Grass Type Research Articles

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in the rhizosphere of soybean in integrated crop livestock systems with intercropping in the pasture phase

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are important microorganisms that act as sensitive soil quality indicators. The increase in plant diversity in Integrated Crop Livestock Systems under no-tillage (ICLS-NT) can also alter the diversity of species of fungi and bring benefits to the system. This study had the objective of evaluating the AMF diversity and its quantitative characteristics in ICLS-NT with intercrop in the pasture phase. The experiment was conducted in a dystrophic red latosol, with plots represented by the grasses Panicum maximun cv. BRS Tamani and Urochloa brizantha cv. Piatã, intercrop with the legumes (subplots): cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) cv. BRS Tumucumaque, pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan) cv. BRS Mandarim and single grass type only. The potential for inoculation was elevated in areas with legume intercrop, with either grass, and about 29% higher in areas with the C. cajan/P. maximun consortium. They may be associated with the benefits that the intercrop with legumes brings, through the relationship of rhizobia and AMF. The spore density and mycorrhizal colonization were higher with the use of grass from the genus Urochloa in relation to Panicum, reaching 92% and 88% higher, respectively, as well as an increase in species richness, being associated with a greater affinity of AMF with intercropped grasses. The insertion of the legumes into the intercrop with the grasses affected soybean productivity, positively correlating (74%) with mycorrhizal colonization. These results are related to the fact that intercrop promote the release of a high diversity of organic compounds, helping in the activity of soil microbiota, including AMF, increasing colonization and species diversity of these fungi. Thus, intercrops of grasses with legumes affected positively the activity and diversity of species of the AMF, reflecting in the increase in productivity of the soybean crop.

ENVIRONMENTAL EFFICIENCY OF PERENNIAL LEGUMES AS PRECURSORS OF WINTER WHEAT GROWN IN THE CONDITIONS OF AGRICULTURAL LAND POLLUTION WITH HEAVY METALS

The aim of the research was to study the effect of the inclusion of different types of perennial leguminous plants as winter wheat precursors in the crop rotation on the rate of accumulation of heavy metals in the soil compared to traditional winter wheat predecessors. The objectives of the research are to develop measures to reduce the accumulation of heavy metals in agricultural soils under conditions of modern crop rotation, limited by the number of crops grown and winter wheat. The accumulations of heavy metals in soils were calculated during the cultivation of the main crops of crop rotation with intensive fertilizer. The concentration of heavy metals in the soil was determined before and after the cultivation of legume precursors. Field studies were carried out during 2013-2017. On gray podzolized medium loamy soils of the Agronomichesky Research Institute of Vinnytsia National Agrarian University. We calculated the volumes of heavy metals with optimal rates of mineral fertilizer application for the most common types of crops grown in crop rotation. Four types of perennial grasses were sown: sowing alfalfa, meadow clover, horned lamb, sainfoin and eastern goatskin. After their four years of use, winter wheat was sown. The control was the predecessors in the following sequence: winter wheat - sunflower - winter wheat - corn. Laboratory studies of the content of mobile forms of heavy metals in soil were carried out in the Vinnytsia branch of the State Center for the Protection of Soil Fertility. Analysis of soil contamination with heavy metals during fertilization of major cereals showed that the amount of mineral fertilizers is from 257 kg/ha to 571 kg/ha for ammonium nitrate, from 175 to 225 kg/ha for double superphosphate and from 58 to 75 kg/ha on potassium chloride. According to the volume of mineral fertilizers used in the cultivation of winter wheat, 1944 mg / ha of lead and 339 mg / ha of cadmium enter the soil. Of these, with ammonium nitrate - 51.4% and 7.4%, respectively, with double superphosphate - 39.6% and 41.3% and with potassium chloride - 9.0% and 51.3%. When growing corn per 1 ha with mineral fertilizers, 2357 mg of lead and 434 mg of cadmium are applied, of which with ammonium nitrate - 48.4% and 6.7%, respectively, with double superphosphate - 42% and 41% and with potassium chloride. - 9.6% and 51.8%. Cultivation of spring barley leads to the receipt of mineral fertilizers to soils 1458 mg/ha of lead and 327 mg/ha of cadmium, of which with ammonium nitrate - respectively 35.2% and 4.0%, with double superphosphate - 52.8% and 42.8% and with potassium chloride - 12.0% and 53.2%. Mineral fertilization of winter rape leads to the entry into the soil per 1 ha of 2223 mg of lead and 390 mg of cadmium, of which with ammonium nitrate - respectively 51.4% and 7.4%, with double superphosphate - 39.6% and 41% and with potassium chloride - 9.0% and 51.5%. With mineral fertilizers for growing sunflower in the soil per 1 ha gets 2073 mg of lead and 427 mg of cadmium, of which with ammonium nitrate - respectively 41.4% and 5.2%, double superphosphate - 47.8% and 42.2 % and potassium chloride - 10.8% and 52.6%. The positive effect of growing leguminous perennial herbs on the decrease in the concentration of heavy metals in the soil and grain of winter wheat has been established. Under the conditions of intensive farming by Vinnitskaya, lead and cadmium fall into the soil for the use of mineral fertilizers in accordance with 1944 mg/ha and 339 mg/ha for growing winter wheat, 2357 mg/ha and 434 mg/ha for growing corn, 1458 mg/ha and 327 mg/ha when growing spring barley, 2223 mg/ha and 390 mg/ha when growing sunflower. The four-year cultivation of perennial leguminous grasses under intensive farming reduced the concentration of lead in the soil from 1.33 to 3.2 times and cadmium from 37 to 54 times compared with cereal crops, which contributed to improving the quality of winter wheat grain by reducing the concentration of lead from 1 7 to 2.4 times and cadmium from 1.4 times to 2.1 times. Key words: legumes, precursors, winter wheat, heavy metals, pollution.

