The duration of flowering was investigated in 14 accessions of indeterminate faba (field) beans (Vicia faba L.) planted near Adelaide, South Australia in 1986 and 1987. All flowers and young pods were removed from plants at 4–7 day intervals. Plants of ‘Mediterranean’ origin produced 20–30 flowering nodes while those of European ‘spring bean’ type produced up to 50. Terminal inflorescences were eventually produced in all accessions. In control plants, the number of days between anthesis at successive nodes was partly dependent on nocturnal minimum temperature and varied very little between genotypes. It should be possible to make best use of the growing season by optimizing the potential production of nodes, but there is little opportunity for manipulating the rate of their appearance.

This work aimed to evaluate the effects of sire's and dam's biological type, dam's age class at calving and individual heterozygosis, and to estimate variance components for weaning weight adjusted to 210 days (WW210) in beef cattle of different breed groups. Records of 13 687 animals, obtained from 2000 to 2007, were used. Bulls from the biological types Zebu (N), Adapted (A), British (B), Continental (C) and ¼N|¼A|¼B|¼C were mated with purebred zebu (N) and crossbred females (½C|½N and ½B|½N). Dam age at calving was 3–12 years. The influence of several effects on WW210 was tested using the least square method. Variance component analysis was performed using a Bayesian approach. The model included contemporary group, dam's age class at calving, sire's and dam's biological types as systematic effects, animal's age and individual heterozygosis as linear covariates, and direct and maternal additive genetic, maternal permanent environmental and residual effects as random effects. The progeny of bulls from biological type B and the crossbred cows showed higher WW210 means. Cows at 6–7 years old weaned heavier calves. Direct and maternal heritability estimates for WW210 were 0.5 ± 0.04 and 0.1 ± 0.02, respectively. Calves with 100% individual heterozygosis weighed on average 25.98 kg more at weaning compared to progenies from pure breeds. Sire's and dam's biological types influence the WW210 of the crossed progenies. Crossbred cows produce heavier calves compared to biological type N cows. These results and the obtained direct and maternal heritabilities suggest it is possible to choose the lines of sires and dams that could be used to make the crosses to obtain progenies with better performance for WW210.

Diploid and tetraploid perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) cultivars were compared sown alone and in mixtures, with and without cattle treading for 4 years after the year of sowing. Data were also obtained on the survival of tetraploid ryegrass in mixtures under farm conditions.

The overall effect of treading was not large but annual yield of dry matter was reduced by cattle treading every year (mean 9%). Sheep grazing and treading also reduced yield below that of cut plots. The reduction depended on the sampling date and varied from 40% to nil. In two instances treading increased yield.

Interactions between cultivars/mixtures and treading occurred in 22% of the occasions when treading influenced yield. In the first harvest year the tetraploid Reveille was more resistant to treading than the diploid S. 24. In older swards (3rd and 4th harvest year) the situation was reversed. The occurrence of cultivar/mixtures × treading interactions and the effect of mixing diploid and tetraploid ryegrass on resistance to treading were unpredictable.

The evidence from the main trial and the farm survey showed that tetraploid ryegrass could persist for at least 3 years after the seeding year when exposed to periods of high stock density. In addition, in mixtures there was no initial domination of the sward by either component when cut or when subjected to severe treading. In the third harvest year of the experiment the proportion of tetraploid ryegrass decreased considerably. Total yield of the mixtures was not significantly different from that of pure swards of the components though seasonal distribution of yield could be modified. The contribution of tetraploid ryegrass to swards up to 4 years old was in proportion to the percentage of tetraploid in the seeds mixture. Evidence from both the experiment and farm survey demonstrates that it is possible to exploit advantages claimed for tetraploids in mixtures for three harvest years without detrimental effect on sward performance.

The sheep farming has economic and sociocultural importance in semi-arid regions worldwide. Of the total of 1.2 billion sheep in the world, 0.4 are found in semi-arid regions. In this review, we have discussed the main risk factors for neonatal lamb mortality and its association with the prevailing environmental conditions of tropical semi-arid regions. Over the last decades, the average mortality rate of newborn lambs remained relatively constant (~15%) around the world. This rate is reported to be higher (Up to 30%) in small-scale sheep farming systems from developing countries. Overall, the main risk factors of neonatal mortality include low birth weight, dystocia, adverse weather conditions, inadequate milk, or colostrum supply, competition between siblings in multiple births, and poor expression of maternal behaviour. In tropical semi-arid regions, recent findings revealed that newborn lambs from hair coat sheep breeds are less vigorous to perform the first suckling when even exposed to moderate cold conditions (18–20°C). On the other hand, the high radiant heat load in these areas can also challenge the thermoregulation of ewes and newborn lambs, especially if they are kept in areas without protection against direct short-wave solar radiation. Under such circumstances, newborn lambs were reported to be hyperthermic. The heat stress as risk factor for neonatal lamb mortality is a topic that deserves more investigation, particularly in tropical semi-arid areas, where is expected to be drier and hotter as consequence of rapid advances in climate change.

