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Articles 901 - 930 of 58714

Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

An Interactive Approach To Technology Transfer In A Development Project - A Case Study, A.C P. Chu, P.N P. Matthews, J Hodgson Jun 2024

An Interactive Approach To Technology Transfer In A Development Project - A Case Study, A.C P. Chu, P.N P. Matthews, J Hodgson

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

The paper covers technology transfer in the United Nations Development Programme funded Agro-grassland Systems Development Project in Guizhou Province, China, which ran from 1989 to 1994 and involved the development of pasture based smallholder livestock systems at three environmentally contrasting sites. The project involved the participation of management, technical staff and smallholder farmers at the local level with outside support from the Gansu Grassland Ecological Research Institute, Gansu Province, China and Massey University, New Zealand. A feature of the project design was the retention of project management at the local level. Interactive training programmes were conducted in New Zealand and …


Will It Rain? Managing El Nino Risks With The Australian Rainman Computer Package, N M. Clarkson, J F. Clewett, D T. Owens, D G. Abrecht Jun 2024

Will It Rain? Managing El Nino Risks With The Australian Rainman Computer Package, N M. Clarkson, J F. Clewett, D T. Owens, D G. Abrecht

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

The AUSTRALIAN RAINMAN computer package helps the management of climatic risks associated with the ENSO (El Niño/ Southern Oscillation) phenomenon in the southern Pacific region. The package uses historical rainfall and Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) records to provide a suite of analyses including user-defined seasonal forecasts. Examples are given of ENSO effects on precipitation in Australia and some other countries including Canada. The SOI has a multiplier effect on rain-dependent processes such as plant growth and stream flow, and its use provides valuable support for many agricultural and pastoral decisions. AUSTRALIAN RAINMAN is commercially available in Australia.


Night Penning As A Management Technique For Both Pasture Development And Pasture Improvement For Small Holders In Southern China, W L. Jiang, P.N P. Matthews, C B. Luo, J Z. Ren, J Hodgson, A.C P. Chu Jun 2024

Night Penning As A Management Technique For Both Pasture Development And Pasture Improvement For Small Holders In Southern China, W L. Jiang, P.N P. Matthews, C B. Luo, J Z. Ren, J Hodgson, A.C P. Chu

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

A series of experiments conducted at Weining, Guizhou Province, China demonstrated night penning to be a successful technique for the improvement of native pastures through enhancement of soil fertility and change in the botanical composition of the sward. The best overall results were achieved with a penning intensity of 7 to 8 sheep nights per m- with pasture establishment most successful from May to September. Ryegrass (Lolium perenne), cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata), Yorkshire fog (Holcus lanatus) and white clover (Trifolium repens) were the most suitable for establishment. A number of strategies to increase …


An Interactive Multimedia Educational Program For Pasture Management, P G. Tow, Corina Mulholland, P Marriott, D A. Shelton Jun 2024

An Interactive Multimedia Educational Program For Pasture Management, P G. Tow, Corina Mulholland, P Marriott, D A. Shelton

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Developing abilities in pasture management decision making is important for all students of pasture agronomy, whether they plan to work in management, extension or research. Such problem-based learning fosters an ability to understand and apply principles, and to integrate and use information from various sources. A computerassisted, problem based, multimedia educational programme, “Pasture Management” has been developed to complement limited field exercises in pasture assessment and management. It comprises illustrated case studies and supporting information. Students interact with the programme by choosing alternative management options, calling up images and text as required to assist them. The programme supplies feedback for …


Michigan Grazier Networks, An Educational Outreach Of The Michigan Hay And Grazing Council, R H. Leep, T Miller, H Liss Jun 2024

Michigan Grazier Networks, An Educational Outreach Of The Michigan Hay And Grazing Council, R H. Leep, T Miller, H Liss

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

The objective of this educational program was to create a farmer to farmer learning process which would facilitate educational programming in grazing land management for new and intermediate experienced graziers in Michigan. An evaluation of the 1995 educational experiences of program participants was conducted in December, 1995, utilizing an assessment program called Optionfinder.