A multilayered cross-species analysis of GRAS transcription factors uncovered their functional networks in plant adaptation to the environment

IntroductionEnvironmental stress is both a major force of natural selection and a prime factor affecting crop qualities and yields. The impact of the GRAS [gibberellic acid-insensitive (GAI), repressor of GA1–3 mutant (RGA), and scarecrow (SCR)] family on plant development and the potential to resist environmental stress needs much emphasis. ObjectivesThis study aims to investigate the evolution, expansion, and adaptive mechanisms of GRASs of important representative plants during polyploidization. MethodsWe explored the evolutionary characteristics of GRASs in 15 representative plant species by systematic biological analysis of the genome, transcriptome, metabolite, protein complex map and phenotype. ResultsThe GRAS family was systematically identified from 15 representative plant species of scientific and agricultural importance. The detection of gene duplication types of GRASs in all species showed that the widespread expansion of GRASs in these species was mainly contributed by polyploidization events. Evolutionary analysis reveals that most species experience independent genome-wide duplication (WGD) events and that interspecies GRAS functions may be broadly conserved. Polyploidy-related Chenopodium quinoa GRASs (CqGRASs) and Arabidopsis thaliana GRASs (AtGRASs) formed robust networks with flavonoid pathways by crosstalk with auxin and photosynthetic pathways. Furthermore, Arabidopsis thaliana population transcriptomes and the 1000 Plants (OneKP) project confirmed that GRASs are components of flavonoid biosynthesis, which enables plants to adapt to the environment by promoting flavonoid accumulation. More importantly, the GRASs of important species that may potentially improve important agronomic traits were mapped through TAIR and RARGE-II publicly available phenotypic data. Determining protein interactions and target genes contributes to determining GRAS functions. ConclusionThe results of this study suggest that polyploidy-related GRASs in multiple species may be a target for improving plant growth, development, and environmental adaptation.

