Master of Science / Department of Agronomy / Dorivar A. Ruiz Diaz Suarez / An effective nutrient management plan is essential for optimum wheat (Triticum aestivum) yields. The objectives of the first study were to: i.) evaluate changes in concentration of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), sulfur (S), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), and zinc (Zn), within separate plant parts, throughout the growing season, ii.) evaluate the uptake pattern and redistribution of each of these nutrients within the plant throughout the season, and iii.) evaluate the impact of micronutrient and S fertilization on concentration and uptake of nutrients and the potential use of fertilization for biofortification. Three locations were established and sampled every 7 to 10 days during the spring. Samples were divided into leaf, stem, head, spike and grain fractions and analyzed for nutrient concentration. Concentration levels tended to decrease throughout the season in non-grain plant fractions and stay relatively constant in the grain. Harvest grain concentration of Zn was significantly higher with micronutrient fertilization at all locations, suggesting the possibility of Zn biofortification through fertilization. S, Cu, and Zn showed nutrient accumulation increases in all plant fractions until the time period around anthesis (Feekes 10.5.1), at which point leaf and stem fractions decreased in total accumulation while nutrients were remobilized to the grain. N, P, K and Mn showed a similar trend although timing of remobilization varied between locations and treatments. The objectives of the second study were to i.) evaluate the interaction of wheat grazing management and soil and fertilizer N requirements with emphasis on dual purpose wheat, ii.) assess the use of NDVI sensors for N management and forage quantity assessment in wheat grazing systems, and iii.) evaluate forage quality and quantity interactions with N management. Three locations were established and fertilized with N application rates of 0, 34, 67, and 101 kg ha⁻¹ in the fall, followed by simulated grazing. Spring topdress applications were made at rates of 0 and 90 kg ha⁻¹, or a sensor based rate. The impact of grazing on grain production varied by location. NDVI readings correlated with biomass at two of three locations and N recommendations using NDVI sensors resulted in significantly lower N rates and similar yield results to high N application rates. Forage dry matter and N concentration increased with higher N rates.

This research involved testing several aspects of industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) production, including the impact of tillage on seed and fiber production, optimal harvest time for seed yield and quality, the response of seed yield to nitrogen fertility rates, and the potential of hemp as a forage crop. A three-year study was conducted in Blacksburg and Orange of Virginia State to assess the effects of tillage management and production systems (e.g., seed, dual, and fiber) on hemp establishment and productivity. Two cultivars, Joey (a dual-purpose variety) and EcoFibre (bred specifically for fiber), were planted into seedbeds prepared with conventional tillage and no-till management. The cultivar Joey, lower plant populations under seed production systems resulted in taller plants (P = 0.0002) compared to the dual-purpose production systems in 2020. Greater plant heights (P < 0.0001) with fiber production systems in 2021 and 2022 were due to differences between cultivars and their time of flowering. Conventional tillage resulted in greater (P ≤ 0.0161) plant populations than no-tillage for all production systems in each year, and this response was more pronounced with fiber management in 2020 (tillage × production systems interaction; P = 0.0007). Greater (P < 0.001) yields with fiber systems observed in 2021 and 2022 were largely driven by the more productive EcoFibre cultivar. Despite treatment differences in population density, biomass and seed yields varied less by tillage management and production systems. Lower plant population density was associated with greater biomass and seed yields per plant. However, for desired fiber quality and mechanical harvest feasibility, a higher plant population density is recommended. A second study aimed to determine the optimum harvest time for seed yield of two hemp cultivars. 'Joey', and 'Grandi,', were established in Blacksburg and Orange, Virginia in mid-May/early June of 2021 and 2022. The experiment was conducted as a randomized complete block design with a repeated measurement arrangement and four replicates. Plants were harvested four times at one-week intervals starting in mid-summer. Harvest date significantly affected seed yield, with the response differing by cultivar (cultivar × date interaction; P = 0.001) in 2022 at the Orange site. In Blacksburg, seed yields were similar for the two cultivars and greatest at the second harvest each season (July 22, 2021, and July 25, 2022), although they were substantially lower in 2022 due to drought (1750 vs. 480 kg ha-1; P < 0.0001). In Orange, in 2021, as planting occurred late, harvests were also deferred until August 17, and seed yields were greatest at this first harvest (1180 kg ha-1; P<0.0001). In 2022, yields at the Orange location were highest for Grandi at the first harvest (July 21; 1510 kg ha-1) and for Joey at the second harvest (July 28; 1280 kg