Effect of Irrigation Volume on Biomass and Nutritional Value of Zea mays L. as Green Hydroponic Forage

Author(s):  
Rosendo A Alcaraz-Romero ◽  
Javier J. Cantón-Castillo

Objective: To evaluate the effect of irrigation water volume on biomass production andto quantify the nutritional value of green hydroponic maize forage (GHMF) for sheep.Design/Methodology/Approach: Three treatments were used to evaluate waterirrigation volume: T1) 9.48 L m 2 day -1 ; T2) 18.95 L m 2 day -1 ; and T3) 28.43 L m 2 day -1 ,employing a completely randomized statistical block design. To determine nutritionalvalue, four inclusion levels of GHMF were used (0,20.40, 60% BS) in the diet of 16sheep. A completely randomized statistical design was used as well as a linearregression model.Results: A greater weight in fresh biomass of GHMF was observed with T3 (P<0.01).The values of apparent digestibility of DM, OM, CP, NDF, and ADF of GHMF oscillatebetween 80 and 89%. The estimated digestible energy was 3.9 megacalories/kg DM.Study Limitations/Implications: Forage production in the dry tropics is characterizedby being markedly seasonal; however, GHMF represents a viable alternative for therapid and sustainable production of forage with high nutritional value for animals.Findings/Conclusions: The greatest yields in fresh biomass of green hydroponicmaize forage are obtained by using a greater volume of irrigation water. Likewise, the forage has high nutritional value for sheep, with considerable delivery of digestibleenergy, thus it can be used as an excellent source of forage in animal feeding.

2020 ◽  
Vol 80 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Francisco Romário Andrade Figueiredo ◽  
Jackson Silva Nóbrega ◽  
Reynaldo Teodoro de Fátima ◽  
Toshik Iarley da Silva ◽  
Rodrigo Garcia da Silva Nascimento ◽  
...  

Salinity is one of the main plant abiotic stresses which affects the establishment and development crops. Hence, the search for technologies that minimize the damage caused by salinity is essential. The aim of the present work was to evaluate the effect of salinity stress and osmotic conditioning of seeds on the biomass, gas exchanges and chlorophyll pigments in Mesosphaerum suaveolens (L.) Kuntze. The statistical design adopted was a randomized block design, combined according to the Central Composite Design, referring to electrical conductivities of irrigation water and osmotic potentials, with minimum (- α) and maximum (α) values of 0.5 and 10.0 dS m-1 and 0.0 and -1.0 MPa, respectively, totaling nine combinations. The characteristics of dry biomass, gas exchange and chlorophyll indices were evaluated at 45 days after irrigation with saline water started. The salinity of irrigation water severely affected the dry biomass and the gas exchanges of M. suaveolens. Irrigation water of electrical conductivity above 3.2 dS m-1 caused reductions in chlorophyll a, b and total contents in M. suaveolens plants. Seed osmoconditioning did not attenuate the negative effects of saline stress on M. suaveolens plants.


2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (6) ◽  
pp. 2517
Author(s):  
Armindo Neivo Kichel ◽  
Luis Carlos Ferreira de Souza ◽  
Roberto Giolo de Almeida ◽  
José Alexandre Agiova da Costa

This study aimed to assess productivity and nutritional value of the tropical grasses Brachiaria brizantha cv. Piatã, Xaraés, and Marandu, Panicum maximum cv. Mombaça, and B. ruziziensis cv. Kennedy in the interseason of an integrated crop-livestock (ICL) system since alternatives are needed for forage production for animal grazing in Autumn and Winter. The experimental design was a randomized block design in a split-split plot scheme with four replications. The treatments of plots consisted of five grasses, subplots consisted of three cropping systems (monoculture, intercropping with corn and unsuppressed grass, and intercropped with corn and suppressed grass), and sub-subplots consisted of four cutting intervals of grasses (50, 90, 125, and 195 days after emergence - DAE). The experiment was carried out from February to September 2014. Dry matter (DM) productivity, obtained at 195 DAE for the three cropping systems (monoculture grass, unsuppressed and suppressed grass in intercropping), were 18.45, 7.15, and 3.05 t ha?1, respectively, and average crude protein contents of leaf blades of grasses decreased linearly between the cutting intervals of 50 to 195 DAE from 19.95 to 9.70%, respectively. Under integrated systems, the studied grasses showed better yields and nutritional quality when compared to traditional grazing systems. Panicum maximum cv. Mombaça and Brachiaria brizantha cv. Xaraés and Piatã had the highest leaf and crude protein yields when compared to Brachiaria ruziziensis cv. Kennedy and Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu. In terms of nutritional value, Brachiaria ruziziensis cv. Kennedy was superior to Mombaça and Xaraés grasses but had lower total dry matter yield. Finally, Xaraés, Piatã and Mombaça grasses are recommended choices ICL systems when fodder grass production is the goal.


