Seasonal Management Practices Research Articles

Adoption of seasonal management practices of apiary colonies by beekeepers

Adoption of seasonal management practices of apiary colonies by beekeepers

THE EFFECT OF SEASONAL VARIATION ON PERFORMANCE OF EGG TYPE POULTRY: A Case Study of Mitchell Farms, Mosogar, Delta State, Nigeria

The study was designed to find out the effect of seasonal variation on poultry in Delta State of Nigeria. The variables considered were mortality rate, feed intake, egg production and egg hatchability in the wet and dry seasons of the year. Secondary data were also collected from records kept in the farm. Sites 4AHI-BLK,5AKI-BLK, 9H/BF and 10H/BF were used for the study with each having an average of 2,500-3,500 birds of the same breed and sex aged 1-9 weeks and 21-52weeks. The records were grouped into dry season (October-March) and wet season (April-September) covering three years, 1991-1994. The analysis of the result showed that seasonal variation does not have any significant effect (P < 0.05) on mortality and feed intake in the two seasons. However percentage egg production and egg hatchability revealed a significant difference (P < 0.05) between the two seasons, with a mean % egg production and hatchability of 74±.03 and 80.6 in the wet season and 53.67±0.01 and 55.9 respectively in the dry season. Recommendation is therefore made for proper planning which ensures the utilization of wet and dry season management practices to reduce the effect of high humidity and embient temperature on production.

Impact of Planter Closing Wheels on Corn Emergence in No-Till Systems

HighlightsAftermarket closing wheels increased corn emergence by 2% over standard rubber wheels.Yield was not significant by closing wheel type.Abstract. Producers are increasingly adopting cover crops and no-till planting for a variety of reasons including improving soil fertility and reducing energy inputs. However, adopting these practices may require changes in equipment and management strategy; therefore, research is needed to develop best practices for producers to reduce the risk and encourage adoption. The use of aftermarket closing wheels has been cited as a method to improve emergence under no-till conditions as preparing an ideal seedbed can be more difficult under these conditions due to limited seed-soil contact and side wall compaction. The effect of three aftermarket and the standard rubber closing wheels on emergence and yield under no-till planting of corn into heavy crop residue or cover crops was measured at three Wisconsin locations using a randomized complete block experimental design. Soil temperature and moisture was also monitored during the growing season. Corn plant emergence was measured at least three times to estimate the rate of emergence as a function of growing degree units using air and soil temperatures. The final emergence of corn planted with an aftermarket wheel was found to be significantly higher than the standard rubber closing wheel (p=0.069, a=0.1) across all locations. Yield was not found to be significant by wheel type most likely due to differences in field history and in season management practices. Keywords: Closing wheel, Cover crop, Emergence, No-till, Planter set-up.

Effect of Late Season Management Practices on Soybean Seed Filling and Yield

Effect of Late Season Management Practices on Soybean Seed Filling and Yield

Precipitation Events, Soil Type, and Vineyard Management Practices Influence Soil Carbon Dynamics in a Mediterranean Climate (Lodi, California)

Core Ideas Vineyard management practices create spatial heterogeneity in CO2 efflux and SOM content. Soil C dynamics are influenced by water availability rather than temperature in comparatively warm Mediterranean climates. Soil tillage, organic amendments, cover crops, irrigation and precipitation stimulate CO2 efflux. To characterize the effect of precipitation events, management practices, and soil type on vineyard carbon (C) dynamics, we monitored CO2 emissions and labile C pools from nine vineyards in Lodi Wine Grape District, California, from April 2011 to December 2012. These commercial vineyards are replicates of three soil series (Redding, San Joaquin, and Tokay), representing a spectrum of soil texture and degree of soil development. We hypothesized that soil characteristics would influence the magnitude of CO2 efflux occurring in response to precipitation and management events in a Mediterranean climate. During each field visit—bimonthly (April–October) and monthly (November–March)—we measured CO2, soil temperature, and gravimetric water content (GWC) from vine and intervine (alleys) rows. Monthly, we collected soil samples for dissolved organic C (DOC), which tended to be greater in the alleys of San Joaquin and Redding than Tokay in summer but decreased after the onset of precipitation. In mid‐May and mid‐October 2012, CO2 efflux was higher in Tokay than in San Joaquin or Redding. Carbon dioxide efflux across all soils increased as a result of seasonal management practices (i.e., tillage and mowing of cover crops). Management practices distinguished soil DOC between vine rows and alleys from June to October 2012. Soil type or clay content influenced CO2 efflux across these vineyards, as did GWC and soil temperature. This 20‐mo study indicated that CO2 efflux responded to soil disturbance from management practices, precipitation, and irrigation.

