Seven high-oil sunflower eultivars were grown in 1976 and 1977 at selected locations in Ghana, to evaluate the potential of sunflowers as an oil-seed crop for the lowland tropics. All eultivars flowered and matured earlier than observed under temperate conditions. Yields were between 75 and 1600 kg/ha at 9% moisture content. Oil contents ranged from 41 to 47% with a higher proportion of oleic acid (about 54%) than linoleic (about 38%). It is concluded that sunflower production is feasible and could become as important as that of existing annual oil seeds.

1. An account has been given of the composition and weights of nutrients and sugars in sixty-four sugar beet plants from just before singling until maturity. The assimilation, translocation and distribution of these have been discussed.

2. At about singling, the leaves contained 90 per cent. of the dry matter and 76 per cent. of the sugars of the plant, whereas, at maturity, the figures were 28 and 3 per cent. respectively.

3. The percentage of reducing sugars in the dry substance of the complete plant maintained a steady level throughout, as was also the case with cane sugar in the leaves. The highest percentages of sugars in the dry matter of both leaves and roots were attained by early August. Evidence is produced to show that, although in the plant as a whole carbon assimilation proceeded more quickly than the intake of soil nutrients, until early July the rate of translocation of carbon to the roots did not equal the rate of intake of soil nutrients by the latter.

The objective of this study was to develop an experimental model to measure both fractional and absolute rates of protein synthesis in the small intestine of lambs. Six male castrate lambs (∼6 months old, mean liveweight 26 kg) were offered, via continuous feeders, 900 g/day lucerne chaff. They were prepared with catheters in the cranial mesenteric vein (CMV), femoral artery (FA), jugular vein and abomasum, and a blood flow probe around the CMV. Cr-EDTA (0·139 mg Cr/ml, ∼0·2 ml/min) was infused abomasally for 24 h and L-[2,6-3H]phenylalanine (Phe) (441±33·8 μCi into the abomasum) and L-[U-14C]phenylalanine (43·9±4·08 μCi into the jugular) were also infused during the last 8 h. Blood from the CMV and FA was sampled during isotope infusions. At the end of infusions, lambs were killed and tissue and digesta samples removed from four sites along the small intestine (SI). Transfers of labelled and unlabelled Phe were measured between SI tissue, its lumen and blood, enabling both fractional and absolute rates of protein synthesis and gain to be estimated. The total SI protein pool was 84 (±1·7) g and fractional gain rate was 7·5 (±5·5)% per day. Mean protein synthesis and fractional synthesis rates (FSR) were calculated from the mean retention of 14C and 3H in SI tissue. FSR tended to increase caudally along the SI (although P > 0·05). The choice of free Phe pool for estimating precursor specific radioactivity (SRA) for protein synthesis had a significant effect on FSR. Assuming that tissue free Phe SRA represented precursor SRA gave a mean FSR of 129 (±24)% per day. Corresponding estimates for free Phe SRA in the FA and CMV were 20 (±1·8) and 30 (±3·1)% per day respectively. The correct value for protein synthesis was therefore in doubt, although indirect evidence suggested that blood SRA (either FA or CMV) may be closest to true precursor SRA. This evidence included (i) comparison with flooding dose estimates of FSR, (ii) comparison of 3H[ratio ]14C Phe SRA in free Phe pools with this ratio in SI protein, and (iii) the proportion of SI energy use associated with protein synthesis. Advantages of the present experimental model compared to other methods included (i) measurements of both protein synthesis and gain, and hence, all components of turnover, (ii) measurement of absolute as well as fractional rates of synthesis and gain, (iii) inclusion of proteins which are synthesised and exported, and (iv) concurrent measurement of protein synthesis and energy utilization by the small intestine.

Pastures of a mixture of Brachiaria mutica(para) and B. decumbens(signal) grown with Gentrosema pubescens(centro) and Macroptilium atropurpureumcv. Siratro and grazed at three stocking rates 1·8, 2·1 and 3·6 animals/ha for 5 and 6 years of grazing were compared with B. humidicolacv. Tully (Koronivia) oversown with centro and siratro and grazed at 3·0, 3·6 and 4·5 animals/ha and native pastures of Themedaaustralis and Pennisetum polystachyon oversown with Stylosanthes guianensis cv. Schofield after burning, and grazed at 1·3, 2·0 and 2·7 animals/ha. All pastures were given 20 kg/ha of sulphur.

