Bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon L.) is a perennial warm-season grass that is very responsive to nitrogen (N) fertilization. Excessive N applications have negative environmental consequences and make maintaining mixed swards difficult. This study determined the effects of enhanced efficiency (EE) N fertilizers and fertilizer rate on bermudagrass yields, nutritive values, and white clover persistence. Nitrogen sources included urea, urea formulated with Agrotain® (U+A), urea with Agrotain® and dicyandiamide (SuperU), a polymer-coated urea (ESN), ESN+urea (75% ESN, 25% urea), and methylene urea (MU). In the urea formulation trial, SuperU and U+A maximized forage yields at lower N rates. The dicyandiamide in SuperU did not increase yields over U+A. Highest production efficiency was achieved at lower N rates. ESN had the lowest relative stimulate growth, which may increase clover persistence. In the clover persistence trial, the addition of N fertilizer began decreasing clover populations after 112 kg N/ha. Slow-release fertilizers (ESN, ESN+urea, MU) had higher clover percentage at the final harvest. Crude protein and in vitro digestible dry matter increased, while neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber decreased with the addition of white clover. SuperU and U+A were more efficient and ESN had lower relative stimulated growth beneficial for mixed pastures.

The use of nitrogen (N) fertilizer is generally restricted on mixed species forage systems due to its stimulatory effect on grasses which increases competition with legume species. Reduced legume growth from this competition can compromise forage nutritive value and prospective yields. The controlled-release nature of several enhanced efficiency fertilizer N products holds the potential to improve legume persistence in mixed species pastures while providing supplemental N required by the grass component. The studies contained in this dissertation evaluated the effect of different enhanced efficiency N formulations (ATU, ESN, methylene urea, SuperU, and a 75% ESN: 25% urea blend) and untreated urea on yield, nutritive value, and legume persistence in a ‘Wrangler’ bermudagrass and ‘Durana’ white clover mixture (2014-2016 growing seasons), ‘KY-31’tall fescue and ‘Kenland’ red clover mixture (2015-2016 growing seasons), and ‘KY-31’ stockpiled tall fescue (2015-2017). The three studies were conducted at the University of Kentucky Spindletop Research Farm in Lexington, KY in a randomized complete block design. In the bermudagrass-white clover study, all enhanced efficiency N sources maintained white clover populations similar to the unfertilized grass/clover control, but only ESN caused greater clover composition than standard urea. Total forage yields increased linearly with N rate in all years, but dry weather conditions in the second and third years resulted in lower total yield. Forage nutritive value followed general trends throughout each growing season, but ESN’s ability to maintain clover resulted in higher nutritive value. In the tall fescue-red clover, total forage yields curvilinearly increased with N rate in 2015 but did not vary in 2016. ESN and ESN+urea blend treatments retained clover composition similar to that of the unfertilized control. Stockpiled forage yield increased with higher N rates. Enhanced efficiency N fertilizers with the ability to control N release can enhance forage yield while maintaining clover in mixed species swards.

Australia is amongst the more efficient milk producers in the world.Milk production in the region of south-western Victoria relies mainly on rainfed white clover/perennial ryegrass pastures.As the demand for efficient and competitive milk production increases, the value of N2 fixation must be maximised. The objective of this thesis was to assess N2 fixation in grazed dairy pastures in south-western Victoria. Several tests and experiments were conducted and results noted. Studies revealed low white clover yields to be the major factor limiting N2 fixation in the region. For N2 fixation to have a significant impact on pasture quality and production, problems associated with legume persistence need to be addressed. Strategies may include the breeding of white clover cultivars with greater tolerance to water stress, improved winter production and increased competitiveness with companion species. Alternatively, the introduction of different legume species, better suited to the environment, may be appropriate. Where N2 fixation is unlikely to satisfy N demands, it may be necessary to introduce the strategic use of supplementary feeds or nitrogenous fertilisers. However, this would need to be carefully considered to ensure high input costs did not jeopardise the competitive advantage of low input pasture-based systems / Masters Thesis

No description available.

