Forages produced in the north central interior of British Columbia are low in percentage crude protein (CP). Growing lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) should increase forage percentage CP, but many of the soils are considered too acidic for this species. The objective of three field experiments, conducted at the Prince George experimental farm, was to evaluate management practices that might accommodate the growth of lucerne on acid soils without the expense of liming. Experiment 1 compared three legume species (lucerne, alsike clover (Trifolium hybridum L.) and red clover (T. pratense L.)), preinoculated lime-coated seed (GNRTM, Grow Tec Ltd, Nisku, Alberta), and soil liming on root nodulation and forage dry matter (DM) yield. Experiment 2 compared lucerne genetic lines, seed preinoculation and soil liming on root nodulation and forage DM yield and percentage CP. Experiment 3 compared lucerne rhizobia genetic strains, seed preinoculation and soil liming on root nodulation, forage DM yield and percentage CP.

For effective nodulation, lucerne required seed preinoculation, whereas alsike clover and red clover did not. Lucerne persisted longer than alsike or red clover. In Expts 2 and 3, the combination of lime and preinoculation increased lucerne DM yield by 136% and %CP from 9·2 to 15·4. The addition of lime alone increased lucerne DM yield by an average of 130% and %CP from 9·2 to 16·3. With preinoculation alone, lucerne DM yield increased by 100% and %CP increased from 9·2 to 12·7. Although using preinoculated lime-coated seed alone is not as effective as lime alone, coated seed may be the preferred method, based on ease of application and cost. Neither the six lucerne lines nor the three rhizobial strains evaluated resulted in improved root nodulation under acidic conditions.

The length and weight per unit length of individual internodes of mature reproductive tillers of S. 24 and S. 23 perennial ryegrass and S. 345 and S. 143 cocksfoot were examined under three manurial treatments. At the lower level of nitrogen application successive internodes generally increased in length from the base upward. With additional nitrogen there was an increased proportion of tillers in which internodes near the base of the stem were longer than those immediately above them; lateheading tillers were most affected.

Nitrogen increased the weight per unit length of upper internodes of all four varieties; the effect was most marked in S. 23 ryegrass. In the two ryegrasses, nitrogen reduced the weight per unit length of the basal internode.

At maturity the upper internodes had lower dry-matter digestibility values than the lower. Nitrogen reduced the dry-matter digestibility of upper and lower internodes.

The results are discussed in relation to selection criteria in variety synthesis.

Leaching in a salt-affected, permeable, sandy loam soil was evaluated under continuous and intermittent ponding conditions in 2 × 2 m (S1), 4 × 4 m (S2) and 6 × 6 m (S3) plots. The soil contained large amounts of soluble salts throughout the profile to the water table, chiefly chlorides and sulphates of sodium, calcium and magnesium. The leaching curves did not differ significantly between Slf Sa and S3 plots under continuous ponding but did under intermittent ponding. The leaching efficiency decreased sharply with increased plot size. The leaching efficiency in Sj plots was significantly greater with intermittent than with continuous ponding, but the reverse was true in S3 plots. The displacement of the resident soil solution in S1 plots under intermittent ponding was nearly piston-like. With increased plot size, it tended to deviate from this behaviour. The leaching curves from S3 plots (this size being reasonable in farmers' fields) were compared with those obtained from numerical solution of a simplified steady-state salt transport model. The model also included a source term, solubility rate constant, for the slightly soluble salts present in the experimental soil. The pore water velocity was estimated from field capacity and time-averaged infiltration rate. The effective dispersion coefficient and solubility rate constant were estimated by a least-squares minimization technique. A reasonably good agreement was obtained between simulated and experimental leaching curves. For practical purposes, this simple model may be adequate to predict leaching in salt-affected soils similar to the one under consideration.

1. A comparison was made between the pulse rate of shorn and unshorn sheep maintained in the shade and direct sunlight during the various seasons of the year.

2. The variability of the pulse rate during the day generally agreed with the daily changes in body temperature and presumed level of metabolism. Fluctuations were greater in unshorn sheep.

3. Pulse rate was lower during summer (60–100 for unshorn and 63–100 for shorn sheep) than in winter (90–130 for unshorn and 90–115 for shorn sheep). It tended to increase with a rise in ambient temperature, especially during winter and spring. A lower pulse rate accompanied a rise in environmental temperature, during summer. The slowest pulse rate of 42 per minute was observed during summer in the hot dry area.