Pollen Spectrum of honey samples of Apis cerana F. collected from different areas of Shiwalik hills.

In India beekeeping is still in infancy, offering vast scope for expansion as a prime agri-horticulture and forest-based rural industry. In order to make beekeeping a successful enterprise, first and foremost task in India is to educate beekeepers about the bee pasturage availability in different agroclimatic zones. This provides valuable information on availability and abundance of pollen and nectar sources, for honeybees during different seasons and helps ultimately in standardizing the seasonal management practices for honey bee colony. Unfortunately, our knowledge on this aspect in the country is scanty and unorganized. Therefore, melissopalynological studies were conducted on twelve honey samples and pollen loads collected from different localities of Shiwalik hills. Analysis of pollen types in honey was carried using standard methods of melissopalynology. These investigations revealed that predominant sporomorphs were: Brassica sp., Raphanus sp., Murraya sp., Eucalyptus sp. etc. whereas, calendula sp., Mangifera sp, Eruca sp., Trifolium sp., Woodfordia sp.. Psidium sp., Grewia sp., Phoenix sp., Hibiscus sp., Syzygium sp., Melia sp., Grewia sp., Acacia sp., Adhatoda sp., Citrus sp., Azadirachta sp. etc. were secondary pollen types. The important minor and minor pollen components represented in these honey samples were: Acacia sp., Adhatoda sp., Ageratum sp., Allium sp., Bauhinia sp., Berberis sp., Bidens sp., Callistemon sp., Carissa sp., Cassia sp., Chenopodium sp., Dalbergia sp., Dianthus sp., Gossypium sp., Grevillea sp., Grewia sp., Helianthus sp., Lagerstroemia sp., Lilium sp., Medicago sp., Murraya sp., Rubus sp., Salvia sp., Sapindus sp., Syzygium sp., Zea sp., Zizyphus sp., Bauhinia sp., Cestrum sp., Citrus sp., Litchi sp., Raphanus sp. Bombax sp., Embilica sp., Pisum sp., Rosa sp., Woodfordia sp. Aegle sp., Albizzia sp., Berberis sp.,Calendula sp., Cedrella sp., Dianthus sp., Leucaena sp., Ocimum sp., Pisum sp., Polygonum sp., Punica sp., Ricinus sp., Robinia sp., Taraxacum sp., Sonchus sp., Syzygium sp., Vitis sp., Bombax sp., Litchi sp and members of families Boraginaceae, Convolvulaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Fabaceae, Meliaceae, Asteraceae, Cucurbitaceae Myrtaceae Acanthaceae, Apiaceae, Apocynaceae, Boraginaceae, Brassicaceae, Cannabinaceae, Lamiaceae, Malvaceae, Papaveraceae, Poaceae, Rosaceae ,Sapindaceae and Rutaceae. Most of the honey samples had pollen of entomophilous plants with a small percentage of anemophilous types. These investigations also revealed both uniflorality and multiflorality in different honey samples. On the basis of present melissopalynological and bee botanical investigations, a floral calendar of honey plant resources of Shiwalik hills indicating their taxonomic status, geographic location, honey potentiality, periods of flowering and economic uses has been prepared. Present studies thus suggest that this region offers very rich potential for the development of beekeeping due to the multiplicity of bee flora available throughout the year. Such investigations can be helpful in setting up new apiaries, in migratory beekeeping practices and application of modern bee management technology.

