Elephant Grass Plants Research Articles

EVALUASI KESESUAIAN LAHAN UNTUK PENGEMBANGAN PETERNAKAN PUSAT PERBIBITAN TANDOS DESA BUMI BERINGIN KECAMATAN LUWUK UTARA

This research aims to determine the land suitability analysis of elephant grass, setaria and legume groups, and knowledge of potential land suitability and improvement efforts. The method used is the matching method to obtain results from land suitability evaluation, land characteristics and quality data with land suitability criteria for elephant grass plants (Pennisetum purpureum SCHUM.), setaria plants (setaria sphacelata), and legume group plants. The research results obtained were at point 1 with marginal criteria (S3, war). Next, point 2 and point 4 get marginal criteria (S3, nr,na), and point 3 gets marginal criteria (S3,wa,na,na). This is due to several limiting factors at the research location, namely, drainage, wet saturation, and N-Total and K2O which are classified as very low (SR). Efforts to improve the land include improving the drainage system, such as constructing drainage channels, liming and applying fertilizer to the land of the Tandos Nursery Center with a medium to high level of tillage. so that based on these improvement efforts, potential land suitability for elephant grass, setaria and legume groups is obtained at points 1, 2, 3 and 4 on the land of the Tandos Nursery Center, Bumi Beringin Village, North Luwuk District, namely at points 1 and 3 of the S1 criteria ( very suitable) at points 2 and 4 with criteria S1 (very suitable).

Effect of Addition Elephant Grass Cellulose and CaCO3 Oyster Shell Waste as Bioplastic Composites

The effect of adding cellulose and CaCO3 as a bioplastic filler was studied. The source of cellulose is obtained from elephant grass plants, while CaCO3 is obtained from oyster shell waste. The primary raw material for bioplastics is tapioca starch with glycerol as a plasticizer using the solution casting method. The resulting bioplastics are thin and transparent but not very elastic, with a thickness is 1 mm. The mechanical properties test of bioplastics obtained tensile strength between 1-3 MPa and elongation between 1-4.4%. Physical properties test results obtained density between 0.313-0.33 g/mL and water absorption between 31.94-81.16%. The morphological test showed that the bioplastic surface was getting more uneven with more CaCO3 filler. The use of cellulose fillers without the combination obtained better results than cellulose and CaCO3 fillers.

The Effect of Harvest Age on Different Regrowth on Chicory (Cichorium intybus L.) Forage Yield by Intercropped with Pennisetum purpureum cv. Mott

This research was carried out to examine the chicory forage yields on different regrowth which were intercropped with Pennisetum purpureum cv. Mott (dwarf elephant grass) on different regrowth due to various harvest age. The research was conducted in the Laboratory of Forage and Pasture, Faculty of Animal Science UGM for 7 months, with a split-plot design and analyzed by Duncan with a total of 9 plots and an area of 2.5x2.5 m2 for each plot. The main plot was the harvest age treatment (30, 45, and 60 days) and the subplot was the regrowth (first and second). In the first stage, as many as 9 cuttings of dwarf elephant grass in one plot were planted with a spacing of 1x1 m2 until the plant height reaches 10 to 15 cm, then the chicory seeds were spread among the dwarf elephant grass plants with the sand mixture. The results showed the harvest age had a significant effect (P<0.05) on chicory's plant height, fresh forage yield, dry matter content, dry matter digestibility, and organic matter digestibility. The 30 to 45 days harvest age performed a higher fresh production more than the 45 days to 60 days harvest age. The 60 days harvest age and second regrowth yielded the highest mixed fresh production compared to the other harvest ages, namely from 12.50 ton/ha to 25.26 ton/ha. Based on the research results showed that the older the harvest age (60 days) increased the biomass of plant production but decreased the plant digestibility. The second regrowth was able to produce higher than the first regrowth, but there was no significant effect on the dry matter content and forage digestibility.

Molecular profiling of the Mahanarva spectabilis salivary glands and phytohormonal response of elephant grass

Signal perception in plants is determinant to trigger specific physiological changes that confer resistance during the early stages of the insect attack. Thus, molecular characterization of both insect effectors and plant hormonal regulators are essential in developing forage grasses resistant to infestation by spittlebug Mahanarva spectabilis. We evaluated the presence of effectors in the salivary glands of M. spectabilis that could enable the infestation of elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum). The presence of an NTPDase-like enzyme was confirmed, and higher activity was observed in females that hydrolyzed ADP. High levels of long chain fatty acids, such as octadecanoid acid (19.5%), prostaglandin A2 (4.7%), eicosanoid acid and the phytohormone salicylic acid (~4.0 μg/g) were also detected in the salivary glands. After 24 h of infestation, the phytohormone profiles were altered in leaves damaged by M. spectabilis, suggesting that the insect effectors modulate the plant response. Our results suggest that the plant response modulation may be the result of crosstalk between the salicylic acid, jasmonic acid, abscisic acid and zeatin pathways, induced by molecules from the salivary glands. This shows that the spittlebugs can interfere with jasmonic acid and zeatin accumulation in elephant grass plants.

