ALBERT

Beschreibung: Soybean varieties genetically free from Kunitz trypsin inhibitor (KTI) and lipoxygenase-2 (Lox2) are desirable to increase human consumption, as the former is an antinutritional factor that affects protein digestibility while the latter is a principal contributor to off-flavour. In the present investigation, soybean genotypes free from both these undesirable components were developed by introgression of null allele of Lox2 from NRC109 (lox2lox2) into two KTI-free soybean genotypes derived from genotypes JS97-52 and NRC7. Foreground selection of plants in F1, F2, BC1F1, BC1F2, BC2F1 and BC2F2 generations developed from two cross combinations i.e. NRC7-derived KTI-free genotype (N7KTIF)×NRC109 (parental combination 1) and JS97-52 derived KTI free genotype (JKTIF)×NRC109 (parental combination 2) was performed using null allele specific markers and tightly linked simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers for both KTI and Lox2 genes for the identification of homozygous recessive (titilox2lox2) plants. Background selection was performed using 239 and 241 polymorphic SSR markers across the genome. This resulted in the development of 9 and 13 soybean lines stacked for null alleles of both KTI and Lox2 (titilox2lox2) exhibiting recurrent parent genome content more than 97 and 96%, respectively. Days-to-flowering, days-to-maturity, 100-seed weight and yield per plant of the stacked lines developed from both the parental combinations were at par with the respective recurrent parents.

Beschreibung: Evaluating the effects of crop successions in no-tillage system (NTS) is essential for the correct recommendation of agronomic practices, such as top-dressing nitrogen fertilization. The aim was to evaluate the effect of the crop succession and the splitting of top-dressing N fertilization on the agronomic performance and economic viability of common bean crop. The experiment was conducted in southeastern Brazil for two agricultural seasons in an area under NTS, using a split-plot in randomized complete block design. The plots represented three cropping successions (maize in sole crop, maize intercropped with Urochloa ruziziensis and U. ruziziensis in sole crop) and the subplots composed of ten combinations of splitting of top-dressing N, at the stages V3, V4 and R5 of the common bean crop. In relation to the single application of the N dose of 90 kg ha−1, the common bean had higher response as a function of the N splitting schemes adopted, regardless of the previous cropping succession. The cropping successions evaluated did not interfere with the seed yield of common bean as subsequent crop, even at the beginning of the establishment of NTS. To obtain higher seed yield and economic viability, the N dose of 90 kg ha−1 indicated for the crop must be split and applied among the phenological stages V3, V4 and R5.

Beschreibung: In this study, yield and water productivity response of rice to various irrigation levels applied with subsurface and surface drip systems in 2019 and 2020 in the Mediterranean Region of Turkey was evaluated in comparison with conventional flooding (CF). The treatments consisted of two irrigation methods namely surface drip (DI) and subsurface drip systems (SDI), three irrigation levels designated as plant pan coefficients (I1.00: Evaporation from Class A pan (Ep) × 1.00; I1.25: Ep × 1.25 and I1.50: Ep × 1.50) and CF as control. The effects of drip systems and coefficients on yield and yield components were statistically significant (P 〈 0.01). DI produced higher yield than SDI. CF produced significantly greater yield than both DI and SDI systems. With two drip systems, average water savings of 60.5% in I1.00, 54.5% in I1.25 and 49% in I1.50 were achieved as compared to CF. However, yield reductions of 15% in I1.50, 20% in I1.25, 29% in I1.00 were observed for DI; corresponding values for SDI were 20, 28 and 44%, respectively. Drip irrigation in aerobic rice production system had almost twice the water productivity based on total irrigation water applied (WPI) or total water input (irrigation + rainfall) (WPI+P) compared with CF. During the study years, the highest WPI and WPI+P values were found in DI-I1.00 (0.81–0.73 kg/m3) and (0.85 and 0.74 kg/m3), respectively. In conclusion, DI-I1.50 treatment is recommended for sustainable aerobic rice production since DI-I1.50 resulted in water saving of 49% but yield decrease of 15% as compared to CF.