Prevalence, concentration and genotypes ofCampylobacter jejuniin faeces from dairy herds managed in farm systems with or without housing

To determine the faecal excretion of Campylobacter jejuni by dairy cows that used housing in combination with outdoor grazing. Campylobacter jejuni prevalence and concentration were measured in a total of 990 cow faecal samples collected from seven herd home farms (HH), seven stand-off pad farms (SOP) and seven pasture farms (P) over a 2-year period. On all the farms, cows had access to pasture but were restricted to narrow grazing strips in winter. The overall Camp. jejuni prevalence was 55, 49 and 54% on HH, SOP and P farms, respectively. The Camp. jejuni concentration ranged from 0 to 6·7 log10 g(-1) faeces and was not statistically different among the farm systems. However, Camp. jejuni prevalence (P = 0·014) and concentration (P = 0·0001) were significantly greater in winter and early spring after intensive use of HH, SOP and strip-grazing. Typing of 30 Camp. jejuni isolates revealed a dominance of ruminant types (MLST CC-61, CC-21, CC-42 and CC-48), which are associated with human disease. No overall difference was observed among systems, but seasonal management practices that force cows close together increased the prevalence and concentration of Camp. jejuni in faeces. These findings are important when identifying farm practices that reduce Camp. jejuni excretion and the associated risk to human health.

Avian community response to pine flatwoods management

Across the southeastern United States, changing disturbance regimes threaten the integrity of pine flatwoods, reducing their suitability as habitat for a variety of avian species, many of which are considered of conservation priority. Prescribed burning and roller chopping are management practices widely used in pine flatwoods to control shrubs and increase the growth of herbaceous vegetation. However, the impacts these treatments have on this system and its associated avian communities are largely unknown. We examined the effects of prescribed burning and roller chopping on pine flatwoods avian communities using a paired sample approach. Avian communities were compared between treated (e.g., burned) and untreated areas. We considered abundance and richness of all birds, but also groups of conservation concern, and those likely impacted by seasonal management practices (e.g., breeding and non-breeding categories, and woodland, successional-scrub, and grassland guilds). Dormant season burning resulted in decreases in avian species richness and abundance within the non-breeding, overwintering community. In situations where the maintenance or enhancement of this avian group is desired, growing season burning appears beneficial and should be used in preference to dormant season burning. Growing season burning benefited breeding avian communities, resulting in increases in species richness and abundance within this group. Dormant season roller chopping had no effect on species richness or abundance of any avian category or guild. Increases in abundance within breeding avian communities were observed following growing season roller chopping and a roller chopping/burning combination. Grazing, did not mediate the effects of prescribed burning or roller chopping on avian species richness or abundance. The use of dormant season burning is likely inappropriate in situations where conservation and management of non-breeding, overwintering species is a priority. The use of growing season roller chopping appears to provide a potential treatment alternative in situations where positive effects on breeding species are desired. Overall, maintenance of avian abundance and richness may be best achieved through the diverse application of prescribed burning and roller chopping based on season, frequency, and space.

Remote sensing applications for precision agriculture: A learning community approach

Farmers throughout the world are constantly searching for ways to maximize their returns. Remote Sensing, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and Global Positioning Systems (GPS) may provide technologies needed for farmers to maximize the economic and environmental benefits of precision farming. However, most farmers do not have the skills to utilize these technologies effectively. Through a learning community approach led by the Upper Midwest Aerospace Consortium (UMAC), information was shared among scientists, agricultural producers, and data providers. Farmers and ranchers received value-added information derived from AVHRR, MODIS, ETM+, IKONOS, DigitInc's DALSA camera system and Positive Systems' ADAR 5500 digital aerial camera, over four growing seasons. Emphasis has been placed on reducing the time between data acquisition and delivery of value-added products to farmers, developing practical uses for the data and providing basic training so that the end users could understand how to interpret the information. Farmers and ranchers in rural areas were connected via wide-bandwidth satellite link to a central distribution center at the University of North Dakota. The farmers participated actively in evaluating the usefulness of inputs derived from remotely sensed data, sometimes even by conducting experiments on fertilizer and fungicide applications and assessing the economic benefits. Resulting applications included management zone delineation, verifying the effectiveness of variable-rate fertilizer applications, verifying the effectiveness of fungicide applications, quantifying the loss due to accidental spray drift damage, selecting acres within sugar beet fields under the Payment in Kind program, and monitoring physical damage due to insect, inundation, wind and hail. Several other in-field, early season management practices were also reviewed using high-resolution images.