Effect of Nitrogen Fertilizer Rate and Harvest Season on Forage Yield, Quality, and Macronutrient Concentrations in Midland Bermuda Grass
Bermuda grass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.] is a major forage for grazing and hay production in the southern United States. The objectives of this study were to determine effects of nitrogen (N) fertilization rate (0, 112, 224, 336, and 448 kg ha−1), split spring and summer applications of N at the 224 and 448 kg ha−1 rates, and harvest periods (spring and summer) on forage yield, crude protein (CP), acid detergent fiber (ADF), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), total digestible nutrients (TDN), and concentrations of phosphorus (P), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), and calcium (Ca in Midland Bermuda grass. Data were collected from 2002 to 2008 as part of an ongoing, long-term soil fertility experiment in southern Oklahoma. Repeated measures analysis of these long-term data showed that forage yield responses to N rate varied with year and harvest time with up to 2.5-fold yield differences among years. Nitrogen fertilization increased CP, TDN, and macronutrient P and Mg and decreased ADF and NDF. Crude protein was increased by ≥50%, and ADF and NDF dropped by up to 25% with the greatest N rate. In general, split N applications did not affect forage yield but produced low-quality forage compared to single N application in spring. Split application of 448 kg N ha−1 gave forage with CP, TDN, ADF, and NDF similar to the Bermuda grass receiving 336 or 448 kg N ha−1 as a single application. Spring forage had better forage quality than summer harvests. While N fertilization increased forage Mg and P concentrations by more than 50% during both spring and summer, it had no effect or slight increased K and Ca concentrations. In the southern Great Plains, despite the weather-dependent variability in forage yield of Bermuda grass, N application increase forage quality.
Bermudagrass Response to High Nitrogen Rates, Source, and Season of Application
High N rates and source of N have been thoroughly evaluated in bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.] forage production, but less is known concerning season of application and estimated fertilizer N recovery in these systems. Two field studies (Ardmore, OK: Wilson silt loam, Vertic Haplustalfs ; Burneyville, OK: Minco fine sandy loam, Udic Haplustolls) were conducted at two locations over two years to evaluate the effects of rate, timing, and source of N on bermudagrass forage yield, total N, NO 3 concentration, and estimated fertilizer N recovery. Nitrogen was applied at rates of 112, 224, 448, 672, and 1344 kg N ha 1 as NH 4 NO 3 or urea in early spring (March) and late summer (August). Fertilizer N recovery can be maximized at rates of 112 and 224 kg N ha 1 applied in the early spring and late summer, respectively. Even when N rates of 1344 kg N ha -1 were applied annually, bermudagrass forage NO 3 -N was seldom above 2000 mg kg -1 , which is below published toxic levels (2400-4500 mg kg -1 ) for cattle (Bos taurus) consumption. Early-spring applied N increased yields, N removal, and fertilizer recovery compared with late-summer applied N. Fertilizer N recovery was higher for NH 4 NO 3 than for urea, especially when applied in late summer. Late-summer applications of urea should be avoided, due to increased NH 3 volatilization losses. Nitrogen applied at 112 kg N ha -1 in early spring can result in fertilizer recoveries in excess of 85%. These high recoveries in forage production systems are possibly a result of continuous preanthesis forage harvesting when gaseous plant N losses are small, but which increase following anthesis.
Genetics of the phenotypic evolution in sheep: a molecular look at diversity-driving genes
Background After domestication, the evolution of phenotypically-varied sheep breeds has generated rich biodiversity. This wide phenotypic variation arises as a result of hidden genomic changes that range from a single nucleotide to several thousands of nucleotides. Thus, it is of interest and significance to reveal and understand the genomic changes underlying the phenotypic variation of sheep breeds in order to drive selection towards economically important traits. Review Various traits contribute to the emergence of variation in sheep phenotypic characteristics, including coat color, horns, tail, wool, ears, udder, vertebrae, among others. The genes that determine most of these phenotypic traits have been investigated, which has generated knowledge regarding the genetic determinism of several agriculturally-relevant traits in sheep. In this review, we discuss the genomic knowledge that has emerged in the past few decades regarding the phenotypic traits in sheep, and our ultimate aim is to encourage its practical application in sheep breeding. In addition, in order to expand the current understanding of the sheep genome, we shed light on research gaps that require further investigation. Conclusions Although significant research efforts have been conducted in the past few decades, several aspects of the sheep genome remain unexplored. For the full utilization of the current knowledge of the sheep genome, a wide practical application is still required in order to boost sheep productive performance and contribute to the generation of improved sheep breeds. The accumulated knowledge on the sheep genome will help advance and strengthen sheep breeding programs to face future challenges in the sector, such as climate change, global human population growth, and the increasing demand for products of animal origin.