Thesis (M.S.)--Mississippi State University. Department of Plant and Soil Sciences. / Title from title screen. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.)--Mississippi State University. Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology. / Title from title screen. Includes bibliographical references.

Subject of investigation - thermal extermination of monocotyledonous weed plant (barnyard grass (echinochloa crus-galli (L.))) using hot water vapour. Ecological weed control in crops is very important for development of ecological agriculture economy. While carrying out thermal weed extermination, it was noticed that monocotyledonous weeds are difficult to exterminate (to affect) thermally. The analysis of thermal extermination of the monocotyledonous weed plant (barnyard grass (echinochloa crus-galli (L.))) using wet water vapour is presented in the work. On the basis of temperature spread regularities in barnyard grass tissues established, the main technological indexes of thermal weed extermination using wet water vapour, application of which enables the efficient and ecological control of this difficult to exterminate weed plant, were determined. The data obtained were analysed statistically using the two-factor dispersion analysis. Growth stage efficiency of barnyard grass not dependent on the thermal effect duration, thermal effect duration influence not dependent on growth stages, as well as their interaction was discussed. The aim of this work is investigation of the water vapour thermal impact on the weed plant barnyard grass (echinochloa crus-galli (L.)) in various growth stages, with the purpose of its thermal extermination.

Darbo objektas – Gaisravietė Zarasų miškų urėdijos Salako girininkijos 48 kvartalo 10 sklype. Darbo tikslas – nustatyti žemutinių miško ardų: pomiškio, trako, žolinės augalijos ir samanų kaitą, metinį medienos prieaugio kitimą po pažeminio gaisro pušyne Nb augavietėje. Darbo metodai – gaisravietėje buvo parinkta 1 m pločio ir 20 m ilgio juostos. Apskaitos aikštelių pradžia ir pabaiga pažymėta natūroje. Vieno kv. m. (1m x 1 m) apskaitos aikštelėse nustatytas degavietės padengimas trako ir pomiškio augalų, žolių bei samanų danga procentais, suskaičiuoti medžių daigai, registruotos žolių ir samanų rūšys, įvertinant jų padengimą procentais. Šiame darbe pateikiami 2006-2011 m duomenys. Iš 20 pušų I ir II klasės pagal Krafto klasifikaciją, naudojant Pressler grąžtą 1,3 m aukštyje buvo paimti mėginiai metiniam medienos prieaugiui nustatyti. Metiniam medienos prieaugio matavimui buvo naudojama LINTAB medžių matavimo sistema ir TSAP programų rinkinys. Darbe pateikiami 1990 – 2010 metų medienos prieaugio kitimai. Duomenys kaupiami duomenų bazėje panaudojant programą EXCEL. Darbo rezultatai. Po pažeminio miško gaisro pušyne Nb augavietėje pomiškis išnyko, o trako augalų kiekis nežymiai sumažėjo ir išnyko prieš tai augęs paprastasis šermukšnis. Pažeminis miško gaisras padidino gaisravietės ploto padengimą žoliniais augalais ir žolinės dangos rūšinę sudėtį. Gaisravietėje nustatyta 16 žolių rūšių, o kontroliniame medyne 9 žolių rūšys. Po pažeminio miško gaisro atsirado 9 naujos o... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The object – 10th plot of 48th block of Zarasai state forests’ Salakas forestry. The aim – to determine the lower forest quarrel: the change of undergrowth forest, underbrush, herbaceous and moss, also, variation of annual timber increment after the ground-level fire in a pine forest Nb habitat. The methods – there were chosen bands of 1 meter wide and 20 meters length in the fire place. A beginning and an end of the accounting sites were marked at a ground. In a one square meter (1 m x 1 m) accounting sites there were determined percentage of the fire place’s coverage by the underbrush, undergrowth forest, grass and moss cover. In addition, there were counted tree seedlings, there were registered grass’ and moss’ species evaluating their coverage in percentage. This paper presents data from 2006 till 2011. According to Kraft classification, there were taken samples from the 20 pines of the first and the second classes, using Pressler drill in the height of 1,3 meters, to determine the annual increment. For a measuring of the annual timber increment there was used LINTAB tree measuring system and TSAP program set. This paper presents a variation of timber growth in 1990-2010. The data are stored in a data base using the EXCEL program. The results. After the ground-level forest fire in the pine forest Nb habitat the undergrowth forest disappeared and the underbrush plants slightly decreased, moreover, a rowan, which grew before the fire, disappeared. The... [to full text]

Šio magistro baigiamojo darbo tikslas buvo ištirti trijų energetinių žolinių augalų biometrines bei energetines savybes ir jas palyginti tarpusavyje. Augalai buvo auginami lauko sąlygomis, kiekvieną augalą tręšiant skirtingomis mineralinio azoto normomis (N0 – kontrolė, N60 – 200 kg ha-1 ir N120 – 400 kg ha-1). Buvo tiriami pagrindiniai biometriniai rodikliai: augalų aukštis, augalų stiebų skaičius, sausoji biomasė, chlorofilo indeksas. Taip pat ištirtas pasirinktų augalų šilumingumas, peleningumas, pagrindiniai elementai (C, H, N, S, O) bei šalutiniai elementai (K, Ca, Mg, P, Al, Si, S), taip pat sunkieji metalai. Visų augalų energetinės savybės palygintos tarpusavyje. Vertinant gautus duomenis, tinkamiausi žoliniai augalai biokurui yra sida ir drambliažolė, kadangi jų peleningumas yra mažiausias. Tačiau nendrinio dryžučio, nors ir išsiskyrė didesniu peleningumu, šilumingumas buvo didžiausias. Cheminės sudėties analizės metu buvo nustatyta, jog papildomas tręšimas azotinėmis trąšomis įvairių elementų kiekiui augaluose didelės įtakos neturėjo, tačiau vertinant šalutinių elementų kiekį augaluose pastebėta tai, jog kai kurių cheminių elementų padidėjimą galėjo lemti ir augalų augimo vieta (atvira pieva, šalia žvyrkelio, šalia kelio, šalia dirbamo lauko ir pan.). / This master's thesis was to analyze three energy plant grass biometric and energy properties and to compare them with each other. Plants were grown in field, every plant fertilized with different rates of nitrogen (N0 - control, N60 - 200 kg ha-1 and N120 - 400 kg ha-1). It was investigated the main biometric parameters: plant height, plant stems, dry biomass and chlorophyll index. Also plants calorific value, ash content, the main elements (C, H, N, S, O) and minor elements (K, Ca, Mg, P, Al, Si, S) and heavy metals. Plant‘s energy properties were compared with each other. Evaluating the data, the optimum herbaceous plant for biofuels are sida and Miscanthus as their ash content is lowest. Reed canary grass calorific value was highest, but it stood higher ash content too. Chemical composition analysis showed that the additional nitrogen fertilization had no major impact of the various elements in plants, but by assessing the amount of elements in plants is noticeable that plant growth and position may impact some chemical elements increase (open meadow, near the gravel, next to the road, arable land, etc.).