The para and centro pasture gave the highest live-weight gain with 731 kg/ha/year when stocked at 3·6 animals/ha in 1979–80. and 592 kg/ha/year in 1980–1. Signal grass gave 621 and 493 kg/ha/year in 1979–80 and 1980–1 at 3·6 animals/ha. Koronivia grass gave similar production as signal: 639, 466 and 406 kg/ha/year at 3·6 animals/ha stocking rate from 1979 to 1982. On the natural pastures 1st year gains were high, 412 kg/ha/year at 2·7 animals/ha, but declined to 224 kg/ha/year at 2·0 animals/ha in year 2.

In the para pastures, centro increased up to 50%, while with signal it increased to 25% of the botanical composition, owing to a decline in grass dry matter. In koronivia pastures, centro and siratro declined, inversely with stocking rate, and M.pudica increased in the high stocking rate. In the natural pastures T. triandra declined with increasing stocking, to 1% at 2·7 animals/ha. P. polystachyon remained approximately stable. M. pudica became important as grazing increased, and weeds also increased. Para grass was high in N, P, S and Na. N was low in signal, koronivia and T. triandra while the concentration of Na (0·41%) was high in koronivia, but it was extremely low in signal and T. triandra(0·02%).

The trials suggest that landholders could commence grazing of existing natural pastures for up to 2 years at about 2·0 animals/ha in the 1st year and 1·3 animals/ha in subsequent years to obtain 350 kg LWG/ha in year 1 and the 200 kg LWG/ha thereafter. With cultivated pastures much higher yield can be obtained using para plus centro on the low-lying aieas, and signal plus centro plus siratro on non-flooded areas. Koronivia can be used in occasionally intensively stocked areas. All pastures require S fertilizer every 2 years.

In an experiment involving sixty Large White pigs fed maize or barley based diets either ad libitum (AL) or to one of two restricted scales (R1 and R2), between 55 and 86 kg live weight, there were no significant cereal × feeding interactions for growth rate and the mean growth rates for the main effects were 0·62, 0·63, 0·81, 0·73 and 0·35 kg/day for the maize, barley, AL, R1 and R2 treatments respectively. There were no significant cereal × feeding treatment interactions for iodine number or calorific value of carcass backfat and the only significant differences between the main effects were those of lower iodine numbers for the barley (cf. maize) and the AT. (cf. R1) treatments.

The relationship between values of 85Sr concentration ratios (CRs) and exchangeable bases, expressed in absolute (mmol/kg) or relative (percentage of cation exchange capacity (CEC)) terms, was considered using the results of a glasshouse pot experiment conducted in 1989, for soils and crops of Greece. Exchangeable calcium, expressed in mmol/kg, presented, in most instances, a significant (P = 0·05–0·01) or highly significant (P < 0·01) negative correlation with the CRs of various crops or plant parts, while exchangeable calcium plus magnesium or total exchangeable bases (expressed also in mmol/kg) showed an even better correlation (higher values of r, lower variability). Expression of the amounts of exchangeable bases in relative terms further improved the correlation coefficient in each comparison. The correlations between the percentage of exchangeable (Ca + Mg) or exchangeable bases and CRs, which were always negative, were significant or highly significant for all tested crops or plant parts. The correlation between CRs and soil properties was greatest for exchangeable (Ca + Mg) expressed as a percentage of CEC (r = -0·92) and followed the order: Exchangeable (Ca + Mg) as % of CEC ≈ exchangeable bases as % of CEC ≈ exchangeable (Ca + Mg) in mmol/kg ≈ exchangeable bases in mmol/kg > exchangeable Ca as % of CEC > exchangeable Ca in mmol/kg.

Quantitative relationships between CRs of the tested crops or plant parts and exchangeable calcium plus magnesium (% of CEC) of soils are also presented.

Yields from improved (pangola) and unimproved pastures on a group of beef cattle farms have been recorded during the years 1958–62. On these farms it was shown that there was a highly significant relationship between the percentage of improved grassland and the live-weight output per acre of the whole farm. This relationship indicated that the output of unimproved land on these farms was of the order of 45 lb. per acre, and that of improved (pangola) pasture 260 lb. per acre.

