Thesis (Ph.D.) - University of Queensland, 2006. / Includes bibliography.

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Thesis (M. Sc. (Agriculture)) -- University of Limpopo, 2004 / National Research Foundation (NRF)

Thesis (M.Sc. (Agriculture)) --University of Limpopo, 2006 / Two experiments were carried out to determine the effect of the level of Acacia nilotica leaf meal supplementation plus 23 g polyethylene glycol 4000 on diet intake, digestibility, and growth rate of indigenous Pedi goats fed ad libitum Buffalo grass, Buchloe dactyloides, hay. The first experiment lasted for 37 days, with the first 30 days being for adaptation and the last 7 days being for collection. Twenty yearling male Pedi goats weighing 22 ± 0.5 kg live weight were allocated to 4 treatments in a 2 x 2 Factorial arrangement in a Completely Randomised Design. Acacia nilotica leaf meal contained 120 g crude protein per kg DM, indicating its potential as a browse source for ruminants. It, also, contained high amounts of total phenolics (2.04 % DM) and low amounts of condensed tannins, both extracted (0.37 % DM) and unextracted (1.83 % DM). Increasing the level of Acacia nilotica leaf meal supplementation to 120 g increased (P<0.05) crude protein intake (38 g/kg DM) when compared to 80 g supplementation (34 g/kg DM). Supplementation with 23 g PEG 4000 increased (P<0.05) the crude protein intake where goats were supplemented with 120 g of A. nilotica leaf meal. However, PEG 4000 supplementation did not have an effect (P>0.05) on intake when goats were supplemented with 80 g of Acacia nilotica leaf meal. Supplementation with 120 g of Acacia nilotica leaf meal increased (P<0.05) diet digestibility of DM (0.57), OM (0.60) and CP (0.71) by the goats. Similarly, supplementation with 23 g PEG 4000 increased (P<0.05) DM (0.65), OM (0.66) and v CP digestibilities (0.76) where goats were supplemented with 120 g of A. nilotica leaf meal. Polyethylene glycol 4000 also increased (P<0.05) diet CP digestibility where goats were supplemented with 80 g of Acacia nilotica leaf meal. However, 23 g PEG 4000 did not have a significant (P>0.05) effect on diet digestibility of DM and OM where goats were supplemented with 80 g of Acacia nilotica leaf meal. In vivo NDF and ADF digestibility were not affected by the treatments. Level of Acacia nilotica leaf meal supplementation plus 23 g of PEG 4000 had a significant (P<0.05) effect on the daily live weight change of the goats. The effect was higher where goats were supplemented with 120 g of A. nilotica leaf meal when compared to 80 g supplementation. Blood urea concentrations were improved (P<0.05) by level of A. nilotica supplementation and PEG supplementation. It is concluded that PEG 4000 has the potential to improve the feeding value of Acacia nilotica leaf meal and can, therefore, be used in the feeding systems for ruminant animals. The second experiment determined the effect of A. nilotica leaf meal supplementation and PEG 4000 supplementation on in vitro diet digestibility. Level of Acacia nilotica leaf meal supplementation plus 23 g PEG supplementation improved (P<0.05) in vitro diet DM, OM and CP digestibilities where 120 g Acacia nilotica leaf meal was supplemented. Similarly, 23 g PEG 4000 supplementation also improved (P<0.05) in vitro diet CP digestibility where 80 g Acacia nilotica leaf meal was supplemented. However, level of A. nilotica supplementation plus PEG 4000 supplementation had no vi effect (P>0.05) on in vitro NDF and ADF digestibilities. In vivo diet DM, OM and CP digestibilities were positively and significantly (P<0.05) correlated with in vitro diet DM, OM and CP digestibilities. It is, therefore, concluded that in vitro diet DM, OM and CP digestibilities have good capacity to predict in vivo diet DM, OM and CP digestibilities. / National Research Foundation. Working Solutions International

