Grass Varieties Research Articles

Performance of Different Cool-Season Species and Cultivars Overseeded on Bermudagrass and Managed with Autonomous Mower

With global warming, the cultivation area of bermudagrass is moving northwards in the Mediterranean area despite its winter dormancy and loss of green color. The most common solution is overseeding with perennial ryegrass, which can be complicated to remove in spring. DLF breeders have released a new cultivar of annual ryegrass that is stress tolerant and easy to transition in spring. A trial was carried out on a sod farm in Pisa, Italy. Twenty-nine varieties of cool-season grasses, encompassing both forage and turf species, were overseeded on a hybrid bermudagrass variety ‘Tifway’ (Cynodon dactylon x transvaalensis). The aim of this trial was to compare the overseeding potential of various cool-season turfgrass species and cultivars and to identify which ones perform best in terms of cleanness of cut when overseeded on hybrid bermudagrass in autumn and maintained at a mowing height of 25 mm. Moreover, the following parameters were also assessed: actual turf height (cm); cumulated height (cm); turf visual color and quality (1–9 scale); and visual ground cover (%). Plots were managed with an autonomous mower, which adopted a daily mowing frequency and was set to work with systematic trajectories. The results showed differences between cultivars, and the annual ryegrass showed the best spring transition (scoring a mean value of 96% green cover in July 2023) compared to the other entries. The best result of CoC was measured for rough-stalked meadow grass ‘Sabrena 1’ and tall fescue ‘Turfway’ with 0.9 mm.

Diversity of Grass (Poaceae) Flora at Nagarkot, Bhaktapur, Nepal

The term “flora” describes all plant life in a specific area, habitat, or time period. The main purpose of this research was to compile floral data on grasses growing along an elevational gradient in the Nagarkot forest, Bhaktapur. The highest hill in Bhaktapur, Nagarkot (1330-2175 m), offered a rare chance to examine the variety of grass along the altitude. A total of 43 species of grasses, representing 4 subfamilies, 11 tribes, 32 genera, were identified during this research. Majority of grasses, accounting for 83% of the species were terrestrial, while 11% were lithophyte, and only 6% were aquatic which is expected for the terrain. Some of the species, such as terrestrial and aquatic or terrestrial and lithophyte, have been observed to coexist. With 24 species, the lowest elevation band (1330-1610 m) has the highest diversity, while the highest band (1890-2170 m) has the lowest diversity with only 7 species.

Impact of Fertilization on Productivity and Nutritional Quality of Napier Varieties in Southern Mindanao, Philippines

Aims: This study investigates the effects of fertilizer application on the growth performance, proximate composition, and chlorophyll content of three Napier grass varieties (King, Pakchong, and Juncao) in Southern Mindanao, Philippines. Study Design: Utilizing a Randomized Complete Block Design with a 3x2 factorial arrangement. Place and Duration of Study: The experiment was performed at the University of Southern Mindanao Animal Production Center facilities from January to March 2023. Methodology: The three Napier grass varieties (King, Pakchong, and Juncao) was the first factor, and fertilizer application (with or without) were the second factor. Four blocks were prepared, each containing six plots, resulting in 24 plots. The fertilized plots received two applications of 150kg N/ha and 75kg N/ha of the recommended NPK fertilizer, respectively, while non-fertilized plots did not receive any fertilizer. Results: Results showed that fertilizer application significantly improved herbage yield, with fertilized plants yielding 20.25 tons per hectare compared to 15.14 tons in non-fertilized plants. Pakchong exhibited the highest yield and crude fiber content, while Juncao grass showed higher crude protein content without fertilizer. Fertilization also increased ether extract content, with Pakchong displaying the greatest response. However, nitrogen-free extract (NFE) was higher in non-fertilized plants across all varieties, indicating a complex interaction between nutrient availability and carbohydrate allocation. Conclusion: These findings underscore the importance of targeted fertilizer management to optimize both growth and nutritional quality, depending on specific production goals. The differential responses among Napier varieties suggest the potential for variety-specific fertilization strategies, which can enhance forage quality and sustainability in livestock farming. Further research is recommended to explore the long-term impacts of continuous fertilization and the underlying genetic mechanisms driving varietal differences.

Harvest Initiated Volatile Organic Compound Emissions from In-Field Tall Wheatgrass.