Regenerative niche <i>Malva alcea</i> L. in the Crimean mountains

The issue of the presence of a regenerative niche Malva alcea, recently discovered on the Ai-Petrinskaya Yila, is being discussed. This species is typical polycarpic grass, rooted, hemicryptophytes with summer-green vegetation type, entomogamous, barohor with generative propagation. The range of Malva alcea covers almost the whole of Europe, includingGreat Britain; it is also found inNorth America. To obtain an ambiguous answer, we used the original program for calculating the packing density of community species on gradients of factor conditions and resource factors: (illumination-shading, thermal mode, ombro mode, cryo mode, continentality, moistening, variability of moisture, substrate acidity, salt regime (anionic composition), carbonate content, nitrogen content, granulometric (mechanical) composition (porosity) of the substrate). Most often, the species can be found in the syntaxons included in the class - Onopordetea acanthii subsp. acanthii Braun-Blanquet 1964 em. Julve 1993, order - Onopordetalia acanthii subsp. acanthii Braun-Blanquet & Tüxen 1943 em. Görs 1966, union - Onopordion acanthii subsp. acanthii Braun-Blanquet 1936, which summarize the thermophilic ruderal communities of tall weed species. Based on the analysis results, it can be stated that the introduced species successfully occupied its ecological niche due to the successful differentiation of its fundamental niche into the realized niche of the existing plant community, as well as due to the availability of free resources in the ecotope, as evidenced by the negative value of the excess coefficient of the packing density curve.

Ecological stoichiometry of plant leaves, litter and soils in a secondary forest on China's Loess Plateau.

Ecological stoichiometry can reveal nutrient cycles in soil and plant ecosystems and their interactions. However, the ecological stoichiometry characteristics of leaf-litter-soil system of dominant grasses, shrubs and trees are still unclear as are their intrinsic relationship during vegetation restoration. This study selected three dominant plant types of grasses (Imperata cylindrica (I. cylindrica) and Artemisiasacrorum (A.sacrorum)), shrubs (Sophora viciifolia (S. viciifolia) and Hippophae rhamnoides (H. rhamnoides)) and trees (Quercus liaotungensis (Q. liaotungensis) and Betula platyphylla (B. platyphylla)) in secondary forest areas of the Chinese Loess Plateau to investigate ecological stoichiometric characteristics and their intrinsic relationships in leaf-litter-soil systems. The results indicated that N concentration and N:P ratios in leaf and litter were highest in shrubland; leaf P concentration in grassland was highest and litter in forestland had the highest P concentration. Soil C, N and P concentrations were highest in forestland (P < 0.05) and declined with soil depth. Based on the theory that leaf N:P ratio indicates nutritional limitation of plant growth, this study concluded that grass and shrub growth was limited by N and P element, respectively, and forest growth was limited by both of N and P elements. The relationships between the N concentration in soil, leaf and litter was not significant (P >0.5), but the soil P concentration was significantly correlated with litter P concentration (P < 0.05). These finding enhance understanding of nutrient limitations in different plant communities during vegetation restoration and provide insights for better management of vegetation restoration.

Correlations between plant height and light interception in grasses by different light meter devices

This study tested if the type of light meter device can influence the relationships between plant canopy height with light interception (LI) and leaf area index (LAI), in different types of warm-season grasses. LI and LAI were measured using Digital Plant Canopy Imager model 120 (CI-120) (CID Bio-science®) and Plant Canopy Analyzer LAI-2000 (LI-COR®). Seven warm-season grasses were evaluated Urochloa decumbens (Stapf) R.D. Webster.; Urochloa ruziziensis (R.Germ. & C.M. Evrard) Crins; Megathyrsus maximum (Jacq.) B.K. Simon & S.W.L. Jacobs cv. Tanzânia, M. maximum (Jacq.) B.K. Simon & S.W.L. Jacobs cv. Mombaca, Pennisetum purpureum Schumach. cv. Mott, P. purpureum Schumach. cv. Taiwan A-146 2.37, P. purpureum Schumach. cv. Roxo. There was a predominance of non-significant correlations between canopy height with LI and LAI measured using CI-120 ( p > 0.05). Moderate to strong correlations were obtained between canopy height with LI and LAI measured using LAI-2000 (p < 0.01). LAI-2000 was found to be a potential device for modelling relationships between canopy height with LI/LAI in warm-season grasses. The findings of this trial indicate that the type of light meter device has a strong influence on the correlations between canopy height and light interception in warm-season grasses.

