Preliminary studies on the establishment of Townsville lucerne (Stylosanthes humilis) in uncleared pasture at Katherine, N.T

1968 ◽  
Vol 8 (30) ◽  
pp. 26 ◽  
Author(s):  
HP Miller ◽  
RA Perry
Keyword(s):  
Soil Surface ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Surface Treatments ◽  
Clay Loam ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Stylosanthes Humilis ◽  
Native Pastures ◽  
Uncultivated Land ◽  
Early Establishment ◽  
Better Than

The effects of surface treatments, soil type and type of seed sown on the early establishment of Townsville lucerne (Stylosanthes humilis H.B.K.) in native pastures at Katherine, N.T., were studied on microplots in the 1965-66 wet season. In experiment 1, six soil surface treatments were compared in burnt and unburnt native perennial pastures on Tippera clay loam on three occasions. In experiment 2, seeds were compared with pods, cleared cultivated land with uncleared uncultivated land, and Tippera clay loam with Cockatoo sand on two occasions. The results indicate that, given favourable weather conditions, Townsville lucerne can be established on untreated soil surfaces in uncleared native pastures, either annual or perennial ; that weather conditions affect early establishment, presumably through the length of the period that the soil surface remains wet ; that seeds perform two to three times better than pods ; and that early establishment is approximately three times better in the presence of growing native pasture than in its absence, possibly because of the higher atmospheric humidity within the protective grass cover.

The effect of pre-treatment of native pasture and sowing rate on establishment of Townsville lucerne of Tippera clay loam at Katherine, NT

1967 ◽  
Vol 7 (29) ◽  
pp. 515 ◽  
Author(s):  
HP Miller
Keyword(s):  
Dry Matter ◽  
First Year ◽  
Clay Loam ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Heavy Grazing ◽  
Stylosanthes Humilis ◽  
Native Pasture ◽  
Loam Soil ◽  
Pre Treatment ◽  
Made In

At Katherine, N.T., on Tippera clay loam soil, Townsville lucerne (Stylosanthes humilis H.B.K.) was sown in December 1965 at 4, 16, and 64 lb an acre of abraded pods into uncleared uncultivated perennial native pasture that had been subjected to three pre-treatments : heavy grazing in the previous wet season, late dry season burning, and early wet season burning. The amount and incidence of rainfall was particularly favourable for establishment. At counts made in December 1965, and in January and February 1966, pre-treatment did not affect Townsville lucerne density, which was proportional to sowing rate on all pre-treatments. Dry matter yields of Townsville lucerne in April 1966 were higher after early wet-season burning than after other pre-treatments. At a final seedling count at the start of the next wet season, December 1966, there was an interaction between pre-treatment and sowing rate, seedling density showing an approximate correspondence with dry matter yield of Townsville lucerne in April 1966. At the practical sowing rates of 4 and 16 lb an acre, first and second year seedling densities and first year yields were comparable with average figures for Townsville lucerne established with full land clearance and cultivation.

Establishment of four pasture grasses and Siratro from seed oversown into dense and open speargrass pastures

1984 ◽  
Vol 24 (126) ◽  
pp. 360 ◽  
Author(s):  
SJ Cook
Keyword(s):  
Seedling Emergence ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Panicum Maximum ◽  
Brachiaria Decumbens ◽  
Heteropogon Contortus ◽  
Pasture Grasses ◽  
Macroptilium Atropurpureum ◽  
Signal Grass ◽  
Native Pastures ◽  
Better Than

In two experiments, seed of Gayndah and Biloela buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris), green panic (Panicum maximum var. trichoglume), signal grass (Brachiaria decumbens) and Siratro (Macroptilium atropurpureum) was broadcast into a range of seedbeds imposed on native speargrass (Heteropogon contortus) pastures that had either been cleared of trees 4-5 years before sowing (C) or had the trees killed at sowing (K). The seedbeds were: untreated control (NP); mown to 3 cm before and at sowing (M); M followed by regular clipping (MD); burnt (B); B followed by regular clipping (BD); and herbicide (H). Seed was also sown into a cultivated seedbed (P) in C. The number of plants established 15-16 months after sowing was highest in the cultivated seedbed and lowest in seedbeds where competition from the native grasses was greatest. Competition was greater in C than in K, the native pastures in C having about three times more dry matter than those in K. Burning reduced competition but also reduced seedling emergence. It increased establishment slightly in K but not in C. The M and MD treatments failed to increase establishment over that of the NP control. Herbicides reduced competition and increased establishment in C and K, but only for signal grass and Siratro in C when drier conditions occurred in the second experiment. Siratro established better than the grasses in the presence of competition when weather conditions were favourable, but there was little Siratro or grass establishment when water deficits occurred soon after emergence, especially in C

scholarly journals Winter Wheat Straw Decomposition under Different Nitrogen Fertilizers

