Benefits of mixed grass–legume pastures and pasture rejuvenation using bloat-free legumes in western Canada: a review

2020 ◽  
Vol 100 (5) ◽  
pp. 463-476 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Khatiwada ◽  
S.N. Acharya ◽  
F.J. Larney ◽  
N.Z. Lupwayi ◽  
E.G. Smith ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Performance ◽  
Biomass Productivity ◽  
Fertilizer Application ◽  
Direct Seeding ◽  
Western Canada ◽  
Rapid Improvement ◽  
Pasture Management ◽  
Carbon Footprints ◽  
Attractive Option ◽  
Forage Mixtures

Forage mixtures containing legume out-yield monocultures, fix atmospheric nitrogen, and have lower carbon footprints. However, evidence-based information on creating forage mixtures by direct seeding legumes into existing pastures is limited, and information on bloat-free legumes is nonexistent. Traditionally, pastures requiring improvement in western Canada were fully replaced by breaking up the old stand and reseeding. With new and improved forage cultivars, better seeding equipment, and increased knowledge about pasture management, there is a growing interest among producers in rejuvenating pastures instead of replacing them. Pasture rejuvenation refers to the improvement in biomass productivity and (or) nutritional quality of existing pasture without removing the existing vegetation. This can be done through fertilizer application, which is generally expensive and causes negative environmental impacts. Amelioration of compacted pastureland via mechanical aeration is short-lived and can lead to weed problems. As an alternative, direct seeding of productive, nutritive and bloat-free legume species into existing pasture is an attractive option for pasture rejuvenation. For high performance grazing systems, identification of suitable bloat-free legumes and methods for direct seeding into old grass and legume stands will be essential strategies. This review includes information on the benefits of mixed pastures and seeks possible methods of introducing bloat-free forage legumes into existing pastures in western Canada for rapid improvement in productivity and quality while positively influencing animal, soil, and environmental health.

Economic benefits of integrated weed management systems for field crops in the Dark Brown and Black soil zones of western Canada

2006 ◽  
Vol 86 (4) ◽  
pp. 1273-1279 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. G. Smith ◽  
B. M. Upadhyay ◽  
R. E. Blackshaw ◽  
H. J. Beckie ◽  
K. N. Harker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Weed Management ◽  
Fertilizer Application ◽  
Black Soil ◽  
Field Pea ◽  
Integrated Weed Management ◽  
Western Canada ◽  
Seeding Rate ◽  
Soil Zone ◽  
Seeding Date ◽  
Common Practices

Integrated weed management (IWM) systems that combine seeding date, seeding rate, herbicide rate, and timing of nitrogen (N) fertilizer application were assessed for their economic performance in the Dark Brown and Black soil zones. A barley-field pea IWM system in the Black soil zone at Lacombe, Alberta, and a wheat-canola IWM system in the Dark Brown soil zone at Lethbridge, Alberta, and Scott, Saskatchewan, were used to assess contributions of seeding date (April or May), seeding rate (recommended or 150% of recommended), fertilizer timing (fall or spring), and in-crop herbicide rate (50% or 100% of recommended). The factorial set of treatments was applied in 4 consecutive years at each site. For barley-field pea production, the highest contribution margin (CM) (returns over variable production costs) was earned with 50% of the recommended herbicide rate, spring application of N fertilizer, seeding barley later at the high seeding rate, and seeding field pea early at the recommended seeding rate. This IWM system had a CM benefit of at least $51 ha-1 compared with current common practices. The wheat-canola system results were site specific. At Lethbridge, it was more profitable to use 50% of recommended herbicide rates and to seed both crops early, with an early seeding date being very important for canola. The CM of this IWM system was $48 ha-1 higher than current common practices. At Scott, the wheat-canola system was more profitable with spring fertilizer application, 50% of the recommended herbicide rate, and an early seeding date for canola. The best IWM system had a CM $15 to $75 ha-1 higher, depending on the year, than common practices. Our results confirmed the economic merits of using IWM practices for cereal-oilseed and cereal-pulse cropping systems in these regions of western Canada. Key words: Economic, integrated weed management, contribution margin, canola, wheat, field pea, barley

scholarly journals A High-Performance 75 W Direct Ammonia Fuel Cells Stack

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Teng Wang ◽  
Yun Zhao ◽  
Brian P. Setzler ◽  
Reza Abbasi ◽  
Shimshon Gottesfeld ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Single Cell ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Electric Energy ◽  
Power Source ◽  
Bipolar Plates ◽  
Attractive Option ◽  
Li Ion ◽  
Spinel Cathode ◽  
First Time