4. The pulse rate of both groups increased with a rise in rectal temperature, particularly at low ambient temperatures. At comparable rectal temperatures, a higher average pulse rate was observed in shorn sheep during winter and spring. With elevated summer temperatures, equal pulse rates were noted in both groups of equal rectal temperatures. Since the rectal temperatures of the shorn exceeded that of unshorn sheep, in high environmental temperatures, and in the sun, their pulse rate under these conditions was also higher.

5. The differences in pulse rate between the two groups appeared to reflect the combined effects of metabolic rate, body temperature and the vasomotor activity, all of which vary with season and environmental temperatures.

1. Phosphorus in hydrochloric acid extracts of soil may be conveniently determined by digestion with sulphuric and nitric acids.

2. By boiling soil with hydrochloric acid (B.P. 110° C.) for 48 hours under reflux an end-point of extraction is reached.

3. Digestion of soil with sulphuric and nitric acids gives results in agreement with results by 48 hours” hydrochloric acid extraction.

4. It is suggested that the phosphorus thus extracted represents a definite category of soil phosphorus, which may be taken as the total phosphorus present in the soil.

5. Details of the suggested method are given.

Nine 5-year field experiments between 1964 and 1971 tested the effect of kainit, kieserite, magnesium and calcium limestone, and farmyard manure on yield and magnesium uptake by sugar beet and on exchangeable soil magnesium. The experiments were in the main sugar beet growing areas on soils that contained little (12–24 ppm) exchangeable magnesium. The fertilizers were applied in the year before the first sugar-beet crop and fresh dressings of some were given to other plots each time sugar beet was grown. Kieserite increased sugar yield equally when applied in the sugarbeet seed bed or three years before the sugar beet. Magnesium limestone was effective only when the soil pH was less than 7·0. FYM greatly increased yield but the increase could not be explained entirely by the magnesium it supplied.

On average, applying 100 kg/ha magnesium (as kieserite) to the seed bed increased the magnesium concentration in dried tops and roots by about 0·135 and 0·020% respectively and the total uptake by the crop in August by 9·0 kg/ha. The same treatment applied in the sugar-beet seed bed or 3 or 4 years previously increased exchangeable magnesium in the surface 25 cm of soil by 29·0, 7·6 and 1·8 ppm respectively. Thus much of the fertilizer given to the first sugar-beet crop was lost from the plough layer for the second sugar-beet crop but the yields indicated that some of it was available from depth.

On alkaline soils, when exchangeable soil magnesium in the plough layer is 0–25, 26–50 or > 51 ppm, an initial application of 100, 50 or 0 kg/ha respectively of water-soluble magnesium is needed, applied either in the previous autumn or to the sugarbeet seed bed. If the exchangeable soil magnesium before the following or subsequent sugar-beet crop is 0–15, 16–25 or > 26 ppm, a further application of 100, 50 or 0 kg/ha respectively of magnesium should be given.

Deer farming commenced in New Zealand (NZ) in 1969, and since then the number of farmed deer has progressively increased, to reach 1·3 million in 1993 (Game Industry Board (GIB), personal communication). These comprise 85% European red deer (Cervus elaphus), with the remainder being composed of elk (Cervus elaphus canadensis), elk/red deer crossbreds, fallow deer (Dama dama) and small numbers of other species. Initially, deer were obtained from the capture of feral animals, introduced to NZ over 100 years ago, but in the last 10 years the increase has come from breeding on deer farms. The industry has a strategic marketing plan to coordinate all sectors in order to maintain profitability. This plan has been implemented and financed by the GIB, through the collection of compulsory levies on venison and velvet sales. With the formation of the GIB in 1984, the NZ Deer industry has been strongly export market-led, and thus differs from the NZ sheep and cattle industries, which developed with a production driven philosophy. Key aspects of the market-led approach have been to produce and market venison which is consistently tender and of low fat content, and at the carcass weight range and times required by the markets.

1. Gibberellic acid had no effect on the germination of six species of small-seeded legumes.

2. Seven varieties of Trifolium repens L. plants were treated with gibberellic acid and their responses determined. All varieties showed an increase in petiole length and individual leaf area due to an increase in cell numbers; a decrease in stolon numbers and length was also noted. The total leaf area per plant remained unchanged. Total dry weight, shoot dry weight and root dry weight were each significantly reduced.