Agriculture ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 83
Author(s):  
Gabriela Mühlbachová ◽  
Pavel Růžek ◽  
Helena Kusá ◽  
Radek Vavera ◽  
Martin Káš
Keyword(s):  
Winter Wheat ◽  
Wheat Straw ◽  
Soil Surface ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Mineral Nitrogen ◽  
Nitrogen Fertilizers ◽  
Pig Slurry ◽  
Straw Decomposition ◽  
Rainy Weather ◽  
N Fertilisers

The climate changes and increased drought frequency still more frequent in recent periods bring challenges to management with wheat straw remaining in the field after harvest and to its decomposition. The field experiment carried out in 2017–2019 in the Czech Republic aimed to evaluate winter wheat straw decomposition under different organic and mineral nitrogen fertilizing (urea, pig slurry and digestate with and without inhibitors of nitrification (IN)). Treatment Straw 1 with fertilizers was incorporated in soil each year the first day of experiment. The Straw 2 was placed on soil surface at the same day as Straw 1 and incorporated together with fertilizers after 3 weeks. The Straw 1 decomposition in N treatments varied between 25.8–40.1% and in controls between 21.5–33.1% in 2017–2019. The Straw 2 decomposition varied between 26.3–51.3% in N treatments and in controls between 22.4–40.6%. Higher straw decomposition in 2019 was related to more rainy weather. The drought observed mainly in 2018 led to the decrease of straw decomposition and to the highest contents of residual mineral nitrogen in soils. The limited efficiency of N fertilisers on straw decomposition under drought showed a necessity of revision of current strategy of N treatments and reduction of N doses adequately according the actual weather conditions.

Growth, seed production and effect of defoliation in an early flowering perennial grass, Alloteropsis semialata (Poaceae), on Cape York Peninsula, Australia

2001 ◽  
Vol 49 (6) ◽  
pp. 735 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriel M. Crowley ◽  
Stephen T. Garnett
Keyword(s):  
Plant Growth ◽  
Seed Production ◽  
Perennial Grass ◽  
Soil Surface ◽  
Plant Size ◽  
Perennial Grasses ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Cape York ◽  
Seed Dynamics

Alloteropsis semialata (R.Br.) A.Hitchc. is one of the first perennial grasses in monsoonal Australia to produce seed at the start of the wet season. Patterns of growth and seed production and seed dynamics of Alloteropsis semialata were examined in this study, along with the effects of partial defoliation. Growth of Alloteropsis semialata tussocks started with the first pre-wet-season rains, and was then interrupted during a period with little rain. Growth ceased before the end of the wet season, indicating that factors other than moisture availability were limiting. Seeds of Alloteropsis semialata were germinable on production, but did not remain viable or persist on the soil surface through the dry season. Most seeds and young seedlings were harvested and no seedlings were recruited. Inflorescence production increased with plant size. Moderate defoliation in the early wet season had no impact on plant growth, but reduced inflorescence and seed production for at least 2 years. Absence of a seed bank and early wet-season flowering mean that Alloteropsis semialata is likely to be sensitive to long-term over-grazing.

Influence of diet on development and oviposition of Forficula auricularia (Dermaptera: Forficulidae)

2001 ◽  
Vol 133 (5) ◽  
pp. 705-708 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ghislain Berleur ◽  
Jean Gingras ◽  
Jean-Claude Tourneur
Keyword(s):  
Food Preference ◽  
Rhopalosiphum Padi ◽  
Soil Surface ◽  
Cold Weather ◽  
Forficula Auricularia ◽  
Content Analyses ◽  
European Earwig ◽  
Preference Tests ◽  
Daylight Period ◽  
Better Than

In North America, the life cycle of the European earwig (Forficula auricularia L.) can be divided into a nesting phase (hypogean phase) and a free-foraging phase (epigean phase) (Crumb et al. 1941; Behura 1956; Lamb and Wellington 1975). Adults spend the nesting phase in the soil; females burrow into the ground at the onset of the cold weather, lay eggs, and then care for the eggs. Hatching occurs in spring; first- or second-instar nymphs move to the soil surface for the free-foraging period. The earwig, a nocturnal insect, spends the entire daylight period of hiding under trash or in dark crevices. Where two broods occur, females reenter the ground a second time (Lamb and Wellington 1975). Stomach content analyses (Crumb et al. 1941; Sunderland and Vickerman 1980) and food preference tests (McLeod and Chant 1952; Buxton and Madge 1976) revealed that the European earwig is omnivorous. Under laboratory conditions, nymphs fed freshly frozen aphids, Rhopalosiphum padi (L.) (Hemiptera: Aphididae), survive better than those fed green algae or carrots, develop faster, and produce heavier females (Phillips 1981; Carrillo 1985).