Beschreibung: Twenty alfalfa cultivars were tested, under rainfed conditions in central Greece, for forage yield, agronomic and nutritive value in order to identify adaptive responses contributing to high resilience and productivity. From 2014 to 2017, five harvests (H1 to H5) per season were conducted. Two cultivars were also grown as irrigated checks. Annual and total dry matter (DMA and DMT) and harvest ratios (RH) were estimated. DMT was reduced by 42.9–48.1% under ambient rainfall compared to irrigated checks, which received 50.2% more water. The seasonal yield distribution demonstrated two contrasting strategies, however, equally effective for high resilience under rainfed conditions. The winter-active imported cultivars were the most resilient in the driest year, potentially due to their ability to exploit autumn rains, whereas the locally adapted genotypes were more productive in summer. The spring harvest ratio (RH1) was more indicative (r = 0.94, P 〈 0.01) of cultivar productivity, compared to plant survival (r = 0.65, P 〈 0.01), whereas the autumn harvest ratio (RH5) was representative of productivity under extreme drought (r = 0.53, P 〈 0.05). RH1 and RH5 were increased by 11.8 and 12.3%, respectively, whereas the summer ratios (RH3, RH4) were reduced by 47.3%, under rainfed v. irrigated conditions. Two Australian cultivars (‘Blue Ace’, ‘Icon’) achieved the highest RH5 suggesting an adaptive response by being more productive in autumn. However, the development of specifically adapted cultivars in terms of higher summer yield and plant survival may be necessary to cope with future climatic changes in the Mediterranean region.

Beschreibung: The aim of this study was to evaluate the non-carcass components (NCC) of Berganês ecotype lambs of different sexual classes and genotypes using univariate and multivariate statistics, carrying out two experimental trials. In order to evaluate the effects of the sexual class, non-castrated males (BNC), castrated males (BC) and females (BF) of Berganês ecotype lambs were used, with mean initial body weight of 27 ± 3.1 kg. To evaluate crossbreeding, non-castrated male lambs of the genotypes Berganês (BG), Berganês × Santa Inês (BSI) and Berganês × Dorper (BD) were used, as well as the control Dorper × Santa Inês (DSI), all with mean initial body weight of 28 ± 3.8 kg. The weight and yield of the total by-products was higher for BNC. Regarding the genotype, BSI showed higher weight and yield of internal fat, but the weight and yield of the total by-products was higher for BG and BD. In factorial analysis (FA), the NCC, more correlated with empty body weight (EBW) and total weight gain (TWG), showed higher eigenvectors for factor 1. For factor 2, the weights and yields of internal fat and total viscera obtained higher eigenvectors. The discriminant analysis (DA) classified 100% of individuals in their respective sexes and genotypes. Therefore, the FA indicated that, among the NCC evaluated, the weights of liver, kidneys, GIT, skin and feets are determinant for obtaining EBW and TWG. The classification achieved by the DA indicates that the sexual classes and genotypes are heterogeneous.

Beschreibung: Whole-plant soybean silage (WPSS) is a potential high-protein roughage source for ruminant diets. However, WPSS can be difficult to ensile and fermentation is a challenge. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of chitosan and microbial inoculants on fermentation profile, fermentation losses, chemical composition, and in vitro degradation of WPSS. Forty experimental silos (PVC tubing with 28 cm i.d. and 25 cm height) were produced. Soybean plants from 10 plots were ensiled in a completely randomized block design to evaluate the following treatments: (1) control (CON): WPSS without additives; (2) chitosan (CHI): WPSS additive with 6 g/kg DM of chitosan; (3) LBB: WPSS treated with 5.0 × 107 colony-forming units (CFU) of Lactobacillus buchneri (NCIM 40788) per kg of fresh matter and (4) LPP: WPSS treated with 1.6 × 108 CFU of Lactobacillus plantarum and 1.6 × 108 CFU of Pediococcus acidilactici per kg of fresh matter. Silos were opened 120 days after ensiling. Microbial inoculants reduced silage pH, whereas LPP-treated silos showed the lowest concentration of NH3-N, ethanol, butyric, acetic, branched-chain, and propionic organic acids. LBB-treatment decreased lactic acid bacteria (LAB) count relative to other treatments, and LPP-treatment showed the lowest fermentation losses, improving dry matter (DM) recovery. Relative to other treatments, LPP increased silage DM, organic matter, and decreased acid detergent insoluble crude protein (CP), improving DM and neutral detergent fibre in vitro degradation. Treatments showed no effect on silage aerobic stability. Thus, LPP-treatment improves fermentation profile, reduces fermentation losses, and increases the nutritional value of WPSS.

