of W-type morphology and most produced P. herpotrichoides conidia after reaching 10 mm in colony diameter on potato-dextrose agar.

EFFECT OF SEED AND FERTILIZER RATE ON YIELD OF SPRING WHEAT GROWN ON FALLOW AND STUBBLE

Neepawa spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) was grown on fallow and barley stubble for 3 yr on Melfort silty clay. Seed rates equal to or greater than 90 kg ha−1 gave highest yields. Maximum yield in most instances occurred with a seed rate of 124 kg P ha−1. At reduced seed rates, optimum fertilizer rate was lower.Key words: Wheat (spring), Triticum aestivum L., seed rate, fertilizer rate

Habitat Use by Mid-Continent Sandhill Cranes during Spring Migration

Harvested grain fields (corn, wheat, and barley) were the principal habitat types used by sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) during spring migration in Nebraska, Saskatchewan, and Alaska, respectively. Wetlands, temporary and semipermanent, were used at each study location as roosting and loafing sites. Grain stubble fields and wetlands use exceeded (P < 0.05) relative availability at each study location. Availability of waste grain in corn, wheat, and barley stubble, under current land use practices, appears adequate for energy needs of spring migrant cranes. Habitat juxtaposition involving roosting, feeding, and other activities is important on spring staging areas. Optimum habitat in the North Platte River Valley included a river roost site, an interspersion of 35-70% corn stubble, 5-40% pasture, -13% alfalfa, and -1 shallow wetland located within 4 km of the roost site. Habitats currently threatened are river roost sites and wetlands adjacent to the North Platte River in Nebraska.

Rape and sunflower seed meals as supplements for sheep grazing cereal stubbles

In 2 experiments, Merino sheep aged about 18 months grazed cereal stubbles for 12 weeks and were either: (i) given no supplement; (ii) given free access to blocks containing 30% urea; or received daily about 300 g DM sheep-1 of (iii) rapeseed meal (RSM); (iv) formaldehyde-treated RSM (FRSM); (v) sunflower meal (SFM); or (vi) formaldehyde-treated SFM (FSFM). In experiment 1, wethers grazed a barley stubble at stocking rates (SR) of 18 and 36 sheep ha-1, and in experiment 2, mixed flocks of wethers and ewes grazed wheat stubble at 10 and 20 sheep ha-1. Mean daily intakes of urea were about 8.5 and 11.5 g sheep-1 for experiments 1 and 2 respectively. Both forms of SFM were readily eaten throughout, but in both experiments, intakes of RSM and FRSM were low and were characterised by high variability from day to day, and among individual sheep within groups. In both experiments, all sheep gained some weight during the first 2-3 weeks; thereafter control and urea fed sheep lost weight at mean rates varying from about 96 to 180 g day-1 depending on SR. Feeding SFM or FSFM reduced this loss to about 20 g day-1 at SR of 10-20 ha-1, and to 60 g day-1 at a SR of 36 ha-1, while losses were intermediate in sheep fed RSM or FRSM. In experiment 1, daily wool growth rates varied from about 5.5 g clean dry wool (CDW) sheep-1 for control and urea-fed sheep to about 11 g CDW sheep-1 for sheep fed SFM and FSFM; respective daily rates in experiment 2 were 3.6 and 8.2 g CDW sheep-1. Wool growth of sheep fed RSM and FRSM was intermediate in both experiments. When ewes were mated on high-quality feed after grazing stubbles, conception was delayed for about 14 days in a high proportion (about 40%) of those ewes that had lost considerable weight during stubble grazing. This effect was overcome by feeding daily 300 g DM sheep-1 of SFM for 7 days prior to and during mating. Delayed conception extended the lambing period. although final numbers of lambs born were not different among groups.

Control of Achillea millefolium L. (yarrow) by rotary cultivation and glyphosate

SummaryVarious control strategies for Achillea millefolium L. (yarrow) were investigated in a dense stand of the weed at Lincoln College in 1977–1978. In early spring plots were either rotary cultivated or left undisturbed. In late spring, plots of both previous treatments were either left undisturbed, rotary cultivated or sprayed with glyphosate at 1·5 kg ha−1. The whole experiment was rotary cultivated twice 1 week later and sown with Hordeum vulgure L. cv. Zephyr (barley) at 144 kg seed ha−1. MCPA + dicamba at 0·9+0·15 kg ha−1 was applied to half of each plot when the second node was detectable (Zadok 32).Rotary cultivation and glyphosate both substantially reduced the regrowth of A. millefolium but glyphosate reduced regrowth by a greater proportion when applied to undisturbed plants than when applied to plants regenerating after cultivation. Both gave a more than 95% reduction compared to the control (rotary cultivation only at sowing time) in the amount of A. millefolium present in the barley stubble in the autumn.MCPA + dicamba caused seedling mortality but did not affect the numbers of primary shoots from rhizome fragments.The grain yield of the barley increased from 2·91 t ha−1 when A. millefolium was not controlled to 4·23 t ha−1 with good control. The barley yield appeared to be restricted by competition from regenerating A. millefolium and by a nitrogen deficiency induced in some regimes by nitrogen immobilization in decaying rhizomes.