The classification of land usage in mountain grassland bovine areas is important for the management of forage production and grazing in grass-based livestock systems. The present paper proposes a novel, hierarchical neural network-based approach towards the classification of land usage in these areas. A survey of 72 farms was conducted in the Massif Central (France). Information was gathered on geographical characteristics and cutting and/or grazing practices on three general groups of fields: cut only, cut and grazed and grazed only fields. To classify land usage, the data were clustered and visualized in a hierarchical fashion. This was done by using a novel method for the analysis and classification of data based on growing hierarchical self-organizing maps (GHSOM). Self-organizing maps (SOM) have been shown to be successful for the analysis of highly dimensional input data in data mining applications as well as for data visualization. Moreover, the hierarchical architecture of the GHSOM is more flexible than a single SOM in the adaptation process to input data, capturing inherent hierarchical relationships among them. Experimental results show the utility of this approach.

(1) The maintenance requirement of Light Sussex cockerels has been found by a feeding trial and comparative slaughter method. The maintenance requirement found was 22.1 calories per sq. m. of surface per hour. The net energy of the ration fed (Sussex ground oats: whole dried milk = 13 : 3) was 1.8 calories per gm.

(2) A new method of determining the surface area of birds is described.

(3) The value of K in the equation area = K has been found by this method to be 9.3.

Herd statistics of cattle in India suggest that for animals of about 3500 lb. yield capacity a calving interval of rather less than a year will give the best results in the following lactation. For cattle whose yield capacity is 6000 lb. an interval of 420 days is desirable while one of less than 335 days is seriously injurious.

Study of individual cows and their recorded histories reinforces the above conclusions and also suggests that the interval should be longer in early lactations than in late and progressively longer as the milking capacity increases.

It also indicates that unrestricted access to the bull may prevent the real yield capacity of a cow being discovered.

The effect of season of harvest and previous seasonal applications of fertilizer N on the response of perennial ryegrass/white clover swards to pre-cut applications of fertilizer N was studied in three consecutive years on different sites. Herbage D.M. yield responded in a curvilinear manner to increased pre-cut N application rates. There was a tendency in all experiments for the marginal response of herbage D.M. to increased pre-cut N application rates to decrease as previous seasonal fertilizer N application rates increased. Although the effect of season of harvest on the response of herbage D.M. to pre-cut N application rates varied with site/years, it was concluded that the marginal response of herbage D.M. to pre-cut N application rate varies little throughout the greater part of the growing season. The exceptions to this are the very early and late harvests and swards that receive low supplies of N from the sward/soil complex. The results are discussed in relation to other published data and to their possible use in the control of the seasonal pattern and total seasonal supply of herbage D.M. for rotational grazing management systems.

Evidence is presented that, in Italian ryegrass, the ability to survive in the sward into a second year after sowing may be assessed on spaced plants or on closely planted rows. There is no indication that selection for the ability to survive into the second year need cause loss of yield in the first year after sowing. In an earlier paper based on the same experiment (England, 1975) incorrect formulae were used for calculating family heritabilities and genetic correlations. In an appendix the correct formulae are derived and the consequent changes in the conclusions of the previous paper are described.

During 1947–9, field and pot experiments have been carried out first to assess the herbicidal properties of 2:4-dinitro-6-secondary-butyl-phenol, and secondly to determine its value for selective weed control in leguminous crops. In order to obtain precise estimates of the concentration required to produce a given percentage mortality of either weed or crops species, such experiments were so designed that the results are capable of probit analysis.

From the data of field experiments on thirteen species of annual weeds, it is evident that there are wide variations in the concentration required to produce a standard kill. Irrespective of the species, susceptibility is greatest in the young seedling stage and there is a rapid increase in resistance with age. For example, with Raphanus raphanistrum between the cotyledon and pre-flowering stage a sixfold increase in concentration is needed to give a 90% mortality.

Seven field experiments were made on the effect of two harvesting dates on the nitrogen requirements of sugar beet. All were on Rauceby series soils overlying oolitic limestone in Lincolnshire.

Nitrogen fertilizer increased sugar yield in all experiments, and yield was considerably higher at the mid-December harvest than in early October. On average, the sugar-yield response to nitrogen was greater at the late harvest, and the requirement for nitrogen was about 45 kg/ha higher then than at the early harvest. Sugar content was depressed less at the late harvest than at the early by increasing nitrogen rate.

