scholarly journals Non-destructive Measurements of Biomass in Millet, Cowpea, Groundnut, Weeds and Grass Swards using Reflectance, and their Application for Growth Analysis

1995 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Buerkert ◽  
P. R. Lawrence ◽  
J. H. Williams ◽  
H. Marschner

SummaryA simple hand-held reflectometer was used to estimate the shoot dry matter of pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum), groundnut (Arachis hypogaea), cowpea (Vigna unguiculata), weeds and grass swards non-destructively. While the instrument was able to predict shoot dry matter well for single, standing millet and cowpea plants and proved useful for a growth analysis of millet, its reliability was unsatisfactory for groundnut. For millet, the slope of two separate regressions between the difference of reflectance ratios and shoot dry matter, taken 10 days apart, was almost identical. This suggests a possible simplification in future crop growth models. The usefulness of the instrument for estimating dry matter in natural species mixtures such as weeds and grasses depended on the homogeneity of the mixture and the uniformity of their physiological state.Medición de la biomasa utilizando la reflexión

Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 85
Author(s):  
Jorge Lopez-Jimenez ◽  
Nicanor Quijano ◽  
Alain Vande Wouwer

Climate change and the efficient use of freshwater for irrigation pose a challenge for sustainable agriculture. Traditionally, the prediction of agricultural production is carried out through crop-growth models and historical records of the climatic variables. However, one of the main flaws of these models is that they do not consider the variability of the soil throughout the cultivation area. In addition, with the availability of new information sources (i.e., aerial or satellite images) and low-cost meteorological stations, it is convenient that the models incorporate prediction capabilities to enhance the representation of production scenarios. In this work, an agent-based model (ABM) that considers the soil heterogeneity and water exchanges is proposed. Soil heterogeneity is associated to the combination of individual behaviours of uniform portions of land (agents), while water fluxes are related to the topography. Each agent is characterized by an individual dynamic model, which describes the local crop growth. Moreover, this model considers positive and negative effects of water level, i.e., drought and waterlogging, on the biomass production. The development of the global ABM is oriented to the future use of control strategies and optimal irrigation policies. The model is built bottom-up starting with the definition of agents, and the Python environment Mesa is chosen for the implementation. The validation is carried out using three topographic scenarios in Colombia. Results of potential production cases are discussed, and some practical recommendations on the implementation are presented.


2020 ◽  
Vol 98 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. 15-15
Author(s):  
Bradley J Heins ◽  
Siane C Luzzi ◽  
Robert D Gardner

Abstract The objective of this study was to evaluate the taste preference of calves fed Chlorella sp. microalgae produced from dairy lagoon wastewater. The study was conducted at the University of Minnesota West Central Research and Outreach Center, Morris, MN, dairy during May 2019. Six Holstein and crossbred dairy heifer calves were fed 0 (control), 30, and 60 g of Chlorella sp. daily in a sequential elimination study. For the 7-d experiment, day 1 to 2 were for diet adaptation and day 3 to 4 were for data collection. During the final 3 days, the primarily consumed treatment was removed to determine the second preferred treatment. The microalgae used in this study was isolated from the dairy wastewater lagoon. The microalgae biomass was produced using outdoor hanging bag bioreactors with Chlorella sp. to recycle the dairy wastewater. The biomass was sterilized and kept frozen at -4°C until fed to calves. Calves were housed individually in hutches with outdoor access under solar panels, with free-choice water. Kendall’s coefficient of concordance was calculated to rank the consumption of the treatments from most to least preferred using JMP 14.3 statistical software. Pairwise comparisons and Tukey adjustment were applied to evaluate the difference between the treatments for total intake. Calves consumed more (P < 0.05) dry matter from control grain (3.4 kg/d) compared to 30 g microalgae grain (2.42 kg/d) and 60 g microalgae grain (1.56 kg/d) during the first 2-d period. During the second 2-d (d 3 and 4) segment, dry matter intake was reduced (P < 0.05) for the 60 g microalgae treatment compared to the control and 30 g microalgae treatment. Five of six calves in this study always ranked the control treatment first (P < 0.05) when given a choice, and ranked the 30 g microalgae second choice. Results indicated that microalgae maybe added to calf starter grains without any adverse effects; however, calves preferred calf starter grains without microalgae.


1991 ◽  
Vol 240 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Uchida ◽  
J. Shigeta ◽  
Y. SUZUKI

ABSTRACTA non-destructive characterization technique featuring a hard X-ray Microprobe is demonstrated for lll-V semiconductor device structures. A GaAs FET with a 2 μm gate length is measured as a model sample of a thin film structure. X-ray scanning microscopic images of the FET are obtained by diffracted X-ray and fluorescence X-ray detection. Diffracted X-ray detection measures the difference in gate material and source or drain material as a gray level difference on the image due to the X-ray absorption ratio. Ni Ka fluorescence detection, on the other hand, provides imaging of 500 Å thick Ni layers, which are contained only in the source and drain metals, through non-destructive observation.