3. The stolons lost their normal diageotropic response and became negatively geotropic and it is postulated that the stoloniferous habit may be due to a gibberellic acid/indole-acetic acid interaction.

4. Because treated plants of Wild white clover closely resembled untreated plants of Ladino clover it is postulated that endogenous levels of gibberellins may play an important part in the development of varieties and in the evolutionary process as a whole.

In two separate field experiments with green gram (Vigna radiata L. Wilczek) and black gram (Vigna mungo L. Wilczek), the effect of seed treatment of molybdenum at 4, 8 and 12 g of sodium molybdate/kg seeds as well as foliar nutrition of sodium molybdate at 0·4, 0·8 and 1·2 kg/ha was evaluated on the nodulation characteristics and leghaemoglobin content of nodules and growth and yield of crops. Both seed treatment and foliar application of sodium molybdate were found to be superior to controls in respect of the number of nodules per plant and dry weight of nodules. The leghaemoglobin content of nodules in both crops was maximal in the treatments with the highest dose of seed treatment followed by the highest dose of molybdenum for foliar sprays. Molybdenum favourably influenced the growth of green gram and black gram by increasing the number of branches and leaves and by nearly doubling the leaf area index. This resulted in increased D.M. and yield of pods.

Two clones of perennial ryegrass were planted along the radii of a fan in such a way that any group of four adjacent plants was approximately square, with spacings ranging from 3 to 30 cm. During the first year the amount of regrowth per vegetative plant was found to be related to the area available at the high densities, whereas at low densities there was little change in weight per plant with change in density. At high densities the number of tillers declined following defoliation, but at low densities it increased consistently. In the second year, the ratio of fertile to barren tillers was lower and ear emergence was later at high densities. Results indicated that the performance of the clones differed in each of three stages of regrowth. It appeared that early regrowth was better in the erect clone, but after the first week, and where the canopy remained open, the RGR of the prostrate clone was greater. In a dense sward the crop growth was greater in the erect clone indicating that better use was made of the available light.

Research has shown that it is now possible to control the oestrous cycle of ewes with a high degree of precision (Robinson et al. 1967; Gordon, 1975; Boland, Kelleher & Gordon, 1978). There is general agreement that a high concentration of progestagen, followed by rapid withdrawal and adequate ovarian stimulation is necessary for acceptable fertility (Robinson et al. 1967; Gordon, 1975; Colas, 1975). Application of artificial insemination in France has involved the use of a 40–45 mg Cronolone sponge (Cognie, Mariana & Thimonier, 1970; Colas et al. 1973) while controlled breeding in sheep in Ireland has been used in conjunction with a 30 mg Cronolone pessary (Gordon, 1975; Smith, Boland & Gordon, 1978, 1981). The present experiment was designed to compare the relative effectiveness of two doses of Cronolone (30 or 45 mg) when administered in conjunction with two quantities(375 or 750 i.u.) of pregnant mare serum gonadotrophin (PMSG), given by intramuscular injection.

Investigations on the various products of the action of lime on copper sulphate, including ordinary Bordeaux mixture, led to the conclusion that the efficacy of such substances as fungicides depended on the proportion of copper in them which is rendered soluble by the carbon dioxide of the air, and, that if a deficiency of lime is used to start with, one of the lower basic sulphates of copper is obtained, from which carbon dioxide liberates a much larger proportion of copper than it does from the more highly basic sulphates present in ordinary Bordeaux mixture. The lowest basic sulphate is, owing to its physical condition, unsuitable for spraying purposes; but this is not so with the compound 10 CuO, SO3, obtained by adding lime-water to copper sulphate just short of alkalinity, and this substance has been put on the market under the name of Woburn Bordeaux Paste. In the absence of secondary reactions, carbon dioxide should convert one-tenth of the copper present in it into soluble copper sulphate, 2 (10 CuO, SO3) + 9 CO2 = 9 (2 CuO, CO2) + 2 CuSO4, whereas with ordinary Bordeaux mixture, any copper sulphate formed in this way, would be decomposed by the excess of lime present, and that ultimately remaining undecomposed would be very small in amount.