The differential expression of members of the Trifolium repens ACC oxidase (TR-ACO) gene family and accumulation of TR-ACO proteins in white clover roots, and the temporal TR-ACO gene expression and TR-ACO protein accumulation in response to phosphate (Pi) stress has been investigated. Four-node stolon cuttings of wild type and transgenic white clover (designated TR-ACOp::GUS and TR-ACO1p::mGFP5-ER) plants were rooted and acclimatised in Hoagland’s solution, and then subjected to either a Pi sufficiency (1 mM Pi) treatment or a Pi depletion (10 µM Pi) treatment over a designated time course. Using semi quantitative Reverse Transcriptase-Polymerase Chain Reaction (sqRT-PCR) and gene-specific primers it has been determined that the TR-ACO genes are differentially expressed in the roots of white clover. The TR-ACO1 transcript abundance was greater in the lateral roots when compared to the main roots. By immunodetection analysis using antibodies raised against TR-ACO1, recognition of a protein of expected size (ca. 36 kDa) was also greater in the lateral roots. The tissue-specific localisation of TR-ACO1 promoter activity was investigated first by light microscopy using a single genetic line of white clover transformed with a TR-ACO1p::GUS gene construct, and results then confirmed by confocal microscopy using several genetically independent lines of transgenic plants transformed with a TR-ACO1p::mGFP5 ER gene construct. In these lines, the TR-ACO1 promoter activity was primarily located in the meristem of the main and lateral roots, lateral root primordia as well as in the pericycle of the root with nodes of expression in the emerging lateral roots, suggesting a role for ethylene in the development of young tissues where cells are actively dividing. In terms of TR-ACO2, greater transcript abundance and protein accumulation of TR-ACO2 were also observed in the lateral roots when compared to the main roots. Histochemical GUS staining of roots of a single genetically-independent line transformed with a TR-ACO2p::GUS construct showed predominant promoter activity in the mature tissues of both the main and lateral roots but not in the meristematic tissues. In contrast, TR-ACO3 showed greater transcript abundance in the main roots relative to the lateral roots, and the promoter activity, as determined using a single genetically- independent line of TR-ACO3p::GUS transformed plants was predominantly in the mature tissues of the main roots In response to Pi depletion, the members of TR-ACO gene family were temporally expressed in the white clover roots. Using sqRT-PCR, the TR-ACO1 transcript abundance was greater in Pi depleted roots at 12 h and 24 h after Pi depletion in both wild type plants and in the one genetically-independent line of white clover transformed with the TR-ACO1p::mGFP5-ER construct examined. Similarly, by western analysis using both a-TR-ACO1 and commercially available a-GFP antibodies (for the transformed line), a greater accumulation of proteins was consistently observed in Pi depleted roots from the first up to the seventh day after Pi depletion. By confocal microscopy, it was determined for several genetically-independent line of white clover transformed with TR-ACO1p::mGFP5-ER that under Pi depletion more intense GFP fluorescence over a time course of 1 d, 4 d, and 7 d was observed, when compared to plants grown under Pi sufficiency. For TR-ACO2, there was no significant difference in transcript accumulation and protein accumulation in response to short term Pi depletion of up to seven days. However, at 15 d and 21 d after Pi depletion there was a greater protein accumulation in the roots of Pi depleted plants relative to the Pi sufficient roots. Further, when main and lateral roots were compared, a greater protein accumulation occurred in the lateral roots. For TR-ACO3, there was no consistent trend of transcript accumulation in response to Pi depletion over a 24 h period. While a marked reduction in transcript accumulation was noted in Pi depleted roots at 1h, 12 h, 24 h, there was an increase in transcript accumulation at 6 h and 18 h after Pi depletion, indicating that factors other than Pi supply may be affecting gene regulation. Root morphological studies revealed an increase in the main root length and lateral root production in white clover in response to Pi depletion with a greatest growth rate noted between the sixth and ninth day after Pi depletion, and this period overlapped with accumulation of TR-ACO1 protein suggesting a role for ethylene in the Pi stress induced lateral root production in white clover. The differential regulation of the three TR-ACO genes in white clover roots in response to Pi depletion further suggests the divergence in terms of regulation of the ethylene biosynthetic pathway, which may play an important role in fine tuning the responses of plants to particular environmental cues.

Thesis (M.S.)--California Polytechnic State University, 2009. / Title from PDF title page; viewed on June 11, 2009. "May 2009." "In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree [of] Master of Science in Agriculture with specialization in Plant Protection Science." "Presented to the faculty of California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo." Major professor: Terry L. Vassey, Ph.D. Includes bibliographical references (p. 59-61). Also available on microfiche.

