The bracken problem in the Highlands and Islands

1982 ◽  
Vol 81 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 11-18
Author(s):  
A. MacLeod
Keyword(s):  
Soil Type ◽  
Mineral Soil ◽  
Department Of Agriculture ◽  
The Past ◽  
Agricultural Census ◽  
Mineral Soils ◽  
Hill Farming ◽  
Grass Sward ◽  
The Hill ◽  
The Ideal

SynopsisThe only serious attempt to quantify the area of bracken in Scotland took place in 1957. At that time the Department of Agriculture for Scotland, through the medium of the June Agricultural Census, asked farmers to assess the area of bracken on each holding.The survey produced a figure of 187,500 ha of bracken-infested land throughout Scotland, of which some 50% was found in the Central, North and West Highland counties of Perth, Inverness and Argyll. One quarter (46,875 ha) of the Scottish total was located on the mainland and islands of Argyll.Distribution is governed to a great extent by the soil type, exposure and rainfall, with the free-draining slopes of brown soil on the lower hill faces and glen sides providing the ideal habitat for the plant. The poorly drained acid peat as found over much of the Highland areas is an unsuitable medium for bracken growth but thin peat overlying mineral soil may be subject to bracken encroachment.The crux of the problem lies in the imbalance of brown soils to peat land.The limited areas of the mineral soils, which are located on the accessible lower slopes, have a marked potential for improved grazing and, by virtue of better drainage, are capable of more complete utilisation in an intensive stocking system.Bracken control and subsequent grass sward establishment can form the key to greatly increased levels of productivity. This is illustrated by detailed reference to one farm in Argyll where over the past five years an attempt has been made to operate the Hill Farming Research Organization (H.F.R.O.) concept of a Two Pasture System.

Effect of soil type and depth on crop production

1984 ◽  
Vol 103 (2) ◽  
pp. 377-386 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. W. S. Reith ◽  
R. H. E. Inkson ◽  
K. S. Caldwell ◽  
W. E. Simpson ◽  
J. A. M. Ross
Keyword(s):  
Soil Type ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Soil Depth ◽  
Mineral Soil ◽  
Soil Series ◽  
Land Capability ◽  
Local Soil ◽  
Peaty Soil ◽  
Mineral Soils

SUMMARYTopsoils from eight different soil series were substituted for the local soil in three arrangements involving two depths of topsoil and either local or sand subsoils. A rotation of crops was grown with uniform annual N, P and K treatments for 24 years. A peaty soil produced the highest yields of grain, straw and grass, presumably because it released more N than the mineral soils, but an average yield of swedes. No mineral soil consistently produced higher yields of all crops and, although there were some significant differences, the variations in yield were generally relatively small. The deep topsoil consistently produced the highest yields. Topsoil with sand subsoil gave the lowest yields of grain, straw and swedes but not of grass.All the crops on the peaty soil had higher concentrations of P in the dry matter than those from the seven mineral soils. Crops and herbage on the Laurencekirk and Foud-land soils had consistently slightly higher P concentrations than those on the other five mineral soils. Compared with the amounts applied, the crops removed considerably more K but only 45–68% of the P. There were large differences in the proportion of the P residues extractable by acetic acid from the different soil series.The depth of topsoil was at least as important as soil type in determining yield, and the results support the use of soil depth as one of the main factors used in the Land Capability Classification for Agriculture.

scholarly journals THE WORK OF THE HILL FARMING RESEARCH ORGANISATION, SCOTLAND

1976 ◽  
pp. 200-203
Author(s):  
P. Newbould
Keyword(s):  
Research Council ◽  
Agricultural Research ◽  
Scientific Work ◽  
Department Of Agriculture ◽  
Staff Management ◽  
Independent State ◽  
Agricultural Research Council ◽  
Research Organisation ◽  
Hill Farming ◽  
The Hill

THE Hill Farming Research Organisation (HFRO) was established in 1954 as an independent state-aided institute with a board of management appointed by the Secretary of State for Scotland. It is financed by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland and receives advice on scientific work and on staff management from the Agricultural Research Council in London.

Heather in the seasonal dietary of sheep

1955 ◽  
Vol 1955 ◽  
pp. 13-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. C. MacLeod
Keyword(s):  
Research Station ◽  
Preliminary Survey ◽  
The West ◽  
Precise Information ◽  
The Past ◽  
Forestry Commission ◽  
Hill Farming ◽  
The Hill

With the increased utilisation of land throughout the West of Scotland by the Forestry Commission, the problems arising from the integration of forestry and sheep-farming demand special attention. The Hill Farming Research Station at Lephinmore in Argyll has provided an opportunity over the past four years for the initiation of long-term experiments. These involve various preparatory studies and this paper describes a preliminary survey of the fragments of herbage in the rumen of sheep (after slaughter) with the object of assessing the seasonal variation in their grazing selectivity for heather. The Lephinmore hill is predominantly of heather. Since there are many divergent views as to the preference of sheep for heather, this survey was designed in a rather novel, indirect way to obtain more precise information. The rôle of heather as a dietary constituent is of added significance because, after the afforestation of the lower slopes of a hill, the sheep are then restricted to higher ground where there is greater snow cover in the winter.