scholarly journals Spatial variability of shallow groundwater level in the Northern Kathmandu Valley

2018 ◽  
Vol 55 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-54
Author(s):  
Manish Shrestha ◽  
Naresh Kazi Tamrakar
Keyword(s):  
Groundwater Level ◽  
Shallow Groundwater ◽  
Soil Surface ◽  
Northern Region ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
Kathmandu Valley ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Geological Material ◽  
Groundwater Levels ◽  
Shallow Groundwater Level

Groundwater is the water which is present in pore spaces and in the fractures of the geological materials beneath earth surface. Water is incompressible substance and presence of small amount of water in geological material modifies the behavior of geological material under stresses. Determination of engineering behavior of the geological material is almost impossible skipping the role of water. The objective of this study was to map and evaluate shallow groundwater level of the northern Kathmandu Valley covering main rivers such as the Bagmati River, Bishnumati River, Dhobi Khola and the Manahara Khola. These rivers flow from the North to the South across the sand rich sediment zone. Static groundwater levels of 239 wells were measured from different locations of the study area in April/March 2017 (Dry Season) and in August 2017 (Wet Season). Shallow groundwater level was measured from soil surface to water level using well water depth logger (Qin and Li, 1998). The result showed that groundwater level ranged from 0.6 m to 12.5 m in dry season and 0.1 m to 13 m in wet season. The groundwater level increased by average of 34.68% (n = 235) as compared to that in dry season. Increase in the groundwater level suggests recharge of groundwater in wet season of the study area. The flow pattern of groundwater levels from the study shows flow of shallow groundwater towards the major rivers of that particular river watershed. As a consequence, seepage flow and piping erosion is likely along the riverbank slopes. Increase in recharge of groundwater during wet season exhibits that the northern region of the Kathmandu Valley is potential for groundwater recharge and can be used to manage water for the dry period.

scholarly journals Measurement of Soluble Arsenic in Soil of Bangladesh by Acid-alkali Sequential Extraction

2008 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 92-107 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Shafiul Azam ◽  
Md. Shafiquzzaman ◽  
Iori Mishima ◽  
Jun Nakajima
Keyword(s):  
Sequential Extraction ◽  
Soil Phosphorus ◽  
Extraction Procedure ◽  
Soil Surface ◽  
Soil Samples ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Arsenic Mobility ◽  
Reducing Conditions ◽  
Sequential Extraction Method ◽  
Core Soil

To measure easily soluble fraction of arsenic, a sequential extraction method by 0.1N HCl and 0.1N NaOH was used according to the soil phosphorus extraction procedure. The effects of reducing conditions on arsenic extraction were examined in incubation test. In high reducing conditions arsenic solubility was shown to be high and seemed to be controlled by dissolution of iron oxy-hydroxides. pH played a predominant role in determining the concentrations of soluble arsenic. Arsenic solubility could be possible at low or high pH conditions. Released arsenic in different pH and redox conditions showed that it is a part of acid extractable arsenic which is sorbed weakly on the soil surface and can be extracted during acid-alkali sequential extraction. Therefore, the method could be applicable to measure potential solubility of arsenic as a result of alteration in soil (e.g. redox, pH) and environmental factors. Sequential extraction results of the soil samples collected in dry and wet season suggested that acid-alkali extracted arsenic fractions of surface and core soil samples of paddy field were increased in wet season. They seemed to be moved with irrigation groundwater. Keywords: Acid-alkali extraction; Arsenic contamination; Soil arsenic mobility; Groundwater contamination; Paddy soil.  © 2009 JSR Publications. ISSN: 2070-0237(Print); 2070-0245 (Online). All rights reserved. DOI: 10.3329/jsr.v1i1.1058  

scholarly journals Smog Nitrogen and the Rapid Acidification of Forest Soil, San Bernardino Mountains, Southern California

2007 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 175-180 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yvonne A. Wood ◽  
Mark Fenn ◽  
Thomas Meixner ◽  
Peter J. Shouse ◽  
Joan Breiner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Southern California ◽  
Mediterranean Climate ◽  
Rapid Change ◽  
Soil Surface ◽  
Atmospheric Nitrogen ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
San Bernardino Mountains ◽  
San Bernardino ◽  
Fog Deposition ◽  
Very High