Ammonia can be directly used as fuel to generate electric energy in a low-temperature direct ammonia fuel cell (DAFC), making the DAFC an attractive option for zero-emission transportation. However, with a high-performance and durable DAFC still to be demonstrated, and with the remaining need to identify a suitable first market, the introduction of this technology has been delayed so far. Here, we report a high-performance DAFC stack enabled by a hydrophobic spinel cathode, which achieves the best combination of performance and durability reported to date. Peak power density of 410 mW cm-2 and continuous operation for 80 hours at 300 mA cm-2 were achieved for the first time in 5 cm2 DAFCs, and then successfully scaled up to 50 cm2. Five such cells were assembled into a 75 W DAFC stack using graphite bipolar plates, demonstrating stack performance at the level expected from the single cell tests. The best combination of performance and durability for the single cell and, particularly, the demonstration of the world’s first DAFC bipolar stack, constitute significant milestones in the development of DAFC technology. We also performed an in-depth techno-economic analysis of a 2 kW, 10 kWh DAFC system serving as power source for drones. Based on the DAFC performance demonstrated by us to date, such system can be a competitive power source over hydrogen fuel cells and Li-ion batteries.

Synthesis and Electrochemical Properties of MoS2/rGO/S Composite as a Cathode Material for Lithium–Sulfur Batteries

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (11) ◽  
pp. 7087-7091
Author(s):  
Bhumi Reddy Srinivasulu Reddy ◽  
Mookala Premasudha ◽  
Yeon-Ju Lee ◽  
Hyo-Jun Ahn ◽  
Nagireddy Gari Subba Reddy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cathode Material ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Reversible Capacity ◽  
Diffusion Method ◽  
High Catalytic Activity ◽  
Potential Candidate ◽  
Lithium Sulfur Batteries ◽  
Attractive Option ◽  
Fading Rate ◽  
Lithium Sulfur

To develop the next-generation energy storage systems, lithium-sulfur batteries represent an attractive option due to its high theoretical capacity, and energy density. In this work, MoS2/rGO (reduced graphene oxide) was prepared by hydrothermal synthesis and sulfur added by the melt diffusion method. The as-prepared MoS2/rGO has strong polysulfides entrapping, high conductivity, large surface area, and high catalytic activity, consequently resulting in enhanced rate performance and cycling capability of Li-S batteries. The coin cells were constructed with the MoS2/rGO/S cathode material, exhibit a high reversible capacity of nearly 1380 mAh/g at 0.1 C, outstanding cycling stability with a low capacity fading rate. Present work reveals that the hierarchal MoS2/rGO/S cathodes are potential candidate materials for future high-performance lithium-sulfur batteries.

The influence of harvest management and fertilizer application on seasonal yield, crude protein concentration and N offtake of grasses in northeast Saskatchewan

2004 ◽  
Vol 84 (1) ◽  
pp. 205-212 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. H. McCartney ◽  
S. Bittman ◽  
W. F. Nuttall
Keyword(s):  
Protein Concentration ◽  
Fertilizer Application ◽  
Application Rate ◽  
Grass Species ◽  
Harvest Management ◽  
Pasture Management ◽  
Smooth Bromegrass ◽  
Crested Wheatgrass ◽  
Red Fescue ◽  
Meadow Bromegrass