CAPES / Fabáceas forrageiras têm sido consorciadas com poáceas em sistema de integração lavoura-pecuária, sendo o trevo branco (Trifolium repens L.) uma das fabáceas mais utilizadas e adaptadas no Sul do Brasil. A aplicação de boro tem resultado em benefícios ao desenvolvimento da planta, especialmente para as fabáceas. Portanto, o objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar os efeitos da aplicação de doses de boro e da remoção da matéria aérea das plantas por meio de cortes, sobre a produção de matéria seca, produção de sementes e concentração mineral de boro e nitrogênio em plantas de trevo branco, cultivadas em um Latossolo Vermelho distroférrico. O trabalho experimental foi instalado na Estação Experimental do Instituto Agronômico do Paraná – IAPAR, localizada no Município de Pato Branco – PR, no ano de 2007 e conduzido até meados 2008. O delineamento experimental foi de blocos ao acaso com parcelas subdivididas, com quatro repetições. As parcelas tiveram como tratamento doze períodos de avaliação, nas subparcelas dois manejos (corte e retirada do material e não corte da parte vegetativa), aproximadamente a cada 60 dias e, nas subsubparcelas foram alocados cinco níveis de B (0; 0,5; 1; 2 e 4 kg ha-1). A maior produção de forragem avaliada mensalmente foi encontrada no mês de fevereiro de 2008, com incremento de 79,7% com uso 3,3 kg ha-1 em relação à testemunha. A produção de MS total acumulada e MS acumulada de folha+pecíolo no manejo com corte, foi obtida com as doses de 2,6 kg ha-1 de B, apresentando uma produção de 22.287 e 18.743 kg ha-1 de MS, respectivamente. A maior concentração de B foi observada no mês de julho, apresentando uma concentração de 48 mg kg-1 de B, com uso de 2,77 kg ha-1 de B. A maior concentração de N foi encontrada no mês de novembro, apresentando uma concentração média de 30,91 g kg-1, com o uso de 3,09 kg ha-1. O maior pico de acúmulo de N no manejo sem corte foi atingido no mês de fevereiro com um acúmulo máximo de 263,36 kg ha-1, com o uso de 4 kg ha-1 de B. No manejo com corte o N total acumulado ao final de um ano foi de 650 kg ha-1 ano-1 de N atingido com o uso de 2,50 kg ha-1 de B. A maior produção de sementes de trevo branco foi obtida no manejo sem corte com uma produção máxima de 525,81 kg ha-1 de sementes, com o uso de 2,59 kg ha-1 de B. As doses de boro influenciaram a produção de forragem, matéria seca de folha+pecíolo, estolão, inflorescência e material senescente, matéria seca acumulada, componentes de rendimento, produção de sementes, concentração de B e N foliar e acúmulo de N foliar em trevo branco, sendo que as doses de 2 a 3 kg ha- 1 de boro seriam as mais recomendadas, visto que doses acima podem diminuir o potencial máximo de produtividade pela toxidez. / Legume forages have been grown together with grass forages in a croplivestock system being the white clover one of the most used and adapted legume at the south of Brazil. The application of boron has resulted in benefits to the plant development, especially to the legumes. Due to it, the aim of this work was to evaluate the effects of increasing rates of boron and the taken out of the aerial parts by cutting the forage over the dry matter production, seed production and mineral concentration of boron and nitrogen in plants of white clover, cultivated in soil Oxisol (Latossolo Vermelho distroférrico, Brazil systems). The experiment was carried out at the Agronomist Institute of Paraná (IAPAR), experimental unit of Pato Branco from 2007 up to 2008. The experiment was laid out as random block design with divided plots and four replications. The plots composed twelve periods of evaluation and the sub-plots two managements (vegetable parts cut and uncut around each 60 days), and at the sub-subplots were allocated five levels of B (0; 0.5; 1; 2 e 4 kg ha-1). The highest forage dry matter production evaluated monthly was found in February of 2008 with an increase of 79.7% using 3.3 kg ha-1 related to the control. The accumulate total DM production and the accumulate leaf+stalk DM production at the management with cuts was obtained with the level of 2.6 kg ha-1 of boron showing a production of 22,287 e 18,743 kg ha-1 of DM respectively. The highest concentration of B was observed in July, showing a concentration of 48 mg kg-1 of B with the use of 2.77 kg ha-1 of B. The highest concentrations of N were found in November, showing an concentration of 30.91 g kg-1, with the use of 3.09 kg ha-1. The higher peak of N accumulate at the management without cuts was reached in February with an maximum accumulate of 263.36 kg ha-1, with the of 4 kg ha-1 of B. At the management with cuts the total N accumulate at the end of one year was 650 kg ha-1 year-1 of N achieved with the use of 2.50 kg ha-1 of B. The highest seed production of the white clover was obtained at the management without cuts with a maximum production of 525.81 kg ha-1 of seed using 2.59 kg ha-1 of B. The levels of N influenced the dry matter production, dry matter of leaf +stalk, stolons, inflorescence and senescent material, dry matter accumulate, yield components, seed production, leaf B and N concentration and accumulate of N in the leaves of white clover, being the rates of 2 and 3 kg ha-1 of B the most recommended ones, once highest rates can decrease the maximum production by it’s toxicity.