While crop and grassland usage continues to increase, the full diversity of plant-specific volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from these ecosystems, including their implications for atmospheric chemistry and carbon cycling, remains poorly understood. It is particularly important to investigate VOCs in the context of potential biofuels: aside from the implications of large-scale land use, harvest may shift both the flux and speciation of emitted VOCs. To this point, we evaluate the diversity of VOCs emitted both pre and postharvest from "Alkar" tall wheatgrass (Thinopyrum ponticum), a candidate biofuel that exhibits greater tolerance to frost and saline land compared to other grass varieties. Mature plants grown under field conditions (n = 6) were sampled for VOCs both pre- and postharvest (October 2022). Via hierarchical clustering of emitted VOCs from each plant, we observe distinct "volatilomes" (diversity of VOCs) specific to the pre- and postharvest conditions despite plant-to-plant variability. In total, 50 VOCs were found to be unique to the postharvest tall wheatgrass volatilome, and these unique VOCs constituted a significant portion (26%) of total postharvest signal. While green leaf volatiles (GLVs) dominate the speciation of postharvest emissions (e.g., 54% of unique postharvest VOC signal was due to 1-penten-3-ol), we demonstrate novel postharvest VOCs from tall wheatgrass that are under characterized in the context of carbon cycling and atmospheric chemistry (e.g., 3-octanone). Continuing evaluations will quantitatively investigate tall wheatgrass VOC fluxes, better informing the feasibility and environmental impact of tall wheatgrass as a biofuel.

Characterization of Pasture Production Systems in Makueni County of Kenya

Livestock feed is a key factor influencing animal production and productivity as evidenced by the increased demand for animal source foods (ASFs) to feed a growing human population in Kenya. However, there exists untapped potential of pasture commercialization and hence the need to harness the social, economic and environmental benefits in the ASALs for overall rural development. A study was conducted to characterize the existing pasture production systems in Makueni County. A purposive random sampling of 300 respondents drawn from 3 Sub-counties and 12 wards was conducted in Makueni County in January, 2021. The study aimed to characterize existing pasture production systems using a structured questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Multivariate statistical techniques; principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Cluster Analysis (CA) were used to determine whether or not there were significant differences in the pasture production systems in Makueni County. Results of the study showed that majority (97%) of the farmers were small scale farmers (SSFs) who dedicated less than 5 acres of their land to pasture production. The mean age of small- scale farmers was 52 years compared to 55 years for the large-scale farmers (LSFs). Most of the households were male headed (83%). Most of the SSFs household heads had primary level of education level or lower while most of the large-scale household heads had secondary education and above. Majority (35%) of SSFs owned the land under pasture without a title while most of the LSFs had a title. The land under pasture for SSFs was about 2 acres with an average of 102 bales per season while LSFs had about 23 acres under pasture and produced about 1,762 bales per season. Majority (92%) grew local grass varieties and sold their pasture in form of a bale. 58% of SSFs sited NGOs as their main source of grass seeds while LSFs mainly sourced from agrovets Results of PCA revealed that 6 of the 17 components had eigen values greater than 1 and accounted for 58% of the total variance. Based on Euclidian distance, six clusters were determined using the agglomeration schedule. ANOVA analysis of the six profiles were estimated to have p-values of 0.000, suggesting the existence of significance difference between cluster 1 to 6 in relation to the 6 profiles and hence concluding the existence of variations in pasture production systems in Makueni County. Development strategies should focus on knowledge of and improved access to grass seeds to farmers as well as development of standards of the mode of sale of pasture.

The effect of bubbling on the germination of Sudan grass seeds

In the article the results of experiments to study the effect of bubbling on the germination of Sudan grass seeds before and after cryopreservation were presented. The obtained statistical data were processed using the R-studio program. We calculated the indicators of humidity and germination energy of Sudan grass seeds, and determined the statistically reliable significance between the control and experimental varieties. To conduct the experiment, a bubbler installation was created from a cylindrical container filled with water and a bubbler to supply oxygen. The results of pre-sowing seed treatment were obtained for 4 varieties of Sudan grass: Nika, Tugai, Alina, Novosibirskaya 84. Bubbling increases seed germination compared to the control by 13 % for the Nika variety, by 7 % for the Novosibirskaya 84 variety. While bubbling after cryopreservation significantly reduces the germination of seeds in the Tugai variety by 25 %, in the Alina variety by 32 %, in the Novosibirskaya 84 variety by 33 %, and in the Nika variety by 7 %. Thus, bubbling, in general, had a positive effect on the germination of Sudan grass seeds and may be one of the methods of pre-sowing seed treatment. As a recommendation for improving the germination of Sudan grass seeds, we suggest using bubbling without cryopreservation.