The goal of pasture management is to match quantity and quality of herbage to the requirement of the grazing animal. The objective of this study was to examine the effects of harvest management and fertilizer application on annual and seasonal production, protein concentration and N-offtake by eight grass species adapted to the central Aspen Parkland. In this 3-yr splitsplit- plot experiment, grasses were either fertilized annually (50 and 13 kg ha-1 of N and P, respectively) or left unfertilized, and cut either twice annually (two-cut) in early July and late September, or three to four times annually (multi-cut), in early June, early July, early August and late September if there was sufficient herbage. The grasses used in this study were Altai wildrye [Leymus angustus (Trin.) Pilger], creeping red fescue (Festuca rubra L. var. rubra), meadow bromegrass [Bromus riparius (Rehmann)], Russian wildrye [Psathyrostachys juncea (Fisch.) Nevski], smooth bromegrass (Bromus inermis Leyss.), crested wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum L. Gaertn.), intermediate wheatgrass [Elytrigia intermedia (Host) Nevski] and green needlegrass [Nassella viridula (Trin.) Barkworth]. Fertilizer increased yield of the two-cut treatment 15% (P < 0.05) more than the multi-cut treatment. On average, the multi-cut treatment had 32% higher protein concentration than the two-cut treatment throughout the season. Fertilizer significantly increased protein concentration only in the first harvest of the multi-cut clipped plots, probably because the application rate was low. Nitrogen offtake of the multi-cut treatment averaged 24% higher than the two-cut treatment, even though the latter yielded more. Meadow bromegrass showed the most uniform seasonal distribution of yield among the high-yielding grasses under all management systems while smooth bromegrass and crested wheatgrass were generally the poorest. Crested wheatgrass had significantly more first cut production than all other grasses. Meadow bromegrass herbage also had the lowest protein concentrations throughout the growing season among the high producing grasses. Since the protein concentrations were generally higher than required by grazing beef cattle, the meadow bromegrass herbage was the most suitable for this class of cattle. Green needlegrass also showed potential for use in pastures. Key words: Pasture, hay, protein yield, Bromus, Elytrigia, Nassella, Agropyron, Festuca, Psathyrostachys, Leymus

Molten-Salt Electrochemical Biorefinery for Carbon-Neutral Utilization of Biomass

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei Xiao ◽  
Jing Wang ◽  
Juanxiu Xiao ◽  
Yijun Shen ◽  
Xinxin Liang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Molten Salt ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Carbon Sinks ◽  
Carbon Footprints ◽  
Carbon Neutral ◽  
Reduce Carbon Dioxide

Solar-driven photosynthesis to produce biomass and photocatalysis to reduce carbon dioxide are both carbon sinks. Efficient harvesting of high-performance photocatalysts from photosynthesis-derived biomass is hence promising to relieve carbon footprints....

INFLUENCE DES TYPES DE PATURAGES ET DES SYSTEMES D’EXPLOITATION SUR LA PERFORMANCE DES BOUVILLONS

1974 ◽  
Vol 54 (1) ◽  
pp. 61-71 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. LALANDE ◽  
J. L. DIONNE ◽  
L. LACHANCE
Keyword(s):  
Linear Trend ◽  
Fertilizer Application ◽  
The Other ◽  
Management Systems ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Pasture Management ◽  
Beef Meat ◽  
Beef Carcasses ◽  
Moderate Rate ◽  
Intensively Managed

A comparison of steer performance, as measured by body weight gains, carcass weight and quality, from ladino clover-timothy or grass pastures was carried out. Two pasture management systems were used, an extensive one with a stocking rate of 1.85 heads/ha and a moderate rate of fertilizer application, and an intensive one with stocking rate of 3.70 heads/ha and a heavy fertilizer application. Steer development followed a linear trend throughout the grazing season and steer growth was slower on the intensively managed timothy-ladino pastures than on the other pastures. The liveweight gains of the animals, per head, over the season was 10.3% greater on the grass swards than on the timothy-ladino swards, and 7.7% greater on the pastures under an extensive management system than on the other ones. Increase in stocking rate was not completely compensated for by heavy fertilization of pastures since steers grazing on high stocking rate pastures did not gain weight as rapidly as the ones on low stocking rate pastures. The amount of beef meat produced per steer (233 kilos) was not influenced by treatments. Beef carcasses from 3.70 head/ha pastures were as heavy as the ones from 1.85 head/ha pastures indicating that high stocking rate effect was balanced out by doubling the amount of fertilizers applied to pastures.

scholarly journals Improvement of Photoautotrophic Algal Biomass Production after Interrupted CO2 Supply by Urea and KH2PO4 Injection

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 778
Author(s):  
Byung Sun Yu ◽  
Young Joon Sung ◽  
Min Eui Hong ◽  
Sang Jun Sim
Keyword(s):  
Flue Gas ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Culture Medium ◽  
Dissolved Inorganic Carbon ◽  
Carbon Sources ◽  
Biomass Productivity ◽  
Economic Feasibility ◽  
Carbon Footprints ◽  
Direct Combustion ◽  
The Cost