1. An improved artificial rumen apparatus of the dialysis type with multiple fermentation units was built and a method for its operation was evolved. Biochemical criteria of validity were used and particular reference was made to the molar percentage of the volatile fatty acids produced.

2. It was found that the apparatus was best used in a comparative manner, to measure treatment differences produced between individual fermentation units.

3. A series of experiments was carried out to measure the effects of a range of dietary treatments on rumen fermentation. In each case an in vivo comparison was also made using a cow with a permanent rumen fistula.

4. Correlation coefficients for treatment differences of 0·43 and 0·46 were found for ammonia T.V.F.A., and 0·73, 0·90 and 0·70 for the molecular proportions of acetic, propionic and butyric all the latter being significant.

5. The results were discussed with particular reference to the advantages and limitations of apparatus and the most suitable application of technique.

1. A bacillus isolated from celery affected by soft-rot reproduced the disease when inoculated into celery plants.

2. Other vegetables commonly grown as garden crops are susceptible to attack by the same organism.

3. The bacillus is very sensitive to the action of antiseptic and germicidal reagents.

4. It is typically bacilliform but under certain conditions may be almost isodiametric and coccus-like, or it may develop into very long filaments.

5. It is capable of growing in a synthetic medium containing a sugar or pectin as the sole carbon compound.

6. Its group number is 221·1113522 and since B. carotovorus Jones proves to be a yellow organism the latter must also be included under that number. The two organisms appear to differ slightly on minor points, e.g. vigour of growth in Uschinsk's solution and on celery extract agar.

7. Like B. carotovorus the celery-rot organism is very sensitive to desiccation.

The effects of sowing date and cutting stage on grain yield, biomass and leaf area were analysed in three spring triticale genotypes (× Triticosecale Wittmack) grown at three different sites in Spain during 1990/91. Results indicated that the most appropriate sowing date for grain yield in these environments seemed to be from the last 10 days in November to mid-December. Cutting reduced grain yield, biomass and leaf area at anthesis, and these decreases were greater in a drier environment (the only exception being cutting at Zadoks growth stage (GS)31 at Lleida), and when the cutting was done at GS31 rather than GS30. The significant relationships found between the percentage loss in grain yield and biomass and leaf area at anthesis after cutting suggest that genotypes intended for grain and forage production need to be able to regenerate leaf area rapidly after cutting.

1. Measurements on the loss of ignition of four soils of different physical type are not affected by changes in the temperature of furnace, provided that the temperature is above 600°. Errors in the determination of the loss on ignition are of the order of 1 per cent. of the true value.

2. The loss in weight of the soils can be ascribed in the main to loss of free and interstitial water up to about 100°; to destruction of organic colloids between 100° and 250°; and to destruction of inorganic colloids at higher temperatures.

Thanks are due to Miss T. Alper, M.A. (Cape Town) for assistance in making some of the preliminary measurements.

In 1976–7, 1977–8 and 1978–9 plots of winter-sown field beans, either irrigated in June and July or unirrigated, were treated with one or more sprays of benomyl or were untreated. The amounts of chocolate spot on field bean leaves and flowers were increased by irrigation and decreased by benomyl in all seasons. These effects were greater in 1977 and 1978, when there was respectively 76·5 and 82·4 mm rainfall in June, than in 1979, when there was 30 mm rainfall in June and less chocolate spot developed. Leaves half-way up stems of plants in irrigated, unsprayed plots had 11% of their area affected in July 1977, 17% affected in July 1978, but only 4% affected in August 1979. By contrast, middle leaves of plants in unirrigated, sprayed plots had 3, 4 and 0·3% of their leaves affected in 1977, 1978 and 1979 respectively. Irrigation increased the number of pods per stem in 1977 and 1979 and decreased it in 1978; it decreased grain yield in 1977 and 1978, but increased yield in 1979. Benomyl treatments affected the number of pods little in any year; they increased yield in 1977 and and 1978, but not in 1979.

The results of 62 comparative digestibility and nitrogen balance trials of Asiatic water buffalo and Zebu cattle fed the same roughage or mixed diet were analysed to test for species differences in various nitrogen input-output relationships. The influence of dietary metabolizable energy content on the utilization of dietary or apparently digested nitrogen (ADN) was also investigated.

There was no difference between buffaloes and Zebus in their ability to digest dietary nitrogen. The true nitrogen digestibility was calculated to be 81% and the metabolic faecal nitrogen excretion to be 0·36 g N/lOOg dry-matter intake. The buffaloes had lower rates of excretion of urinary nitrogen per unit increase in ADN, and at the same intake of ADN (143 mg/kg live weight/day), they had the higher nitrogen balance: 58 v. 48 mg/kg live weight/day. Dietary metabolizable energy content did not affect the utilization of digested nitrogen.