ha-1) (Harvest Time by Cultivar interaction, P = 0.0010). Over the subsequent weeks of harvest, yields drastically declined (16 to 41% in 2021 and 27 to 47% in 2022 in Blacksburg; 52% to 91% in 2021 and 28% to 65% in 2022 in Orange, compared to the highest yield). Harvest timing is critical to achieving optimum seed yield, and it varies with cultivar, eco-physiographic location, and weather (e.g., rainfall). Fatty acids (FA) varied by cultivar, location, and harvest timing, but patterns of response were not consistent across FA. Gamma-linolenic (P ≤ 0.002) and oleic acids (P ≤ 0.023) were generally greater in Joey, with greater arachidic acid (P ≤ 0.013) concentrations in Grandi. Stearidonic acid concentrations declined with later harvest date in Orange location (P ≤ 0.0034). A third study aimed to measure hemp's response to different N rates and to determine the ability to predict plant N content and seed yield based on UAV-based multispectral imagery. Two hemp cultivars, 'Joey' and 'Grandi', were planted and five N rates (0, 60, 120, 180, 240 kg N ha-1) were tested in Blacksburg, Virginia in 2020, 2021, 2022. Aerial image acquisition occurred at three different growth stages in 2021 using dji M 300 drones mounted with multispectral sensors. Red/Blue index (R2=0.89), near-infrared (NIR) band (R2=0.84) and Enhanced vegetation index (EVI) (R2=0.81) were better predictors of N content in leaf samples than other vegetation indices that were evaluated. Green normalized difference vegetation index (GNDVI) was the better predictor of hemp seed yield (R2=0.58) than other evaluated vegetation indices. The seed yield of hemp was influenced (P ≤ 0.0177) by the N input in all three experimental years. In 2020, seed yield did not increase steadily with the increase of N rate; the highest seed yield, 1640 kg ha-1, was observed at 120 kg N ha-1. In 2021, maximum seed yield of 2500 kg ha-1 occurred at the maximum N rate (240 kg N ha-1). In 2022, a weak response to N rate was observed; maximum seed yield was 380 kg ha-1, again at 240 kg N ha-1. The overall growth of the hemp plants was affected by limited rainfall and weed pressures in 2022, leading to a significant reduction in seed yield. Response to N rate will vary depending on other factors such as available soil moisture during the growing season, weed pressure, and growing period. A fourth study examined the yield and nutritive value of three hemp cultivars, 'Grandi', 'Joey', and 'EcoFibre' as potential forage crops when harvested at weekly intervals in Blacksburg, VA. The greatest biomass and TDN yields across cultivars were 3.17 Mg ha-1 and 2.08 Mg ha-1 respectively, at two months after establishment in 2021. In the dry 2022 season, biomass and TDN yield were 1.9 Mg ha-1 and 1.03 Mg ha 1, respectively, two months after establishment. Hemp nutritive value measures varied by cultivar and harvest time (P < 0.05). Depending on the cultivar and harvest time, hemp plant biomass contained 13 to 32% CP, 22 to 45% NDF, 20 to 38% ADF, 4 to 9% lignin, and 52 to 80% TDN (cultivar × time interaction; P < 0.05). Hemp CP and TDN decreased gradually with maturation while ADF, NDF, and lignin increased (P<0.0001); however, this decline with maturity did not appear as severe as occurs with many other forages. These preliminary results suggest that hemp has the potential to be used as a forage crop. More research is needed to address hemp management and utilization, including field establishment and production, harvest timing for optimum tonnage and forage quality, and animal intake and performance studies. These findings provide new insights into industrial hemp production in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. Optimal tillage practices, precise harvest timing, appropriate N fertility rates, and proper management techniques all are crucial for maximizing hemp seed and fiber production and quality. Furthermore, hemp shows promise as a forage crop with its adaptability and favorable nutritional properties. Further research is warranted to refine cultivation techniques, improve crop quality, and explore the full potential of hemp in various industries. / Doctor of Philosophy / Industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) is a versatile crop with numerous applications in various industries, but much work must be done to understand crop responses to management practices and improve its potential as a crop for greater sustainability. In this study, we explored different aspects of hemp agronomic management. Hemp traditionally has been planted into tilled fields, which increases the chance for soil erosion. We examined whether hemp could be established without tillage and found that although tilled fields generally had great populations of taller plants; total biomass and seed yields were not as influenced by tillage. Our research suggests that with some tweaking, hemp can be successfully established without soil tillage. Next, we investigated the optimal time to harvest hemp for maximum seed yield. Harvesting at the right moment is crucial, as seeds ripen unevenly, resulting in varying quality and yield. By carefully timing the harvest, we can maximize seed yield and ensure high-quality seeds. Our cultivars were best harvested in a late July to early August time frame. Under favorable weather conditions, we observed seed yields ranging from 1,180 to 2,510 kilograms per hectare, depending on the hemp cultivar and location. Additionally, we