Ecological Site Database- Basic Site Information For Resource Analysis And Decision Making, S L. Ekblad, J R. Carlson, W R. Oaks Jun 2024

Ecological Site Database- Basic Site Information For Resource Analysis And Decision Making, S L. Ekblad, J R. Carlson, W R. Oaks

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

The USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) describes and interprets range, native pasture, grazable forest, pasture, and hayland with ecological site descriptions and forage suitability groups. Ecological sites have evolved from agency range and woodland site descriptions, and have integrated alternate and more recent concepts with the traditional succession-retrogression model for site classification and interpretation. Ecological site interpretations are based on vegetation sampling by weight and composition, and other field data collection. Sample data is recorded and managed in the Ecological Site Information System (ESIS) and is analyzed to identify and develop site and suitability group descriptions. ESIS provides data …


Development Of Forage Components Through Farmer Participatory Research, F G. Gabunada Jr, W W. Stur, P M. Horne Jun 2024

Development Of Forage Components Through Farmer Participatory Research, F G. Gabunada Jr, W W. Stur, P M. Horne

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

This paper describes farmer participatory research activities aimed at developing appropriate forage technologies with smallholders in Southeast Asia. Farmers are actively involved from the early stages, working as equal partners with researchers. This has led to a better understanding of selected farming systems, identification of technologies that have potential for testing by farmers, and better understanding of the criteria farmers consider important for forages to be useful within those farming systems.


Validation Of Arachis Pintoi As A Forage Legume In Commercial Dual Purpose Cattle Farms In Forest Margins Of Colombia, C E. Lascano, G A. Ruiz, J Valasquez, J Rozo Jun 2024

Validation Of Arachis Pintoi As A Forage Legume In Commercial Dual Purpose Cattle Farms In Forest Margins Of Colombia, C E. Lascano, G A. Ruiz, J Valasquez, J Rozo

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

An on-farm pilot project was initiated in the Andean piedmont of the Amazon basin in Caquetá, Colombia to determine the contribution of the forage peanut Arachis pintoi (CIAT 17434) introduced in degraded pastures to animal production and soil improvement. Early results show that milk production in dual purpose cattle farms can be increased by 20% with A. pintoi-based pastures. However, to enhance adoption of the legume by farmers there is a need to make adjustments on pasture management and assure supply of high quality seed in the region.


Australian And Us Experiences With Transfer Of Rangeland Improvement Technologies: A Comparative Analysis, A P. Thurow, N Macleod, J R. Conner Jun 2024

Australian And Us Experiences With Transfer Of Rangeland Improvement Technologies: A Comparative Analysis, A P. Thurow, N Macleod, J R. Conner

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

American and Australian range economists work in tandem with range ecologists and management specialists to develop and analyze strategies for technology transfer. Historically, this process has developed around a model aimed at communication with a narrow target group (ranchers) with easily-defined and homogeneous goals (continuously improving income). In accord with this traditional model of technology transfer, the focus of range economists’ inquiries was once to assess the cost-effectiveness of grazing improvement technologies (Conner, 1985). It is a relatively recent phenomenon that both American and Australian range technology transfer agents are encountering an increasingly broad social and ecological agenda. Ranchers recognize …


Networking Advisory Groups And Electronic Media To Transfer Information On Forage Management, J J. Mullahey, R M. Muchovej, K U. Hill Jun 2024

Networking Advisory Groups And Electronic Media To Transfer Information On Forage Management, J J. Mullahey, R M. Muchovej, K U. Hill

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

The objective of this paper is to discuss a coordinated multi-county extension program in forages through the involvement of a beef/ forage advisory committee and technology transfer or information dissemination using electronic media.


Farmer Participation In The Development And Implementation Of A New Technology: Introduction Of Lucerne (Medicago Sativa L.), A Perennial Legume, Into South-West Western Australia, L J. Blacklow, P Cocks Jun 2024

Farmer Participation In The Development And Implementation Of A New Technology: Introduction Of Lucerne (Medicago Sativa L.), A Perennial Legume, Into South-West Western Australia, L J. Blacklow, P Cocks

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Australia since its demise due to insect attack in the 1970s. With new insect resistant varieties lucerne is once again becoming a viable pasture option for farmers. There is however, a slow rate of adoption of lucerne for a number of social and economic factors. The main limitations to the adoption of lucerne by farmers are past negative experience, farm systems dominated by annual pastures, changing wool and wheat commodity prices and perceived establishment and management difficulties. To overcome these socio-economic limitations a Model of Lucerne Adoption was developed in which the target group for the technology, the farmer, took …


Case Studies- A Useful Tool For Integrating Socio-Economic Data Into Grazing Systems Research, N D. Macleod Jun 2024

Case Studies- A Useful Tool For Integrating Socio-Economic Data Into Grazing Systems Research, N D. Macleod

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Grazing systems research and development (R&D) projects can provide important information on which to base management principles to integrate conservation management into grazing production systems. However, the adoption of these principles into practice remains largely unfulfilled. Most grazing experiments give limited attention to the socio-economic context of pastoral management. The paper suggests that one way of incorporating R&D findings and presenting them within a context that is more acceptable to decision-makers is via a case study approach. That is, use the considerable communication potential of the approach.