The performance of different stocks of Scottish Blackface sheep and their crosses was compared on a harsh Scottish hill experimental farm. The strains were the Stanhope farm stock (a control flock, closed for 30 years), stock from local Breeders, and first crosses and back-crosses of Stanhope stock with stocks represented by rams purchased at Lanark market. Some 3892 ewe records were available with 1837 lamb performance records. Estimated effects for the three types of stock and of heterosis in the Stanhope and Lanark cross were derived statistically. The local Breeders' stock had the heaviest lambs at weaning and the Stanhope stock the lightest. The local Breeders' stock also had the heaviest ewes and higher litter size but had lower fertility and lower lamb survival. Output expressed relative to ewe weight was highest for the cross-bred stock. Heterosis was positive for all traits studied except survival but was statistically significant only for ewe weight and lamb birth weight. If the Stanhope stock was representative of Scottish Blackface sheep of 30 years ago, breeding by Scottish Blackface breeders has led to an estimated improvement of 9% in the output per ewe exposed, and 5% in efficiency of production.

Identification of plant cultivars efficient for nitrogen (N) uptake and utilization may contribute to the improvement of crop yield potential in areas of low-N (LN) availability. Three cycles of full-sib recurrent selection were applied on a LN pool-yellow (LNP-Y) maize population to improve its level of tolerance to low soil N in the savannah ecosystem. The progress after three cycles of selection was evaluated for two years (2000 and 2001). The objectives of the study were to classify the cycles in relation to response to N levels under field conditions and to investigate the progress in selection for improved grain yield and other agronomic traits at two N levels, LN (30 kg N/ha) and high-N (HN, 90 kg N/ha). The experiment was conducted under field conditions at the LN screening site of the Institute for Agricultural Research, Samaru, in the northern Guinea savannah of Nigeria. The experimental design consisted of randomized complete blocks with three replications. The aboveground biomass and grain at harvest were analysed for total N content. The results indicated differences in plant population response to N levels. Mean grain yield ranged from 2·5 t/ha in cycle 1 to 2·7 t/ha in cycle 3 under LN and from 4·2 t/ha in cycle 1 to 4·3 t/ha in cycle 3 under HN. The observed gains were 4·8% per cycle under LN and 1·4% per cycle under HN. Nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) traits, viz. N uptake efficiency and N utilization efficiency were positively affected by selection. Gains for N utilization efficiency were 6·3% per cycle at LN and 9·1% per cycle at HN, while observed gains for NUE were 3·9% at LN and 1·4% per cycle at HN. However, N utilization efficiency was identified as the most important component of NUE for selecting cycles of selection in population development. Total N content and N utilization efficiency were significantly correlated with each other at LN, and had a significant, positive, direct effect on grain yield. Grain yield was positively correlated with N content and N utilization efficiency at both N levels. Also, a significant positive correlation was observed at LN between 300 kernel weight and N utilization efficiency. N utilization efficiency was correlated with ears/plant at HN and negatively correlated with anthesis-silking interval (ASI). The present study revealed that selection for improved productivity under LN stress conditions could be further enhanced by simultaneously selecting for high grain yield performance based on N utilization efficiency and on secondary traits, such as ears/plant, 300 kernel weight, and reduced ASI.

Maternal serum hormones (progesterone, oestradiol, triiodothyronine and cortisol) and blood metabolites (β-hydroxy butyric acid [BHBA] and blood urea nitrogen [BUN]) concentrations at weeks 0, 4, 8, 12, 16 and 20 of pregnancy were measured in 39 pregnant Javanese thin-tail ewes (20 and 19 carrying single and multiple [2–3] foetuses, respectively), and six non-pregnant ewes as controls, to evaluate their correlations with lamb birth weight at parturition. All hormones and metabolites changed with the advance of pregnancy. Regression analyses showed that concentrations of triiodothyronine, cortisol, BHBA, and BUN in the maternal circulation during pregnancy had lower correlations with lamb birth weight at parturition than those of progesterone and oestradiol. Progesterone and oestradiol concentrations in the maternal circulation at week 8 of pregnancy had the greatest correlations with lamb birth weight at parturition. The higher the concentrations of progesterone and oestradiol in the maternal circulation at week 8 of pregnancy, the higher the lamb birth weight at parturition. The results suggested that raising maternal serum progesterone and oestradiol concentrations during early pregnancy in sheep, either by exogenous administration or superovulation, might improve prenatal growth and lamb birth weight.

