SUMMARYBerseem clover (Trifolium alexandrinum L.) is an important forage legume and is the primary winter forage crop in Pakistan. There are significant gaps in yield potential among varieties of berseem clover, as well as yields obtained at research stations and on-farm. To address this problem a survey of farmers was undertaken in the districts of Kasur and Okara, Punjab, Pakistan to determine the level of knowledge and understanding of berseem forage cultivation and seed production. The study comprised 44% smallholder (<3 ha), 26% medium (3–5 ha) and 30% large farmers (>5 ha) with average age of 42 years. Most farmers had little or no knowledge of the role of seed quality, inoculation with rhizobium, pollination, fertiliser use, irrigation management and the importance of forage nutritional value in improving livestock productivity. Most farmers (56%) had received no input from the government or private sector to improve forage production, relying instead on traditional knowledge. Knowledge of the importance of land preparation (95%), sowing rate (98%) and insect and pest management (75%) was higher than seed selection and fertilisation. Adoption of improved varieties (3%) and production technologies (14%) was low due to various constraints including ignorance, high cost of inputs, lack of availability of inputs in the market and a perceived high level of financial risk. Almost 100% of the respondents agreed that seed of improved varieties was a pre-requisite for higher forage and seed production as well as essential to start village-based forage seed enterprises.
A field study was conducted on smallholder farmer fields between 2012 to 2014 to evaluate the performance of cv. Agaitti Berseem-2002, against local landraces exchanged between farmers (LBF1) or available from local markets (LBM1). The effects of genotype and harvesting regimen on forage production, quality and seed production were evaluated. Significant differences (P < 0.05) among genotypes and cutting treatments were recorded for forage and seed yields, and forage quality across all research sites in both years. Maximum cumulative fresh forage (89.7 t/ha) and dry matter (DM; 13.4 t/ha) yields were obtained with Agaitti Berseem-2002 when harvesting occurred five times over the season. However, maximum seed yield (1048 kg/ha) with higher 1000-seed weight (3.63 g) were obtained if forage was only harvested three times and the crop then left for seed set. Agaitti Berseem-2002 also produced forage with the higher crude protein content (27%), DM digestibility (69%), digestible organic matter (DM basis; 65%) and metabolizable energy content (10%) compared to the local landraces (LBF1 and LBM1). Therefore, the harvesting regimen for greatest economic return which produced optimum fresh and DM forage yields of highest nutritive values and maximum seed yield, were comprised of taking three forage cuts (at 65, 110 and 150 days after sowing) prior to seed harvest.forage and DM yields were obtained with T4 treatments (with five forage cuts); however, maximum seed yield was recorded with the T2 regimen, having declined under the T3 and T4 cutting treatments. Similar to the forage production, cv. Agaitti Berseem-2002 consistently outperformed both LBF1 and LBM1 at all locations in seed production. Scientific RepoRtS |(2020) 10:3545 | https://doi.
BackgroundPrimary photosensitisation (PS) subsequent to ingestion of the pasture legume Biserrula pelecinus L. (biserrula) has recently been confirmed in grazing livestock. Given the potential utility of this pasture species in challenging climates, a grazing trial was undertaken to examine if both varieties ‘Casbah’ and ‘Mauro’ were able to cause photosensitisation in livestock, and if this could be mitigated by grazing in winter, or in combination with other common pasture species.ResultsA controlled grazing trial was undertaken in winter in Australia with plots containing a dominant pasture of Biserrula pelecinus L. cv. ‘Casbah’ or ‘Mauro’, or mixed biserrula/perennial ryegrass populations. A photosensitisation grading system was established. 167 prime meat ewe lambs were introduced to the plots and monitored twice daily. Mild clinical signs were observed at 72 h on pasture. All animals were removed from biserrula dominant stands at this point. Four animals grazing ‘Casbah’ dominant pasture rapidly proceeded to severe photosensitisation in the following 12 h. Animals remaining on mixed biserrula/ryegrass stands did not exhibit severe PS but showed an 89% incidence of mild to moderate photosensitisation over the following 14 days. Animals on mixed lucerne showed significantly lower PS score than animals grazing biserrula varieties of any composition. The trial was halted at 14 days as only plots with low biserrula proportion still contained unaffected animals.Necropsy revealed severe multifocal erythematous ulcerations and alopecia of the ear pinnae, severe bilateral periorbital and conjunctival oedema and variably severe subcutaneous facial oedema. No evidence of hepatopathy was present. A diagnosis of acute unseasonal primary photosensitisation caused by biserrula ingestion with no other underlying pathology was confirmed.ConclusionsWe report an unseasonal outbreak of acute photosensitisation in sheep grazing Biserrula pelecinus L cvs.’Casbah’ and ‘Mauro’ with exceedingly high morbidity. A grading system is also proposed as a tool for objective and consistent clinical appraisal of future PS outbreaks. This finding expands our definition of seasonal and temporal risk periods for biserrula photosensitisation, and is the first to identify that both commercial cultivars of biserrula can cause primary photosensitisation in sheep.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.