Forages

Fodder insufficiency and its poor-quality leads to lower productivity of Indian cattle. To improve productivity and quality of fodder oats, the present study was undertaken with residual effect of three maize cultivars (V 1 : African Tall, V 2 : J-1006; V 3 : P-3396) on oats cv. Kent and four nutrient management options (N 0 : Control; N 1 : 100% RDF; N 2 : 75% RDF + PGPR + Panchagavya; N 3 : 50% RDF + 25% FYM + PGPR + Panchagavya) using Split Plot Design. Results showed that residual effect of maize cultivars did not cause significant variations on quality traits as well as economics of fodder oats. The use of 75% RDF + PGPR + Panchagavya (N 2) showed significantly higher dry fodder, crude protein, ether extract and total ash yields and it followed by 50% RDF + 25% FYM + PGPR + Panchagavya (N 3). The fibre fractions as well as nitrate concentrations were significantly lowered with the application of N 2 and N 3 options. The highest benefit in terms of net returns was also obtained with N 2 option. Our results suggested that application of 75% RDF + PGPR + Panchagavya enhances the fodder quality, productivity, profitability and reduces the nitrate concentration in oats grown after maize besides replacing 25% chemical fertilizers.

An experiment was carried out to evaluate influence of different crop combination ratios of corn and soybean in terms of forage yield in corn-soybean intercropping. The experiment compared both corn and soybean as monocultures and in different intercropping ratios from 25:75, 50:50 and 75:25 of corn to soybean. The crop combination ratio had significant effects on physiological traits and dry matter yield of forage. The ratio of 75:25 and 50:50 recorded DM yields similar to those of monocropped corn (14.77 t/ha). Relative yield total (RYT) values of intercropping were higher than that of monocrop corn and soybean. Mixtures with 50:50 combination ratio had higher mean total relative yield values (1.15) in comparison with the other ratios. Land equivalent ratio (LER) increased with corn-soybean intercropping and the highest total LER value was recorded with 50:50 ratio (1.13). The crop ratio of 50:50 gave the best combination based on DM yield, relative yield, LER of the combined forage.

The present study has been carried out in kharif 2018 and 2019 at ICAR- National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, with three maize (Zea mays L.) cultivars (V1: African Tall, V2: J-1006; V3: P-3396) and four nutrient management strategies (N0: Control; N1: 100% RDF; N2: 75% RDF + PGPR + Panchagavya spray; N3: 50% RDF + 25% FYM + PGPR + Panchagavya spray) using split plot design. Results revealed that maize cv. J-1006 and African Tall produced significantly high and low dry fodder yield, respectively. Significantly high crude protein (CP), ether extracts (EE) and
total ash (TA) yields were recorded with J-1006 during both years. In comparison of nutrient management strategies, the application of 75% RDF + PGPR + Panchagavya spray (N2) recorded significantly high dry fodder, CP, EE and TA yields. The foliar spray of Panchagavya along with reduced dose of chemical fertilizers, PGPR and/ or FYM (N2 and N3) to fodder maize significantly reduced the fibre fractions and improved the nutritive values/ energy (DMI, DMD, TDN and NEl). Our results suggest that selection of J-1006 cultivar and application of 75% RDF + PGPR + Panchagavya spray (N2) enhances fodder productivity, quality and reduces the fibre fractions.

). Gamagrass fed as hay or silage did not change (P>0.10) milk yield, but corn inclusion tended to increase (P<0.08) milk yield. Yields of milk protein (0.69 vs 0.80 kg/d), lactose (1.23 vs 1.44 kg/d), and solids-not-fat (2.12 vs 2.48 kg/d) tended to be greater for SNC than for HNC (P<0.08). Corn inclusion increased milk yields compared with SNC. Gamagrass fed as silage resulted in a greater feed conversion efficiency than did gamagrass fed as hay (2.16 vs 1.88; P<0.01). Adding corn to S reduced feed efficiency. Conversion of feed N to milk N was greater (P<0.01) for gamagrass fed as silage than for hay. Milk urea N (MUN) concentration was greater (P<0.01) for cows fed HNC than for cows on all other treatments. Feeding S significantly lessened MUN concentration. Including corn at the medium and high levels further reduced MUN concentration (P<0.05). Increased energy from corn at the high level increased milk yield and tended to increase conversion of feed N into milk protein. Gamagrass fed as silage without or with corn improved the N status of the cows, as indicated by lesser MUN concentrations.

Five dual-flow fermentors (700 mL) were used to determine the effects of eastern gamagrass (Tripsacum dactyloides [L.] L.) diets on microbial metabolism by mixed rumen cultures. Fermentors were incubated with filtered ruminal contents and allowed to adapt for 4 d to diets followed by 3 d of sample collection. Five dietary treatments were tested: 1) gamagrass hay (GH) + no corn (GHNC), 2) gama grass silage (GS) + no corn (GSNC), 3) GS + low corn (GSLC), 4) GS + medium corn (GSMC); and 5) GS + high corn (GSHC). The experiment was conducted as a randomized complete block design with five treatments and three replications. Total VFA concentrations were not affected by diets. Corn addition linearly decreased (P < 0.001) molar proportion of acetate. In contrast, molar proportion of propionate was reduced in GSLC (cubic effect, P < 0.001) but remained similar across other diets. Corn supplementation linearly increased molar proportion of butyrate (P < 0.001). The acetate + butyrate-to-propionate ratio was highest in cultures offered