Effect of disturbed irrigation regime on the yield of Sudan grass, grown for the Southern Bulgaria environmental conditions

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of disturbed irrigation regime on dry biomass yield of Sudan grass. In the period 2021 - 2023 for the region of Stara Zagora on meadow - cinnamon soil was conducted an experiment with Sudan grass variety Endje - 1, grown after the precursor barley. The following variants were studied in the field trial 1 No irrigation (control), var. 2 Optimal irrigation 75-80% of FC (100% irrigation rate), var. 3 Irrigation with 70% of calculated irrigation rate, 4 Irrigation with 40% of calculated irrigation rate. It was found that the highest average yield of 13940 kg/ha dry biomass was obtained with the optimally irrigated variety, which was 36.5% higher than the yield of the non-irrigated variety. When the irrigation rate is reduced by 30% compared to the optimal option 1 (100%), the dry biomass yield decreases by 8.5%.

Metproxybicyclone, a Novel Carbocyclic Aryl-dione Acetyl-CoA Carboxylase-Inhibiting Herbicide for the Management of Sensitive and Resistant Grass Weeds.

Postemergence control of grass weeds has become problematic due to the evolution of resistance to 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase, acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACCase), and acetolactate synthase-inhibiting herbicides. Herein we describe the invention and synthesis journey toward metproxybicyclone, the first commercial carbocyclic aryl-dione ACCase-inhibiting herbicide for the cost-effective management of grass weeds in dicotyledonous crops and in preplant burndown applications. Glasshouse and field experiments have shown that metproxybicyclone is safe for use on soybean, cotton, and sugar beet, among other crops. It is effective on a variety of key grass weeds including Eleusine indica, Digitaria insularis, Sorghum halepense, and Echinochloa crus-galli. Importantly, metproxybicyclone was more efficacious at killing resistant grass weed populations than current ACCase herbicides. Metproxybicyclone controlled the main ACCase target-site and nontarget site resistant mechanisms in characterized Lolium multiflorum and E. indica populations under glasshouse conditions. Excellent control of a broad resistance-causing D2078G target-site mutant E. indica population was also observed under field conditions.

The Meadoway: native meadow creation in underutilized transmission line corridors

Across Ontario, Canada, there are over 30 000 km of transmission line corridors. With proper planning and ongoing maintenance and monitoring, these corridors have the potential to be transformed into native meadow, offering vital pathways connecting natural heritage systems and supporting wildlife movement, while promoting biodiversity, natural functions, and ecosystem health. In 2019, seeding trials were established in the Gatineau Hydro Corridor in east Toronto where a long-term meadow creation project (The Meadoway) is ongoing, to evaluate the effectiveness of herbicide treatment (glyphosate), sowing method, and sowing season on seeding success with the goal of informing site-specific meadow creation techniques. Seed mixes included a variety of native grasses and forbs and were dominated by copper savannah grass ( Sorghastrum nutans), big bluestem ( Andropogon gerardii), little bluestem ( Schizachyrium scoparium), and switch grass ( Panicum virgatum). Overall, fall or winter seeding with herbicide led to the highest seeding success. There was no difference in the effectiveness of hand seeding or using the seed drill. The results of this work provide valuable insights into effective seeding techniques to improve seeding success and also highlight the benefits of in situ experimentation to inform meadow creation techniques.

Flow cytometric genome size estimation of Hungarian grass varieties

In Keszthely, the breeding of grass species have several decades long history. Among other things, the aim of the maintenance work of the registered varieties is to preserve the ploidy levels that have been reported in the variety descriptions. Flow cytometry is a fast, modern tool for examining plant DNA content. In our pilot study, we compared the genome size of the four grass species maintained at the MATE Georgikon Campus with the data of known samples of similar ploidy levels published for the given grass species in the international database. Our results showed a high degree of agreement with the theoretically expected values, supporting the applicability of flow cytometry in plant breeding and in variety maintenance.

