• Authors:
    • Oliveira, P. S. R. de
    • Costa, A. C. T. da
    • Demetrio, J. V.
  • Source: Pesquisa Agropecuaria Tropical
  • Volume: 42
  • Issue: 2
  • Year: 2012
  • Summary: In the crop-livestock integration system, improper oat management can result in low biomass yield. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of cutting management systems on the biomass yield of five oat cultivars with potential use in the crop-livestock integration system. A completely randomized blocks design with four replications, in a split-plot scheme, was used. The plots were represented by the oat cultivars Preta Comum, IAPAR 61, IPR 126, FAPA 2, and FUNDACEP FAPA 43. The Preta Comum cultivar features a short cycle, while the others have a long one. The sub-plots were represented by the following cutting systems: one single cut in the flowering stage, one cut in the vegetative and other in the flowering stage, two cuts in the vegetative and other in the flowering stage, and three cuts in the vegetative and other in the flowering stage. The long cycle cultivars (IAPAR 61, IPR 126, FAPA 2, and FUNDACEP FAPA 43) reached high forage yield, without affecting the subsequent fodder yield for soil covering, pointing out its ability to be used in crop-livestock systems. The management systems with three cuts in the vegetative stage maximizes the forage yield, however, concerning fodder yield, the best results were obtained by using up to two cuts in the vegetative stage, or a single one in the flowering stage.
  • Authors:
    • Ray, R. V.
    • Imathiu, S. M.
    • Edwards, S. G.
    • Back, M.
    • Hare, M. C.
  • Source: International Journal of Food Microbiology
  • Volume: 156
  • Issue: 2
  • Year: 2012
  • Summary: High levels of Fusarium mycotoxins HT-2 and T-2 have been detected in UK oats since surveys started in 2002. Fusarium langsethiae and the closely related species F. sporotrichioides have previously been associated with the contamination of cereals with type A trichothecenes HT-2 and T-2 in Nordic countries. Preliminary microbiological analysis of UK oat samples with high concentrations of HT-2 and T-2 detected and isolated F. langsethiae and F. poae but not the other type A trichothecene producing species F. sporotrichioides, F. sibiricum and F. armeniacum. Two hundred and forty oat flour samples with a known mycotoxin profile were selected from a previous four year study (2002-2005) to cover the full concentration range from below the limit of quantification (
  • Authors:
    • Ferrari, J. V.
    • Furlani Junior, E.
    • Ferrari, S.
    • Alberton, J. V.
  • Source: Revista Brasileira de Ciencias Agrarias
  • Volume: 7
  • Issue: 2
  • Year: 2012
  • Summary: The fiber quality, productivity and favorable climate are considered key points for the development of the cotton crop in the Brazilian Cerrado. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of cover crops and N application in pre-sowing on the cotton crop growth and yield. The experimental design was randomized blocks, consisting of a - three cover crops (radish, white oat and black oat) implanted during the winter period, b - four nitrogen levels (0, 30, 60 and 90 kg ha -1 of N) applied to the millet residues and before cotton sowing. In April 2008, evaluations were realized of plant development and also harvesting was performed of experimental plots of cotton plants. The results showed that the radish provides increased length of branches and cotton bolls of cotton crop, without yield increase, and the use of increasing doses of N up to 90 kg ha -1 decreased the amount of carima per plant, increasing the number of reproductive branches and cotton yield.
  • Authors:
    • Handoo, Z. A.
    • Cram, M. M.
    • Fraedrich, S. W.
    • Zarnoch, S. J.