Cell walls of three bloat-causing legumes, lucerne, red clover and white clover tended to be thinner and disintegrated significantly (P < 0·05) faster during cellulase digestion than those of two non-bloat-causing legumes, sainfoin (reported to contain tannins) and cicer milkvetch (reported not to contain tannins). Response to one generation of selection for speed of mesophyll cell-wall disintegration was marked in a diploid red clover (h2 = 0·66, 1·13) but slight in a tetraploid (h2 = 0·10, 0·13).

Experiments with main-crop potatoes were made at Rothamsted and Woburn in 1971 and 1972 to measure the effects of applying four amounts (1260, 1880, 2510 or 3140 kg/ha) of granular NPK fertilizer (containing 13% N, 13% P2O5 and 20% K2O)for two pairs of varieties (Pentland Crown and King Edward at Rothamsted; Pentland Crown and Record at Woburn) planted either 30 or 45 cm apart in the row.

Yields of each variety were greatly increased by the first and second increments of fertilizer at each farm each year (mean increases of 5·5 and 5·2 t/ha respectively), but less by the third (2·1 t/ha); total yields were increased from 35·7 t/ha with 1260 kg/ha of fertilizer to 48·5 t/ha with 3140 kg/ha. As yields increased the proportion of small tubers (< 44 mm) decreased, whilst that of medium (44–70 mm) and large (> 70 mm) tubers increased.

The removals of N, P and K by each variety of potato were calculated; for those given 2510 kg/ha of 13·13–20 fertilizer, the mean amounts (kg/ha) removed were 154, 20·6 and 242 of N, P and K respectively, or 47, 14 and 58% of the amounts given. A balance sheet showed the amounts remaining in the soil after potato harvest.

Winter wheat was grown after the potatoes to value residual N. In 1972, when average amounts of winter rain fell, grain yields were increased by these residues on the heavy Rothamsted soil, but not on the sandy Woburn soil. In 1973, after an unusually dry winter, the residues consistently decreased yields because of lodging, showing that little N had leached during the winter. % N in the grain was increased by the fertilizer residues each year.

According to the EU 28/2009 directive, member states are mandated to substitute 10% of fossil fuels used in transportation with biofuels by the year 2020. Bioethanol production is expected to contribute significantly towards fulfilling Greece's obligations. First-generation bioethanol, produced from amylaceous and sugar crops, is the most important biofuel globally. Maize (Zea mays L.) is the main feedstock for production worldwide, while sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench), although a promising raw material source, has not yet enjoyed substantial commercial exploitation due to the high seasonality of the crop. Sustainability criteria set by the EU constitute a key factor in the characterization and future use of biofuels. A 3-year study including 20 maize and 4 sweet sorghum varieties was conducted in order to compare these two crops in terms of emitted greenhouse gases (GHG) during the cultivation phase as well as regarding emission savings by substituting bioethanol for petrol/gasoline. Both crops demonstrated promising bioethanol yields reaching 5235·7 and 6443·7 l/ha/yr for maize and sweet sorghum, respectively, and showed that they could be employed towards first-generation bioethanol production in Greece. Sweet sorghum varieties produced higher bioethanol yields per hectare coupled with lower emissions during the cultivation phase and better overall GHG savings compared to maize.

In 1974 and 1975 certified Scottish seed tubers were multiplied at four sites of different altitude which had different mean soil temperatures. The progeny tubers were subsequently grown to produce a ware crop at Wellesbourne in 1975 and 1976. In 1975, the effects of the site of seed production on sprout growth and tuber yield of the ware crop were small though there was an indication of a negative relationship between total tuber yield and the temperature at each site. In 1976 the effect of the site of seed production was more marked. The total sprout length per tuber of both the varieties used was greatest from the hottest site and least from the coolest site. In the field the final yield of both varieties was lowest from the hottest site and greatest from the coolest site of seed production. There was no indication that the effect of the site of seed production on tuber yield occurred as a result of differences in stem density.

Last season (1912) it was noticed that gooseberry trees were being seriously deformed by an attack of Eriophyes. Specimens of the mite were sent to Dr Nalepa and they were identified by him as Eriophyes ribis, the mite responsible for the disease known as “big-bud” in black currants.