Effect of mixed cropping with lupin (Lupinus albus L.) on growth and nitrogen uptake in pasture grasses grown under manure application

ABSTRACT

The use of organic fertilizer is essential to ensure sustainable agricultural production. Because organic fertilizer normally acts as a slow-release fertilizer, improving its nutrient-use efficiency is important, particularly in terms of nitrogen (N) nutrition. In the present study, we attempted to increase the N-use efficiency of cattle farmyard manure (CM) in the cultivation of pasture grasses by mixed cropping with white lupin (Lupinus albus), which has been reported to decompose organic N in its rhizosphere. Timothy (Phleum pratense) and orchard grass (Dactylis glomerata) were cultivated with or without either lupin or soybean (Glycine max) in pots under three different N treatments (CM, ammonium sulfate, or no N). In the CM treatment, growth was higher in grasses cultivated with lupin than in those cultivated alone or with soybean. Moreover, decomposition of soluble organic N and protease activity in the rhizosphere soil of grasses with CM treatment were enhanced by mixed cropping with lupin. Analyses of microbial activity and bacterial community structure using Biolog EcoPlates suggested that the enhanced decomposition of soluble organic N was facilitated by lupin roots rather than by rhizosphere microorganisms.     

An Improved Procedure for Determining Magnesium Fertilizer Dissolution in Field Soils

Abstract

The sequential extraction procedure currently used to measure magnesium (Mg) fertilizer dissolution in soils consists of removing dissolved Mg (step 1), and partially dissolved Mg (step 2), followed by an 18‐h extraction with 2 M HCl at room temperature to determine undissolved Mg (step 3). This procedure is satisfactory for soluble and moderately soluble Mg fertilizers but is not an accurate procedure for slightly soluble fertilizers, such as serpentine. When step 3 is replaced by a digestion procedure using 2 M HCl for 4 h at 90–95°C (improved step 3), the total serpentine Mg recovery (dissolved and undissolved Mg) from soil samples, either immediately after serpentine was added to soil or after a 21‐day incubation with moist soil, was about 100% compared to 40–50% by the original procedure. The improved procedure also increased the recovery of serpentine Mg applied to field soils. Therefore, this study recommends that the third step of the sequential extraction procedure be replaced by a 4 h digestion using 2 M HCl (90–95°C).     

Potential of imaging spectroscopy as tool for pasture management

The use of imaging spectroscopy to predict the herbage mass of dry matter (DM), DM content of herbage and crude fibre, ash, total sugars and mineral (N, P, K, S, Ca, Mg, Mn, Zn and Fe) concentrations was evaluated. The experimental system used measured reflectance between 404 and 1650 nm at high spatial (0·28–1·45 mm²) and spectral resolution. Data from two experiments with Lolium perenne L. mini‐swards were used where the degree of sward damage or N‐fertilizer application varied. Regression models were calibrated and validated and the potential reduction in prediction error with multiple observations was estimated. The mean prediction errors for DM mass, DM content and N, total sugars, ash and crude fibre concentrations were 235–268 kg ha^?1, 9·6–16·8 g kg^?1, 2·4–3·4 g kg DM^?1, 16·2–27·7 g kg DM^?1, 5·8–6·5 g kg DM^?1 and 8·4–10·4 g kg DM^?1 respectively. The predictions for concentrations of P, K, S and Mg allowed identification of deficiency levels, in contrast to the concentrations of Na, Zn, Mn and Ca which could not be predicted with adequate precision. Prediction errors of DM mass may be maximally reduced to 95–142 kg ha^?1 with 25 replicate measurements per field. It is concluded that imaging spectroscopy can provide an accurate means for assessment of DM mass of standing grass herbage. Predictions of macronutrient content and feeding value were satisfactory. The methodology requires further evaluation under field conditions.     

恢复阶段退化草地资源与营养评价

摘要：选取内蒙古自治区克什克腾旗达来诺日镇典型草原区封育7年恢复中天然放牧草地,于2008年6-10月对草地进行野外实地考察和调查,分析草地生产力、草地资源以及草地营养物质动态变化并对草地牧草饲用价值进行评价,进而探讨草地理论载畜能力,为建立科学合理的围封恢复草地（原）放牧管理体系以及促进草地畜牧业的可持续发展提供理论指导。结果表明,经过7年的围封恢复,退化至冷蒿（Artemisia frigida）+小禾草阶段的草原生态系统基本恢复到以羊草（Leymus chinensis）和克氏针茅（Stipa krylovii）为主的草原群落,整个生长期群落平均盖度37.5%,密度184.6株/m2,平均自然高度18.3 cm,平均鲜草生物量154.3 g/m2,最高产量达到358.6 g/m2;在整个牧草生长期,草群保持着较高的粗蛋白（CP）、粗脂肪（EE）、可消化总养分（TDN）和代谢能（ME）含量,平均分别为12.06%、1.87%、57.4%和8.31 MJ/kg,体现出封育后草地牧草较高的饲用价值;根据草地牧草产量估算得出的暖季产量载畜量为0.656 hm2/羊单位,根据牧草与绵羊营养指标（CP、ME、TDN）供需关系估算出草地营养载畜量分别为0.513、0.802和0.774 hm2/羊单位。试验区草地经过7年围封,生态恢复效果明显,草地承载力提高,优等饲用牧草种类增多,营养价值高,家畜亦喜食,适于牛羊适度放牧利用。     

宕昌县滩子牧场草地类型及生产力分析

于2008年7月,对甘肃省宕昌县滩子牧场草地生产力进行调查,利用GIS技术绘制草地类型图,并对其家畜承载力进行评价.经调查,滩子牧场总面积2 449 hm2.草地类型属山地草甸类,可划分为3个草地组8种草地型.其中,杂类草组包括防风(Saposhnilovia divaricata)+草玉梅(Anemone rivil...     

