scholarly journals Production and water-use efficiency of Megathyrsus maximus cv. Mombaça “Guinea grass” under nitrogen and boron doses

2021 ◽  
Vol 42 (4) ◽  
pp. 2217-2232
Author(s):  
Fernanda Lamede Ferreira de Jesus ◽  
◽  
Arthur Carniato Sanches ◽  
Fernando Campos Mendonça ◽  
Adriano Bicioni Pacheco ◽  
...  

Brazilian cattle production is mainly conducted with the use of cultivated or native forages, which is considered one of the most efficient ways of production. In this sense, this study aimed to evaluate the production and water-use efficiency of Guinea grass under different associations between nitrogen and boron doses, as well as different regrowth cycles. The experiment field (22°42’14.6’’ S, 47°37’24.1’’ W, and 569-m altitude) has a regional climate classified as Cwa, which stands for a humid subtropical climate. The experimental design was randomized blocks, with a 4×4×11 factorial arrangement consisting of boron (0, 0.181, and 0.363 kg ha−1 cycle−1) and nitrogen (22.7, 45.5, 68.2, and 90.9 kg ha−1 cycle−1) fertilizations, plus 11 regrowth cycles and 4 replications. The pasture of Mombaça “Guinea grass” (Megathyrsus Maximus Syn. Panicum Maximum) was irrigated by a sprinkler system. Unlike boron, nitrogen positively influenced forage production. The cycles had a strong influence on production, with winter cycles being the least productive compared to the others.

2016 ◽  
Vol 68 (5) ◽  
pp. 1374-1380
Author(s):  
A.C.R. Cavalcante ◽  
P.M. Santos ◽  
J.A.A. C. Júnior ◽  
M.J.D. Cândido ◽  
N.L.S. Lemos

ABSTRACT The aim was to determine the efficiency of use of water and nitrogen for forage production and goat-milk production on an irrigated Tanzania Guineagrass (Panicum maximum cv. Tanzânia) pasture subjected to different management practices. The management levels tested were combinations among nitrogen fertilization levels and post-grazing residual heights (ResH): Intensive (ResH = 33.0cm and 600.0kg N/ha.year-1); Moderate (ResH = 47.0cm and 300.0kg N/ha.year-1); Light (ResH = 47cm and 0kg N/ha.year-1); and Conventional (ResH = 33cm and 0kg N/ha year-1). The efficiency of water use for forage production was higher in intensive and Moderate management. The Conventional management was recommended only for forage production since there is no nitrogen input available because this result was similar to Intensive management in water efficiency. The efficiency of water use to produce goat milk was higher in Intensive management. Moderate management presented higher efficiency of nitrogen to produce forage. On the other hand, Intensive management was more efficient using nitrogen in goat milk production. The amount of water needed to produce one liter of goat milk varied from 893.20 to 3,933.50L. In the moderate management, up to 121.48kg forage and 21.56kg of milk were produced for every kilogram of N utilized. Intensive management is advantageous for water use efficiency as well nitrogen efficiency to produce goat milk in cultivated pasture.


2005 ◽  
Vol 45 (4) ◽  
pp. 383 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. J. Collino ◽  
J. L. Dardanelli ◽  
M. J. De Luca ◽  
R. W. Racca

Alfalfa, the most important forage crop in Argentina, shows considerable variability in forage production caused by variations in inter-annual rainfall and intra-annual radiation and temperature regimes. Such variation may affect radiation use efficiency and water use efficiency. This paper seeks to study the effects of temperature and water availability on radiation use efficiency and water use efficiency. We conducted the experiment in Córdoba, Argentina, under irrigated and droughted conditions. Drought was imposed by mobile rainout shelters during 3 consecutive periods. We measured forage, intercepted photosynthetically active radiation and water use to calculate radiation use efficiency and water use efficiency between cuttings. Under irrigation, radiation use efficiency and water use efficiency normalised by daytime vapour pressure deficit, were not limited by mean temperature above 21.3 and 21.9°C, respectively. Below those critical values, both variables decreased consistently with temperature decrements. Under drought, radiation use efficiency tended to decrease and water use efficiency tended to increase. In addition, the relationship between relative dry matter and relative water use was not linear, as reported in previous studies for annual crops.