Šio magistro baigiamojo darbo tikslas buvo ištirti trijų energetinių žolinių augalų biometrines bei energetines savybes ir jas palyginti tarpusavyje. Augalai buvo auginami lauko sąlygomis, kiekvieną augalą tręšiant skirtingomis mineralinio azoto normomis (N0 – kontrolė, N60 – 200 kg ha-1 ir N120 – 400 kg ha-1). Buvo tiriami pagrindiniai biometriniai rodikliai: augalų aukštis, augalų stiebų skaičius, sausoji biomasė, chlorofilo indeksas. Taip pat ištirtas pasirinktų augalų šilumingumas, peleningumas, pagrindiniai elementai (C, H, N, S, O) bei šalutiniai elementai (K, Ca, Mg, P, Al, Si, S), taip pat sunkieji metalai. Visų augalų energetinės savybės palygintos tarpusavyje. Vertinant gautus duomenis, tinkamiausi žoliniai augalai biokurui yra sida ir drambliažolė, kadangi jų peleningumas yra mažiausias. Tačiau nendrinio dryžučio, nors ir išsiskyrė didesniu peleningumu, šilumingumas buvo didžiausias. Cheminės sudėties analizės metu buvo nustatyta, jog papildomas tręšimas azotinėmis trąšomis įvairių elementų kiekiui augaluose didelės įtakos neturėjo, tačiau vertinant šalutinių elementų kiekį augaluose pastebėta tai, jog kai kurių cheminių elementų padidėjimą galėjo lemti ir augalų augimo vieta (atvira pieva, šalia žvyrkelio, šalia kelio, šalia dirbamo lauko ir pan.). / This master's thesis was to analyze three energy plant grass biometric and energy properties and to compare them with each other. Plants were grown in field, every plant fertilized with different rates of nitrogen (N0 - control, N60 - 200 kg ha-1 and N120 - 400 kg ha-1). It was investigated the main biometric parameters: plant height, plant stems, dry biomass and chlorophyll index. Also plants calorific value, ash content, the main elements (C, H, N, S, O) and minor elements (K, Ca, Mg, P, Al, Si, S) and heavy metals. Plant‘s energy properties were compared with each other. Evaluating the data, the optimum herbaceous plant for biofuels are sida and Miscanthus as their ash content is lowest. Reed canary grass calorific value was highest, but it stood higher ash content too. Chemical composition analysis showed that the additional nitrogen fertilization had no major impact of the various elements in plants, but by assessing the amount of elements in plants is noticeable that plant growth and position may impact some chemical elements increase (open meadow, near the gravel, next to the road, arable land, etc.).

Tyrimai atlikti 2012 – 2013 metais ASU Žemės ūkio inžinerijos ir saugos instituto laboratorijose bei ASU bandymų stotyje. Darbo tikslas – ištirti netradicinių energetinių augalų (drambliažolių, pluoštinių kanapių ir pluoštinių dilgėlių) ruošimo ir naudojimo biokurui technologinius-techninius parametrus bei nustatyti susmulkintų ir supresuotų augalų fizikines-mechanines savybes ir kokybinius rodiklius. Pateikto darbo literatūros apžvalgoje išanalizuota šių augalų nuėmimo ir paruošimo technologija biokurui bei įvertintos augalų naudojimo deginimui galimybės. Atlikus drambliažolių, pluoštinių kanapių ir pluoštinių dilgėlių eksperimentinius tyrimus buvo nustatyti biometriniai rodikliai, smulkinimo ir malimo parametrai, ištirtos pjaustinio ir miltų fizikinės-mechaninės savybės. Nustatyta frakcinė sudėtis pagal ES šalyse taikomą metodiką, naudojant sietų komplektą su skirtingų skersmens skylutėmis. Taip pat buvo ištirtos ir paruoštų granulių svarbiausios fizikinės-mechaninės savybės. / Investigations were carried out in 2012-2013 years in the laboratories of ASU Institute of Agricultural Engineering and Safety and ASU training farm. The aim – to investigate the technological-technical parameters of non-traditional energy plants (elephant grass, fibrous hemp and fibrous nettle) for the preparation and use of biofuels and to determine the chopped and pressed plant physical-mechanical properties and qualitative indicators. In the literature review of presented work was analyzed the plant harvesting and processing technology of biofuels and evaluates the use of plants burning capabilities. After the elephant grass, fibrous hemp and fibrous nettle experimental studies were established the biometric indicators, chopping and milling parameters, and were investigated the chaff and mill physical-mechanical properties. Fractional composition was determined according to the methodology of EU countries, while using the sieves with the different diameter holes. It was also been tested and most important physical-mechanical properties of prepared pellets.