2002 ◽  
Vol 53 (6) ◽  
pp. 643 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. J. Robertson ◽  
J. F. Holland ◽  
S. Cawley ◽  
T. D. Potter ◽  
W. Burton ◽  
...  

Canola tolerant to the triazine group of herbicides is grown widely in Australian broad-acre cropping systems. Triazine-tolerant (TT) cultivars are known to have a yield and oil content penalty compared with non-TT cultivars. This study was designed to elucidate the crop physiological basis for the yield differences between the two types. Two commercial cultivars, near-isogenic for the TT trait, were compared in a detailed growth analysis in the field, and 22 crops were compared for phenology and crop attributes at maturity. In the growth analysis study, the TT trait was found to lower radiation use efficiency, which carried through to less biomass at maturity. There were minimal effects on leaf area development and harvest index, and no effect on canopy radiation extinction. Across the 22 crops, where yield varied from 240 to 3400 kg/ha in the non-TT cultivar, yield was on average 26% less in the TT cultivar due to less biomass produced, as there was no significant effect on harvest index. The difference in oil content (2-5%) was greater in low oil content environments. Flowering was delayed by 2-10 days with a greater delay being in later flowering environments. Quantification of the physiological attributes of TT canola allows the assessment of the productivity of different cultivar types across environments.


Author(s):  
Rafael Battisti ◽  
Derblai Casaroli ◽  
Jéssica Sousa Paixão ◽  
José Alves Júnior ◽  
Adão Wagner Pêgo Evangelista ◽  
...  

2018 ◽  
Vol 56 ◽  
pp. 136-140
Author(s):  
G. S. Sharapa ◽  
O. V. Boyko

Scientific and production experiments were carried out on cows of Ukrainian Black-and-White diary breed (UBAWD) of SE "Seagull" (branch "Lisne") during 2016–2017. The anatomical and physiological state of genital organs of cows was determined by the method of clinical and gynecological research of animals before conducting experiments and during them every 40–50 days. In total 486 cows were kept under control, which were kept in typical rooms with running platforms, but the active motivation of animals was clearly insufficient. Feeding cows according to the recommended standards. The milk yield from the cow in 2017 was 7813 kg. The experiments studied the effect of feeding cows during the dry period, the conditions of retention and some other paratypic factors on the course of the genera and the postnatal period, the duration of the service period and the fertility of cows. In analyzing the research results, personal records and veterinary documentation were used. In conducting experiments, it was found that normal calving was in 89% of cows, and severe and pathological – in 11% of cases. The main diseases in the afterlife period were: detention of the litter – 9.5%, postpartum endometritis – 21.5%, hypofunction of the ovaries – 23.0%, persistent yellow ovarian bodies – 25.6% and others. Normal intervals between stages of excitation of the sexual cycle (18–22 days) were in 63% of cows, and violations of the rhythm of sexual cycle, associated with dysfunction of the ovaries and missed the hunt – 30% of animals. Subunvulation of the genital organs of the cows contributed to the diseases of the limbs, udder and digestive disorders. During 2016–2017, the effect of feeding cows (173 g.) in the dry period on the course of calving, post-autumn period and their fertility was studied. Under the same conditions, keeping cows in the maternity ward and feeding rough and succulent feeds concentrated feeds fed cows of the control group (98 heads) to 1–2 kg daily during the dry period, and experimental (75 heads) – for 18–20 days to calving 2–3 kg. A positive difference was found in favor of cows of the experimental group: there was a more active stage of expulsion of the fetus, less delay of the placenta (by 7%) and endometritis (by 12%), the duration of the postoperative regenerative period decreased by 8.6 days; service period – 19.0 days; fertility from two inseminans was higher by 5.7%. Study of the reproductive capacity of cows at the hotel in different seasons showed that the recovery period was shorter by 11 days in the presence of cows in 3–4 quarters, and the service period – by 23.2 days at hotel in I and IV sq. The average duration of the recovery period was 79.5 days, while the service period was 123.4 days. The longest duration of the joint ventricle was in cows at hotel during the hot summer days of the year. The average fertilization rate from the first insemination of 339 cows was 44.9% with fluctuations in individual groups of milkers from 26.8% to 55.0%. The following indicators were in the number 1 and number 3 (respectively 26.8% and 31.4%). The best fertility rates were in groups № 4, 6 and 7, where there were more cows of the second and third lactation, and the responsible attitude of the milkers to work in organizing cows walks and sexually explicit hunting. When comparing the assessment of the duration of the IP and SP in full-age cows and cows, the first-born, taking into account 225 goals. It was found that these indicators were longer in primitive cows – 20.7 days respectively and 21.9 days in relation to full-age cows. The obtained results are completely consistent with the results obtained by a number of both domestic and foreign researchers. More attention is needed to grow heifers and to prepare newborns for delivery. In 15–17% of cows at and after the hotel, gynecological diseases that occurred in the presence of gastrointestinal diseases, lameness, mastitis and others were diagnosed. This has negatively affected the overall performance of the herd. In studying the duration of HP and SP in healthy and sick cows after calving, it was found that if the SP in healthy cows lasts 73.4 days, then in patients – 116.3 days (the difference was 42.9 days), and the difference in the duration of the joint venture reached 98.7 days. On the basis of the results of the research, it can be concluded that the reproductive function of the cows is influenced by such paratypic factors as feeding animals in the dry period, the temperature factor (time of year), the human factor (the effect of milking on a group of cows), age and physiological state of cows in the hotel and in the afterlife period. When feeding 2–3 kg of bovine feed for cows, together with rough and juicy fodder for 18–20 days prior to calving, the recovery period decreased by 8.6 days and service period – by 19 days, and fertility from two inseminals increased by 5.7%, reaching 85.3%. The smallest duration of the service-period was in the presence of cows in the I and IV quarters year (107.7–117.1 days). In primary cows, the recovery period was longer than that of full-age cows by 20.7 days, and the service period was 21.9 days. In the physiologically healthy cows after calving, the recovery period lasted an average of 73.4 days and service period – 98.7 days, and in patients, after the prescribed treatment – respectively 116.3 days and 197.4 days.