1978 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 113-119 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Lal ◽  
P. R. Maurya ◽  
S. Osei-Yeboah

SUMMARYWater use efficiency of maize (Zea mays) and cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) was investigated, with and without tillage, under four irrigation frequencies in which 12 mm of water was applied at 2, 4, 8 and 12 day intervals, using a sprinkler system. Both maize and cowpea under no-tillage yielded more than with conventional ploughing. Water use efficiency of maize without tillage was 18·3, 17·5, 57·8 and 100% greater than with tillage at irrigation frequencies of 2, 4, 8 and 12 days respectively. Whereas the leaf water potential of cowpea was not affected by tillage, that of maize was generally higher for no-tillage compared with conventional ploughing.


Agronomy ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 416 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joshua A. Machicek ◽  
Brock C. Blaser ◽  
Murali Darapuneni ◽  
Marty B. Rhoades

As water levels in the Ogallala Aquifer continue to decline in the Texas High Plains, alternative forage crops that utilize less water must be identified to meet the forage demand of the livestock industry in this region. A two-year (2016 and 2017) study was conducted at West Texas A&M University Nance Ranch near Canyon, TX to evaluate the forage production and quality of brown midrib (BMR) sorghum-sudangrass (SS) (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench ssp. Drummondii) and BMR pearl millet (PM) (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) Leeke)) harvested under three regimes (three 30-d, two 45-d, and one 90-d harvests). Sorghum-sudangrass consistently out yielded PM in total DM production in both tested years (yield range 3.96 to 6.28 Mg DM ha−1 vs. 5.38 to 11.19 Mg DM ha−1 in 2016 and 6.00 to 9.87 Mg DM ha−1 vs. 6.53 to 15.51 Mg DM ha−1 in 2017). Water use efficiency was higher in PM compared to SS. The 90-d harvesting regime maximized the water use efficiency and DM production compared to other regimes in both crops; however, some forage quality may be sacrificed. In general, the higher forage quality was achieved in shorter interval harvesting regimes (frequent cuttings). The selection of suitable forage crop and harvesting regime based on this research can be extremely beneficial to the producers of Texas High Plains to meet their individual forage needs and demand.


2011 ◽  
Vol 62 (7) ◽  
pp. 610 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. G. Pembleton ◽  
R. P. Rawnsley ◽  
D. J. Donaghy

In Tasmania, Australia, forage production is maximised by the use of irrigation. However, availability of water for irrigation is often limited, making the water-use efficiency (WUE) of a species/genotype an important consideration when designing forage systems. Field experimentation and an associated modelling study was undertaken to determine the WUE and environmental factors influencing WUE for contrasting lucerne (Medicago sativa) genotypes across six dairying regions within Tasmania. In the field experiment a significant genotype influence on WUE was identified under irrigated conditions and modelling identified a genotype influence on WUE in three out of six regions. WUE was related to the amount of water received (irrigation plus rainfall). The marginal response to the application of irrigation water (MWUE) was greatest for the highly winter-active genotype in the field experiment; however, modelling did not identify a consistent genotype influence on MWUE across regions. MWUE was negatively associated with the amount of deep drainage. The present study identified that lucerne has the potential to improve the WUE of forage systems across six different Tasmanian regions. The linkage of MWUE and deep drainage highlights that deficit irrigation practices could further improve the WUE of this forage crop, particularly in environments prone to deep drainage.


Agronomy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 1672
Author(s):  
Bradley Crookston ◽  
Brock Blaser ◽  
Murali Darapuneni ◽  
Marty Rhoades

Pearl millet (Pennisitum glaucum L.) is a warm season C4 grass well adapted to semiarid climates where concerns over scarce and depleting water resources continually prompt the search for water efficient crop management to improve water use efficiency (WUE). A two-year study was conducted in the Southern Great Plains, USA, semi-arid region, to determine optimum levels of irrigation, row spacing, and tillage to maximize WUE and maintain forage production in pearl millet. Pearl millet was planted in a strip-split-plot factorial design at two row widths, 76 and 19 cm, in tilled and no-till soil under three irrigation levels (high, moderate, and limited). The results were consistent between production years. Both WUE and forage yield were impacted by tillage; however, irrigation level had the greatest effect on forage production. Row spacing had no effect on either WUE or forage yield. The pearl millet water use-yield production function was y = 6.68 × x (mm) − 837 kg ha−1; however, a low coefficient of determination (r2 = 0.31) suggests that factors other than water use (WU), such as a low leaf area index (LAI), had greater influence on dry matter (DM) production. Highest WUE (6.13 Mg ha−1 mm−1) was achieved in tilled soil due to greater LAI and DM production than in no-till.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document