ALTERNATIVE ESTABLISHMENT STRATEGIES FOR WHITE CLOVER SEED PRODUCTION

Autumn sown white clover after wheat results in good white clover establishment and large areas can be sown. Direct drilling white clover into barley stubble in the autumn also gives very good white clover establishment. Other methods which include ryegrass and white clover sown together in autumn, sowing with autumn wheat, undersowing barley and processed peas in the spring and oversowing autumn wheat in the spring are less successful. Keywords: White clover, Trifolium repens,

Liveweight response to supplementation of pen-fed and grazing cattle eating barley stubble

Liveweight responses to two levels of supplementary feeding were compared in young cattle grazing barley stubble or fed baled material in pens. Over the 58 d of the experiment, unsupplemented animals in pens lost 0.5 kg/d, those receiving the low energy-mineral supplement maintained their initial weight, and those receiving a moderate energy-mineral supplement gained 0.3 kg/d. In contrast, cattle grazing stubble did not show any liveweight response to supplementation, all three treatments gaining at 0.6-0.7 kg/d. Grazing cattle were apparently capable of selecting a diet of much higher quality than the leaf and stem material on offer. The results emphasize the need for caution in extrapolating, to the grazing animal, results obtained in pen-feeding evaluation of heterogenous materials such as crop residues.

Effects of common stubble treatments and sowing sequences on scald disease (Rhynchosporium secalis) in barley crops

Scald disease was absent in barley (Hordeurn vulgare L. cv. Clipper) grown in field plots where nonhosts of Rhynchosporiurn secalis had been grown successively, and from which living hosts of R. secalis had been absent for at least 18 months. In another field experiment, the burning or grazing of barley stubble containing R. secalis reduced the amount of scald disease of barley sown subsequently in the same plots, but only at early and not at later plant growth stages. Application of the fungicide maneb to burnt stubble gave no control additional to that given by burning. However, inoculation of field plots of barley at seedling emergence with differing amounts of R. secalis inoculum produced a corresponding range of levels of scald disease at both early and late growth stages.

The effect of three herbicides on the number of spores of Rhynchosporium secalis on barley stubble and volunteer plants

SUMMARYSingle sprays of paraquat, glyphosate or dinoseb‐in‐oil, were applied to barley stubble or volunteer plants and their effects on the number of spores of Rhynchosporium secalis were studied weekly. Spore concentrations were measured by washing samples of stubble or volunteer plants and counting spores using a haemocytometer.The number of spores recovered from stubbles was relatively small; both paraquat and glyphosate caused some reductions but the results were not consistent. Treatment with paraquat generally caused a transitory increase on volunteer plants; this effect was not found after glyphosate. Both herbicides caused persisting reductions from 4 wk after treatment. Volunteer plants treated with dinoseb‐in‐oil had fewer spores for 6 wk after treatment, but the plants were not killed and when new growth became infected, spore production recovered to equal that on untreated plants.The fungicide captafol caused some reductions in spore number on stubble but results were not consistent, applied after paraquat it had no effect. It was generally ineffective when applied to volunteer plants; applied after paraquat it tended to increase spore number, but the differences were seldom significant.Spores washed from volunteer plants treated with paraquat or glyphosate were inoculated to pot‐grown barley seedlings; neither herbicide had any effect on spore viability. Viable spores were recovered in February from stubble or volunteer plants treated the previous autumn with paraquat or glyphosate respectively.

Effect of Paraquat on the Number of Spores of Rhynchosporium secalis on Barley Stubble and Volunteers

SUMMARYThe number of spores of Rhynchosporium secalis on barley stubble and on volunteers sprayed with paraquat was compared with that on stubble and volunteers left unsprayed in experiments during 1975–76 in Hertfordshire. Paraquat had no significant effect on the number of spores on stubble. The number of spores on sprayed volunteers was greater than on unsprayed volunteers for up to three weeks after spraying but then declined. Spores were present on dead plants 10 weeks after spraying. Approximately one per cent of spores washed from plants during December had germinated but numbers did not differ significantly between treatments. Spores from volunteers from three treatments were tested by inoculation to barley plants in early January, but very few were apparently viable. Spores from treated plants were as viable as from untreated plants five weeks after spraying but less viable eight weeks after spraying.