2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 136-141
Author(s):  
Jakaria Jakaria ◽  
Edwar Edwar ◽  
Mokhamad Fakhrul Ulum ◽  
Rudy Priyanto

ABSTRAK. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah mengevaluasi kinerja pertumbuhan sapi persilangan Belgian Blue (BB) dan sapi Peranakan Ongole (PO) pada turunan pertama (F1). Sapi persilangan (BB dan PO) yang digunakan sebanyak 15 ekor terdiri atas jantan 6 ekor dan betina 9 ekor, selain itu digunakan 8 ekor sapi PO betina yang dipelihara di Balai Embrio Ternak (BET) Cipelang Bogor. Peubah yang diamati adalah bobot lahir (BW), bobot sapih (WW) 205 hari, bobot 1 tahun (YW), pertambahan bobot badan harian dari lahir (GBW) sampai sapih (GWW) dan pertambahan bobot badan harian dari sapih (GWW) sampai umur 1 tahun (GYW). Data dianalisis secara deskriptif dan perbedaan antar sapi silangan (BB-PO) dengan sapi PO dilakukan uji t. Hasil analisis bobot badan dan pertumbuhan menunjukkan bahwa, bobot badan sapi silangan BB dan PO lebih tinggi dibandingkan dengan sapi PO pada WW 205 hari (165,2±21,3 kg dan 115±15,2 kg), YW (365 hari) (240,7±28,1 kg dan 194,9±26,1 kg) dan GBW sampai GWW (0,675±0,097 kg dan 0,441±0,059 kg). BW dan GWW sampai GYW tidak berbeda antara sapi silangan BB-PO dengan PO. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa program cross-breeding sapi BB dengan PO dapat meningkatkan kinerja bobot badan dan pertumbuhan.  (Growth performance evaluation of belgian blue and ongole crossbreed) ABSTRACT. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the growth performance of cross-breeding of Belgian Blue (BB) and Ongole Grade (PO) cattle in the first generation (F1). Crossbred of BB and PO cattle used as many as 15 individuals consisting of 6 males and 9 females, also, 8 individual PO females are used which are kept in the Livestock Embryo Center (BET) Cipelang, Bogor. The observed variables were birth weight (BW), weaning weight (WW) 205 days, 1-year weight (YW) 365 days, daily body weight gain from birth (GBW) to weaning (GWW) and daily body weight gain from weaning (GWW) until the age of 1 year (GYW). Data were analyzed descriptively and the difference between cross-breeding (BB-PO) cattle and PO cattle was analyzed by t-test. The results of body weight and growth analysis showed that crossbred BB and PO cattle were higher than PO cattle at WW 205 days (165.2 ± 21.3 kg and 115 ± 15.2 kg), YW (365 days) (240.7 ± 28.1 kg and 194.9 ± 26.1 kg ) and GBW to GWW (0.675 ± 0.097 kg and 0.441 ± 0.059 kg). BW and GWW to GYW do not differ between crossbred BB-PO and PO cattle. The results of this study indicate that the cross-breeding program for BB cattle with PO cattle breeds can improve the performance of body weight and growth.


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