Nutritional Quality of Early-Generation Kernza Perennial Grain

Grain from improved varieties of the perennial grass Thinopyrum intermedium (Host) Barkworth & D.R. Dewey is marketed under the trade name Kernza (common name intermediate wheatgrass, IWG). While a growing body of evidence is available on the nutritional quality of Kernza, gaps exist for components such vitamins and minerals and protein quality. Therefore, we performed two studies on early-generation breeding program material, characterizing nutritional quality by quantifying macronutrients, sugars, dietary fiber, amino acid profiles, fat composition, vitamins, minerals, carotenoids, antioxidants, and antioxidant activity. The IWG studied frequently had concentrations significantly different from the reference values for whole wheat flour. For example, IWG had 50% higher protein, 129% higher dietary fiber, and 65% higher ash content than reference whole wheat flour. Calcium and selenium were 267% and 492% higher, respectively, in IWG than whole wheat flour. Riboflavin and folate were 43% and 447% higher, respectively, and niacin 74% lower in IWG versus whole wheat flour. We identified lysine as the limiting amino acid, although its concentration was 33% greater in IWG than in whole wheat flour. These results support potential benefits of Kernza for human nutrition. This work supports ongoing studies to further characterize and evaluate nutritional quality during the domestication and breeding process.

Stormwater salt remediation and tolerance of turf and native grasses

As stormwater management embarks on a new journey of resource allocation and disparity, addressing the contamination resulting from deicing salts is a growing concern for designers and land planners. Turf and native grass variety are currently one of the most readily available and adaptive resources to address some of these ever increasing hydrologic concerns. However, little is known about the water quality efficiency and optimal design layout of turf and native grasses in urban or rural landscapes with regards to salt remediation. In this study, a five plot series of grass swales was utilized in this study to measure water quality efficiency and salt tolerance of turf and native grasses. The grass varieties that were tested in this study include; Common hard fescue (Festuca trachyphylla), Chewings fescue (Festuca rubra commutata), and sheep fescue (Festuca ovina). Results showed that the grass swales that made up of a blend of grass variety were the most successful at reducing saline and TDS levels as compared to their monoculture counterparts. The findings reveal that a relatively simple grass swale could provide excellent salt and TDS reduction when utilizing a blend of grass varieties; specifically a hard fescue and sheep fescue blend.

Extraction of homogeneous lignin oligomers by ozonation of Miscanthus giganteus and vine shoots in a pilot scale reactor

Lignin, a complex phenolic polymer crucial for plant structure, is mostly used as fuel but it can be harnessed for environmentally friendly applications. This article explores ozonation as a green method for lignin extraction from lignocellulosic biomass, aiming to uncover the benefits of the extracted lignin. A pilot-scale ozonation reactor was employed to extract lignin from Miscanthus giganteus (a grass variety) and vine shoots (a woody biomass). The study examined the lignin extraction and modification of the fractions and identified the generation of phenolic and organic acids. About 48 % of lignin was successfully extracted from both biomass types. Phenolic monomers were produced, vine shoots yielding fewer monomers than Miscanthus giganteus. Ozonation generated homogeneous lignin oligomers, although their molecular weight decreased during ozonation, with vine shoot oligomers exhibiting greater resistance to ozone. Extracted fractions were stable at 200 °C, despite the low molecular weight, outlining the potential of these phenolic fractions.

FORAGE CHARACTERIZATION OF BUFFEL-GRASS (Cenchrus ciliare L.) IN SEMI-DRY TO SEMI-WARM CLIMATES IN ZACATECAS, MEXICO

Buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliare L.) is a species used for the production of forage that is characterized by its adequate adaptation to diverse environments. The aim was to evaluate the characteristics of forage and seeds from four materials and a variety of Buffel grass under rainfed conditions in the semi-dry and semi-warm weather of Zacatecas. The experiment was held in Huanusco, Zacatecas, Mexico, in a totally randomized block design with three replications. The materials were: M-42, M-45, M-66, M-S245, and the Titán variety as a control. For forage, two cuts were performed, considering the variables of plant height (PH), production of dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), and in vitro digestibility of dry matter (IVDDM). Seed characteristics were determined upon physiological maturity using the variables of seed yield (SY), number of spikes per plant (Sp/plt), caryopsides per spikelet (Car/sp), and area of caryopsides (Area/Car). The data were analyzed in SAS, and the means were compared using Lsmeans. For the variable PH, M-42 stood out with an average height of 97.3 cm. In the production of DM, M-42 and M-45 surpassed Titán (p < 0.05), with yields higher than 4.4 Mg ha-1. M-42 had the greatest CP content at 7.29 %, whereas M-45 and M-S245 had the highest IVDDM concentrations at 74.5 and 74.8 %, respectively. Regarding seed characteristics, M-42 surpassed Titán, with a SY of 295 kg ha-1. The study concluded that M-42 is the best option for grassland management in Zacatecas, Mexico, where the weather is semi-warm and semi-dry.