The Punctuated Arena Model- A New Approach To Tackling Technology Transfer Failure, N D. Macleod, A D. Shulman Jun 2024

The Punctuated Arena Model- A New Approach To Tackling Technology Transfer Failure, N D. Macleod, A D. Shulman

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Valuation of the worth of research and development activities is increasingly shifting from outputs to outcomes. The technology transfer record of agricultural R&D focused on pastures and resource management remains generally poor. Participatory R&D approaches have been developed and promoted to overcome this, but these also have performance problems. Based on the authors’ experience with R&D and communication management a Punctuated Arena Model has been developed which is argued to offer scope for improving technology transfer outcomes.


Agri-21: Sustainable Farming Demonstration, M Rasnake, W R. Burris, G D. Lacefield Jun 2024

Agri-21: Sustainable Farming Demonstration, M Rasnake, W R. Burris, G D. Lacefield

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

On-farm demonstrations were established in 1993 to demonstrate the technology required to conduct a profitable and sustainable farming operation into the 21st Century. These were part of a cooperative program between the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and Land Grant Universities in the seven states of the TVA region. Four demonstrations were established in Kentucky. A beef farm in west Kentucky will be used to illustrate the project. This farm improved crop and livestock management, record keeping and environmental stewardship. Their goal is to increase farm profitability while improving the soil and water resources.


Extension Agronomist Perceptions Regarding Clover Use In The Usa, D M. Ball, G D. Lacefield Jun 2024

Extension Agronomist Perceptions Regarding Clover Use In The Usa, D M. Ball, G D. Lacefield

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Recent enhancement of economic incentives for using legumes in forage/livestock systems seems likely to result in greater usage of clovers in the USA. To determine attitudes regarding clovers, a questionnaire was sent to forage crop agronomists having Extension assignments. Responses to most questions varied greatly, particularly among geographic regions. Poor grazing management was identified as the primary concern or problem associated with clovers, followed by poor persistence, and a lack of recognition of the benefits. Improved forage quality was ranked as the most important benefit, followed by better distribution of pasture growth, and biological nitrogen fixation. The importance of benefits …


Roles Of Clovers In Southeast U.S.A Pastures, G D. Lacefield, D M. Ball, J C. Henning, M Rasnake Jun 2024

Roles Of Clovers In Southeast U.S.A Pastures, G D. Lacefield, D M. Ball, J C. Henning, M Rasnake

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Grasses dominate pastures in the Southeast U.S.A.; research and farmer experience have shown that the addition of legumes to grass dominant pastures can improve environmental, agronomic and animal parameters. Legumes grown in mixtures with grasses can increase yield, improve forage quality and animal performance, convert atmospheric nitrogen into a form useable by plants, extend the grazing season, and offset certain animal disorders. As livestock producers continue to strive for more sustainable feed production and utilization programs with greater emphasis on grazing, legumes will play an even greater role in Southeast U.S.A. agriculture.


Sustainable Grazing Systems- A Program To Develop And Deliver Improved Temperate Pastures In Australia, W K. Mason, G Kay, G Lodge Jun 2024

Sustainable Grazing Systems- A Program To Develop And Deliver Improved Temperate Pastures In Australia, W K. Mason, G Kay, G Lodge

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

The Sustainable Grazing Systems Program aims to combine the efforts of producers, researchers and extension agents into a focused partnership to develop, manage and implement grazing systems that are more profitable and more sustainable. Rather than the traditional approach of undertaking the research and then developing extension packages for livestock producers, this Program has set up a network with producers, researchers and extension agents to collectively develop and test improved systems. The process is described as colearning. Compared with more traditional approaches, producer input is greatly increased as the role of researchers and extension agents is modified, but not decreased. …


A New Degree For Land Based Industries At Massey University, New Zealand, J Hodgson, R D. Anderson, J H. Kirkman Jun 2024

A New Degree For Land Based Industries At Massey University, New Zealand, J Hodgson, R D. Anderson, J H. Kirkman

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

A brief description is given of the background, structure and management of a new Bachelor of Applied Science degree introduced at Massey University in 1994 to meet the changing needs of the primary sector industries. Examples are given of the flexibility of choice offered to students enrolling in the programme, with particular reference to opportunities in plant and pastoral science. Enrollment statistics for the first two years of the programme are discussed.