scholarly journals Abundance of the Sugarcane Borer (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) and Foraging Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Sugarcane Grown on Organic and Mineral Soils in Florida

2020 ◽  
Vol 49 (2) ◽  
pp. 473-481
Author(s):  
Erik L Roldán ◽  
Julien M Beuzelin ◽  
Matthew T VanWeelden ◽  
Ronald H Cherry
Keyword(s):  
Soil Type ◽  
Solenopsis Invicta ◽  
Mineral Soil ◽  
Organic Soil ◽  
Organic Soils ◽  
Red Imported Fire Ant ◽  
Sugarcane Borer ◽  
Parasitism Rates ◽  
Solenopsis Invicta Buren ◽  
Mineral Soils

Abstract A study was conducted in Florida to determine sugarcane borer, Diatraea saccharalis (F.), injury and infestation levels in sugarcane (Saccharum spp. hybrids), D. saccharalis parasitism rates, and ant foraging activity in 32 commercial fields as affected by soil type (shallow organic vs deep organic vs mineral). In 2017 and 2018, each field was sampled four times during the summer for D. saccharalis by inspecting 100 sugarcane stalks and for foraging ants using plastic tubes baited with hot dog at 12 locations. One non-parasitized D. saccharalis larva was collected in 2017 and in 2018 out of 12,100 and 12,600 stalks sampled, respectively. Additional sampling of 50 stalks per field in October showed that 0.6% (2017) and 0.1% (2018) of the sugarcane stalks had bored internodes, and one Cotesia flavipes (Cameron) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) cocoon mass was observed. Seven ant species foraged in sugarcane fields, including the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren, which was the most abundant ant. Solenopsis invicta was not affected by soil type; however, sugarcane fields on shallow organic soils might represent a more suitable environment. The third most abundant foraging ant, Nylanderia bourbonica (Forel), was more abundant in mineral soil fields than in shallow and deep organic soil fields. Results suggest that D. saccharalis population levels in Florida sugarcane are extremely low under current production conditions regardless of soil type. In addition, the observation of C. flavipes, S. invicta, and six other ant species suggest that biological control contributes to these low D. saccharalis population levels.

scholarly journals Innovations behind the farm gate that will influence performance of hill farming

2016 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
pp. 15-20
Author(s):  
P.F. Fennessy ◽  
S.F. Glennie ◽  
A.B. Mccorkindale
Keyword(s):  
Hill Country ◽  
The Past ◽  
Look Ahead ◽  
Adoption Of Innovation ◽  
System Changes ◽  
Hill Farming ◽  
The Hill ◽  
On Farm ◽  
Looking Back

TThe challenges on farm What are the big issues that will face us in the hill country over the next 3 decades? It is these issues and the resulting pressures that are likely to shape the innovations required to support a robust future for hill country farming. If necessity is the mother of invention, then what are the pressures and hence what will shape the likely innovations that will be necessary for this important sector in the time ahead? Profitability is at the heart, but the pathway to adoption of innovation begins with farmers understanding and being confident to make system changes as well as having the desire to do it. By looking back over the past few decades at the major lift in productivity, especially in sheep, and at some of the innovations that have contributed, we may be better able to look ahead. There are some broad principles that are likely to be important over the next 30 years:

scholarly journals Field Infection of Virus-Free Sugarcane by Sugarcane Yellow Leaf Virus and Effect of Yellow Leaf on Sugarcane Grown on Organic and on Mineral Soils in Florida

Plant Disease ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 103 (9) ◽  
pp. 2367-2373 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wardatou Boukari ◽  
Claudia Kaye ◽  
Chunyan Wei ◽  
Martha Hincapie ◽  
Chris LaBorde ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Type ◽  
Mineral Soil ◽  
Organic Soil ◽  
Yellow Leaf ◽  
Sugarcane Yellow Leaf Virus ◽  
Infected Seed ◽  
Virus Prevalence ◽  
Mineral Soils ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Leaf Virus

Sugarcane yellow leaf virus (SCYLV), the causal agent of yellow leaf, is widespread in Florida. Two field trials were set up, one on organic soil and one on mineral soil, to investigate the rate and timing of sugarcane infection by SCYLV under field conditions and the effect of the virus on yield. Each trial consisted of plots planted with healthy or SCYLV-infected seed cane of two commercial cultivars. Virus prevalence varied from 83 to 100% in plots planted with infected seed cane regardless of cultivar, location, and crop season. On organic soil, plants of virus-free plots became progressively infected in plant cane and first ratoon crops. On mineral soil, healthy sugarcane became initially infected in the first ratoon crop. After three crop seasons, the highest SCYLV prevalence rates were 33 and 7% on organic and mineral soils, respectively. No significant negative effect of SCYLV on yield was found in plant cane crop regardless of cultivar and soil type. However, yield reductions in ratoon crops varied from nonsignificant to 27% depending on cultivar and soil type. Low virus prevalence observed after three crop seasons suggested that planting virus-free seed cane should limit the impact of SCYLV on sugarcane production in Florida.

