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Three studies were conducted to determine the effects of nonstructural carbohydrate (NSC) sources on performance of dairy cows fed sunflower seeds. In the first study, the effects of NSC source on dry matter (DM) intake, milk yield and milk fatty acid composition were evaluated using fifteen lactating Holstein cows in a 3 x 3 Latin square design. In the second study, fifteen lactating Holstein cows were used in a completely randomized design to determine the effects of NSC on the total tract nutrient utilization. The third study was designed to determine in situ ruminal degradability of DM, CP, NDF and starch of dietary treatments of study one and two, where two ruminally fistulated cows used in a randomized complete block design. Results of the in situ ruminal degradability trial showed that BC and CBC had similar effective ruminal degradability of DM and CP which was higher (P < 0.05) than that of CC. However, starch ruminal degradability was highest for BC, intermediate for CBC and lowest for CC. Sources of NSC had no effect on the NDF in situ ruminal degradability. It was concluded that changing the source of NSC and feeding sunflower seeds can modify milk fatty acid composition without any adverse effect on milk yield or milk components, and with no detrimental effect on nutrients utilization. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Murdoch University, 2004. / Thesis submitted to the Division of Science and Engineering. Bibliography: leaves 160-193.

Sunflower production in South Africa has increased four fold since the 1970's. This study was done to elucidate the pest status of Heliothis armigera (Hiibner) on sunflower. Field studies were undertaken at Warmbaths, Brits and Delmas during the summer seasons of 1988/89 to 1990/91. The infestations at the latter two areas were negligible throughout the study period and their statistics have not been included in this thesis. Plant development and oviposition by natural H. armigera populations were found to be correlated as, regardless of planting date, oviposition started at six to seven weeks after planting; when the flowering stage began. A peak in egg numbers was reached by the tenth week with an average for the three seasons at two eggs per plant. The eggs were laid singly on the bracts and bases of the flower buds. A peak in larval numbers was reached at the thirteenth week after planting with the average for the three seasons of 0,4 larvae per plant. The preferred feeding sites were on, between and under the bracts from where the larvae burrow into the pithy tissue of the receptacle. Only six percent of the larvae were found feeding directly on the achenes. Eggs and larvae collected were reared to determine the degree of parasitism. Overall, 19% of the eggs were parasitised; 18% by Telenomus ullyetti Nixon (Scelionidae) and one percent by Trichogrammatoidea lutea (Trichogrammatidae). Larval parasitism at Warmbaths was 23% in 1988/89, 27% in 1989/90 and 34% in 1990/91. Of the parasitised larvae, 44% succumbed to Palexorista prob. laxa (Tachinidae). The remainder were unidentified Braconidae and Ichneumonidae. Predators, such as chrysopids, were observed during the study but their effect on egg and larvae numbers was not studied in detail. A polyhedral virus occurred late in the seasons and caused mortality of the larvae. The low numbers of H. armigera on sunflower, the slight damage to the crop and the reasonably high rate of parasitism, all seem to indicate that H. armigera is not an economica1ly important pest of sunflower and that additional control methods are not justified.

The purpose of this study is to determine the relationship of light wave length to tissue differentiation in sunflower seedlings.

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