Climate change, induced by increases in the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, can affect the growth and community structure of ecosystems in two ways. Firstly directly through changes in atmospheric concentration of CO2, and secondly indirectly through changes in temperature and rainfall. The aim of the present investigation was to test the effect of elevated CO2 and altitude-related temperature differences on the growth of two species of Acacia that form important components of the vegetation of KwaZulu-Natal. Plants of Acacia sieberana and Acacia nilotica were grown in chambers at elevated (700 pll-1) and ambient (350 IJW1) CO2 with and without rhizobial inoculation. Both treatments (elevated CO2 and the presence of rhizobial inoculation) stimulated growth and branching. A. nilotica was the most responsive to both elevated CO2 level and inoculation. Inoculated plants showed greater increases in mass and height than uninoculated plants. While elevated CO2 had a significant effect on plant mass, height and leaf area accumulation, other factors, such as species type and rhizobial inoculation had a somewhat greater influence on the short term mass accumulation under elevated CO2 , Significant differences existed between the average percentage leaf nitrogen for the two species (P < 0.001), and for inoculated and uninoculated plants (P < 0.005). There were no significant differences in photosynthetic rates (A) at any internal CO2 concentration (Cj) between plants grown in elevated CO2 compared to those grown under ambient conditions. When photosynthesis was plotted against C, (A/CJ, the initial slopes of the graphs for both A. sieberana and A. nilotica were shallower for plants grown in elevated CO2 , compared to plants grown in ambient conditions , indicating a decreased Rubisco concentration at low C, and greater nitrogen use efficiency. At higher C; A. sieberana continued to have lower A in plants grown at elevated CO2 levels suggesting an inability to regenerate RuBP or the possible accumulation of soluble carbohydrates. A. nilotica grown in elevated CO2 had a slightly increased Pj regeneration capacity at higher CO2 concentrations. While the A/Cj results demonstrate that CO2 ·has a minor effect on photosynthesis, growth responses indicated otherwise. This is a result often reported and indicates the importance of measuring as many parameters as is possible to determine actual plant responses to elevated CO2 levels. In the field experiment, the effect of temperature was studied by transplanting twenty plants of each species at three different elevations in the Drakensberg at Cathedral Peak. Plant height, mass, condition and finally survivorship were measured . All of these attributes decreased as elevation increased. Plants growing at the highest elevation all died back prior to winter while those growing at lower elevations grew throughout the experimental period. Results suggest that elevation and hence temperature are important factors controlling Acacia distribution. If the greenhouse gas induced increases in temperature occur as predicted, and the estimated latitudinal migration rates of 30-100km per decade are required for species to remain within their current climatic envelopes, it is expected that the structure and appearance of vegetation in the Drakensberg will change markedly with global warming . The presence or absence of Rhizobia in the soil will further complicate this. Those plants that have access to the elevated nitrogen levels as a result of these root nodule bacteria will have a distinct advantage over competitors growing without them. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2001.