  • Source: Nematology
  • Volume: 14
  • Issue: 4
  • Year: 2012
  • Summary: Tylenchorhynchus ewingi, a stunt nematode, causes severe injury to slash pine seedlings and has been recently associated with stunting and chlorosis of loblolly pine seedlings at some forest tree nurseries in southern USA. Experiments confirmed that loblolly pine is a host for T. ewingi, and that the nematode is capable of causing severe damage to root systems. Initial population densities as low as 60 nematodes (100 cm 3 soil) -1 were sufficient to damage the root systems of loblolly pine seedlings. Populations of T. ewingi increased on pine from two- to 16-fold, depending on the initial population density. Evaluations of various cover crops used in southern forest tree nurseries indicated that legumes, rye and several varieties of sorghum were excellent hosts for T. ewingi. Other small grains such as ryegrass, oats and wheat were poorer hosts. A cultivar of pearl millet was a non-host for T. ewingi, and a cultivar of brown top millet appeared to be either a very poor host or a non-host. Nurseries that have seedling production losses caused by T. ewingi should consider rotating with non-host cover crops such as pearl millet or leaving fields fallow as part of their pest management programme.
  • Authors:
    • Bjornstad, A.
    • He, X.
  • Source: Theoretical and Applied Genetics
  • Volume: 125
  • Issue: 1
  • Year: 2012
  • Summary: Oat is an important crop in Nordic countries both for feed and human consumption. Maintaining a high level of genetic diversity is essential for both breeding and agronomy. A panel of 94 oat accessions was used in this study, including 24 museum accessions over 100- to 120-year old and 70 genebank accessions from mainly Nordic countries and Germany, covering different breeding periods. Sixty-one polymorphic SSR, 201 AFLP and 1056 DArT markers were used to evaluate the past and present genetic diversity of the Nordic gene pool. Norwegian accessions showed the highest diversity, followed by Swedish and Finnish, with German accessions the least diverse. In addition, the Nordic accessions appeared to be highly interrelated and distinct from the German, reflecting a frequent germplasm exchange and interbreeding among Nordic countries. A significant loss of diversity happened at the transition from landraces and old cultivars to modern cultivars. Modern oat originated from only a segment of the landraces and left the remainder, especially black oat, unused. However, no significant overall diversity reduction was found during modern breeding periods, although fluctuation of diversity indices was observed. The narrow genetic basis of the modern Nordic gene pool calls for increasing genetic diversity through cultivar introduction and prebreeding based on neglected sources like the Nordic black oat.
  • Authors:
    • Rosa, D.
    • Mauli, M.
    • Coelho, S.
    • Nobrega, L.
    • Lima, G.
  • Source: Journal of Food Agriculture and Environment
  • Volume: 10
  • Issue: 2 Part 1
  • Year: 2012
  • Summary: It is known that cover crops can influence on seed quality, as well as on yield cropping. This trial analyzed possible allelopathic interferences of black oat ( Avena strigosa Schreb.) remains and a consortium of black oat, forage turnip ( Raphanus sativus L.) and vetch ( Vicia sativa L.) on cropped seeds quality and soybean yield according to different intervals between the drying of some cover crops with Glyphosate 480 (3 L ha -1) herbicide and seeding with BRS 232 cultivar. Plots of 5.0 m * 2.5 m were established, plus 1 m of edge between each of them. The cover crop was sown in August, 2006, with 0.15 m of width among rows; the parcels were dried in intervals of one, ten, twenty and thirty days before the soybean seedling. Four treatments were arranged for black oat cover, four for consortium and one control for each cover, all randomized, with five replications. The soybean was seeded in November, 2006, with 0.45 m width among seeding rows. Data as yield, adjusted to 13% of moisture content on cropped seeds; seedling rate; weight of 100 seeds; moisture content and seeds vigor were recorded by the accelerated aging test. All the tests were submitted to an experimental design, with subdivided plots (split plot), completely randomized; the averages were also compared using Scott-Knott test at 5% of probability. The data showed a possible allelopathic interference of cover crops on soybean seed quality. The greatest weight of 100 seeds was obtained when soybean was sown under black oat cover compared to the consortium. On the other hand, when it was sown under consortium, it showed the best vigor, evaluated by the accelerated aging test. The yield did not differ between both covers. The intervals between drying and sowing interfered on weight of 100 seeds and soybean yield. The interval between drying and sowing of one day had a positive effect on weight of 100 seeds, but soybean yield decreased. Hence, it is not well recommended to sow soybean next to the drying management of a cover crop.