HUBUNGAN LUAS DAUN TERHADAP PERTAMBAHAN BERAT KERING RUMPUT GAJAH DI BERBAGAI PERLAKUAN DI MEDIA TAILING TIMAH

Elephant grass (Pannisetum purpureum) can grow in various types of land conditions and produces and is resistant to environmental stress. The predominant sand tin tailing conditions and poor nutrients cause limited plant growth above them. This research tested some kind of fertilizer treatment on sand tailing media after tin addition by using elephant grass plants. The results showed that the type of fertilizer had significant effect on the specific leaf area variant, the ratio of leaf area and the leaf weight ratio. Overall growth were greatly depressed on the 100% tailings treatment. Lime applied in conjunction with NPK fertilizer was not show the total leaf weight that was different from the addition of NPK alone. NPK fertilizers better influence the growth of elephant leaves in tin tailings than organic fertilizers. The best treatment was obtained on organic fertilization with NPK inorganic fertilization. The association of total dry weight of elephant grass with specific area of elephant grass leaf was only visible in organic fertilization treatment together with NPK inorganic fertilizer. In the best condition of elephant grass growth, the specific leaf area had a significant role to increase the total weight of the plant with the value of r2 = 0.864 or LDS will affect the total dry weight of elephant grass in the tailings medium with the addition of organic and inorganic materials NPK of 86.4 percent the remaining 13.6% increase in total dry weight was influenced by factors other than specific leaf area.

Elephant grass response to amino-acid synthesis inhibitor herbicides

Abstract Elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum Schum.) fodder productivity and quality are directly affected by weed interference. The difficulty in controlling weed species is one of the major limitations to the production and use of elephant grass as a forage crop in dairy farming and biomass for energy production. In this study, field experiments were conducted in 2014 and 2015 at two locations in Minas Gerais State, Brazil, to evaluate the tolerance of elephant grass pasture to acetolactate synthase inhibitor herbicides. The experimental pastures were treated at 1× and 2× the normal field-use rates (g ai ha-1) with metsulfuron-methyl (7.8 and 15.6), chlorimuron-ethyl (15 and 30), halosulfuron (112.5 and 225), ethoxysulfuron (150 and 300), and nicosulfuron (60 and 120). A nontreated control was also included. The results showed that metsulfuron-methyl, chlorimuron-ethyl, halosulfuron, and ethoxysulfuron caused mild injury symptoms on elephant grass plants, but did not reduce forage biomass production. Nicosulfuron caused considerable percentage injury to the plants, which varied from 53% to 73% and from 65% to 83% for the lower and higher rates, respectively. Elephant grass was tolerant of metsulfuron-methyl, chlorimuron-ethyl, halosulfuron, and ethoxysulfuron. Therefore, these herbicides could potentially control weeds in elephant grass fields.

Características produtivas e fisiológicas de capim-elefante submetido à adubação nitrogenada

The objective of this study was to evaluate forage production in shoot and root, the in vitro activity of nitrate reductase and the content of photosynthetic pigments in plants of Pennisetum purpureum cv. Cameroon subjected to nitrogen fertilizer doses. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse in a completely randomized design with four treatments (no nitrogen, 50, 100 and 150 Kg·ha-1 of nitrogen) and four replicates. The soil was fertilized according to the analysis of fertility. Plants were harvested 60 days after planting and evaluated for dry matter yield and in vitro activity of nitrate reductase in leaf blades and roots and pigment contents. Nitrogen fertilization increased biomass production of shoots and roots of P. purpureum, as well as nitrate reductase, in both leaf blades as the root activity. As they increased the nitrogen, we observed a higher accumulation of leaves. We also observed increased activity of nitrate reductase in the blades in relation to the roots of elephant grass, and the enzyme activity increased as they increased nitrogen fertilization. The crude protein content and the content of photosynthetic pigments linearly and positively responded to nitrogen fertilization. Nitrogen fertilization increases the production of dry matter in elephant grass plants. The activity of the enzyme nitrate reductase is more pronounced in the leaves than in roots, regardless of the nitrogen levels and the application of this nutrient induces the enzyme activity and the synthesis of photosynthetic pigments.