2010 ◽  
Vol 39 (12) ◽  
pp. 2598-2603 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elisângela Dupas ◽  
Salatiér Buzetti ◽  
André Luis Sarto ◽  
Fernando Braz Tangerino Hernandez ◽  
Antonio Fernando Bergamaschine

The aim of this study was to evaluate dry matter yield and nutritional value of palisade grass (Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu) using nitrogen doses and sprinkler irrigation in two periods of the year, aiming at reducing seasonality of forage production. It was used a randomized block design in a split-plot scheme, with five doses of nitrogen (0, 50, 100, 150, and 200 kg/ha/cut), and the sub-plots were defined by the seasons of the year (wet and dry season), with and without irrigation. During the wet season, in the plots with and without irrigation, doses of 175 and 161 kg/ha/cut promoted the highest dry matter yields. During the dry season, 171 kg ha-1N with irrigation resulted in the highest dry matter yield. During the same season, there was no response to N fertilization in the lack of irrigation. Average contents of CP were 10% with and without irrigation. Contents of neutral detergent fiber decreased with nitrogen doses, while acid detergent fiber was not affected by fertilization. Plots under irrigation reached the maximal acid detergent fiber content at N dose of 60 kg ha-1. Irrigation promotes increase of 15% increase in dry matter yield and it increases contents of neutral detergent fiber.


2017 ◽  
Vol 38 (5) ◽  
pp. 3173 ◽  
Author(s):  
Welma Santos Cruvinel ◽  
Kátia Aparecida De Pinho Costa ◽  
Alessandro Guerra da Silva ◽  
Eduardo Da Costa Severiano ◽  
Matheus Gonçalves Ribeiro

Intercropping of annual crops with tropical forages is an effective cultivation method to maximize grain production and pasture formation. The objective of this study was to evaluate the agronomic characteristics of sunflower and the productive and nutritional characteristics of Brachiaria brizantha cultivars grown with intercropping during two different sowing seasons in the interim harvest of the Center-West region of Brazil. The experiment was conducted in the municipality of Rio Verde, Goiás (GO), using a randomized block design with a 3x2+4 factorial scheme and three replicates per treatment. The following factors were tested: three Brachiaria brizantha cultivars (Marandu palisadegrass, Piata palisadegrass and Xaraes palisadegrass) grown with intercropping in the inter-row with the sunflower cultivar Charrua in two different sowing seasons (February and March); four additional treatments of sunflower; and the three tested Brachiaria brizantha cultivars grown in monoculture. Intercropping of sunflower with the Xaraes palisadegrass cultivar negatively affected the agronomic characteristics of sunflower, and intercropping with Marandu palisadegrass and Piata palisadegrass cultivars is recommended. Preference should be given to the Xaraes palisadegrass cultivar for forage production and to the Piata palisadegrass cultivar for the production of forage with higher nutritional value. Sowing in March led to the best sunflower agronomic characteristics, without affecting the productive and nutritional characteristics of the forages. Intercropping of sunflower with Brachiaria brizantha cultivars is therefore a promising cultivation method for the production of achenes and forage during the inter-harvest in the Center-West region of Brazil.


Author(s):  
Maria C. M. R. de Souza ◽  
Ademir S. Menezes ◽  
Rafael S. da Costa ◽  
Claudivan F. de Lacerda ◽  
Aiala V. Amorim ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Salinity is one of the main agricultural problems faced, and may negatively influence plant development. However, studies have shown that in protected environments and under the application of organic fertilizers, deleterious effects are mitigated. In this context, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of irrigation water salinity on mineral nutrition in noni plants grown in two environments and bovine manure application. The statistical design was a randomized block design arranged in split-split plot scheme, with five repetitions. The plots consisted of the cultivation environments (greenhouse and open field), the subplots formed by salinity levels of irrigation water (ECw: 0.3, 1.5, 3.0, 4.5 and 6.0 dS m-1), and the subsubplots were represented by the absence and presence of organic matter, with experimental unit consisting of three pots totaling 300 pots. The nitrogen, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium and chloride concentrations were determined in plant leaves. It was verified that the foliar concentrations of Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+ and Cl- and the ratio Na/K was increased with increasing salinity of the irrigation water, being the largest increments observed in the open field. Organic matter is not much relevant in attenuating the deleterious effects of irrigation water on the concentration of leaf nutrient in noni plants. The maintenance of lower values of Na/K ratio in the treatment with organic matter is a positive factor that can attenuate the effects of salt stress on cell metabolism.