Estimates of metabolic faecal nitrogen and endogenous urinary nitrogen excretions and of maintenance requirements for digested nitrogen were similar to those of tropical large ruminants reported by other workers. On low-quality (0·8% N) or medium-quality (1·6% N) diets, it was calculated that buffaloes would have nitrogen balances.

Depth accumulation of exchangeable Na+ was measured in Ca-saturated sandy loam soil columns (length 50 cm; diameter 5 cm) after percolating 500, 1000, 1500 and 2000 ml of 013 M Na+, as NaCl, NaHCO3, Na2SO4 and Na2CO3 solutions. The values of exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP) increased gradually with the increase in the volumes of the solution percolated. Two conceptual layer models, based on whether solutions were added to the topmost soil layer in one lot (M-I) or in splits equal to the saturation deficit (M-II), were used to predict the depth distribution of ESP of soil. The chemical processes considered in the models were the formation of ion pairs and the exchange equilibria of Na+ and Ca2+. The predicted values of ESP were considerably higher for model M-II than model M-I. The consideration of ion-pair formation and the accompanying anion had only negligible effect on the predicted ESP. The model M-II over-predicted the experimental ESP throughout the soil columns, whereas the model M-I under-predicted it for the upper layer(s) and over-predicted for the lower layers. On the basis of average ESP of the whole columns, the less realistic model M-I predicted experimental results better than model M-II. This was attributed to the presence of mobile and immobile zones for the flowing solutions.

The current standards or estimates of the essential amino acid requirements of swine are based almost wholly on growth trials. These were carried out with groups of three or four pigs fed individually on semisynthetic diets. The trials generally lasted for only 30–35 days since several expensive amino acids were being fed. The main criticism is that the values given were not adequately substantiated by carrying out nitrogen-balance determinations. It is also possible that the nitrogen-retention values might have led to different conclusions from those arrived at on the basis of the growth trials only. The standards must remain tentative until tested with a larger number of animals and until many more nitrogenbalance determinations have been carried out.

Wheat owes its enormous importance to certain physical properties which are absent in the flours of other cereals, chief among which is the capacity of making a coherent dough on the addition of water.

Different wheats make loaves of different size and texture, a strong wheat being denned by Humphries and Biffen(1) as one which yields flour capable of making large well-piled loaves. From this definition it is seen that the conditions required of a strong flour are two, the first being that there must be a sufficiency of sugar or other materials available for fermentation and consequent production of gas in the dough, the second, that there must be some substance present in the flour which is capable of retaining a sufficiency of the gas so generated. The constituent of wheat flour in virtue of which its dough possesses this quantity of gas retaining power is the gluten. Many workers have attempted to explain strength in terms of the relative amounts of gliadin and glutenin in the gluten, or on the percentage of gliadin in the flour.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of different intercropping and spacing arrangements of corn (Zea mays L) and crotalaria (Crotalaria spp) on the agronomic characteristics, chemical composition and forage digestibility. The experiment was distributed in a randomized complete block design with a 2 × 2 + 1 factorial scheme. The treatments were two cultivation systems (corn + Crotalaria juncea (CCJ) intercropping, and corn + Crotalaria ochroleuca (CCO) intercropping), in two spacing arrangements (A1 (corn and crotalaria sown in the same row) and A2 (corn and crotalaria sown in alternate rows)) plus control (single corn monocropping (CSC)), with six replicates per treatment, for 2 years. Forage plants were harvested when the corn grain reached the doughy-farinaceous phenological stage. Forage mass (total and of each species), morphological composition, chemical composition and in vitro digestibility were evaluated. The forage accumulation was higher for the A1 spatial arrangement. In the second year, the highest total forage mass was verified in the CCO intercropping (11 140 kg/ha). The highest corn mass (9402 kg/ha) was observed for CSC. The highest crotalaria mass was observed in the CCJ intercropping in both years. Regarding the chemical composition, CCJ and CCO intercropping had the highest crude protein concentration. The lowest acid detergent fibre concentration was observed in CSC and CCO intercropping, directly reflecting the in vitro dry matter digestibility coefficients. It is concluded that C. ochroleuca, sown between corn rows, had higher forage accumulation and nutritive value among the treatments tested in this experiment.

Two commercial bacterial inoculants (Lacto-flora and Ecosyl) were added to kikuyu grass (Pennisetum clandestinum) at ensiling, in 1985 and 1988 respectively, at Cedara, South Africa, using laboratory silos. In 1985 (Expt 1), Lacto-flora was added on its own and in combination with the enzymes Celluclast or SP249. In 1988 (Expt 2), Ecosyl was added on its own and in combination with molasses, at two levels of addition.