studied the response of hemp seed yield to nitrogen fertilization rates. Nitrogen is an essential nutrient for plant growth, and we found that nitrogen significantly influenced seed yield, although the pattern of response varied by growing conditions. Over three years, seed yields ranged from 380 to 2,510 kilograms per hectare. Yields generally increased with nitrogen inputs but were highly affected by available moisture. Fertility studies help farmers determine the ideal nitrogen levels for their hemp crops, promoting healthy growth, maximizing yield, and minimizing environmental contamination. Within this study, we also evaluated aerial imagery technologies to monitor plant nitrogen status and we observed that remote sensing technologies are promising for building predictive nutrient management tools. Lastly, we explored the potential of hemp as a forage crop. Hemp plants have unique nutritional properties (e.g., protein, fatty acids) and can be used as feed for livestock. We investigated the best time to harvest hemp for maximum biomass and nutrient content, important factors for animal nutrition. Hemp plants grow rapidly and within two months after establishment they yielded up to 3.17 metric tons of biomass per hectare, with relatively high nutritional value. Overall, these studies provide valuable insights into hemp production, including the importance of tillage practices, optimal harvest timing, and appropriate nutrient management. By applying these findings, farmers can enhance their hemp cultivation techniques, resulting in higher yields, improved crop quality, and better environmental outcomes.

Flax is often considered a total utilization crop because of the potential to extract value from two distinct products - seeds and stem fibres. However, very little genetic information is available on flax fibre genetics in comparison to oil improvement studies. In order to gain a detailed understanding of genetic control of the fibre concentration and search for the possibilities of developing dual purpose flax lines using both seed oil and stem fibre, the following studies were initiated: The first study evaluated the fibre and oil-related traits in a recombinant inbred population derived from a cross between a fibre flax variety Viking and an oilseed flax genotype E1747 over multiple locations under western Canadian field conditions. The study confirmed the presence of a significant genotype by environment interaction (p < 0.01) for fibre concentration indicating selection for this trait will be challenging. However, a lack of significant correlation between fibre and oilseed characteristics in field trials was encouraging and strengthened the hypothesis that breeding dual purpose flax types for western Canada is possible. The study also identified potential recombinant inbred lines (RILs) with enhanced fibre concentration as well as oil characteristics for use in future breeding endeavors. The second study established an anatomical basis for further research into flax fibre improvement by studying differences between the stem anatomy of 14 diverse flax genotypes in the field and under controlled environments such as a growth chamber. The results from the study supported the use of controlled environments for the purpose of quick screening of high fibre containing genotypes, especially at the green capsule stage of plant growth. The results also indicated that it was possible to select high fibre oilseed flax lines based on anatomical markers such as average area of single fibre cells, total fibre area and fibre to stem area ratio. In the third study, 17 simple sequence repeat (SSR) and 2 cleaved amplified polymorphic sequences (CAPS) molecular markers were used to assess the extent of genetic variability in the Viking × E1747 RIL population. CAPS markers LuFAD3A and LuFAD3B had the highest marker trait association (p < 0.0001) with linoleic and linolenic acid concentration. SSR markers such as CV8824, 5B6 and LU32 were found to be associated with plant height, oil concentration and protein concentration respectively using single marker analysis and step wise regression analysis. The molecular study confirmed the importance of Viking × E1747 mapping population in identifying genes/ markers related to both fibre and oilseed related traits in flax. In the fourth study, global transcript profiling using cDNA - based microarrays was performed to identify differentially expressed fibre related transcripts between Viking and E1747. The largest group of transcripts (7 %) found more abundant in Viking relative to E1747 fell under the functional group of cell wall development using gene ontology (GO) analysis. Transcripts such as callose synthases, expansins, cytochrome P450, fasciclin-like arabino galactan proteins and β-galactosidases were highly abundant in Viking relative to E1747. The transcripts more abundant in E1747 relative to Viking were UDP – glucose glucosyltransferase, auxin repressed protein, ubiquitin conjugating enzyme, peroxidases and lipid transfer proteins. Quantitative real time PCR results confirmed the suitability of the microarray platform to accurately discriminate transcript profiles between the two diverse flax types. In conclusion, this research has provided a number of new insights into flax fibre genetics. This information lays the foundation for further genetic studies on flax bast fibres and will complement research on developing dual purpose flax varieties.

