Browntop Research Articles

Preliminary treatments of Browntop and effect on performance indices, physical and geometrical properties of grain

In the present study Browntop (BT) millet was subjected to three different treatments viz., mechanical stress, hydrothermal treatment and combined treatment (mechanical and hydrothermal) to enhance the dehulling efficiency and studied for its performance indices and its impact on physical, grain dimensions and therefore geometrical dimensions. Different treatments on grain before dehulling has shown significant improvement in the dehulling index up to 93%, coefficient of dehulling up to 96.88 %, and overall dehulling efficiency up to 96.73% compared to control. Principal axial dimensions, physical properties, and geometrical parameters of the produce were calculated to evaluate the grain vulnerability to the above treatments. Bulk Density and true density resulted in no significant difference between control and treated samples of browntop millet whereas porosity had significant difference. Principal dimensions such as length, width and thickness had not differed significantly in browntop millet. Geometric dimensions of browntop millet such as GMD, AMD, slenderness ratio, aspect ratio, sphericity, surface area and volume were evaluated and had no significant difference for control and treated samples except for volume of the grain(p<0.01). Thus the study revealed that preliminary treatments had shown significant impact on dehulling efficiency without disrupting physical properties, grain dimensions and geometric parameters

Биологические особенности и направления селекции видов полевицы (Agrostis L.)

The modern concept of crop production development, focused on the biologization of agriculture, provides for an increase in the diversity of plant species and varieties used, most adapted to the conditions of specific areas of their use and providing maximum ecological and economic effect. To do this, it is necessary to intensify the selection and seed-growing work on the breeding of new varieties of herbs with the simultaneous expansion of species representation. Representatives of the genus bentgrass (Agrostis L.) have a high biological potential, cenotic activity and productive longevity when creating artificial agrocenoses for various purposes. The article analyzes the features of the taxonomic classification of the genus Agrostis, biological features of the most promising bentgrass species for economic use. In the State Register of Breeding achievements approved for use in the territory of the Russian Federation as of 2023, 8 varieties of giant bentgrass (A. gigantea Roth.), 9 — creeping bent (A. stolonifera L.) and 7 — brown top (ordinary) (A. tenuis Sibth.). The last two types are mainly used to create lawns for various purposes. The most promising Agrostis species for establishing agrocenoses for fodder use, primarily in grassland farming in the Non-Chernozem Zone, is giant bentgrass. The article presents the results of breeding work of the Federal Scientific Center "VIK named after V.R. Williams" on the development of new varieties of giant bentgrass.

Soil water availability influences the temperature response of photosynthesis and respiration in a grass and a woody shrub.

Seedlings of the shrub kānuka (Kunzea ericoides var. ericoides (A. Rich) J. Thompson) and the pasture grass brown top (Agrostis capillarus L.) were grown in intact soil cores in climate-controlled cabinets to analyse the thermal response of leaf-level carbon exchange at four levels of volumetric soil water content (θ). The objective was to resolve the combined effects of relatively rapid and short-term changes in θ and temperature on the thermal responses of both photosynthesis and respiration in these two contrasting plant types. Results showed that θ had a greater effect on the short-term temperature response of photosynthesis than the temperature response of respiration. The optimum value of θ for net photosynthesis was around 30% for both plants. The photosynthetic capacity of kānuka and the grass declined significantly when θ fell below 20%. The temperature sensitivity of photosynthesis was low at low soil water content and increased at moderate to high soil water content in both plant types. Statistical analysis showed that the temperature sensitivity of photosynthetic parameters was similar for both plant types, but the sensitivity of respiratory parameters differed. Respiratory capacity increased with increasing soil water content in kānuka but declined significantly when θ fell below 15%. There was no significant influence of soil water content on respiratory capacity in the grass. Collectively, our results indicate that θ influenced the temperature sensitivity of photosynthesis and respiration, and altered the balance between foliar respiration and photosynthetic capacity in both plant types.

Comparative analysis of two selective bleaching methods on Alpaca fibers

Dark brown Alpaca fiber was reduced in shade via selective bleaching with peroxide. Two selective oxidative bleaching methods were tested on alpaca top to assess their effectiveness for color removal and fiber quality properties. Color change, bundle strength, weight loss, fiber diameter, surface modification, dye-ability and dye wash fastness were assessed for both methods and compared with the original brown top. Bleach method 1 (BL-I) showed little surface modification, 5.8 % weight loss and 2.4 % strength loss. D1925 yellowness index was reduced to 74.3 from 83.1 and provided a good base for the dyeing of medium to deep shades. Bleach method 2 (BL-II) displayed considerable surface modification, 7.8 % weight loss and 18 % strength loss. BL-II also resulted in a mean diameter reduction of 1.9 micron during bleaching. Yellow-ness was reduced to 64.5 from 83.1 and provided a very good base for the dyeing of medium to deep shades. BL-I showed better exhaustion of the pre-metallised dye Lanaset Violet B than BL-II. Wash fastness for BL-II was 1 grey scale unit poorer than BL-I. BL-II showed far better color clarity at pale depths however the wash fastness of the finished product was not good enough to maintain the depth or clarity of the color. BL-I showed poorer clarity of color but exhibited better wash fastness results.