The Evolving International Grassland Congress, L R. Humphreys Jun 2024

The Evolving International Grassland Congress, L R. Humphreys

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

The locations of the International Grassland Congresses are listed. Analysis of the disciplinary themes of papers presented at five Congresses from 1937 to 1993 indicated a considerable homeostasis of content. The plant genetic base for grassland improvement received most attention, and this, together with plant physiology, plant ecology and soil science contributed 52 to 57 per cent of the subject matter at all five Congresses. Emergent topics are mentioned.


Land Evaluation For Sustainable Land Use By Remote Sensing And Gis Case Study: Assessment Of Soil Erosion In Pakistan, Y Yamamoto, S Uchida, T Suyama, A Shoji Jun 2024

Land Evaluation For Sustainable Land Use By Remote Sensing And Gis Case Study: Assessment Of Soil Erosion In Pakistan, Y Yamamoto, S Uchida, T Suyama, A Shoji

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

In the northern part of Punjab in Pakistan, severe soil erosion has caused land degradation and has disturbed sustainable land use systems. Since much of this erosion has been marked near rivers, watersheds and topography are considered to be related to soil erosion. We applied the Geographic Information System (GIS) and Remote Sensing to the assessment of an erodible area. GIS is very useful for conducting spatial data analysis using map data. Remotely sensed data provides the information about land surfaces. In this study, the distance from the river, weighted by the slope estimated by GIS, and the standard deviations …


Strategies For Forage Research And Transfer In India, R P. Singh, Bhag Mal Jun 2024

Strategies For Forage Research And Transfer In India, R P. Singh, Bhag Mal

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

The debate on how to meet the yawning gap of forage and feed (both in terms of quantity and quality) in India has continued since the last decade. This paper is an effort to discuss the feed and forage deficit, harnessing of unexploited resources (arable and non-arable) and the strategies of forage research and extension support for the development of forage and feed sector.


Forage Information System On The World Wide Web, D B. Hannaway, S Griffith, P Hoagland, M Runyon, R Fisher Jun 2024

Forage Information System On The World Wide Web, D B. Hannaway, S Griffith, P Hoagland, M Runyon, R Fisher

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

The Forage Information System on the World Wide Web (FIS WWW) is a global forage information resource envisioned to become a comprehensive information system for all aspects of forages. WWW technologies provide an opportunity to link people and information in a work-sharing and access-on-demand environment via interlinking of computers. The FIS is a collection of Internet-based forage information linked and accessible via WWW access software programs (browsers), like NetscapeR. Browsers provide a unified interface for information on the Internet. They make it possible to access formatted text, color pictures, sound, and video. The “superstructure” for FIS WWW is being developed …


An Investigation On Inventory Of Sub-Steppic Meadows In Northwestern Iran, Mansour Mesdaghi Jun 2024

An Investigation On Inventory Of Sub-Steppic Meadows In Northwestern Iran, Mansour Mesdaghi

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

The meadows of the Ardabill region with an area of 77,000 hectares, make up about 50% of the total areas scattered in central and western parts of Ardabill. The objectives of this research were to identify and classify the meadows based on vegetation. It was observed that among eight representative stands, Vagah-sara and Samian were more diverse compared to the other stands. The richness increases as soil moisture increases. From the standpoint of life form, hemicryptophytes and therophytes dominated. Productions of dry matter were 3900 and 3700 kg/ha at Arjestan and Khatampboulaghi respectively, and were decreased to 1500 kg/ha at …


Preliminary Evaluation Of Introduced And Local Lines Of Pearl Millet Under North Sinai Conditions, A H. Belal, A A. Younis Jun 2024

Preliminary Evaluation Of Introduced And Local Lines Of Pearl Millet Under North Sinai Conditions, A H. Belal, A A. Younis

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Field trials were conducted during 1994 and 1995 seasons on calcareous soil to evaluate thirty introduced and local lines of forage pearl millet (Pennisetum americanum). The evaluation included growth characteristics, forage yield, chemical composition and ion content. Present results of both seasons indicate that the thirty lines varied significantly in their growth, forage yield, chemical composition and ion content, organic and inorganic. The top productivity of dry yield and its components was from the ICMP- 155, while the lowest was from an introduced line from Ghana. Also, the line ICMP-155 gave the highest values of C.P., P+++, K+, …


The Rangeland Type And Its Geographical Distribution In Tibet, Cui Heng-Xin, Weinahan Heng-Xin Jun 2024

The Rangeland Type And Its Geographical Distribution In Tibet, Cui Heng-Xin, Weinahan Heng-Xin

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

The area of Tibet is a major component of the Qing-Zang Plateau. The natural conditions are complex with various environmental types. The range of the area is of various types. Almost all the range types found in China are presented here. It is characterized by the geographical distribution on horizontal belts in plateau with vertical differences. Therefore it represents the characteristics of the combination of horizontal and vertical changes.