Mobile computing is becoming one of the most widely adopted technologies. There are 1.3 billion mobile phone subscribers worldwide, and the current generation of phones offers substantial computing ability. Furthermore, mobile devices are increasingly becoming integrated into everyday life. With the huge popularity in mobile computing, it is critical that we examine the human-computer interaction issues for these devices and explicitly explore supporting everyday activities. In particular, one very common and important activity of daily life I am interested in supporting is conversation. Depending on job type, office works can spend up to 85\% of their time in interpersonal communication. In this work, I present two methods that improve a user's ability to enter information into a mobile computer in conversational situations. First I examine the Twiddler, a keyboard that has been adopted by the wearable computing community. The Twiddler is a mobile one-handed chording keyboard with a keypad similar to a mobile phone. The second input method is dual-purpose speech, a technique designed to leverage a user's conversational speech. A dual-purpose speech interaction is one where speech serves two roles; it is socially appropriate and meaningful in the context of a human-to-human conversation and provides useful input to a computer. A dual-purpose speech application listens to one side of a conversation and provides beneficial services to the user. Together these input methods provide a user the ability to enter information while engaged in conversation in a mobile setting.

Hard Red Winter (HRW) and Soft Red Winter (HRW) wheat classes (Triticum aestivum L.) and oat (Avena sativa L.) are commonly established as a source of winter and spring forage for cattle grazing in many regions of Texas and the U.S. Southern Great Plains. Small grains used in these grazed systems offer the flexibility of management for season long forage production or production of both forage and grain (dual-purpose). Many commercially available and experimental cultivars are continually evaluated on their ability to produce grain, but little yield data is available on wheat and oats under dual-purpose management systems. In forage production systems, soil fertility management is also an integral component in meeting specific yield goals that producers depend upon to sustain adequate animal performance. Current nitrogen (N) recommendations in Texas are based on heavy, moderate, and light levels of grazing. To address these issues, two-year studies were initiated at three locations in Central Texas. The objectives of these studies were; (1) to evaluate thirty wheat and ten oat cultivars based on forage production and grain yield to identify those best suited to dual-purpose management; (2) to determine winter wheat forage yield potential at varying levels of N fertility; and (3) to evaluate five minimally invasive and non-destructive methods of quantifying forage yield. Results from dual-purpose cultivar evaluations included significant differences in forage yield, nutritive value, and grain yield between cultivars and species. Overall, oat produced less forage than either class of wheat, but Mg content was generally higher in oat. For grain production, SRW performed better under irrigation, but in dryland situations both wheat classes performed equally. We also found that pre-plant N fertilizer significantly reduced stand establishment in dry environments. The 67 kg ha-1 pre-plant N and the 45 kg ha-1 top-dress rates produced the highest forage yield. Nutritive value generally increased as N application rate increased, even when no yield increase was observed. Hand clipping and canopy height both correlated very well with full plot harvest and visual ratings and NDVI had moderate relationships with full plot harvest. The relationship between ground cover and dry matter yield was variable and only weakly correlated.

Denna undersökning utforskar en designteknik som kan kallas dubbeldesign. Tekniken går ut på att en mekanik i ett spel har flera syften. Målet är att mäta vilken skillnad på spelupplevelsen användning av tekniken har. De delar av spelupplevelsen som undersöks är flow och positive affect. Värden för flow och positive affect tas ut genom att testare spelar en prototyp i två versioner och svarar på frågor. Ena versionen av spelet använder dubbeldesign till stor grad medan den andra inte använder tekniken alls. Resultat visar att både flow och positive affect var högre för versionen som inte använder dubbeldesign. En stark koppling hittades mellan användning av spelets mekaniker och resultatet. De som använde många av en versions mekaniker hade generellt en bättre spelupplevelse i den versionen. Att personer väljer att inte använda ett spels mekaniker som är påverkade av dubbeldesign kan bero på förståelsebrist eller en vilja att spara på resurser.