RESUME : Le Sud-Est du Niger est soumis au phénomène dérosion éolienne. Dans la zone de Gouré, les cuvettes oasiennes, principales sources de productions agricoles et de revenus, sont menacées de disparition à cause de lensablement. Des opérations de fixation de dunes sont entreprises pour sauver ce capital productif. Lévaluation de la technique de fixation mécanique des dunes utilisée dans la zone a montré que celle-ci est efficace dans la restauration écologique du milieu. Trois années après la mise en place des palissades anti-érosives, à base des branchages de Leptadenia pyrotechnica, une végétation spontanée, comprenant 58 espèces (20 familles), dont 17 pérennes, sétait installée à lintérieur du clayonnage, soit 42 espèces de plus que dans les zones non traitées. Au fil des ans, la composition floristique sest progressivement stabilisée, témoignant ainsi dune réduction notable des perturbations du milieu engendrées par laction érosive des vents. Dans une expérimentation de fixation biologique de dunes, sept espèces ligneuses, dont cinq autochtones (Acacia senegal, A. tortilis, A. nilotica, Bauhinia rufescens, Balanites aegyptiaca), et deux allochtones (Prosopis juliflora et P. chilensis) ont été testées. En pépinière, les espèces ont subi un stress hydrique par interruption darrosage durant six jours. Les taux dhydratation foliaire ont été déterminés, afin dévaluer leur capacité respective à limiter les pertes deau par transpiration. Dans un essai de terrain, les espèces ont été plantées sur un cordon dunaire, préfixé mécaniquement, en vue de tester leur aptitude à la stabilisation des dunes. Les taux de survie sur trois années ont été calculés et la croissance en hauteur mesurée. Les résultats en pépinière ont montré, quaprès six jours de stress hydrique, Acacia senegal, A. tortilis, Prosopis chilensis et A. nilotica sont les quatre espèces limitant le mieux les pertes en eau. Les résultats sur site ont montré que la meilleure combinaison en matière de fixation de dunes dans cette zone serait dassocier lespèce de Prosopis chilensis (fort taux de survie et croissance rapide) avec A. tortilis et/ou A. nilotica (survie et croissance relativement appréciables et intérêt économique plus important). Dans loptique dun essai dinoculation mycorhizienne, des échantillons de sols de Gouré ont été récoltés sous dix espèces ligneuses locales et exotiques, avec lobjectif didentifier les différents types de champignons mycorhiziens à arbuscules (CMA) et de produire un inoculum indigène par le biais de trois plantes-pièges locales ; le mil, le sorgho et le niébé. Les résultats ont mis en évidence la présence de deux familles de Glomales dans les sols du département de Gouré, Glomaceae (appartenant au genre Glomus) et Gigasporaceae. Avec plus de 56 % des spores, le genre Glomus est le plus abondant des Glomales identifiées et aussi le plus viable (55,80 % des spores vivantes). La croissance en hauteur des parties aériennes du sorgho et du niébé a été significativement stimulée par linoculation. Les trois cultures sont équivalentes dans le piégeage des spores. Un inoculum mycorhizien composite de souches indigènes a été produit à partir de cette culture sporale. Lefficacité de la mycorhization naturelle a été comparée à celles des apports de ce complexe mycorhizien indigène et du Glomus intraradices. Un substrat de culture naturel, non stérilisé, a été inoculé par le complexe mycorhizien de souches indigènes ou par du Glomus intraradices. Les effets de linoculation ont été observés sur cinq espèces ligneuses, dont trois Acacias (A. nilotica, A. tortilis, A. senegal), Bauhinia rufescens et Prosopis chilensis, en pépinière et en sol dunaire. En pépinière, les espèces ont subi un stress hydrique par interruption darrosage durant six jours. Les taux dhydratation foliaire ont été calculés, afin dévaluer les effets de la mycorhization sur la limitation des pertes deau par transpiration. Les différents taux de mycorhization ont été déterminés, ainsi que la croissance des plants et la production de la biomasse totale. Dans un essai de terrain, les espèces inoculées et non inoculées ont été plantées sur un cordon dunaire, préfixé mécaniquement, en vue dévaluer les effets des différents apports mycorhiziens au champ sur la croissance en hauteur des plants. Les résultats en pépinière ont montré que (i) le sol de pépinière non stérilisé contient des CMA (champignon mycorhizien à arbuscules) endogènes aussi infectifs que les souches contrôlées ; (ii) lapport du Glomus intraradices est efficace dans la stimulation de la production de biomasse totale et (iii) la mycorhization naturelle est quasi aussi efficace que les deux apports mycorhiziens dans la stimulation de la croissance en hauteur et dans la limitation de la perte deau des espèces par transpiration. Les résultats sur site confirment lefficacité comparable de la mycorhization naturelle et de celle des apports mycorhiziens. Bien que leffet du G. intraradices apparaisse être bénéfique en certains points chez quelques espèces, les effets observés ne justifient pas doffice de le préférer à linoculum composite de souches indigènes, ni à la mycorhization naturelle dans cette zone. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Southeastern of Niger Republic is subjected to the phenomenon of wind erosion. In Gouré, the oasis basins, which are the main source of agricultural productions and incomes, are threatened to disappear because of the sand silting up. Operations of sand dunes fixation are taken to save this productive capital. Assessment of the mechanical sand dunes fixation technique, used in this area, showed that this technique is effective in the ecological restoration of the environment. Three years after the implementation of the anti erosive fences, made of Leptadenia pyrotechnica branches, spontaneous floral vegetation, including 58 species (20 families) of which 17 perennials, had settled down inside the fences, owing 42 species more than in the untreated areas. Over the years, the floral composition gradually stabilized proving then a considerable reduction of the environmental disturbances caused by the erosive winds action. In a biological sand dunes fixation experiment, seven woody species, of which five natives (Acacia senegal, A. tortilis, A. nilotica, Bauhinia rufescens and Balanites aegyptiaca) and two exotic (Prosopis juliflora and P. chilensis) have been tested in that zone of the Southeastern of Niger Republic. In nursery, species underwent a water stress by interrupting the watering during six days. Foliar hydration has been determined in order to evaluate their capacity to limit water loss. In a field experiment, species have been planted on a mechanically prefixed sand dune cord in order to test their ability in sand dunes stabilization. Survival rates during the first three years have been calculated and height growth was measured. In nursery, results showed that, after six days of water stress, Acacia senegal, A. tortilis, P. chilensis and A. nilotica are the four species limiting the best the losses in water. Results on site showed that the best combination in sand dunes fixation, in this zone, would be the association of Prosopis chilensis specie (high survival rate and fast growth) with A. tortilis and/or A. nilotica (survival and growth relatively substantial and more important economic interest). In the optics of a further mycorrhizal inoculation essay, soil samples from Gouré department were collected beneath ten mature native and exotic tree species in order to identify the types of associated arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi and to produce an indigenous inoculum by growing three local trap cultures including millet, sorghum and cowpea. The results highlighted the presence of two families of Glomales in the soils including Glomaceae (belonging to the genus Glomus) and Gigasporaceae. With more than 56 % of spores, the genus Glomus is the most abundant of the identified Glomales and the most viable (55, 80 % of the live spores). The length growth of sorghum and cowpea plants was significantly stimulated by inoculation. The three trap cultures species are equivalent in the spores trapping. An indigenous mycorrhizal complex was produced from this spore culture. Effects of the natural mycorhization were compared with those of the addition of this indigenous mycorrhizal complex and Glomus intraradices. A natural unsterile culture substrate was inoculated with the indigenous inoculum or with G. Intraradices. Inoculation effects were assessed on five woody species, among which three Acacias species (A. nilotica, A. tortilis, A. senegal), Bauhinia rufescens and Prosopis chilensis, in a tree nursery and on a sand dune of Gouré. In the nursery, species underwent a water stress by interrupting the watering during six days. Foliar hydration has been determined in order to evaluate the respective effects of the mycorrhizal inoculation on the water loss limitation. Mycorrhizal root colonization has been determined as well as plant height and total biomass. In a field experiment, inoculated and non inoculated species have been planted on a mechanically prefixed sand dune portion in order to evaluate the effects of mycorrhizal inoculations on growth in the field. Results in nursery showed that (i) the non sterile soil would contain some endogenous AMF (arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi) as infectious as those in soils with mycorrhizal additions; (ii) addition of Glomus intraradices would be efficient to stimulate total biomass and (iii) natural mycorhization would be as efficient as both mycorrhizal addition in growth stimulation and water loss limitation by transpiration. Results on site confirm the comparable effectiveness of the natural mycorhization and mycorrhizal additions. Although the addition of G. intraradices appears to be slightly superior by some aspects on some species, the observed effects do not justify preferring it, when compared to indigenous composite inoculum or to natural mycorhization in this zone.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Uppsala : Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet, 2005. / Härtill 5 uppsatser.