Microalgae-derived biomass is currently considered a sustainable feedstock for making biofuels, including biodiesel and direct combustion fuel. The photoautotrophic cultivation of microalgae using flue gas from power plants has been continuously investigated to improve the economic feasibility of microalgae processes. The utilization of waste CO2 from power plants is advantageous in reducing carbon footprints and the cost of carbon sources. Nonetheless, the sudden interruption of CO2 supply during microalgal cultivation leads to a severe reduction in biomass productivity. Herein, chemical fertilizers including urea and KH2PO4 were added to the culture medium when CO2 supply was halted. Urea (5 mM) and KH2PO4 (5 mM) were present in the culture medium in the form of CO2/NH4+ and K+/H2PO4−, respectively, preventing cell growth inhibition. The culture with urea and KH2PO4 supplementation exhibited 10.02-fold higher and 7.28-fold higher biomass and lipid productivity, respectively, compared to the culture with ambient CO2 supply due to the maintenance of a stable pH and dissolved inorganic carbon in the medium. In the mass cultivation of microalgae using flue gas from coal-fired power plants, urea and KH2PO4 were supplied while the flue gas supply was shut off. Consequently, the microalgae were grown successfully without cell death.

scholarly journals Growth Hormone, Nitrogen and Potassium Content in The Formulated Solid Waste from Agar Processing for Fertilizer Application

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 131
Author(s):  
Jamal Basmal ◽  
Muhamad Luthfian Henrida ◽  
Rinta Kusumawati ◽  
Nurhayati Nurhayati
Keyword(s):  
Growth Hormone ◽  
Solid Waste ◽  
Total Nitrogen ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Organic Fertilizer ◽  
Fertilizer Application ◽  
Raw Material ◽  
Potassium Content ◽  
Total N ◽  
Optimum Formulation

The solid waste from agar processing industries in Indonesia is enormous. The waste contains numbers of macro and micro nutrient including growth hormone that can be a good source for plant fertilizer. Utilization of solid waste obtained from agar processing into fertilizer has been carried out by mixing with Sargassum powder, fish silage and Eucheuma cottonii pasta. Various concentrations of the solid waste (13, 19, 22 and 25%) and the Sargassum powder (0, 3, 6, 9, and 12%) were used in this study to obtain optimum nutrients  in the formulated fertilizers i.e. growth hormone, total nitrogen and potassium. Growth hormone were analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), while N content by Kjeldahl methods and K content analyzed according  AOAC.The results showed that the optimum formulation was obtained from the combination of 25% solid waste and 0% Sargassum powder, which contained the highest growth hormones i.e. auxins (IAA) 46.75 ppm, gibberellin (GA3) 22.25 ppm, cytokinin-zeatin 18.50 ppm, and cytokinin-kinetin 61.00 ppm. While the potassium content was 0.43±0.001 ppm and the total nitrogen was 0.53± 0.06%. This result meets the requirements of the Minister of Agriculture Regulation No. 261/KPTS/SR.310/M/4/2019 regarding the requirements for total N in organic fertilizer. However, the total K+ does not meet the requirement. Therefore, enrichment with other organic raw material is still needed.

scholarly journals A High-Performance 75 W Direct Ammonia Fuel Cells Stack

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Teng Wang ◽  
Yun Zhao ◽  
Brian P. Setzler ◽  
Reza Abbasi ◽  
Shimshon Gottesfeld ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Single Cell ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Electric Energy ◽  
Power Source ◽  
Bipolar Plates ◽  
Attractive Option ◽  
Li Ion ◽  
Spinel Cathode ◽  
First Time

Ammonia can be directly used as fuel to generate electric energy in a low-temperature direct ammonia fuel cell (DAFC), making the DAFC an attractive option for zero-emission transportation. However, with a high-performance and durable DAFC still to be demonstrated, and with the remaining need to identify a suitable first market, the introduction of this technology has been delayed so far. Here, we report a high-performance DAFC stack enabled by a hydrophobic spinel cathode, which achieves the best combination of performance and durability reported to date. Peak power density of 410 mW cm-2 and continuous operation for 80 hours at 300 mA cm-2 were achieved for the first time in 5 cm2 DAFCs, and then successfully scaled up to 50 cm2. Five such cells were assembled into a 75 W DAFC stack using graphite bipolar plates, demonstrating stack performance at the level expected from the single cell tests. The best combination of performance and durability for the single cell and, particularly, the demonstration of the world’s first DAFC bipolar stack, constitute significant milestones in the development of DAFC technology. We also performed an in-depth techno-economic analysis of a 2 kW, 10 kWh DAFC system serving as power source for drones. Based on the DAFC performance demonstrated by us to date, such system can be a competitive power source over hydrogen fuel cells and Li-ion batteries.

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