CAPES / Fabáceas forrageiras têm sido consorciadas com poáceas em sistema de integração lavoura-pecuária, sendo o trevo branco (Trifolium repens L.) uma das fabáceas mais utilizadas e adaptadas no Sul do Brasil. A aplicação de boro tem resultado em benefícios ao desenvolvimento da planta, especialmente para as fabáceas. Portanto, o objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar os efeitos da aplicação de doses de boro e da remoção da matéria aérea das plantas por meio de cortes, sobre a produção de matéria seca, produção de sementes e concentração mineral de boro e nitrogênio em plantas de trevo branco, cultivadas em um Latossolo Vermelho distroférrico. O trabalho experimental foi instalado na Estação Experimental do Instituto Agronômico do Paraná – IAPAR, localizada no Município de Pato Branco – PR, no ano de 2007 e conduzido até meados 2008. O delineamento experimental foi de blocos ao acaso com parcelas subdivididas, com quatro repetições. As parcelas tiveram como tratamento doze períodos de avaliação, nas subparcelas dois manejos (corte e retirada do material e não corte da parte vegetativa), aproximadamente a cada 60 dias e, nas subsubparcelas foram alocados cinco níveis de B (0; 0,5; 1; 2 e 4 kg ha-1). A maior produção de forragem avaliada mensalmente foi encontrada no mês de fevereiro de 2008, com incremento de 79,7% com uso 3,3 kg ha-1 em relação à testemunha. A produção de MS total acumulada e MS acumulada de folha+pecíolo no manejo com corte, foi obtida com as doses de 2,6 kg ha-1 de B, apresentando uma produção de 22.287 e 18.743 kg ha-1 de MS, respectivamente. A maior concentração de B foi observada no mês de julho, apresentando uma concentração de 48 mg kg-1 de B, com uso de 2,77 kg ha-1 de B. A maior concentração de N foi encontrada no mês de novembro, apresentando uma concentração média de 30,91 g kg-1, com o uso de 3,09 kg ha-1. O maior pico de acúmulo de N no manejo sem corte foi atingido no mês de fevereiro com um acúmulo máximo de 263,36 kg ha-1, com o uso de 4 kg ha-1 de B. No manejo com corte o N total acumulado ao final de um ano foi de 650 kg ha-1 ano-1 de N atingido com o uso de 2,50 kg ha-1 de B. A maior produção de sementes de trevo branco foi obtida no manejo sem corte com uma produção máxima de 525,81 kg ha-1 de sementes, com o uso de 2,59 kg ha-1 de B. As doses de boro influenciaram a produção de forragem, matéria seca de folha+pecíolo, estolão, inflorescência e material senescente, matéria seca acumulada, componentes de rendimento, produção de sementes, concentração de B e N foliar e acúmulo de N foliar em trevo branco, sendo que as doses de 2 a 3 kg ha- 1 de boro seriam as mais recomendadas, visto que doses acima podem diminuir o potencial máximo de produtividade pela toxidez. / Legume forages have been grown together with grass forages in a croplivestock system being the white clover one of the most used and adapted legume at the south of Brazil. The application of boron has resulted in benefits to the plant development, especially to the legumes. Due to it, the aim of this work was to evaluate the effects of increasing rates of boron and the taken out of the aerial parts by cutting the forage over the dry matter production, seed production and mineral concentration of boron and nitrogen in plants of white clover, cultivated in soil Oxisol (Latossolo Vermelho distroférrico, Brazil systems). The experiment was carried out at the Agronomist Institute of Paraná (IAPAR), experimental unit of Pato Branco from 2007 up to 2008. The experiment was laid out as random block design with divided plots and four replications. The plots composed twelve periods of evaluation and the sub-plots two managements (vegetable parts cut and uncut around each 60 days), and at the sub-subplots were allocated five levels of B (0; 0.5; 1; 2 e 4 kg ha-1). The highest forage dry matter production evaluated monthly was found in February of 2008 with an increase of 79.7% using 3.3 kg ha-1 related to the control. The accumulate total DM production and the accumulate leaf+stalk DM production at the management with cuts was obtained with the level of 2.6 kg ha-1 of boron showing a production of 22,287 e 18,743 kg ha-1 of DM respectively. The highest concentration of B was observed in July, showing a concentration of 48 mg kg-1 of B with the use of 2.77 kg ha-1 of B. The highest concentrations of N were found in November, showing an concentration of 30.91 g kg-1, with the use of 3.09 kg ha-1. The higher peak of N accumulate at the management without cuts was reached in February with an maximum accumulate of 263.36 kg ha-1, with the of 4 kg ha-1 of B. At the management with cuts the total N accumulate at the end of one year was 650 kg ha-1 year-1 of N achieved with the use of 2.50 kg ha-1 of B. The highest seed production of the white clover was obtained at the management without cuts with a maximum production of 525.81 kg ha-1 of seed using 2.59 kg ha-1 of B. The levels of N influenced the dry matter production, dry matter of leaf +stalk, stolons, inflorescence and senescent material, dry matter accumulate, yield components, seed production, leaf B and N concentration and accumulate of N in the leaves of white clover, being the rates of 2 and 3 kg ha-1 of B the most recommended ones, once highest rates can decrease the maximum production by it’s toxicity.

No description available.

No description available.