Changes In The Distribution Of Carbohydrates Due To Water Stress And Root-Shoot Ratio As An Index Of Drought Resistance In Ecotypes Of Adesmia Bicolor (Poir.) D.C., B G. Neves-Piestun, Armando Olano, Dan Piestun Jun 2024

Changes In The Distribution Of Carbohydrates Due To Water Stress And Root-Shoot Ratio As An Index Of Drought Resistance In Ecotypes Of Adesmia Bicolor (Poir.) D.C., B G. Neves-Piestun, Armando Olano, Dan Piestun

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

The genera Adesmia, is found in the “El Plata” area. Adesmia bicolor (Poir). D.C. is one of the most common species in Uruguay that belongs to this genera. In this study, three ecotypes were collected from different kinds of environments. Ecotypes 016, 2316 and 7017, came from superficial-soil, clay-soil and sandy soil, respectively. The ecotypes of Adesmia bicolor (Poir.) DC. were studied under water-stress conditions (two levels), during two stages: vegetative phase and beginning of blossom. In both stages, leaf-water potential (LWP), leaf-relative-water content (LRWC), leaf-dry matter (LDM), stem-dry matter (SDM) and root-dry matter (RDM) were measured, while root-shoot ratio …


A Study Of Reasons For The Endangered Status Of Potaninia Mongolica In Arid Desert Grasslands Of China, Wang Jihe, Peng Hongjia, Shi Qian, Zhang Dongming Jun 2024

A Study Of Reasons For The Endangered Status Of Potaninia Mongolica In Arid Desert Grasslands Of China, Wang Jihe, Peng Hongjia, Shi Qian, Zhang Dongming

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Potaninia mongolica is an endangered plant species of arid desert grasslands of China. Reasons for its decline and opportunities for its conservation were investigated by studying the plant’s distribution, biological characteristics, plant community associations and stress resistance.


A Comparison Of Steer Gains On Cunningham Leucaena And Some Alternative Psyllid-Tolerant Shrub Legumes, R J. Jones, B Palmer Jun 2024

A Comparison Of Steer Gains On Cunningham Leucaena And Some Alternative Psyllid-Tolerant Shrub Legumes, R J. Jones, B Palmer

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Five shrub legumes, Leucaena leucocephala cv.Cunningham, L. leucocephala cv.Tarramba, L. diversifolia CPI 33820, L. pallida CQ 3439 and Calliandra calothyrsus CPI 115690 were compared for yield and steer gain in comparison to an all-grass control. Shrubs were sown in rows 4 m apart and all treatments, including the control, were sown with the grass Urochloa mosambicensis cv.Nixon. Edible legume yield was highest for L. leucocephala cv.Tarramba and lowest for L. leucocephala cv.Cunningham. In the absence of psyllid attack, liveweight gains over a 5-week period in summer were highest with cv.Cunningham (1170g/d) and lowest for C. calothyrsus (391 g/d) and the …


Water Use In A Newly Established Pasture As Influenced By Grazing Management, M H. Entz, W P. Mccaughey Jun 2024

Water Use In A Newly Established Pasture As Influenced By Grazing Management, M H. Entz, W P. Mccaughey

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of grazing system and stocking rate on spring profile soil water, soil water extraction and evapotranspiration (ET) of a newly established grass/ legume pasture. The experiment, located on a fine sandy loam soil in western Manitoba, was a two replicate RCBD with continuous and rotational grazing at stocking rates of 1.1 and 2.2 steers/ha. The pastures contained alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), meadow bromegrass (Bromus biebersteineii Roem and Shult.) and Russian wild ryegrass (Elymus juncea L.). Growing season ET averaged 38.4 cm and was consistently highest for …


Forage Based Fallow Management Strategies For Intensified Land Use And Resource Conservation In Small Holder Farms, M A. Mohamed Saleem, Kahsay Berhe Jun 2024

Forage Based Fallow Management Strategies For Intensified Land Use And Resource Conservation In Small Holder Farms, M A. Mohamed Saleem, Kahsay Berhe

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Intensification of land-use is inevitable for long term food security in the east African highlands, but technological options need to be environmentally safe. How forages can be used as a basis for intensified grain and fodder production from the same land unit, and serve as a profitable fallow during necessary crop-free rest period is the purpose of this study.