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Made available in DSpace on 2015-03-26T13:42:31Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 texto completo.pdf: 780708 bytes, checksum: 040e8b6e1e957f872c865e5c856dc648 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-01-30 / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / Phenotypes and EPD estimates for milk and growth traits of Guzera cattle, from the database of National Program for Improvement of Guzera for Milk (PNMGuL) and the Brazilian Association of Zebu Breeders (ABCZ), were used in this study. The EPD were estimated for dairy traits (milk, fat and protein yield) from 7636 lactations adjusted for 305 days of 4924 cows and for growth traits (weights at 205, 365 and 550 days of age) from 172,764 records. Analyses were performed with the MTDFREML program, using animal model. For milk traits the models included calving year, season of birth, genetic groups as fixed effects, age at calving as covariate, and animal and permanent environmental as random effects. Genetic evaluations for fat and protein yield were performed using a bi-trait analysis with milk yield as second trait. For growth traits, animal, maternal and permanent environmental were included as random effects and contemporary group as fixed effect. Genetic and phenotypic trends were performed using REG and MEANS procedures, available on SAS Statistical Software. The trends were obtained evaluating phenotypic and EPD averages, by birth year. Phenotypic trends for dairy traits were evaluated from 1994 to 2009 and for growth traits from 1993 to 2009. Genetic trends for dairy and growth EPDs were evaluated from 2000 to 2009. Pearson correlations between dairy and growth EPDs were performed using the CORR procedure of SAS. The phenotypic and genetic trends were, respectively, 24.3 Kg/year and 5.2 Kg/year for milk yield, -2.3 kg/year and 0.2 kg/year for fat yield, - 1.1 kg/year and 0.1 kg/year for protein yield, and 2.0 kg/year and 0.6 kg/year for 205 days weight. The phenotypic trends were 6.3 kg/year and 8.3 kg/year for 365 and 550 days weight, respectively, and genetic trends was 1.3 kg/year for 450 days weight. In general, the genetic changes have altered phenotypic means, although lower than expected. The EPD correlations between dairy and growth traits were positive with low to moderate magnitude, and differences were observed between males and females, being the values higher for males. These correlations are indicating that probably selection for both simultaneously do not result in losses for dairy or growth traits. However, caution should be taken because correlations were obtained using EPD values. / Utilizaram-se neste estudo os fenótipos e as estimativas de diferença esperada na progênie (DEP) para as características produtivas de leite e carne em bovinos da raça Guzerá provenientes das avaliações genéticas da raça realizadas pelo Programa Nacional de Melhoramento do Guzerá para Leite (PNMGuL) e pela Associação Brasileira dos Criadores de Zebu (ABCZ), respectivamente. O fenótipo e as DEP para produção de leite, gordura e proteínas foram estimados a partir de 7.636 lactações aos 305 dias de 4.924 vacas e, para peso à desmama (205 dias), ao ano (365 dias) e ao sobreano (550 dias), foram estimados a partir de 172,764 registros ponderais. As análises foram realizadas por meio do MTDFREML, utilizando-se o modelo animal. Os modelos de análise incluíam, para as características de leite, os efeitos fixos de rebanho, ano de parto, época de parto, grau de sangue e idade da vaca ao parto; e, como efeitos aleatórios, além do erro, foram considerados o efeito de animal (vaca, mãe e pai) e o efeito de meio permanente. As avaliações genéticas para as produções de gordura e proteína foram realizadas em análises bicaracterísticas, usando a produção de leite como segunda característica. Para as características de corte, incluíram-se os efeitos genéticos aditivo direto, aditivo materno e de ambiente permanente e os efeitos fixos de grupo contemporâneo e de idade da vaca. Consideraram-se ainda, como covariáveis, a idade do animal na data da medida e o seu grau de sangue. Para os estudos de tendência fenotípica e genética, foram utilizados os procedimentos MEANS e REG, disponíveis no pacote computacional SAS®. Para a obtenção das tendências, foram estimadas as médias fenotípicas e das DEP, de acordo com o ano de nascimento. Para a tendência fenotípica das características de produção de leite, foram analisadas as médias calculadas referentes ao período de 1994 a 2009 e, para as características de peso, de 1993 a 2009. Para as médias de DEP para características de leite e corte, o período de análise foi de 2000 a 2009. Na estimativa das correlações entre as características