Beschreibung: High yielding ruminant livestock require high nutritive value in forage for maintenance, growth and production. Climate change has been documented as impacting on the nutritive value of forage plants. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the impact of increased temperature in combination with CO2-enhancement on the nutritive value of orchard grass (cocksfoot; Dactylis glomerata L.), as a C3 model plant, widespread in mountainous permanent grassland plant communities. Functional traits and forage quality of orchard grass were investigated both under ambient (C0T0) and under simulated, future climate conditions (C2T2) with increased temperature (+3°C) and enhanced CO2 concentration (+300 ppm) under field conditions. Plant samples were taken from each of the three growths over a period of three consecutive years and numerous functional properties and forage quality parameters were determined. Special attention was paid to the determination of water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC), crude protein (CP), non-protein N (NPN) and metabolizable energy (ME) as possible indicators for different climatic conditions. It is hypothesized that (i) functional traits and (ii) forage quality of orchard grass are altered by increased temperature and higher CO2 concentration. The results showed a negative impact of C2T2 compared to C0T0 on tiller height (54.4 v. 70.6 cm) and weight (2.42 v. 3.22 g) as average over cuts and years. The NPN content was lower in C2T2 (312 g/kg CP) compared to C0T0 (339 g/kg CP). In contrast, the WSC content was higher in C2T2 (90.3 g/kg DM) compared to C0T0 (82.5 g/kg DM). Both ME content and digestibility were increased in C2T2 (9.18 ME/kg DM and 68.2%) compared to C0T0 (8.86 ME/kg DM and 65.4%). Concluding, under increased temperature and enhanced CO2, both functional traits and certain nutrients and their fractions appear to change in orchard grass.

Beschreibung: To exploit the potential of ecological intensification during sunflower cropping, it is crucial to understand the potential synergies between crop management and ecosystem services. We therefore examined the effect of pollination intensification on sunflower yield and productivity under various levels of soil fertilization over two seasons in the eastern Free State, South Africa. We manipulated soil fertility with fertilizer applications and pollination with exclusion bags. We found a synergetic effect between pollination and soil fertilization whereby increasing pollination intensity led to a far higher impact on sunflower yield when the soil had been fertilized. Specifically, the intensification of insect pollination increased seed yield by approximately 0.4 ton/ha on nutrient poor soil and by approximately 1.7 ton/ha on moderately fertilized soil. Our findings suggest that sunflower crops on adequate balanced soil fertility will receive abundant insect pollination and may gain more from both synergies than crops grown in areas with degraded soil fertility.

Beschreibung: One thrust in increasing food security in Jamaica is expansion of cassava production. The multiple shoot removal technique (MSRT) for rapid propagation of cassava can help address limitations in planting material. Shoots sprouting from cuttings of hardwood stem are severed in such a way as to induce further sprouting, and then put to root for subsequent transfer to the field. The effects of age and fertilization of parent plants and nodal age of stems were studied. Six Colombian varieties were planted in fertilized and unfertilized field plots with similar growing conditions to provide stems for MSRT propagation. Volume of two-node cuttings increased from apical to basal nodal age, but cutting density was a better predictor of shoot production. On average, three to six viable shoots were produced per cutting over 3 months in a greenhouse. All nodal ages of stems from parent plants aged 6, 7 and 9 months were suitable if the quality of the planting stakes producing parent plants was adequate. If stake quality is uncertain, it is recommended that apical pieces are not used from parents younger than 9 months. The variety CM 6119-5 consistently produced most shoots, suggesting a strong genotypic effect, but other varieties, particularly CM 849, were less consistent, indicating the role of environmental interactions. The physiological status of cuttings as influenced by stem maturity, parent plant age, nutrition and growing conditions of both grandparent and parent stems was as important as genotypic characteristics in determining shoot production from two-node cuttings of cassava stem.

Beschreibung: Among integrated crop–livestock systems, forage succession is an advantageous strategy for the use of pasture to feed cattle in periods of low rainfall, as well as for the generation of biomass for the no-till system for the next crop. Different species have different abilities to accumulate nutrients in their biomass, which are then released into the soil through the decomposition of crop residues. This study aimed to evaluate soybean yield in an integrated crop–livestock system in comparison to soybean–maize succession system through the production, decomposition and nutrient accumulation in the biomass. The experiment had a randomized block design with four replicates. The treatments were three cropping systems: integrated crop–livestock with Paiaguas palisadegrass (Brachiaria brizantha cv. BRS Paiaguas), integrated crop–livestock with Tamani guinea grass (Panicum maximum cv. BRS Tamani) and maize grown in succession to soybean. The results showed that the use of the integrated crop–livestock system in the form of forage succession provided greater soil cover and nutrient cycling as a result of the better utilization of the animal's excreta, than the cropping of maize in succession and resulted in higher soybean productivity, thus contributing to agricultural sustainability. Paiaguas palisadegrass and Tamani guinea grass showed a C:N ratio greater than 30:1, indicating slow decomposition of plant residues. The forages accumulated amounts of nutrients in their biomass that met the soybean demand, resulting in higher grain yield.