These results suggest that farmers should apply more nitrogen to fields that they plan to harvest late than to early-harvested fields; they also have implications for the conduct and interpretation of nitrogen response experiments on sugar beet.

1. Fifteen male Merino lambs suckling the ewe and four adult Merino wethers were fed the same pelletted diet. The lambs had free access to milk from the ewe and were creep-fed the pelletted diet. Feed intake by each lamb was measured daily.

2. The digestibility of the dry matter of the pelletted diet was determined in a conventional total collection trial with the adult wethers. Dry-matter and crude-protein digestibility "was determined in the lambs on faeces taken at, or just before, slaughter by the lignin-ratio method.

In a randomized block 3x2 factorial experiment 72 Large White type weaner pigs were individually and restrictedly fed, from 501b (22–7 kg) to approximately 1601b (72–7 kg) live weight, iso-nitrogenous (16% crude protein) maize-based diets (as wet mashes with 2:1 ratios of water to dry food) containing 0–15%, 0–22% or 0–29% tryptophan and either 0–85% or 0–97% lysine. Overall, for the period in its entirety and in the period from the start to 110 lb (50–0 kg) live weight, the diets containing 0–22% and 0–29% tryptophan gave a similar performance. Together they gave a significantly superior performance compared with that obtained from the diets containing 0–15 % tryptophan. Pigs fed the diets containing 0–85 % lysine converted their food better and grew faster than pigs fed the diets containing 0–97 % lysine. These differences were significant (P <0–05) for both parameters in the period from 110 lb (50–0 kg) live weight to the finish of the experiment at 1601b (72–5 kg) live weight and significant (P <0–05) for efficiency of food conversion in the overall experimental period.

Aluminium (Al) toxicity is the major factor-limiting crop productivity in acid soils. In the present study, physiological and transcriptional responses of broad bean leaves to Al stress were investigated. Malondialdehyde (MDA) content, H2O2 content and protein carbonyls (PC) level in leaves were increased after 100 μm AlCl3 stress treatment, whereas the total protein content was decreased, compared with the plants without Al treatment. Stomatal closure in leaves of broad bean was increased after Al stress, suggesting that the photosynthesis rate might be affected by Al stress. The relative citrate secretion in leaves was decreased after Al treatment for 24 h according to the 13C-NMR analysis, indicating that citrate in leaves might be transported to the root to chelate Al3+. To investigate the molecular mechanisms of Al toxicity in leaves of broad bean, a suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) library was constructed to identify up-regulated genes: cDNA from leaves subjected to 12, 24, 48 and 72 h of 50 and 100 μm AlCl3 stress were used as testers and cDNA from leaves subjected to 0 μm AlCl3 treatment for the same lengths of time as above were used as a driver. The SSH analysis identified 156 non-redundant putative Al stress-responsive expressed sequence tags (ESTs) out of 960 clones. The ESTs were categorized into ten functional groups, which were involved in metabolism (0·21), protein synthesis and protein fate (0·10), photosynthesis and chloroplast structure (0·09), transporter (0·08), cell wall related (0·06), signal transduction (0·05), defence, stress and cell death (0·05), energy (0·03), transcription factor (0·03) and unknown proteins (0·30). The effect of Al treatment on expression of 15 selected genes was investigated by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT–PCR), confirming induction by Al stress. The results indicated that genes involved in organic acid metabolism, transport, photosynthesis and chloroplast structure, defence, stress and cell death might play important roles under Al stress.