produtivas de corte e de leite, foram utilizados os valores das DEP em análises bicaracterísticas, por meio da correlação linear simples de Pearson, utilizando-se o procedimento CORR do pacote estatístico SAS®. O coeficiente de regressão da produção de leite foi 24,3 kg/ano para o fenótipo e 5,2 kg/ano para a DEP; para a produção de gordura, foi -2,3 kg/ano para o fenótipo e 0,2 kg/ano para a DEP; e, para a proteína, o coeficiente para o fenótipo foi de 1,1 kg/ano e 0,1 kg/ano para a DEP. Para o peso à desmama, o coeficiente para o fenótipo foi de 2 kg/ano e 0,6 kg/ano para a DEP; para o peso ao ano e ao sobreano, os coeficientes para o fenótipo foram 6,3 kg/ano e 8,3 kg/ano, respectivamente; e, para a DEP aos 450 dias, foi de 1,3 kg/ano. Embora abaixo do potencial, as alterações genéticas têm levado a mudanças nas médias fenotípicas. De modo geral, as correlações entre DEP se mostraram positivas, com valores de baixos a moderados, diferenciando-se entre fêmeas e machos, uma vez que os valores obtidos para os machos foram superiores aos das fêmeas. Essas correlações provavelmente são um indicativo de que a seleção simultânea para ambas as características não implicaria prejuízos a nenhuma das características separadamente. Cautela, porém, deve-se ter ao se tirar conclusões acerca dessas correlações, pois foram acessadas a partir das DEP, e não das características.

Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-10T17:40:51Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Loreno_Egidio_Taffarel.pdf: 3195728 bytes, checksum: 45c0f4b9b1d12b79d71eec23c686aa17 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-02-25 / Aimed to evaluate winter cereals conducted with or without grazing under installment of the nitrogen dose in relation to the components and bromatological quality of forage and grain, as well as the presence of mycotoxins in grains. In succession, it evaluated the agronomic characteristics and soybean yield. The work was carried out from 24/04/2012 to 03/21/2014. The experimental design was randomized blocks in tracks scheme, with four replications. The treatments consisted of 126 IPR oats, triticale IPR 111 and wheat BRS Tarumã in bands A (10 x 18 m) and different management in bands B (5 x 30 m): with or without grazing with 120 kg ha-1 N in coverage (two installments of 60 kg ha-1) and two grazing (three installments of 40 kg ha-1 N). The grazing were carried to a height of 15 cm. For forage characteristics, it was found that no grazing managed plants have greater height and produce higher amount of straw and forage dry matter per hectare, even considering those which have the same N coverage. In drought condition, the IPR 126 oats produces more dry matter per hectare, followed by triticale. The relationship wheat stalk leaf is greater than oat and triticale and this justifies the high crude protein content of that culture. The nutritional value of oat forage IPR 126, wheat and triticale BRS Tarumã IPR 111 are similar in the first and second grazing grazing the best nutritional value fodder is oat and wheat due to higher crude protein and digestibility and lower fiber neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent. Mature plants before harvest and with two grazing have lower height. The realization of one grazing on wheat BRS Tarumã increases the grain productivity by 25% compared to wheat not grazed. Regardless of managements, low rainfall in July and August reduces the productivity of the three cultures grains, making unfeasible the commercial production of grain and therefore an alternative can be use the whole plant for silage for animal feed. The treatments does not interfered with the digestibility of wheat grain and triticale, but reduced the fat content of these grains. The grazing reduce the nutritional value of oat grains. Environmental conditions and grazing favor the occurrence of mycotoxins in excess of the levels allowed by the legislation as food for nursing infants and children in early childhood. However, the levels of aflatoxin, fumonisin and zearalenone in grain not prevent its use in animal feed. Soybean cultivation in succession to triticale results in less height than in succession of oats or wheat, however, none winter cereal or grazing management interferes with statistical significance in plant population, thousand grain weight and crop yield. Grazing once or twice the winter cereal forages until a height of 15 cm of soil results in increased soybean yield by about 10% / Objetivou-se avaliar cereais de inverno conduzidos sob parcelamento da dose de nitrogênio e com ou sem pastejo em relação aos componentes de produtividade e qualidade bromatológica da forragem e de grãos, bem como a presença de micotoxinas nos grãos. Em