Productivity and nutritional value of perennial cereal grasses in the Middle Cis-Urals

The purpose of the research was the assessment of feed productivity and nutritional value of 13 new varieties of meadow timothy, meadow fescue and awnless brome when cultivated for green mass in the Middle Cis-Urals. The research was carried out in 2018–2022 on sod-podzolic medium loamy soil of the Udmurt Republic. Meteorological conditions of the growing seasons during the years of the research were different: 2018, 2021 and 2022 were arid (hydrothermal coefficient – 0.89, 0.78 and 0.91, respectively), 2020 – slightly arid (HTC – 1.04), 2019 – waterlogged (HTC – 1.73). The beginning of regrowth of the studied varieties of perennial cereal grasses was noted in the third ten days of April; the grass reached mowing ripeness in 44–60 days. The yield of meadow timothy varieties on average for three years of using the grass stand was at the level of 3.5–3.9 t/ha of dry weight, meadow fescue – 2.3–2.4 t/ha, awnless brome – 4.5–4.7 t/ha. The “year conditions” factor had a primary influence on the variation in yield, density and height of the grass stand – 92.4…97.4 %, 62.9…79.2, 80.3…82.6 %, respectively. The “genotype x year” factor also influenced the number of shoots and their height. Fescue varieties were distinguished by a relatively high content of crude fat (2.5–3.1 %), sugars (15.6–17.7 %), and calcium (0.31–0.36 %). High content of crude fat (2.3–2.6 %), phosphorus (0.68–0.71 %), potassium (2.45–2.52 %), calcium (0.31–0.39 %) noted in plant samples of awnless brome varieties. A positive strong correlation between the yield of dry mass of cereal grasses and the content of phosphorus (r = 0.87…0.96) and potassium (r = 0.69…0.85) in it was revealed. Some varieties of perennial cereal grasses were distinguished by their nutritional value: meadow timothy varieties Sleipnir (Finland), Aturo (Germany) and Tamiza (Germany) with a yield per 1 hectare of metabolic energy of 32.3–34.4 GJ, digestible protein – 0.14–0.16 tons, feed units – 2.41–2.60 thousand; meadow fescue variety Karpatchi (Netherlands) – 21.2 GJ, 0.09 tons, 1.57 thousand; awnless brome variety Gvardeets (Russia) – 35.7 GJ, 0.25 tons and 2.58 thousand, respectively. Cultivation of Karpatchi fescue, Sleipnir timothy and Gvardeets brome is energetically and economically profitable: energy efficiency coefficient – 1.9; 3.0 and 3.6, profitability level – 65; 101 and 161 %, respectively.

The effect of the moisture availability rate on the productivity and nutritional value of sorghum crops

Productivity reduced by drought is quite common. There can be up to 60.0% of the harvest losses. This is especially true for forage crops. The purpose of the current work was to identify the dependence of productivity and quality of green mass of sorghum crops on moisture availability during a vegetation period of plants. Sudan grass variety Alice, sugar sorghum variety Yuzhnoye, and sorghum-sudangrass hybrid variety Gustolistny were used as research objects. The study was carried out in the Rostov region. The soil of the experimental plot was ordinary carbonate black earth (chernozem). In order to study the variability of productivity and nutritional qualities, the years with the HTC level from 0.34 to 0.88 with an interval of 0.8–1.2 (2018–2022) were taken into account. The trials were conducted according to the methodology of the State Variety Testing. When the HTC increased from 0.34 to 0.88, there was a tendency to improve green mass productivity by 23.3–35.0% and decrease the protein percentage by 41.80–55.54%. A negative relationship between the amount of crude protein and the HTC value was revealed (r = –0.78... –0.92). The digestible protein yield decreased by 22.22–31.03% with increasing moisture content. The largest mean value was identified for the sorghum-sudangrass hybrid with 0.70 t/ha and the sweet sorghum variety with 0.71 t/ha. The variation coefficient of fiber content was 2.16–5.42%, which indicated weak variability of the trait over the years, and, consequently, a weak dependence on the moisture availability rate, which was confirmed by the correlation analysis (r = –0.03...0.32). The largest value of the metabolic energy was found in the sorghum-sudangrass hybrid (10.42–10.80 mJ/kg). At the same time, there was no dependence of this indicator, as well as the amount of feed units, on the moisture availability rate. The highest amount of digestible protein per feed unit was identified in sweet sorghum (83.4 g). A tendency to decrease this indicator by 22.6–42.5% was found as the HTC level increased (r = –0.69...–0.90).