The addition of Lacto-flora alone did not significantly increase the lactic acid bacteria or the lactic acid content of the treated silage. However, treated silage contained 53·6% less iso-butyric acid and 53·7% less ammonia than the control silage. Kikuyu silage supplemented with a combination of Lacto-flora and Celluclast or SP249 had higher numbers of lactic acid bacteria at ensiling (0·231 × 108/ml) than the control silage or silage receiving Lacto-flora alone. However, only silage supplemented with the combination of Lacto-flora and Celluclast had a significantly higher lactic acid content (2·23 compared with 0·04, 0·18 and 0·13% DM for the control silage, silages with Lactoflora and with a combination of Lacto-flora +SP249, respectively). Nevertheless, this silage contained 19·78% more acetic than lactic acid.

Silage supplemented with Ecosyl on its own did not differ significantly in digestibility, loss of dry matter, ammonia, total non-structural carbohydrates, lactic acid and crude protein, from the untreated silage. A significant decrease in silage pH (from 5·08 to 4·70) was observed when Ecosyl was added together with molasses at the higher level of addition only. However, no other benefit was obtained by the addition of Ecosyl in combination with molasses.

A study has been made of the distribution of the various fractions of phosphorus in the Blairmont clay soils. Nearly three-fifths of the total phosphorus is present in the organic and inorganic alkali-soluble forms.

The organic alkali-soluble phosphorus and the exchangeable phosphorus vary in direct relation to cane production and to phosphorus content of the juice. The Truog phosphorus values are nil for all three soils and do not give a satisfactory indication of the phosphorus-supplying ability of the soils.

The soils have a high anion exchange capacity (23· mmol. of phosphorus per 100 g. of soil). It is indicated that the high fixing power of these soils for phosphorus is largely a mechanism of anion exchange reactions.

The pH of soil cropped with ryegrass increased with calcium nitrate as a fertilizer and decreased with ammonium nitrate, especially in the mid-range of pH. Changes above pH 7·2 and below pH 4·5 were small.

Yields of 4 cuts of grass given either N-fertilizer were similar over a pH range (in 0·01M-CaCl2) from 4·3 to 7·4. However, the composition of the grass and nutrient uptakes were affected by both soil pH and form of N-fertilizer.

In vitro gas production (GP) of substrate incubated with cow rumen liquor is commonly used to evaluate feed nutritional quality; GP is correlated with organic matter digestibility and metabolizable energy content. The hypothesis tested was that GP differs among liquors of ruminant species and is dependent on the natural dietary intake of the donors. Measurements were of 24 h GP of seven browse species using rumen liquor from a large (cow) and small (sheep) grazer and from a small intermediate feeder (goat). Mean GP for browse with goat liquor (7±2·4 ml per 200 mg substrate) was significantly (P=0·019) higher than that with cow liquor (5±1·9 ml), and GP with sheep liquor (6±1·1 ml) was intermediate, not significantly different from the cow liquor (P=0·197) and the goat liquor (P=0·061). There was a significant correlation in the ranking of the browses between goat and sheep (P=0·013) liquor using a Mantel test with 9999 permutations, which indicated a similar ranking of browses when using rumen liquor of either of these small ruminants. There were trends between both cow and sheep (P=0·096) and cow and goat (P=0·092) liquors. It was concluded that the dietary habits of ruminant species donors may affect in vitro nutritional studies when using rumen liquor.

Effects of inflorescence removal under different plant densities and degrees of shading on seed yield of field beans (Vicia faba L.) were investigated. Two indeterminate cultivars were used in field experiments for two seasons (1985 and 1986). The hierarchy within the generative storage system of field bean plants was manipulated by removal of inflorescences at various growth stages and nodes.

Removal of the inflorescences of nodes 1–3 (counted from the base upwards) caused about 30% loss of seed yield potential compared with the control but compensatory increases in seed yield were found, differing with plant density and duration of shading. Under favourable growing conditions (no shading, 20 plants/m2), overcompensation occurred, giving a mean seed yield up to 40% more than in controls.

Removal of all inflorescences above the ninth flowering node did not significantly reduce seed yield as plants completely compensated for the restriction on yield imposed.

Experiments were done during 1990/91 and 1991/92 at Bangalore to estimate the reduction in yield caused by powdery mildew (Erysiphe polygoni DC) on coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) cultivars differing widely in time to maturity. Powdery mildew resulted in smaller reductions in yield in the early maturing than the late maturing cultivars. Although the results of this study suggest that even expensive control measures can be recommended for managing powdery mildew in late maturing cultivars, because a small increase in the severity of powdery mildew infection may cause a considerable economic loss, they also indicate that such measures may not be economically viable for early maturing cultivars.