2020 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
E. K. Al-Fahdawe ◽  
A. A. Al-Sumaidaie ◽  
Y. K. Al-Hadithy

A pots experiment was conducted at the Department of Biology/College of Education for Girls/University of Anbar during Autumn season of 2018-2019 to study the effect of the salinity irrigation water and spray by humic acid in some of morphological, physiological, growth and yield traits of wheat cv. IPa. The experiment was randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The first factor was assigned for irrigation by saline water at four level (S0, S1, S2 and S3), while the second factor was the foliar spraying of humic acid in three level (0.0, 1.0 and 1.5 g l-1). The results showed that there was significant reduction in plant height, vegetative dry weight, biological yield and chlorophyll leaves content when the plants were irrigated by saline water approached to 41.09 cm, 0.747 g, 0.849 g plant-1 and 38.67 SPAD, respectively at salinity level of 8.3 ds m-1 compared with the plants which irrigated by fresh water. The total carbohydrates were significantly decreased at the treatment of 8.3 ds m-1 reached 18.71 mg g-1. Spray levels humic acid achieved a significant increase in plant height, dry weight of the vegetative part, biological yield and chlorophyll leaves content sprayed at 1.0 and 1.5 g l-1 compared to no sprayed. Nitrogen concentration was significantly increased, while both phosphorus and potassium were decreased in the vegetative parts of wheat as the salinity of irrigation water increased. However, the increase of humic acid levels led to significant increasing in nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium concentration.


Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 196
Author(s):  
Elisa Varona ◽  
Alba Tres ◽  
Magdalena Rafecas ◽  
Stefania Vichi ◽  
Ana C. Barroeta ◽  
...  

Acid oils (AO) and fatty acid distillates (FAD) are oil refining by-products rich in free fatty acids. The objective of this study is their characterization and the identification of their sources of variability so that they can be standardized to improve their use as feed ingredients. Samples (n=92) were collected from the Spanish market and the MIU value (sum of moisture, insoluble impurities, and unsaponifiable matter), lipid classes, fatty acid composition, and tocol content were analyzed. Their composition was highly variable even between batches from the same producer. As FAD originated from a distillation step, they showed higher free fatty acid amounts (82.5 vs 57.0 g/100 g, median values), whereas AO maintained higher proportions of moisture, polymers, tri-, di-, and monoacylglycerols. Overall, the MIU value was higher in AO (2.60–18.50 g/100 g in AO vs 0.63-10.44 g/100 g in FAD), with most of the contents of insoluble impurities being higher than those in the guidelines. Tocol and fatty acid composition were influenced by the crude oil’s botanical origin. The calculated dietary energy values were, in general, higher for AO and decreased when a MIU correction factor was applied. The analytical control and standardization of these by-products is of the outmost importance to revalorize them as feed ingredients.


Agriculture ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 448
Author(s):  
Leontina Lipan ◽  
Aarón A. Carbonell-Pedro ◽  
Belén Cárceles Rodríguez ◽  
Víctor Hugo Durán-Zuazo ◽  
Dionisio Franco Tarifa ◽  
...  

Mango is one of the most cultivated tropical fruits worldwide and one of few drought-tolerant plants. Thus, in this study the effect of a sustained deficit irrigation (SDI) strategy on mango yield and quality was assessed with the aim of reducing irrigation water in mango crop. A randomized block design with four treatments was developed: (i) full irrigation (FI), assuring the crop’s water needs, and three levels of SDI receiving 75%, 50%, and 33% of irrigation water (SDI75, SDI50, and SDI33). Yield, morphology, color, titratable acidity (TA), total soluble solids (TSS), organic acids (OA), sugars, minerals, fiber, antioxidant activity (AA), and total phenolic content (TPC) were analyzed. The yield was reduced in SDI conditions (8%, 11%, and 20% for SDI75, SDI50, and SDI33, respectively), but the irrigation water productivity was higher in all SDI regimes. SDI significantly reduced the mango size, with SDI33 generating the smallest mangoes. Peel color significantly changed after 13 days of ripening, with SDI75 being the least ripe. The TA, AA, and citric acid were higher in SDI75, while the TPC and fiber increased in all SDI levels. Consequently, SDI reduced the mango size but increased the functionality of samples, without a severe detrimental effect on the yield.