Diet selection and intake by sheep and cattle grazing together on stubbles of wheat, oats or barley

Single plots of wheat, oats and barley stubbles were grazed by sheep and cattle in common on a 19 day rotation for 76 days. Initially the stubbles contained 600-1200 kg dry matter ha-1 of green weeds and 3300-4800 kg dry matter ha-1 of cereal residues. Serial estimates were made of diet selection, in vitro digestibility and intake by both species. Sheep consistently selected a diet with a higher proportion of green material than did cattle, but neither species utilized the crop residues to any extent. The overall mean digestibilities of the diet were 68 and 54 per cent fop sheep and cattle respectively (P &lt; 0.01) ; the mean N concentration in the faeces of sheep was 0.64 percentage units higher than for cattle (P &lt; 0.01). Differences in selection by the animals were greatest at the lowest level of green plant material. Estimates of the mean daily intakes of DOM (g kg-1) per unit of metabolic liveweight (W0.9) were 32 and 15, and of dead plant material dry matter (g kg-1) 4.2 and 13.2 for sheep and cattle respectively. There were no differences in selection between stubble species. The results are discussed in relation to maximizing the use of cereal stubbles for animal production.

Pyrenophora teres . [Descriptions of Fungi and Bacteria

Abstract A description is provided for Pyrenophora teres . Information is included on the disease caused by the organism, its transmission, geographical distribution, and hosts. HOSTS: Primarily barley, but also occurs sporadically on wheat, oats and many other Gramineae . DISEASE: Causes net blotch of barley. Primary infection occurs from seed-borne inoculum and produces lesions on the first leaves, which are at first pale but develop into dark spots or streaks later. Secondary infection on older leaves produces pale brown blotches, in which is a network of dark brown lines; these may later coalesce to form irregular leaf stripes. Lesions also occur on the floral bracts. On other hosts the reticulate pattern of the lesions is usually absent. GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION: Worldwide; occurs in most barley-producing countries (CMI Map 364, ed. 2, 1968). TRANSMISSION: The disease can be seed-borne as mycelium or conidia, but can also over-winter on crop debris. Perithecia are common on old barley stubble in the spring and ascosporic inoculum can produce much infection (49, 116). Secondary infection by air-borne conidia occurs throughout the growing season.

Rhynchosporium secalis . [Descriptions of Fungi and Bacteria

Abstract A description is provided for Rhynchosporium secalis . Information is included on the disease caused by the organism, its transmission, geographical distribution, and hosts. HOSTS: Hordeum sativum, Secale cereale, Gramineae, Agropyron, Bromus, Hordeum and Lolium . DISEASE: Leaf blotch or scald of barley ( Hordeum sativum ), rye ( Secale cereale ) and various other Gramineae , especially species of Agropyron, Bromus, Hordeum and Lolium . Mainly leaves and sheaths are attacked; also glumes and awns of barley. Lesions on leaves are lenticular, usually 1-2 cm long, often confluent. The first sign of infection is watersoaking, then the area becomes bluish-grey, and later the central part becomes pale greyish-brown, with a distinct dark brown or violet brown border, except on rye where no dark border is formed. GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION: Widespread but mostly in temperate regions (CMI Map 383, ed. 3, 1970). TRANSMISSION: Overwintering is largely on infected barley stubble remains and volunteer plants; spores are disseminated in water droplets (17, 22; 39, 300; 46, 1988; 49, 116; 51, 283, 2401). Seed transmission occurs to a small extent (38, 385; 39, 300; 43, 1225k; 51, 282; Kay &amp; Owen, 1973a).

Influence of Stubble Treatment and Autumn Application of Nitrogen to Stubbles on the subsequent Incidence of Take‐all and Eyespot

SUMMARYCommercial‐scale field trials on farms in North Hampshire over four seasons (1963 to 1968) showed that nitrogen applied to wheat or barley stubble after harvest in the autumn failed to reduce the incidence of take‐all and eyespot in the succeeding wheat or barley crop, or produced only minor reductions in the spring which were not maintained up to the stage of crop maturity. There were no consistent significant differences in levels of disease between rate or form of nitrogen applied as urea/ammonium nitrate spray at 0, 12, 24 or 48 units/acre (1 unit/ac × 1·25 kg/ha), ammoniacal gas liquor spray at 48 units/acre and anhydrous ammonia injected at 40 units/acre. Burning‐off stubbles with high‐output flame cultivators did not significantly reduce the incidence of either disease.

Graminicolous pyrenomycetes: II. The occurrence of the perfect stage of Helminthosporium teres in Britain

A form of Pleospora trichostoma occurs widely on barley stubble in Britain. Conidia referable to Helminthosporium teres Sacc., produced together with the perithecia and in culture, are genetically connected with it. In infection experiments the fungus produced ‘netblotch’ symptoms on the leaves of barley seedlings. Previous records of the fungus on barley are given.