Kikuyu pasture (Pennisetum clandestinum) is potentially the most important source of roughage used to feed dairy heifers in summer in KwaZulu-Natal. It is commonly believed that on kikuyu pasture beef breed females grow at a faster rate than those from dairy breeds when no supplementation is given. Little conclusive evidence is, however, available to support this. Explanations as to why such differences may exist are also limited. Eight Hereford and eight Holstein heifers of similar age and maturity stage were used in a trial. The trial was run over a twenty week period. For the first ten weeks all the animals in the trial grazed ad libitum kikuyu pasture with no supplementation except for a mineral lick. Over this (grass only) period the two breed groups formed the two treatments. During the second ten week period of the trial all of the Holsteins and four of the Herefords were fed a restricted but equivalent amount (1 .7 kg) of a maize meal based concentrate. The use of a computerized, mobile feeding system allowed concentrate intake of individual animals to be measured. Animal height, weight and condition score readings were taken weekly over the grass only and the concentrate (final seven weeks) periods of the trial. Herbage intake and digestibility were estimated using n-alkanes as indigestible markers in two experiments conducted during the grass only and concentrate periods. The Herefords had a significantly higher ADG than the Holsteins (0.82 vs. 0.04 kg/day; P < 0.01) over the grass only period. During the concentrate period the rate of mass gain of the Holstein treatment did not differ significantly (P >0.05) from the Hereford treatment receiving concentrate. The Herefords receiving concentrate were also not significantly different (P > 0.05) in rate of mass gain from the Herefords not receiving concentrate. Rate of height gain was not significantly different (P> 0.05) between treatments over either the concentrate or the grass only periods. During the grass only period the Holsteins lost condition (0.07 condition score units per week) whilst the Herefords gained condition at an equivalent rate. The voluntary intake of concentrates was not significantly different (P > 0.05) between the Herefords and Holsteins (19.19 vs. 16.40 g/kg/L.W(liveweight) (0.75)). Regression coefficients relating level of concentrate intake to rate of mass gain were also not significant (P > 0.05) for either of the treatments receiving concentrate. The use of n-alkanes as indigestible markers showed the intake of the Holstein treatment to have an intake 55% (P < 0.0 1) higher than the Herefords (185.4 vs. 120.5 g/kg L.W(0.75)) over the first experiment where both treatments were grazing ad lib. kikuyu alone (grass only period). During the concentrate period intake of the Herefords receiving concentrate exceeded that of the Holsteins (P < 0.01) by 23% (139.1 vs. 113.1 g/kg L.W(0.75)). Review of the literature, suggests that the double alkanes technique greatly over-estimated intake. Errors in herbage sampling (accentuated by pasture rotation in the first experiment), a low daily dose of the synthetic alkane (C(32)) and incorrect estimation of the C(32) content in the daily doses are identified as possible causes of the over-estimation of intake. Faecal recoveries of the herbage n-alkanes were demonstrated to increase with increasing chain length and hence C(35) was proposed as the most reliable herbage alkane for dry matter digestibility determination. Digestibility differences between treatments estimated using the C(35) alkane were not significantly different (P > 0.05) in either the first or second experiments. The mean digestibility estimates (using the C(35) alkane) for the first and second experiments were 64.9 and 56.61 %, respectively. In conclusion, higher growth rates of Herefords on kikuyu pasture would seem to be primarily due to differences in the dry matter intake of the grazed herbage. Further work using other breeds of dairy and beef animals is required. The underlying cause of differences in dry matter intake between breeds also requires investigation. / Thesis (M.Sc.Agric.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 1995.