The Mineral Composition of Wild-Type and Cultivated Varieties of Pasture Species

Mineral deficiencies in livestock are often prevented by using prophylactic supplementation, which is imprecise and inefficient. Instead, the trend for increased species diversity in swards is an opportunity to improve mineral concentrations in the basal diet. Currently, there are limited data on the mineral concentrations of different species and botanical groups, particularly for I and Se, which are among the most deficient minerals in livestock diets. We grew 21 pasture species, including some cultivar/wild type comparisons, of grasses, legumes and forbs, as single species stands in a pot study in a standard growth medium. Herbage concentrations of Co, Cu, I, Mn, Se, Zn, S, Mo and Fe showed no consistent differences between the wild and cultivated types. There were significant differences between botanical groups for many minerals tested. Forbs were highest in I and Se, grasses in Mn and legumes in Cu, Co, Zn and Fe. Comparing species concentrations to recommended livestock intakes, the forbs Achillea millefolium, Cichorium intybus and Plantago lanceolata, and the legumes Medicago lupulina, Trifolium hybridum and Lotus corniculatus, appear to be good sources of Co, Cu, I, Se and Zn. Further work is required to ensure these results are consistent in multispecies mixtures, in different soil types and in field trials.

Influence of forage particle size and residual moisture on near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) calibration accuracy for macro-mineral determination

Near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) is routinely used for the determination of nutrient components of forages. However, little is known about the impact of sample preparation on the accuracy of the calibration to predict minerals. Three types of forages, hay (n = 117), grass (n = 109) and haylage (n = 119) were used to determine the impact of different sample preparation procedures: particle size (1.0 mm and 0.5 mm) and presence or absence of residual moisture (dried and re-dried) on resultant NIRS prediction statistics. All forages were scanned using a total of four combinations of sample pre-treatments (1 mm dried, 1 mm re-dried, 0.5 mm dried and 0.5 mm re-dried). Each sample preparation combination was subjected to spectra pre-processing methods such as standard normal variate (SNV), detrending (DT), combination of SNV and DT (SNV&DT) and None (log1/R) together with mathematical treatments (1,4,4,1; 2,4,4,1; 2,6,4,1; 3,5,5,1 and 2,4,4,2). Reduction of particle size from 1 mm to 0.5 mm slightly improved calibration statistics for the prediction of macro-minerals in hay and haylage samples. However, for the grass samples, improved calibration statistics was observed at a particle size of 1 mm for most of the minerals studied. Furthermore, the removal of residual moisture through additional oven drying improved calibration statistics for all minerals examined in the hay, haylage and grass samples. These results highlight the importance of the reduction in particle sizes for the improvement of calibration statistics for the determination of macro-minerals. In addition, re-drying of samples will improve calibration statistics for macro-minerals at particle sizes of 1 mm and/or 0.5 mm.

Design of stem separator tool with Cyclea Barbata (Cincau) plant leaves to increase business productivity of Sunter Jaya Residents of Jakarta Utara

Cincau (Cyclea barbata) is a plant whose leaves can be squeezed thick for the contents of a drink. This plant is a species of the cyclea genus. Green grass jelly leaves are found in various places in Indonesia, from traditional markets to modern shopping centers. This plant is known as camcao (Javanese), camcauh (Sundanese), juju, kepleng, krotok, tarawalu, tahulu (Malay). There are several types of grass jelly known today, namely green grass jelly, black grass jelly, and oil grass jelly. Indonesian people are fond of green grass jelly because the physical nature of green grass jelly leaves (Cyclea barbata) is thin and limp so that it is easier to form into gelatin or into gelatin. So far, research that examines quality improvement in the processing process has not been given much attention, because many think that the process currently carried out meets the standards. For this reason, through this research, efforts were made to improve the quality of Cyclea barbata leaves through the initial stages of the Cyclea barbata leaf processing process. The stalks and leaves of the henna must be separated from the beginning of the processing process before being processed further, so that the pure processed material comes from Cyclea barbata leaves which produce the best Cyclea barbata leaf powder, so that it is expected to produce quality Cyclea barbata leaf products. For that we need a separator for the leaves and stems of the Cyclea barbata plant. This research is needed to produce a design for separating the stem and leaves of the Cyclea barbata plant. The design of this tool needs to refer to the physical characteristics of the leaves and stems of the Cyclea barbata plant, so that power requirements are reduced and operational costs decrease.

Alternative splicing and duplication of PI-like genes in maize.