GRAZING STUDIES FOR GRASSLAND SHEEP SYSTEMS AT THE HILL FARMING RESEARCH ORGANISATION, U.K.

1984 ◽  
pp. 184-189
Author(s):  
J. Hodgson ◽  
T.J. Maxwell
Keyword(s):  
Perennial Ryegrass ◽  
Management Objectives ◽  
Research Organisation ◽  
Hill Farming ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Hill

Studies in the UK on continuously stocked swards dominated by perennial ryegrass show that both net herbage production and lamb output per hectare are maximised when herbage mass is maintained at 1200-I 500 kg OM/ha (3-5 cm surface height) during the main season of growth. The use of this information to define sward management objectives is outlined, and the incorporation of these objectives into the spring and summer phases of a grassland sheep enterprise is illustrated

Pathways ahead for New Zealand hill country farming

2016 ◽  
Vol 78 ◽  
pp. 73-82 ◽  
Author(s):  
F.G. Scrimgeour
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Rural Communities ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Hill Country ◽  
The Status ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Hill Farming ◽  
The Hill

This paper provides a stocktake of the status of hill country farming in New Zealand and addresses the challenges which will determine its future state and performance. It arises out of the Hill Country Symposium, held in Rotorua, New Zealand, 12-13 April 2016. This paper surveys people, policy, business and change, farming systems for hill country, soil nutrients and the environment, plants for hill country, animals, animal feeding and productivity, and strategies for achieving sustainable outcomes in the hill country. This paper concludes by identifying approaches to: support current and future hill country farmers and service providers, to effectively and efficiently deal with change; link hill farming businesses to effective value chains and new markets to achieve sufficient and stable profitability; reward farmers for the careful management of natural resources on their farm; ensure that new technologies which improve the efficient use of input resources are developed; and strategies to achieve vibrant rural communities which strengthen hill country farming businesses and their service providers. Keywords: farming systems, hill country, people, policy, productivity, profitability, sustainability

The Tyranny of the Ideal

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerald Gaus
Keyword(s):  
Political Philosophy ◽  
Moral Life ◽  
Moral Inquiry ◽  
Open Society ◽  
The Past ◽  
Theories Of Justice ◽  
The World ◽  
Diverse Society ◽  
Just Society ◽  
The Ideal

This book lays out a vision for how we should theorize about justice in a diverse society. It shows how free and equal people, faced with intractable struggles and irreconcilable conflicts, might share a common moral life shaped by a just framework. The book argues that if we are to take diversity seriously and if moral inquiry is sincere about shaping the world, then the pursuit of idealized and perfect theories of justice—essentially, the entire production of theories of justice that has dominated political philosophy for the past forty years—needs to change. Drawing on recent work in social science and philosophy, the book points to an important paradox: only those in a heterogeneous society—with its various religious, moral, and political perspectives—have a reasonable hope of understanding what an ideally just society would be like. However, due to its very nature, this world could never be collectively devoted to any single ideal. The book defends the moral constitution of this pluralistic, open society, where the very clash and disagreement of ideals spurs all to better understand what their personal ideals of justice happen to be. Presenting an original framework for how we should think about morality, this book rigorously analyzes a theory of ideal justice more suitable for contemporary times.

Looking Backward 2000-1887

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edward Bellamy
Keyword(s):  
Nineteenth Century ◽  
Democratic Society ◽  
The Political ◽  
Industrial Capitalism ◽  
Ideal Society ◽  
The Past ◽  
Utopian Fiction ◽  
Socialist Utopia ◽  
Year 2000 ◽  
The Ideal

‘No person can be blamed for refusing to read another word of what promises to be a mere imposition upon his credulity.’ Julian West, a feckless aristocrat living in fin-de-siècle Boston, plunges into a deep hypnotic sleep in 1887 and wakes up in the year 2000. America has been turned into a rigorously centralized democratic society in which everything is controlled by a humane and efficient state. In little more than a hundred years the horrors of nineteenth-century capitalism have been all but forgotten. The squalid slums of Boston have been replaced by broad streets, and technological inventions have transformed people’s everyday lives. Exiled from the past, West excitedly settles into the ideal society of the future, while still fearing that he has dreamt up his experiences as a time traveller. Edward Bellamy’s Looking Backward (1888) is a thunderous indictment of industrial capitalism and a resplendent vision of life in a socialist utopia. Matthew Beaumont’s lively edition explores the political and psychological peculiarities of this celebrated utopian fiction.

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