Background. Corn silage is an important feed for intense ruminant production, but the growth of corn relies heavily on the use of chemical fertilizers. Sustainable crop production requires careful management of all nutrient sources available on a farm, particularly in corn-based cropping systems. Methods. Experiments were conducted to determine the appropriate technique of corn-legume intercropping in conjunction with the supplemental use of chemical fertilizers, organic manure, and biofertilizers (BFs). Acetylene reduction assays (ARAs) were also performed on corn and soybean roots. Results. Combining chemical fertilizers with chicken manure (CM) in a 50:50 ratio and applying 50% NPK+50% CM+BF produced fresh forage and dry matter (DM) yields that were similar to those produced in the 100% nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K) treatment. Among the lone fertilizer treatments, the inorganic fertilizer (100% NPK) treatment produced the highest DM yield (13.86 t/ha) of forage and outyielded the 100% CM (9.74 t/ha) treatment. However, when CM was combined with NPK, the resulting DM yield of forage (13.86 t/ha) was the same as that resulting from 100% NPK (13.68 t/ha). Compared with CM applications alone, combinations of NPK and CM applications resulted in increased plant height, crop growth rates (CGRs) and leaf area index (LAI), but the values of these parameters were similar to those resulting from 100% NPK application. Fertilizers in which the ratio was 50% CM+50% NPK or 50% CM+50% NPK+BF resulted in protein yields that were similar to those resulting from conventional fertilizers. Similarly, the CP content did not significantly differ between applications of the 100% NPK and 50% CM+50% NPK fertilizers. The use of BFs had no significant impact on improving either the yield or quality of forage fertilized with inorganic or organic fertilizer. Lactic acid responded differently to different fertilizer applications and was significantly higher in the fertilized plots than in the unfertilized plots. Compared with treatments of lone chemical and lone organic manure fertilizers, treatments involving applications of BF and a combination of BF and NPK or CM resulted in higher ARA values. Discussion. There is no simple and easy approach to increase biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) in grain legumes grown as part of a cropping system under realistic farm field conditions. Overall, evidence recorded from this study proves that, compared with corn monocrops combined with CM and chemical fertilizers, corn-soybean intercrops could increase forage yields and quality, produce higher total protein yields, and reduce the need for protein supplements and chemical fertilizers.

Corn silage has become more popular as high quality silage for ruminant animals around the world. Seed proportion of intercropping components is a factor affecting silage quality. An experiment was carried out to evaluate effect of different planting proportions of corn and soybean in terms of silage volatile fatty acids (VFA) profiles. In this experiment, corn-soybean combinations of 3:1, 1:1 and 1:3 in addition to monocrops of corn and soybean were evaluated. The crop planting proportions had significant effects on silage volatile fatty acids of silage. Increase ratio of soybean resulted in an increase in lactic acid and pH of the mixed silage. Sole soybean gave significantly higher lactic acid (3.57%) and pH of silage (4.33) compared to all other treatments but dry matter concentration was significantly higher in corn monocrop silage (34.34%) than other treatments. The propionic acid and butyric acid content of soybean monocrop and intercrops silage were in all cases higher than sole corn silage. Legumes are good source of protein and legumes can be mixed with corn to improve silage quality and, thus, the costs of high quality silage production can be lowered.

Wastewater is a source of some nutrients essential for soil fertility, but it includes various types of contaminants like heavy metals that pollute the soil and crops. In this regard, this study aimed to evaluate the possible health risks of copper (Cu) accumulation in forages irrigated with wastewater. Forages both of summer and winter were grown with different water treatments (sewage water and tap water) in the Department of Botany, University of Sargodha. The concentrations of copper in water, root and forage samples were determined. Moreover, the bioconcentration factor, pollution load index, daily intake of metals and health risk index were calculated. In tap water, the copper value was 0.072 mg L-1 and that in sewage water 0.077 mg L-1. In soil, the calculated copper value was lower than the USEPA standards. The maximum copper in root was determined in winter forages (0.208 mg kg-1). The maximum bioaccumulation factor for copper was observed in Trifolium resupinatum (8.2230) grown in winter. The maximum pollution load for copper was found in Brassica campestris (0.2853) grown in winter. The maximum value for the daily intake of metals observed was 0.045, and maximum observed health risk index was 1.136.

Bjerck, H.B., Zangrando, A.F.J., Breivik, H.M., Piana, E. and Negre, J. 2016: NTNU Vitenskapsmuseet arkeologisk rapport 2016:15. Marine Ventures: The Cambaceres Surveys, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina

This report is part of the Marine Ventures project, and describes field surveys in Tierra del Fuego, Argentina – The Cambaceres Surveys. This is a detailed survey of the settlements in a 4km2 large area in Cambaceres, located in the eastern part of the Beagle Channel, Argentinean Tierra del Fuego at the far south of South America. The survey mainly concentrated on shell midden formations, both larger and smaller, and the characteristic house pit formations where shell refuse is arranged in a protective “wall” around the dwelling. While previous surveys are mainly about larger settlements as a whole, our survey is more detailed, and encompasses individual GPS mapping of single structures. This gives the opportunity to see settlement structures more clearly and investigate how simple structures aggregate in larger settlements.
The survey includes 1251 structures, of which 804 are dwelling pits, 432 are shell midden domes, and 15 are other sites – ranging from around 7500 BP (uncal.) to the recent past. The Cambaceres Surveys also includes a targeted test pit survey aimed at locating older settlements without preserved organic material, defined as Early Coastal Forager (ECF) sites. The discovery of the large Binushmuka I settlement is an important result. At this site, two ECF lithic concentrations were discovered, dated to 7300–7500 BP. Details from excavations at Binushmuka is described in a separate report (Zangrando et al. in progress). The test pit survey also includes a number of other localities where ECF settlements could be expected, but with negative results.

For more details about the project, see the Marine Ventures website:
(https://www.ntnu.no/web/vitenskapsmuseet/marine-ventures)

Key words: settlements – shell middens and dwelling pits – marine foraging – survey methods – Tierra del Fuego – Yámana Indians