Use of hybridization to develop new sorghum varieties and hybrids

Hybridization is the main method for developing new breeding material, obtaining genetic variability, and combining desired traits. The purpose of the current work is to characterize new promising varieties and hybrids of sweet and grass sorghum developed by the “ARC “Donskoy” because of hybridization on a sterile and fertile basis. The study was conducted on the breeding field of the FSBSI “ARC “Donskoy”, Zernograd, Rostov region in 2021–2023. The zone is characterized by ordinary carbonate chernozem (3.2 % of humus, 10–40 mg/kg of phosphorus, 70–110 mg/kg of nitrogen, 300–500 mg per kg of soil of potassium). Meteorological conditions during the years of study (2021–2023) were contrasting: in 2022, HTC = 0.52 indicated average aridity and insufficient moisture with 0.81–0.82 in 2021 and 2023. The objects of the study were the varieties and hybrids of Sudan grass and sugar sorghum developed by the FSBSI “ARC “Donskoy”. As a result of hybridization on a sterile basis, there was developed a number of sorghumSudan hybrids (‘Jetta x Kudesnitsa’, ‘APV-1115 x Topolina’, ‘APV-1115 x FP’, ‘Dobrynya’, ‘Gordey’) and sweet sorghum hybrids (‘APV-115 x Yuzhnoye’, ‘Jetta x Severanay Vishnya’, ‘Duet’), allowing to obtain green mass yields of 51–63 and 47–49 t/ha, which was higher than the standard by 5–17 t/ha (10.8–37.0 %) and 5–7 t/ha (11.9–16.7 %) respectively. Using intervarietal hybridization, almost all varieties developed by the FSBSI “ARC “Donskoy” have been created. Among them there are the Sudan grass varieties ‘Alisa’, ‘Gratsiya’, ‘Anastasiya’, ‘Kudesnitsa’, ‘FP’ and the sweet sorghum varieties ‘Yuzhnoe’, ‘Feniks’, ‘Orfey’, ‘SK-20/334’, ‘Severanay Vishnya’ with a green mass yield of 40–48 and 34–38 t/ha, which is higher than that of standard varieties by 3–11 t/ha (8.1–29.7 %) and 7–11 t/ha (25.9–40.7 %), respectively. Thus, hybridization is the main method for developing new breeding material and combining the desired traits in new samples.

Understanding Constraints and Enablers of Climate Risk Management Strategies: Evidence from Smallholder Dairy Farmers in Regional South India

The adoption of effective coping strategies is crucial for successful adaptation to the impacts of climate change in the dairy sector. However, little attention has been paid to understanding the perceived constraints and motivations toward such strategies. A survey was conducted among 104 dairy farmers from three semi-arid regions of South India. The aim of the survey was to explore the dairy farmers’ perception of climate risk, how it impacts their dairy farming system, the coping strategies they employ, and the barriers they face when implementing these strategies. The survey also investigated the factors that facilitate the adoption of adaptation measures. The results indicate dairy farmers in the region perceive drought, pests and diseases, and high temperatures as the major risks associated with climate change, which has resulted in decreased dairy income, animal health problems, reduced fertility, and food intake problems for their cattle. In response to climate variability, dairy farmers have adopted various coping strategies. The most important strategies include buying livestock insurance, keeping low debt obligations, and growing drought-tolerant grass varieties. However, most farmers face significant constraints in adopting these and other strategies including a lack of climate forecast data, the high cost of adaptation activities, and weak institutional support. On the other hand, the key enabling factors that support the adoption of these strategies include milk production security, suitable feed growing conditions, and family interest. Most importantly, the study found that certain factors such as age, education, number of earning family members, annual milk production, monthly cattle expenses, and landholdings significantly influenced dairy farmers’ strategies for adapting to climate change. The study recommends that providing timely climate forecasts, implementing improved policies such as vaccination and cattle health services, and establishing strong institutional support systems can help dairy farmers become more resilient to climate change and protect their livelihoods.