We report the rapid acidification of forest soils in the San Bernardino Mountains of southern California. After 30 years, soil to a depth of 25 cm has decreased from a pH (measured in 0.01 M CaCl2) of 4.8 to 3.1. At the 50-cm depth, it has changed from a pH of 4.8 to 4.2. We attribute this rapid change in soil reactivity to very high rates of anthropogenic atmospheric nitrogen (N) added to the soil surface (72 kg ha–1 year–1) from wet, dry, and fog deposition under a Mediterranean climate. Our research suggests that a soil textural discontinuity, related to a buried ancient landsurface, contributes to this rapid acidification by controlling the spatial and temporal movement of precipitation into the landsurface. As a result, the depth to which dissolved anthropogenic N as nitrate (NO3) is leached early in the winter wet season is limited to within the top ~130 cm of soil where it accumulates and increases soil acidity.

Fate of urea-nitrogen from cattle urine in a pasture-crop sequence in a seasonally dry tropical environment

1985 ◽  
Vol 36 (6) ◽  
pp. 809 ◽  
Author(s):  
I Vallis ◽  
DCI Peake ◽  
RK Jones ◽  
RL McCown
Keyword(s):  
Soil Depth ◽  
Soil Surface ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Mineral N ◽  
Seasonally Dry ◽  
15N Urea ◽  
Almost All ◽  
Crop Sequence

The fate of urea-N in cattle urine applied during the dry season (in August) to the pasture phase of a pasture-crop sequence at Katherine, N.T., was investigated. Cattle urine labelled with 15N-urea was applied to three sets of microplots to measure the following parameters: (a) amount and distribution of 15N remaining in the microplots during the remainder of the dry season with 0, 0.5, 1.0 and 5.0 t ha-1 of pasture residues present initially; (b) the effect of placing the urine 5 cm below the soil surface on the amount of 15N remaining during the dry season; (c) uptake of 15N by the pasture during the early part of the wet season (October to December) and uptake by sorghum sown directly into the killed pasture in January. Residual 15N in the surface soil (0-15 cm) after the sorghum crop was also measured. Of the applied 15N, 26% was lost after 1 day, 32% after 7 days and 46% after 63 days. Losses were not affected by the amount of pasture residues on the microplots when the urine was applied. Almost all of the I5N remaining in the microplots was in the 0-7.5-cm layer of soil, and 65-75% of this was mineral N. The dry-season losses of 15N were presumably through volatilization of ammonia, because leaching was absent and no loss of 15N occurred when the urine was placed 5 cm below the soil surface. Pasture growth killed at the end of December contained 6.2% of the applied 15N, the sorghum crop recovered only a further 2.1%, and after harvest of the sorghum crop the 0-15.0-cm layer of soil contained 23%. Thus about half of the 15N remaining in the soil-plant system to the 15.0 cm soil depth at the end of the dry season disappeared during the following wet season, either as a gaseous loss or by leaching deeper into the soil.

Effect of time of cessation of wet season grazing on Townsville stylo-annual grass pasture at Katherine, N.T

1973 ◽  
Vol 13 (64) ◽  
pp. 544 ◽  
Author(s):  
MJT Norman ◽  
LJ Phillips
Keyword(s):  
Dry Matter ◽  
Recovery Period ◽  
Dry Matter Yield ◽  
Annual Grass ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Active Growth ◽  
Heavy Grazing ◽  
Stylosanthes Humilis ◽  
Dry Conditions ◽  
Townsville Stylo

A Townsville stylo (Stylosanthes humilis)-annual grass pasture at Katherine, N.T., was subjected to a series of treatments in 1969-70 and 1970-71 under which plots were grazed heavily from the beginning of the wet season for a period and then allowed to recover undefoliated for the remainder of the season. The dates at which heavy grazing ceased were spaced at 2-week intervals from November 24 to March 16. At the end of the wet season, total dry matter yield was linearly related to length of recovery period. Townsville stylo yield declined as recovery period was reduced from 18 to 8 weeks, but showed little response to a further reduction to 4 weeks. In contrast, annual grass yield showed little change as recovery period was reduced from 18 to 8 weeks, but fell with a further reduction to 4 weeks. As a result, the proportion of Townsville stylo in the pasture at the end of the season was high with long and short recovery periods but reached a minimum with an 8 - 10 week recovery period. Dry conditions prevailed in the first half of both seasons. The evidence suggests that young Townsville stylo is sensitive to heavy grazing when under water stress, and that early grazing for grass control should be imposed only during periods of active growth.

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