Alternative splicing and duplication provide the possibility of functional divergence of MADS-box genes. Compared with its Arabidopsis counterpart PI gene, Zmm16 in maize recruits a new role in carpel abortion and floral asymmetry, whereas the other two duplicated genes, Zmm18/29, have not yet been attributed to any function in flower development as a typical B class gene does. Here, alternatively spliced transcripts of three PIL genes were analyzed, among which we described the candidate functional isoforms and analyzed the potential effects of alternative splicing (AS) on protein-protein interactions as well, then their phylogenetic relationships with orthologs in typical grasses were further analyzed. Furthermore, we compared the cis-acting elements specific for three maize PIL genes, especially the elements related to methyl jasmonate (MeJA) and gibberellic acid (GA), both hormones involved in the sex-determination process in maize. Together with the results from the co-expression networks during reproductive organ development, we speculated that, due to duplication and alternative splicing, Zmm18/29 may play a role in GA- and MeJA-related developmental process. These results provide novel clues for experimental validation of the evolutional meaning of maize PIL genes.

Grass barriers for mitigating diffuse pollution within a source water area - A case study of Northeast China

Agricultural diffuse pollution caused by runoff and soil loss from cropland has been a serious environmental problem in the black soil area of Northeast China. While water and soil conservation measures have led to a sharp decrease in overland flow within source water sub-watersheds, they have, on the other end, affected the water security of agricultural and domestic use as the water storage capacity of downstream reservoirs decreases year by year. For this study, grass barriers, which are generally considered to have high sediment reduction efficiency, were evaluated for their efficiency as a mitigation measure of diffuse pollution within source water areas. Standard field plots were used to monitor two groups of grass barriers, alfalfa (Medicago sativaL.) and native grass (dominated by Setaria viridis(L.)Beauv.), and slope gradients (3° and 5°) under natural rainfall events over the 2012–2015 period. The results indicated that, during the maize (Zea maysL.) growing season, runoff and sediment reduction efficiencies for the alfalfa barrier were 37.91 % and 62.30 %, respectively. And more than 50 % of the nutrient loads (e.g., total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), and nitrate (NO3--N)) could be removed by the alfalfa barrier. The environmental loads mitigation efficiency of grass barrier in spring was relatively low and unstable. Both slope and barrier width had a significant impact on the water and soil conservation function of grass barriers, while rainfall intensity and grass type were mainly related to runoff reduction. Overall, these finding could provide some specific recommendations for future grass barrier design and large-scale application in a source water area of Northeast China.

Identifikasi Keragaman dan Dominansi Gulma pada Lahan Pertanaman Kedelai

&lt;p&gt;The diversity and dominance of weeds is the first step in determining the success of weed control. This study aimed to identify the diversity and dominance of weeds in the cultivation of soybean under the shade of oil palm that have not produced (1 year). This research was conducted in October 2018 to January 2019. Sampling used a phrase with a frame size of 1 x 1 m. Weed samples were collected and identified per species according to weed groups, then counted with Summed Dominance Ratio to get weed dominance at each location. There were 10 weed families in soybean cultivation consisting of two types of weed grass, seven types of broadleaf weeds, and two types of weed puzzles. The dominant weed family in soybean cultivation was found in the Poaceae family, with &lt;em&gt;Imperata cylindrica&lt;/em&gt; species.&lt;/p&gt;

Characterization of Activated Carbon from Pyrolysis Process of Bamboo Base Waste (Dendrocalamus asper)

Bamboo is one type of grass that is part of non-timber forest products. The chemical properties of bamboo contain cellulose, lignin, pentosan, ash, and silica. To make charcoal from bamboo it is necessary to go through a pyrolysis process. Pyrolysis is a process of thermal decomposition carried out in an inert condition. Pyrolysis gradually encourages the formation of secondary reactions, where after a process occurs, recombination occurs which will produce secondary charcoal. Pyrolysis at high temperatures can cause activated charcoal, which is caused by cracking on the surface of the charcoal thereby increasing the surface area of the charcoal. BET analysis is needed to find out the adsorption power of gas molecules on the surface and to the basis for analysis techniques that are important in the measurement of a certain surface area of the material. The ability of activated charcoal to absorb liquid N 2 is carried out at 77K with the GSA Quantachrome NovaWin. The largest surface area was obtained in this study at a temperature of 800 °C with pyrolysis time for 3 hours which resulted in a surface area value of 343.9424 m 2 /g of activated carbon. Based on this research, it can be concluded that higher temperatures and the longer pyrolysis time of pyrolysis, the higher value of the surface area that is produced at a certain temperature and time until the carbon pores are damaged.