Author(s):  
Д.А. Ахматчин ◽  
С.Н. Биконя ◽  
В.В. Солдатова ◽  
Г.Ю. Лаптев

История сельского хозяйства включает в себя многолетний опыт применения биологических консервантов для силосования. Однако, учитывая различную эффективность препаратов, предлагаемых на рынке, а также инфляцию научного слова в угоду маркетинговым стратегиям, сложно найти действительно качественный и эффективный консервант. Кормовой потенциал, который заключается в питательности силоса и его гигиеническом статусе во многом определяет эффективность животноводческих хозяйств. Поэтому важно учитывать как можно больше факторов в цепочке производства кормов, влияющих на продуктивность и здоровье животных, особенно тех факторов, которые поддаются корректировке. Различную эффективность микробиологических препаратов можно отнести к подобным детерминантам. В статье дана оценка консервирующим способностям препаратов, которая выражена в степени подкисления и сохранении кормовой ценности. Полученные данные дают возможность установить опосредованную роль биологических консервантов в молочной продуктивности коров. Эксперименты проводили в 2019 году на базе СПК «Кобраловский» Ленинградской области. В траншеи закладывался силос из многолетних трав (смесь злаковых и бобовых культур). Во время закладки провяленная зелёная масса тщательно трамбовалась, после завершения трамбовки закрывалась плёнкой. Препараты вносились, исходя из рекомендаций производителей консервантов, с помощью насосно-дозирующего комплекса уборочного комбайна. Консерванты были представлены в сухой и жидкой форме. Через 30–35 дней, после окончания ферментации силоса, отбирали образцы готового корма для оценки биохимических показателей (питательности, содержания органических кислот). Готовый корм, заготовленный с биоконсервантом «Биотроф 2+», содержал сырого протеина на 24,3% больше, чем корм, заготовленный с английским препаратом, и на 31,6% больше по сравнению с препаратом шведского производства. Наблюдалось увеличение среднесуточного удоя молока 4% жирности у коров, которым скармливали силос, заготовленный с закваской «Биотроф 2+», на 5,1% в сравнении с группой коров, которым скармливали силос, заготовленный с английской закваской, и на 8,4% — с шведским консервантом. Bio-preservatives are widely used in agriculture for silage production. A large variety of preparations makes it difficult to select an effective preservative of high quality. Silage nutritional value and quality directly affect animal farming. Therefore, the more factors of forage production are considered the higher livestock productivity and health level. This article reports on preservative efficacy determined by acid composition and nutritional value. The obtained data demonstrated an indirect impact of bio-preservatives on milk productivity. The investigation took place at the SPK “Kobralovskiy” in the Leningrad region in 2019. Silage was composed of gramineous and legumes. Wilted green mass was thoroughly rammed and covered subsequently. Preparations were applied by a dosing complex of a harvesting machine according to manufacturer instructions. Liquid and dried preparations were used. Silage samples were tested 30–35 days post fermentation. Silage prepared by “Biotrof 2+” exceeded two foreign preservatives by 24.3 and 31.6% in crude protein. Feeding cows with “Biotrof 2+” silage increased the average daily yield of 4% milk by 5.1 and 8.4% compared to the preservatives made in England and Sweden, respectively.


2017 ◽  
Vol 38 (6) ◽  
pp. 3681 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nelson Eduardo Prestes ◽  
Cassandro Vidal Talamini do Amarante ◽  
Cassiano Eduardo Pinto ◽  
Gabriel Avila Prestes ◽  
Guilherme Doneda Zanini ◽  
...  

Natural pastures are important ecosystems that both contribute to biodiversity conservation and provide an important source of income, especially for cattle ranchers. While these pastures yield fairly low productivity, they can be improved by increasing soil fertility and introducing species with high productive potentials. In this sense, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of applying limestone and phosphorus, as well as introducing cool-season species with a mixture of species dominated by Schizachyrium tenerum Nees, into a natural pasture in the Catarinense Plateau. The experiment was conducted from January 2010 to December 2013; the treatments consisted of superficial distribution of limestone in proportions of 3.6, 7.2, 11.0, and 14.4 t ha-1, as well as distribution of phosphorus in the form of triple superphosphate in proportions of 35, 70, 105, and 140 kg of P2O5 ha-1. In addition, cool-season species were overseeded. The experiment consisted of a randomized block design with subdivided plots and three replications. Limestone was applied to the main parcel, whereas phosphorus was applied to the subplots. There was no interaction between the levels of limestone and phosphorus. The application of 11.0 t ha-1 of limestone yielded the highest forage production, with 3,932.2 kg of dry matter (DM) ha-1 during the second year. Red clover was the species that best reacted to the additions, with levels of 7.2 and 11.0 t ha-1 over the 4 years. In addition, phosphorus provoked a positive response throughout the experiment. The highest forage production was observed during the second year, with an addition of 140 kg P2O5 ha-1 (4,419.4 kg DM ha-1). Only one-eighth of the recommended amount of limestone (3.6 t ha-1) allowed for the establishment and persistence of the legumes introduced into natural pastures. These additions, associated with increasing levels of phosphorus, yielded linear growth in the production of forage in natural pastures with a mixture of species dominated by Schizachyrium tenerum Nees.


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