The current study investigated associations between variation in the bovine perilipin-2 gene (PLIN2) and milk traits (milk fat content, milk protein content, milk yield and milk fatty acid (FA) component levels) in 409 New Zealand pasture-grazed Holstein-Friesian × Jersey-cross (HF × J-cross or Kiwicross™) cows. Five nucleotide sequence variants were found in three regions of the gene, including c.17C>T in exon 2, c.53A>G in exon 3, c.595+23G>A and c.595+104_595+108del in intron 5, and c.*302T>C in the 3′-untranslated region. The c.*302T>C substitution produces two nucleotide sequence variants (A5 and B5), and this variation was associated with variation in milk protein content and milkfat composition for C10:0, C11:0, C12:0, C13:0 and C16:0 FA and medium-chain fatty acid (MCFA) and long-chain fatty acid (LCFA) groups. After correcting for the effect of variation in the diacylglycerol acyl-CoA acyltransferase 1 gene (DGAT1) that results in the amino acid substitution p.K232A, variation in the FA binding protein 4 gene (FABP4) and variation in the stearoyl-CoA desaturase (Δ-9-desaturase) gene (SCD) that results in the amino acids substitution p.A293V, significant differences between A5A5 and B5B5 cows were found for C10:0, C11:0, C12:0, C13:0, C16:0, and the MCFA, LCFA, total saturated FA and C10:1 index groups. This suggests that nucleotide sequence variation in PLIN2 may be affecting milk FA component levels.

Under intermediate deepwater conditions (0–80 cm) at Cuttack, India, direct sowing of the semi-tall rice variety Utkalprabha with 200–800 seeds/m2 produced similar yields in 1989 when heavy rainfall (105 mm) after sowing resulted in more than 50% germination, followed by the gradual accumulation of water in the field. However, in 1990, which was characterized by drought in the initial stages, leading to poor germination (35–40%), followed by a sudden accumulation of water, the crops sown at 200 seeds/m2 produced a significantly lower grain yield than those sown at higher seed rates. Higher seed rates increased plant height, tillers/m2 and panicles/m2 but the associated decrease in panicle weight resulted in similar grain yield production. There was no decrease in the yield of crops sown at all seed rates in 1989 and at > 400 seeds/m2 in 1990 when clonal tillers were removed after 60 days to transplant either the equivalent of or double the uprooted plot area. The loss due to decrease in panicles/m2 with the removal of clonal tillers was compensated for by the resulting increase in panicle weight. The crop planted from clonal tillers produced a significantly higher grain yield than that planted from seedlings of equivalent age raised in a nursery seed-bed with or without fertilizer application. Furthermore, the clonal-propagated crop tolerated simulated flash-flooding better at the early vegetative stage, measured by less tiller mortality and relatively higher dry matter production than in the crop raised from nursery seedlings. Therefore, planting with clonal tillers uprooted from a well-established direct-sown crop is recommended under excess water conditions.

Twenty-five male Shugor, 25 female Shugor, 25 male Watish and 25 female Watish lambs, individually fed for 57 days, were used to study post-weaning growth performance and carcass composition of these breed types when subjected to a period of intensive feeding.

Means and standard error of means of daily gain on experiment were 191·0±5·81, 166·0±5·81, 150·0±5·81 and 134·0±5·81 g for Shugor males, Watish males, Shugor females and Watish females, respectively. The means and S.E. for feed conversion ratio (FCR) were 5·79±0·190, 7·30±0·190, 7·47±0·190 and 8·00±0·190 in the same order. Shugor and male lambs had better gain (P < 0·001) and FCR (P < 0·01)than Watish and female lambs respectively.

Shugor had heavier slaughter weight and cold carcass weight than Watish (P < 0·01). Males were superior to females in slaughter weight, carcass weight and dressing percentage (P < 0·01). No difference was detected in lean, fat or bone percentage between breed type or sex (P < 0·05). Males had larger muscle area (P < 0·001) than females. On the other hand, females had more percentage kidney knob and channel fat (P < 0·001) and thicker fat depth (P <0·01) than males. Shugor were superior (P < 0·01) in fat depth to Watish.

Percentage non-carcass components showed that females had more percentage omental and mesenteric fat (P < 0·001) and percentage full stomach (P < 0·01). Breed type and sex showed significant effect (P < 0·001) on percentage liver.

In linear measurements, Shugor had greater carcass length and femur length (P < 0·01). Males had bigger circumference of buttocks and chest depth (P < 0·001).

For carcass joints as a percentage of side weight, the only clear effect of breed type was on percentage loin (P < 0·05). Males had bigger percentage middle neck (P < 0·001) and shoulder and percentage scrag (P < 0·01) than females, whereas females had higher percentage loin and chump.

Heritability estimates of some carcass traits, admittedly based on limited numbers, ranged from 0·32 (S.E. 0·183) for leg to 0·18 (S.E. 0·180) for loin weights. Linear carcass measurements showed low heritability of around 0·10 (S.E. 0·160).