Breeding Bird Use of Production Stands of Native Grasses—a Working Lands Conservation Approach

Grassland birds have experienced protracted population declines, primarily due to loss and degradation of native grasslands. Restoration of native grasses may benefit grassland birds, but such restoration within the eastern United States has been limited. Production uses of native grasses (e.g., hay, pasture, biofuel feedstock) provide market-based incentives that could lead to more extensive use of these grasses than existing conservation-focused practices, potentially influencing breeding birds. Therefore, we compared breeding bird (n = 9 target species) relative abundance among 4 types of native warm-season grass (NWSG) agricultural production fields: forage (hay and pasture; n = 22 and 7, respectively), seed (n = 21), biofuel (n = 15), and a control (idle fields in conservation programs or practices; n = 37) in Kentucky and Tennessee, 2009–2010. We detected 2 145 birds, with field sparrow (Spizella pusilla, 43%) and red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus, 27%) encountered most often. Relative abundance did not differ between production types and controls except for field sparrow (lower on seed production fields) and northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus, lower on hay production fields). Species richness equaled or exceeded that of control fields for all production categories. We documented negative relationships between relative abundance and landscape-scale forest cover for four species (field sparrow, grasshopper sparrow [Ammodramus savannarum], eastern meadowlark [Sturnella magna], and red-winged blackbird) and positive relationships with amount of pasture and hay cover for four species (northern bobwhite, grasshopper sparrow, eastern meadowlark, and red-winged blackbird), reinforcing the importance of nonforested environments for these species. We conclude that production stands could be a viable approach for increasing NWSG available for breeding birds and, when established in the appropriate landscape context, can provide benefits similar to those provided by conservation programs.

Functional collembolan assemblages induce different plant responses in Lolium perenne

Interactions between functional groups of soil fauna and plants are poorly explored although they drive functional processes such as nutrient availability and therefore plant performance. Here, we investigated the separated and combined effects of two collembolan functional groups on soil properties and growth of Lolium perenne, a typical grass species from temperate grasslands. Under microcosm conditions, we established four treatments based on the presence and combination of two collembolan functional groups: (1) control without Collembola; (2) epedaphic species; (3) euedaphic species; (4) epedaphic + euedaphic species. After five months of experiment, we measured the effect of those treatments on both nutritional and morphological variables of L. perenne and on soil properties. Collembolan presence stimulated plant performance. Individuals of L. perenne growing with euedaphic species presented higher numbers of leaves and nutrient contents compared with individuals growing with epedaphic species. Further, the combination of both collembolan functional groups enhanced plant performance and soil nutrient availability, demonstrating that a functionally diversified soil fauna assemblage cause overyielding of ecological processes. Our results provide evidences of complementarity interactions between different functional groups of soil fauna causing overyielding of primary production.

Mapping the bacterial ecology on the phyllosphere of dry and post soaked grass hay for horses.

Soaking hay fodder to reduce dust and soluble carbohydrate (WSC) contents prior to feeding is common practice among horse owners. Soaking can increase bacteria load in hay but no information exists on how this process alters the bacteria profile, which could pose a health risk or digestive challenge, to horses by introducing foreign bacteria into the gastrointestinal tract and so altering the normal profile. The current objectives were to map the bacterial profile of 3 different hays and determine how soaking alters this with the aim of improving best practice when feeding stabled horses. A Perennial Rye grass hay and two meadow s hays were soaked for 0, 1.5, 9 or 16 hours. Pre and post treatment, hays were analysed for WSC and total aerobic bacteria (CFU/g), and differences in bacteria family profiles were determined using ANOVA with significance set at P<0.05. Bacteria were identified via genomic DNA extraction and 16S library preparation (V3 and V4 variable region of 16S rRNA) according to the Illumina protocol. Differences in family operational taxonomic units (OTUs) between individual dry hays and different soaking times were identified via paired t-tests on the DESeq2 normalised data and false discovery rates accounted for using Padj (P<0.05). Mean % WSC losses and actual g/kg lost on DM basis (+/- SE) increased with soaking time being 18% = 30 (10.7), 38% = 72 (43.7), and 42% = 80 (38.8) for 1.5, 9 and 16 hours soak respectively. No relationship existed between WSC leaching and bacteria growth or profile. Grass type influenced bacterial profiles and their responses to soaking, but no differences were seen in richness or Shannon diversity indices. PCA analyses showed clustering of bacteria between meadow hays which differed from the perennial rye grass hay and this difference increased post soaking. Soaking hay pre-feeding causes inconsistent WSC leaching, bacteria growth and alterations in bacterial profiles which are unpredictable but may decrease the hygienic quality of the fodder.