A series of pot trials were undertaken to test the growth of indigenous grasses (Themeda triandra and Cynodon dactylon) on mine capping soil, treated with various soil ameliorants. The capping soils were obtained from open cast coal mines (Optimum Mine and Syferfontein Mine) in the Mpumalanga Highveld, south of Witbank. However, because mine soil was not available at the commencement of the project, the initial pot trial used soil from the Umlazi Landfill in Durban. The trials were the Umlazi Landfill Trial, Microbe Trial, Legume Trial and Fly Ash Trial. For the Umlazi Landfill Trial, landfill top and subsoil was used along with fertilizer, sewage sludge, K-humate, lime and microbes. The soil ameliorant treatments for the Microbe trial were Trichoderma harzianum (Eco'T), Bacillus subtilis Strain 69 (B69) and Bacillus subtilis Strain 77 (B77), for the Legume Trial, Medicago sativa, phosphorus and/or potassium were applied. For the Fly Ash Trial, lime and fly ash were introduced. From the Landfill trial it was shown that fertilizer and sewage sludge significantly increased the above ground, below ground and total biomass of T. triandra, further, there were no significant treatment differences between fertilizer and sludge. The lime treatment for this trial, surprisingly, significantly reduced below ground biomass but the application of microbes (B69 and BcoT) alleviated this negative effect. However, in the Microbe Trial the microbes (BcoT, B69 and B77) had a negative or no effect on the biomass of T. triandra and C. dactylon. In the Legume Trial it was shown that the above ground biomass of T. triandra was significantly reduced when grown with M. sativa. The Fly Ash Trial revealed that the lime and fly ash treatments had no effect on the biomass of M. sativa and T. triandra, and they did not maintain a reduction in soil acidity. The results therefore indicated that either organic fertilizer or sewage sludge could be used to significantly improve the growth of T. triandra. It was also suggested that lime not be applied to soils with an acid saturation of approximately 1%, as this could retard plant growth. The application of microbes and the growth of a legume with grass, although both have been recorded to have beneficial effects in aiding plant growth, in the short-term however, the application of T. harzianum, B. subtilis Strain 69 and 77 applied to the soil while growing T.triandra and C. dactylon and the growth of M. sativa with T. triandra is not recommended. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2004.

Cattle are responsible for the deterioration of aquatic and riparian ecosystems throughout the North American prairies. Marked preference for riparian areas has resulted in vegetation loss, stream bank destabilization, changes in sediment particle size, and increased nutrient loads in the streams. A grazing experiment in Grasslands National Park of Canada manipulated the density of cattle to represent a range of grazing intensities (from no grazing to very heavy grazing, 70% forage utilization). This experiment provided the opportunity to study how streams in the semi-arid mixed-grass prairie environment respond to a range of grazing pressure. Nine experimental pastures located on previously ungrazed land within the park boundary and four located within the adjacent community pastures were created, each subjected to a specified grazing treatment. Sampling occurred in the autumn from 2007 to 2009 and included the measurement of 33 physical, chemical, and biological habitat metrics and the characterization of the aquatic invertebrate community. Linear regressions were performed to determine if the habitat variables had a significant relationship to grazing intensity (P < 0.05). Of the habitat variables, two sediment particle size categories were significantly related to grazing intensity: per cent of fine gravel (4-8 mm diameter) (P =0.003) and per cent of medium gravel (8-16 mm diameter) (P = 0.007). The only other habitat variable with a significant linear relationship to grazing intensity was the concentration of suspended carbon in the stream water (P = 0.050). Three invertebrate community metrics were focused on for their expected response to changes associated with cattle impacts: iii per cent Chironomidae (%Chiron), per cent Ephemeroptera, Odonata, and Trichoptera (%EOT), and taxa richness. There was a significant non-linear relationship between %Chiron (P = 0.005) and grazing intensity, no linear or non-linear relationship between %EOT and grazing intensity, and a non-linear trend between richness and grazing intensity (P = 0.083). A Reference Condition Approach was used to test for the effects of grazing on the invertebrate community. Multiple regression was used to create a model predicting the invertebrate community from habitat metrics. Of the three community metrics, only richness resulted in a model with acceptable predictive ability. The predicted richness values for each test site were calculated and their residuals were determined and compared to the distribution of residuals observed in the reference sites. Using this technique, I determined that 73.3% of the sites subjected to grazing deviated significantly for the reference condition and were therefore deemed to be impacted. There was no significant relationship between the test site residuals and grazing intensity. The macroinvertebrate community in this semi-arid environment is already under a lot of stress, the addition of cattle to the environment, even at low intensities, pushed the community beyond the reference condition.