  • Authors:
    • Randerson, J.
    • Foley, J.
    • Giglio, L.
    • Jin, Y.
    • Lin, H.
  • Source: Ecological Applications
  • Volume: 22
  • Issue: 4
  • Year: 2012
  • Summary: Fires in agricultural ecosystems emit greenhouse gases and aerosols that influence climate on multiple spatial and temporal scales. Annex 1 countries of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), many of which ratified the Kyoto Protocol, are required to report emissions of CH 4 and N 2O from these fires annually. In this study, we evaluated several aspects of this reporting system, including the optimality of the crops targeted by the UNFCCC globally and within Annex 1 countries, and the consistency of emissions inventories among different countries. We also evaluated the success of individual countries in capturing interannual variability and long-term trends in agricultural fire activity. In our approach, we combined global high-resolution maps of crop harvest area and production, derived from satellite maps and ground-based census data, with Terra and Aqua Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) measurements of active fires. At a global scale, we found that adding ground nuts (e.g., peanuts), cocoa, cotton and oil palm, and removing potato, oats, rye, and pulse other from the list of 14 crops targeted by the UNFCCC increased the percentage of active fires covered by the reporting system by 9%. Optimization led to a different recommended list for Annex 1 countries, requiring the addition of sunflower, cotton, rapeseed, and alfalfa and the removal of beans, sugarcane, pulse others, and tuber-root others. Extending emissions reporting to all Annex 1 countries (from the current set of 19 countries) would increase the efficacy of the reporting system from 6% to 15%, and further including several non-Annex 1 countries (Argentina, Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Thailand, Kazakhstan, Mexico, and Nigeria) would capture over 55% of active fires in croplands worldwide. Analyses of interannual trends from the United States and Australia showed the importance of both intensity of fire use and crop production in controlling year-to-year variations in agricultural fire emissions. Remote sensing provides an effective means for evaluating some aspects of the current UNFCCC emissions reporting system; and, if combined with census data, field experiments and expert opinion, has the potential to improve the robustness of the next generation inventory system.
  • Authors:
    • Rodrigues, J. G. L.
    • Fernandes, D. M.
    • Bicudo, S. J.
    • Nascimento, F. M.
    • Fernandes, J. C.
    • Furtado, M. B.
  • Source: Revista Brasileira de Ciencias Agrarias
  • Volume: 7
  • Issue: 1
  • Year: 2012
  • Summary: The main goal of this research was to evaluate the response of maize crop in succession to maize+oat crops, with the anticipation of the increasing doses of nitrogen application in the oat culture, in no-tillage system. The experiment was carried out under field conditions at FCA/UNESP, Botucatu Campus, Sao Paulo, Brazil. The experimental design was arranged in randomized blocks with four replications, in split-plots. The plots were the nitrogen doses applied on the oat crop (0, 20, 40 e 60 kg ha -1), and split-plots, the nitrogen doses applied in the cover (60, 80, 100 e 120 kg ha -1), divided into two different crop stages of the maize crop. The dry matter weight and the C/N ratio were assessed on the oat and maize crops. On the maize crop, the plant nitrogen was quantified before the first covering and 15 days after the second covering, when the dry matter weight of the maize plants was determined. After the harvest, the yield was also calculated. Results indicate that the maize development and yield under no-till system were related to the straw C/N ratio, and the maize crop response to the anticipated N fertilization anticipation varied according to the N doses and application periods. The dry matter weight of the maize plants were influenced by the rates and periods of N applications.
  • Authors:
    • Tres, T.
    • Jobim, C.
    • Oliveira, E.
    • Oliveira, P.
    • Castagnara, D.
    • Neres, M.
    • Mesquita, E.