Carcass traits and meat quality of Texel lambs raised in Brachiaria pasture and feedlot systems

Our hypothesis suggests an improvement in carcass and meat quality of pasture‐finished animals by introducing concentrate feed into diets. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of different levels of protein‐energy supplementation on carcass and meat characteristics of Texel lambs raised on Brachiaria pastures, and compare the results with those obtained from confined animals. Thirty 2‐month‐old intact lambs were divided into five treatments: pasture with mineral supplementation, pasture containing daily supplies of 0.8, 1.6, and 2.4% BW protein‐energy supplementation, and confinement (reference treatment). All animals were slaughtered 104 days after the beginning of the experiment. Lambs submitted to 1.6% and 2.4% BW supplementation presented similar characteristics to animals kept in confinement and were superior to animals treated with 0 or 0.8% of BW supplementation levels (p < .05). Increases of subcutaneous fat thickness were verified for 0.0, 0.8, 1.6, 2.4% BW, and confinement treatments, being respectively of 0.25, 0.74, 1.61, 1.69, and 1.98. Conversely, treatments had no influence on meat physical‐chemical characteristics, being all considered moderately soft, juicy (tender), and with mild tastes and odors. Lambs raised on Brachiaria pastures have high‐quality meat, but more protein‐energy supplementation is needed to be an alternative for the feedlots for young animals.     

直流变频空调压缩机位置检测电路设计

介绍了基于单片机MB90F562驱动的直流变频空调室外控制器硬件结构,说明了各单元电路的功能,着重分析了无位置直流无刷电机换流过程及原理。结合相应等效电路,提出了位置检测方法,即1/2母线电压比较法,最后给出了该设计方案压缩机电流实测波形。     

Soil nematode populations beneath faeces from reindeer treated with ivermectin

Abstract

The size and composition of the nematode assemblage in soil beneath faecal material derived from reindeer treated with ivermectin oral, or ivermectin subcutaneous formulations in early winter in northern Finland, was studied over a two-year period. This study was performed on both ungrazed and grazed areas that typify the reindeer habitat of the region and comparisons were also made with soil nematodes recovered from soils receiving untreated faecal material. Although significant differences in numbers of soil nematode fauna were observed between treatments on individual occasions, none of the differences occurred consistently with treatment, or with time. These results showed no adverse environmental impact of the faeces of reindeer given either formulation of ivermectin in early winter on soil nematode communities in subsequent years.     

Effect of temperature on germination and early growth of subterranean clover, capeweed and Wimmera ryegrass

Germination of annual pasture species was studied under controlled‐environment conditions in south‐western Australia at temperatures in the range from 4°C to 35°C. Subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum) and Wimmera ryegrass (Lolium rigidum) had a germination of 90% between 12°C and 29°C, whereas capeweed (Arctotheca calendula) had a high germination percentage in a much narrower temperature range with an optimum of 25°C. Growth of subterranean clover, capeweed and Wimmera ryegrass between 28 and 49 days after sowing (DAS) was also studied at two photon flux densities, 13 and 30 mol m^?2 d^?1, and at diel temperatures in the range from 15/10°C to 33/28°C. Pasture species grown at a density of 1000 plants m^?2 accumulated at least twice the amount of shoot dry matter when subjected to temperatures of 21/16°C and 27/22°C, compared with a lower temperature of 15/10°C and a higher temperature of 33/28°C. Except at the highest temperature and at high photon flux density, capeweed had lower green area indices (GAI) than the other two species at 28 DAS. Crop growth rates between 28 and 49 DAS were higher in Wimmera ryegrass than in the other two species, whereas subterranean clover had a lower relative growth rate than the other two species at all temperatures and both photon flux densities. Subterranean clover and capeweed intercepted a greater proportion of the incident radiation compared with Wimmera ryegrass. The values of radiation interception and GAI were used to estimate the number of DAS to reach 75% radiation interception [f_(0·75)]. The number of days to reach f_(0·75) decreased with increasing temperature from 15/10°C to reach a minimum at 27/22°C. The time taken to achieve f_(0·75) was always shorter by about 10 d when the photon flux density was 30 mol m^?2 d^?1 in the autumn compared with 13 mol m^?2 d^?1 in the winter. These results are discussed in relation to the early growth of annual pasture in the field.     

Alteration of plant species mixtures by virus infection: Managed pastures the forgotten dimension

What occurs when virus infection is spreading within a mixed plant species population? This question is important not only for economically significant, mixed species managed systems but also for environmentally significant mixed wild species populations. It received attention in recently published ecological studies on wild plant species, but these, and recent general pasture research publications, rarely mention earlier virus studies involving mixed species managed pasture. This review seeks to rectify that situation. It describes 10 diverse examples of past research on mixed species managed pasture done over two decades on three continents that demonstrated plant species balance changes arising from virus infection. These examples showed that plants belonging to susceptible pasture cultivars sensitive to systemic virus infection are sufficiently weakened that their ability to withstand competition from nonhost plants of other pasture species, or weed species, was diminished sufficiently to alter the plant species balance. Also, a similar alteration occurred when they were competing with virus-resistant or virus-tolerant host plants of the same or other pasture species, or a virus-resistant weed species. Such competition also diminished seed production, which decreased their ability to regenerate. Notably, as reported subsequently with wild plant species populations, when two different pasture species infected by the same virus compete with each other, growth of the more sensitive species is suppressed. Because managed mixed species pastures constitute an important component of regenerative agriculture, retaining an optimal balance of pasture species and delaying pasture decline from weed invasion both require effective management of virus diseases.