Histology of several cool-season forage grasses digested by cellulase

Abstract Leaf blade sections (3 cm long) from the last fully collared leaf of plants from genotypes of perennial ryegrass (Lolium (multiflorum Lam. × perenne L.) × perenne L.), tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.), timothy (Phleum pratense L.), and brown top (Agrostis tenuis Sibth.) were digested by a fungal cellulase solution. Light microscope observations showed there was a similar pattern of digestion by cellulase in all the species studied. Digestion occurred first in the mesophyll, followed by disappearance of the epidermis and phloem. Cellulase did not digest the cuticle, sclerenchyma, or xylem. The observed pattern of digestion of fresh leaf blades by cellulase was similar to that reported previously for rumen liquor, except that digestion by cellulase was faster. Differences in rate of degradation by cellulase were demonstrated among species and between genotypes of the same species. Digestion of fresh grass leaves by cellulase is a potentially useful screening technique for breeding forage g...

COMPARISON OF SILAGES MADE FROM GRASS, GRASS-LEGUME AND CORN FED TO STEERS WITH AND WITHOUT DIETHYLSTILBESTROL

Three silage crops were evaluated as the major source of nutrients for finishing beef steers in terms of the efficiency of animal gain per unit weight of crop harvested and per unit of land used to grow the crops. Silage was made from (1) grass −65% timothy (Phleum pratense L.); 10% couch grass (Agropyron repens L.), 10% bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.), 15% brown top (Agrostis sp.); (2) grass–legume −50% bromegrass (Bromus inermis Leyss), 50% alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.); and (3) corn (Zea mays L.). The three silages were fed to yearling Hereford steers for a period of 126 days. In addition to silage, all steers received 1 kg of coarse ground barley per head per day and one-half of those fed each silage received, in addition, 10 mg of diethylstilbestrol (DES) mixed in the barley. Dry matter percentage at harvest was 25.8 for grass, 18.4 for grass–legume and 24.1 for corn, resulting in a loss from seepage, respiration and fermentation during storage of 9.5, 15.3 and 0.1%, respectively. The average daily gain (ADG) for steers fed corn was 1.05 kg; for grass–legume, 0.89 kg and for grass, 0.56 kg. When DES was added the ADG increased to 1.15, 0.96 and 0.74 kg, respectively. The calculated animal gains per hectare of each crop were 695, 1,414 and 1,415 kg for grass, grass–legume and corn, respectively. Higher grades of carcasses were obtained from steers fed corn silage than steers fed grass–legume silage which in turn were better than those from steers fed grass silage.

THE SPECIES PREFERENCES OF GRAZING HORSES

ABSTRACTPalatability studies of 29 species of grasses, legumes and herbs, and two seeds mixtures, were conducted using three replicates of each species. Crossbred ponies and a few Thoroughbreds were obserred and timed for a total of 260 hours grazing. The results were analysed and sbowed small statistical differences between replicates, between tbe 2 years observed and between horses; and highly significant differences (P<0.001) between certain species. The most palatable was a clover‐rich mixture. Tbe pasture varieties of perennial ryegrass were significantly more palatable tban S24, and as palatable as timothy and cocksfoot Alta tall fescue, crested dogs tail and wild white clover were palatable. Some herbs, red clover, brown top, red fescue and meadow foxtail were tbe least palatable. Dandelion, ribgrass and yarrow were palatable herbs.

Responses of grasses to sulphur fertilisers

Abstract Experiments are reported from tussock grassland soils in which different grasses were grown as spaced plants in existing turf, sown in cultivated and uncultivated soil, and grown in pot cultures. Differences are demonstrated among grasses in response to sulphur when nitrogen supply is improved. Cocksfoot and ryegrass showed a response to applied sulphur fe,rtilisers when sown after cultivation, whereas resident grasses, principally sweet vernal and brown top, showed no gain in yield from sulphur after cultivation. Effects of cultivation and herbicide treatment on the availability of sulphur from different sources are also reported. Experiments are reported which indicate that the respOlse to sulphate by coeksfoot depends on the level of nitrogen uptake. Where sulphate supply was very high relative to available nitrogen. there was little or no improvement in cocksfoot growth. At moderate levels of added nitrogen, treatment with high levels of calcium sulphate frequently resulted in significantly ...