Evaluation of long-term pasture chemical composition and productivity

The assessment of perennial legume-grass plants for pasture purposes was carried out on the basis of data from field experience conducted in the forest-steppe of Krasnoyarsk region and data from a qualitative analysis of pasture grass mixtures. The content of macronutrients: calcium, phosphorus, magnesium; green mass yield, collection of dry matter and feed units in three grazing cycles were determined. The chemical composition and productivity of pastures were depended on the type of grass, the cycle of grazing and the composition of the mixture. It was noted an increase in the calcium content in grass mixtures by 3.2-3.9 times to the control of red fescue. The phosphorus content in pasture feeds was at the control level. A higher content of magnesium in comparison with the control was found in the herbal mixture of brome + cat’s-tail grass + red fescue + goat’s-rue + clover. A grass mixture of brome + cat’s tail grass + red fescue + lucerne was the best in terms of yield of green mass, collection of dry matter and feed units.

Selected Dominance Plant Species for Increasing Availability Production of Cattle Feed

Production and availability of plant species have an essential role as cattle feed. Feed supplies for animal depend on plant species to produce more preferred types of quantity and quality. The purpose of this study was to select dominance of plant species to increasing productivity and develop grazing area. The study was conducted at field farming with large area ± 1.2 ha, consists of 6 cows, and 10 goats in Bondowoso. Identification of species composition was conducted following method Braun-Blanquet scale using a line transect of 0-70 m at every 10 m interval to determine the adaptation of plant species. The purpose of this study was to determine the population of dominance plant species (%), and as information for the conservation of land areas to increase the availability of animal feed in Jember, East Java. The number of plant species as animal feed were 22, consist of 12 types of grass, 6 types of legumes, and 4 types of weeds. The population of grass species more than 75% consisted of Axonopus compessus (85.71%), Para Grass (82.14%), Bracharia decumben (75.00%), Kyllinga Brevifolia (75.00%), and clover was Centrosema Molle (78.57%). The comparison frequency between plant species consists of grass 57.77%, legumes 22.31%, and weeds 19.92%. The observation diversity of plant height was 17.16 cm, vegetation cover rate was 71%. The findings of this study suggest that Axonopus Compessus, Para Grass, Bracharia Decumben, Kyllinga Brevifolia, and Centrosema Molle are the dominance of plant species could increase production, and availability cattle feed in the grazing area.

Successful pollen dispersal modulates with flowering phase in field-hybridizing grasses

Gene-flow between intensively and extensively farmed grass populations is an ongoing feature of agroecological landscapes, especially in Atlantic northwestern Europe. Adjoining population boundaries and in-field admixture of grass types via winter forage dispersal facilitates both in-field hybridisation and recruitment of immigrant seedlings. Here we examine the paternal hybridisation of one grass species (Lolium multiflorum, pollen donor) into the population of a second, fully interfertile, grass species (L. perenne, pollen receptor) via pollen-mediated gene-flow in an experimental field plot. Using weekly counts of successful pollination in 470 individual receptor plants based on paternity analysis in 4281 germinated F1 seedlings, we determined the extent of evident hybridisation (hybrid progeny that show some paternal morphology) and silent hybridisation (hybrid progeny that show no paternal morphology) over the course of floral anthesis. Co-dominant morphological traits in F1 progeny underestimated microsatellite-validated genetic hybridisation by approximately 30%, while background pollen competition dampened the overall rate of successful pollen donor pollination. Overall pollination from the donor plot followed a composite decline model. However over the course of floral anthesis the successful pollination pattern was changeable, and showed varying levels of affinity to three tested decline distribution models.

Estimation method of yield, height and nutrition of pasture of grass types using visible light images

Estimation method of yield, height and nutrition of pasture of grass types using visible light images