Effect of doses fertilizer and harvest interval on the intensity of leaf spot diseases, production and quality of citronella grass (Cymbopogon nardus L.) essential oils in ultisols soil

Until now, Indonesia is still a world exporter of essential oils, including citronella oil. So that the role of farming communities in the development of Indonesia's essential oil industry is very helpful. For this reason, a study was carried out on response of fertilization and harvest interval on the intensity of leaf spot diseases of citronella grass, and productivity in ultisols soil which was carried out from October 2020 to September 2022. The experiment was arranged in a randomized block design in factorial with 9 treatments, as the first factor is 3 levels of an organic fertilizer (NPK); P1 = 25 g clumps −1, P2 = 37.5 g clumps −1 and P3 = 50 g clumps −1. The second factor is the harvest interval with three levels which is 4 = harvest interval once every 4 months, 3 = harvest interval every 3 months and 2 = harvest interval once every 2 months, repeated three times. Each treatment plot consisted of 24 clumps with a plant spacing of 1 × 1 × 1 m. Varieties used is Serai wangi 1. Parameters observed were intensity of leaf spot diseases, vegetative growth, livestock production, oil production, quality analysis and R/C ratio. The results showed that there was an effect of fertilizer doses and harvest intervals on the development of leaf spot disease. It was seen that at the application of fertilizer doses of 37.5 g clumps −1 with harvest intervals once every three months showed the lowest disease attacks, namely on Cuvularia sp and Pestalotia sp (5.98%, 5.42% and 7.98 %, 7.44 %). In addition, the development of vegetative growth is also influenced by the application of fertilizer doses and harvest intervals on the parameters of canopy width, plant height, leaf length, leaf width and number of tillers. The best fertilizer dose is 37.50 g clump −1 successively (175.40 cm, 172.29 cm, 113.62 cm, 2.36 cm and 119.59 stems), with harvest intervals every 3 months (179.40 cm, 187.29 cm, 119.44 cm, 2.45 cm and 120.00 stems), as well as fresh leaves production tons/ha/year and oil production kg/ha/year the best is the application of fertilizer doses of 37.50 g clumps−1 with harvest intervals once every 3 months (67.81 tons−ha-year and 578.61 kg−ha- year,with, 67.40 tons–ha-th and 517.60 kg–ha-th). For oil quality, numerically, the application of fertilizer at a dose of 37.50 g of clump −1 with harvest intervals every 3 months is still high. The proper R/C ratio for farming occurs in the 2 nd year by administering a fertilizer dose of 37.50 g clump−1 and harvesting intervals once every 3 months with an increase of 116.67%. So, the citronella grass variety Serai wangi 1 can be developed on ultisol soil types by applying an organic fertilizer (NPK).

Selection of forage grasses for cultivation under water-limited conditions using Manhattan distance and TOPSIS.

Extreme weather events, such as severe droughts, pose a threat to the sustainability of beef cattle by limiting the growth and development of forage plants and reducing the available pasture for animals. Thus, the search for forage species that are more tolerant and adapted to soil water deficit conditions is an important strategy to improve food supply. In this study, we propose utilizing the mathematical concept of the Manhattan distance to assess the variations in the morphological variables of tropical forage grasses under water-limited conditions. This study aimed to select genotypes of tropical forage grasses under different water stress levels (moderate or severe) at this distance and the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS). Nine varieties from five species were examined. Forage grasses were grown in 12-L pots under three soil irrigation regimes [100% pot capacity-PC (well-irrigated control), 60% PC (moderate drought stress), and 25% PC (severe drought stress)] with four replicates. Drought stress treatments were applied for 25 days during the forage grass tillering and stalk elongation phases. After exposure to drought stress, the growth and morphological traits of forage plants were evaluated. The results show that the use of the Manhattan distance combined with TOPSIS helps in the genotypic selection of more stable tropical forage grass varieties when comparing plants exposed to moderate and severe drought conditions in relation to the nonstressful environment (control). The 'ADR 300', 'Pojuca', 'Marandu', and 'Xaraés' varieties show greater stability when grown in a greenhouse and subjected to water stress environments. The selected forage varieties can be used as parents in plant breeding programs, allowing us to obtain new drought-resistant genotypes.