sucessão, foi avaliado as características agronômicas e produtividade da soja. O trabalho foi desenvolvido no período de 24/04/2012 a 21/03/2014. O delineamento experimental foi blocos ao acaso em esquema de faixas, com quatro repetições. Os tratamentos foram constituídos de aveia IPR 126, triticale IPR 111 e trigo BRS Tarumã nas faixas A (10 x 18 m) e os diferentes manejos nas faixas B (5 x 30 m): sem pastejo e um pastejo com 120 kg ha-1 de N em cobertura (duas parcelas de 60 kg ha-1) e, dois pastejos (três parcelas de 40 kg ha-1 de N). Os pastejos foram realizados até a altura de 15 cm. Para as características da forragem, verificou-se que as plantas manejadas sem pastejo possuem maior altura e produzem maior quantidade de massa seca forrageira e palhada por hectare, mesmo considerando aquelas que possuem a mesma dose de N em cobertura. Em condição de déficit hídrico, a aveia IPR 126 produz mais massa seca por hectare, seguido pelo triticale. A relação folha colmo do trigo é superior a da aveia e do triticale e isso justifica o elevado teor de proteína bruta dessa cultura. O valor nutricional das forragens de aveia IPR 126, trigo BRS Tarumã e triticale IPR 111 são similares no primeiro pastejo e no segundo pastejo as forragens de melhor valor nutricional são da aveia e do trigo em função dos maiores teores de proteína bruta e digestibilidade e menores teores de fibra em detergente neutro e fibra em detergente ácido. As plantas maduras antes da colheita e com dois pastejos possuem menor altura. A realização de um pastejo no trigo BRS Tarumã aumenta a produtividade em 25% em relação ao trigo não pastejado. Independente dos manejos, a baixa precipitação nos meses de julho e agosto reduz a produtividade de grãos das três culturas, inviabilizando a produção comercial de grãos, podendo ser utilizados para silagem de planta inteira para alimentação animal. Os manejos não interferem na digestibilidade dos grãos de trigo e triticale, mas reduzem os teores de gordura desses grãos. Os pastejos reduzem o valor nutricional dos grãos de aveia. Condições ambientais e o pastejo favorecem a ocorrência de micotoxinas em teores superiores aos permitidos pela legislação como alimento para crianças lactentes e crianças na primeira infância. Entretanto, os teores de aflatoxina, fumonisina e zearalenona nos grãos não impedem sua utilização na alimentação animal. O cultivo da soja em sucessão ao triticale resulta em menor altura do que em sucessão a aveia ou trigo, entretanto, nenhum cereal de inverno ou manejo do pastejo interfere com significância estatística na população de plantas, massa de mil grãos e produtividade da cultura. Um ou dois pastejos da forragem de cereal de inverno até a altura de 15 cm do solo resulta em aumento da produtividade da soja em cerca de 10%

Indigenous poultry breeds represent an important animal genetic resource. However, their characteristics in respect of performance, product quality, and integument condition are often poorly investigated. Therefore, the local breeds Saxonian chickens (SaChi) and German Langshan bantam chickens (GLB) of different plumage colors were characterized. The high-performing hybrid strain of Lohmann brown chickens (LB) served as the control group. For each group, 60 hens and 6 roosters were studied in an extensive free-range system from 21 to 80 wk of life. The plumage and foot pad quality were scored on 9 distinct observation dates and the measurements of the egg quality were performed at 7 different time periods. The number of eggs per hen housed in the first laying year was significantly lower in the SaChi (146.4 ± 30.8) and the GLB chickens (107.8 ± 20.4) when compared to the LB chickens (295.0 ± 16.8) (P < 0.001). Regarding laying performance, we detected effects of plumage color within both local breeds (P < 0.001). Within 4/7 plumage colors, effects of the breeder were also found (P ≤ 0.037). The eggs of the local chicken breeds showed lower egg weights (P < 0.001), shell breaking strength (P ≤ 0.041), albumen consistency (P < 0.001), and a lower egg shape index (P < 0.001), but higher proportions of yolk (P < 0.001) when compared to the eggs of the LB chickens. The logistic regression models for the plumage and footpad condition demonstrated that the SaChi and GLB hens underwent less plumage loss and footpad swelling than the LB hens (P < 0.001). Overall, this study shows that the laying performance of the local breeds was significantly lower, but there were noticeable advantages in terms of egg composition and animal welfare indicators when compared to a high-performing hybrid strain. In further studies and the use in extensive production systems, the observed performance differences between plumage colors and breeders should be taken into account.