Impact of Different Carbon Dioxide Concentrations in the Olfactory Response of Sipha flava (Hemiptera: Aphididae) and its Predators

The increasing level CO2 may altered host plant physiology and hence affect the foraging behavior of herbivore insects and predator. Hence, the aim of this study was provides evidence that host plants grown at different levels of CO2 can alter the choice behavior of aphid, Sipha flava and their natural enemies, Cycloneda sanguinea and Diomus seminulus. The plant used was Pennisetum purpureum, cultivar Cameron Piracicaba growing in greenhouse (mean value of CO2 = 440 ppm), climatic chamber with constant value of CO2 = 500 ppm and climatic chamber with fluctuating CO2 (mean value = 368 ppm). A glass Y-shape olfactometer was used to verify the insects responses towards elephant grass plants cultivated under different conditions. The aphids were statistically more attracted by plants grown with constant CO2 level (500 ppm) than by plants grown with fluctuating CO2 level or plants grown in greenhouse. There was no difference in S. flava preference to non-infested versus infested plants by conspecifics. The predator C. sanguinea did not show difference between plants grown with constant CO2 level and infested or not with S. flava. However, the predator D. seminulus showed higher preference to plants grown with constant CO2 level and infested with S. flava. This study showed that the response of S. flava and its predators were affected by plants grown under different levels of CO2.

Application methods of entomopathogenic nematodes for control of Mahanarva spectabilis (Hemiptera: Cercopidae)

The pathogenicity of entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) against nymphs of the pasture spittlebug Mahanarva spectabilis (Distant, 1909) (Hemiptera: Cercopidae) was studied under four application methods. Nymphs of the fourth or fifth instar were placed on the roots of elephant grass plants and submitted to four EPN isolates (Steinernema carpocapsae, S. feltiae, S. riobravis and Heterorhabditis amazonensis RSC1), at two concentrations (2000 and 4000 infective juveniles/mL), with four application methods (pipetting, spraying on the nymphs after froth formation, spraying before froth formation and placement of infected host cadaver method). There was no significant difference in the nymph mortality in function of the concentration and/or the isolate used. However, the efficacy was influenced by the application method, with the most efficient being sprayed on nymphs after froth formation and infected host cadavers. Steinernema riobravis applied by spraying on nymphs with froth, at a concentration of 2000 EPNs/mL, and H. amazonensis RSC1 applied by infected host cadavers caused 71% of the nymphs to die. The use of infected host cadavers and spraying in an aqueous solution on nymphs after froth formation were found to be the most efficient methods to control Mahanarva spectabilis.

Produção de matéria seca e valor nutritivo de pastagem de capim-elefante sob irrigação e adubação nitrogenada

Avaliou-se o efeito de quatro doses de nitrogênio (100, 300, 500 ou 700 kg/ha) e seis lâminas d'água (0, 20, 40, 80, 100 ou 120% da evapotranspiração) na produção de matéria seca, nos teores de proteína bruta (PB) e fibra em detergente neutro (FDN) e na digestibilidade in vitro da matéria seca (DIVMS) do capim-elefante (Pennisetum purpureum, Schum) durante os períodos seco e chuvoso. As doses de nitrogênio constituíram as parcelas e as lâminas d'água, as subparcelas, segundo delineamento experimental de blocos completos ao acaso com quatro repetições. A produção de matéria seca acumulada no ano experimental e durante o período chuvoso aumentou linearmente em relação às doses de nitrogênio e às lâminas d'água aplicadas. Durante o período seco, a produção do capim-elefante aumentou linearmente de acordo com as doses de nitrogênio, mas ajustou-se ao modelo quadrático com as lâminas d'água aplicadas. O teor de PB de lâminas foliares + pseudocolmo aumentou linearmente com as doses de nitrogênio, tanto no ano experimental quanto nos períodos seco e chuvoso, e não foi influenciado pelas lâminas d'água aplicadas. O teor de FDN nas lâminas foliares + pseudocolmo das plantas foi influenciado negativamente pelas doses de nitrogênio durante o ano experimental e no período seco, positivamente pela irrigação no período chuvoso. A digestibilidade in vitro da matéria seca de lâminas foliares + pseudocolmo ajustou-se ao modelo quadrático de regressão de acordo com as doses de nitrogênio apenas no ano experimental e no período chuvoso e não foi influenciada pelas lâminas d'água aplicadas. No período seco, a digestibilidade in vitro da matéria seca não foi influenciada por nenhuma das lâminas d'água nem pelas doses de nitrogênio avaliadas.

A Unique Virus Isolated from Elephant Grass

A virus was isolated from leaves of elephant grass plants (Pennisetum purpureum) showing mosaic symptoms. It was mechanically transmitted to a few cultivars of corn (Zea mays) and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), but other test plants, including elephant grass, could not be infected. The virus was not transmitted by Myzus persicae or Rhopalosiphum maidis, Antiserum with a titer of 1;4,096 in a microprecipitin test was obtained with virus purified from elephant grass