  • Source: REVISTA BRASILEIRA DE ZOOTECNIA-BRAZILIAN JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCE
  • Volume: 41
  • Issue: 4
  • Year: 2012
  • Summary: The experiment was carried out to evaluate the structural characteristics, biomass accumulation, chemical composition and in vitro digestibility of dry matter and crude protein of white oat ( Avena sativa L. IPR 126) under different management systems. Grazing, cut at two heights (15 and 20 cm) and free growth were all evaluated in three periods (July, August and September) with a 28-day average interval between evaluations. In the free growth system, samples at 15 and 20 cm were also taken at the intervals chosen for cutting and grazing. The experimental design was in randomized blocks with three replications, arranged in a 3*2 factorial split plot design over time; systems of management and heights were the factors of plots, and time was taken as subplot. There was higher straw production under free growth, but, with decreased chemical quality from the first to the second period and from the second to the third one, with 236.4, 172.5, and 91.4 g/kg crude protein values, respectively. Regarding cutting and grazing systems, they showed structural changes in tillering, which was favored by the cut, but with some reduction in the periods. Nutritional quality values were close to cutting and grazing with high crude protein content (216.6 g/kg), adequate neutral detergent fiber (535.4 g/kg) content and high in vitro digestibility of dry matter (826.3 g/kg). Management heights promoted few changes in the characteristics evaluated. After the third period, cutting and grazing systems showed no suitable residual straw for ground covering and set a summer crop under no-tillage system, with 738.39 kg/ha of residual dry matter on average.
  • Authors:
    • Asselt, E.
    • Eitzinger, J.
    • Brisson, N.
    • Siebert, S.
    • Ewert, F.
    • Trnka, M.
    • Borjesson, T.
    • Peltonen-Sainio, P.
    • Skjelvag, A.
    • Rotter, R.
    • Palosuo, T.
    • Elsgaard, L.
    • Borgesen, C.
    • Olesen, J.
    • Oberforster, M.
    • Fels-Klerx, H.
  • Source: Food Additives and Contaminants Part A-Chemistry Analysis Control Exposure & Risk Assessment
  • Volume: 29
  • Issue: 10
  • Year: 2012
  • Summary: The phenological development of cereal crops from emergence through flowering to maturity is largely controlled by temperature, but also affected by day length and potential physiological stresses. Responses may vary between species and varieties. Climate change will affect the timing of cereal crop development, but exact changes will also depend on changes in varieties as affected by plant breeding and variety choices. This study aimed to assess changes in timing of major phenological stages of cereal crops in Northern and Central Europe under climate change. Records on dates of sowing, flowering, and maturity of wheat, oats and maize were collected from field experiments conducted during the period 1985-2009. Data for spring wheat and spring oats covered latitudes from 46 to 64°N, winter wheat from 46 to 61°N, and maize from 47 to 58°N. The number of observations (site-year-variety combinations) varied with phenological phase, but exceeded 2190, 227, 2076 and 1506 for winter wheat, spring wheat, spring oats and maize, respectively. The data were used to fit simple crop development models, assuming that the duration of the period until flowering depends on temperature and day length for wheat and oats, and on temperature for maize, and that the duration of the period from flowering to maturity in all species depends on temperature only. Species-specific base temperatures were used. Sowing date of spring cereals was estimated using a threshold temperature for the mean air temperature during 10 days prior to sowing. The mean estimated temperature thresholds for sowing were 6.1, 7.1 and 10.1°C for oats, wheat and maize, respectively. For spring oats and wheat the temperature threshold increased with latitude. The effective temperature sums required for both flowering and maturity increased with increasing mean annual temperature of the location, indicating that varieties are well adapted to given conditions. The responses of wheat and oats were largest for the period from flowering to maturity. Changes in timing of cereal phenology by 2040 were assessed for two climate model projections according to the observed dependencies on temperature and day length. The results showed advancements of sowing date of spring cereals by 1-3 weeks depending on climate model and region within Europe. The changes were largest in Northern Europe. Timing of flowering and maturity were projected to advance by 1-3 weeks. The changes were largest for grain maize and smallest for winter wheat, and they were generally largest in the western and northern part of the domain. There were considerable differences in predicted timing of sowing, flowering and maturity between the two climate model projections applied.