Sustainable soil and crop management practices that reduce soil erosion and nitrogen (N) leaching, conserve soil organic matter, and optimize otton and sorghum yields still remain a challenge. We examined the influence of three tillage practices (no-till, strip till and chisel till), four cover rops {legume [hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth)], nonlegume [rye (Secaele cereale L.)], vetch/rye bicu...

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to evaluate nutrient export, nutritional balance and macronutrient recovery rate in ‘Gigante cactus pear under different fertilization doses, spacings configurations during three production cycles. 72 treatments were arranged a randomized block design with repetitions, two the plots (triple quadruple row), subplots (3.00 x 1.00 0.25 m; 3.00 0.16 m 0.125 ...

Soil organic carbon (SOC) pool is the largest among terrestrial pools. The restoration of SOC pool in arable lands represents a potential sink for atmospheric CO2. Restorative management of SOC includes using organic manures, adopting legume-based crop rotations, and converting plow till to a conservation till system. A field study was conducted to analyze soil properties on two farms located i...

An accurate and management sensitive simulation model for tile-drained Midwestern soils is needed to optimize the use of agricultural management practices (e.g., winter cover crops) to reduce nitrate leaching without adversely affecting corn yield. Our objectives were to enhance the Agricultural Production Systems Simulator (APSIM) for tile drainage, test the modified model for several manageme...

Chronic graft-v-host disease (GVHD) is the most frequent late complication of allogeneic bone marrow (BM) transplant. To test different treatments, we used a rat model of chronic GVHD which clinically, histologically, and immunologically resembles the disease occurring after human marrow transplant. The following treatments were administered: azathioprine 50 mg/kg/day plus prednisone 1 mg/kg/ev...

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of natural zeolite (commercial preparation with 80% of clinoptilolite) on counts of different physiological groups of bacteria i.e. sulfide-producing, faecal and total coliform, mesophilic aerobic and anaerobic, and thermophilic bacteria in pig slurry. Zeolite was spread daily directly over partially slatted floor in a dose of 0.4 kg/1 m 2 durin...

We studied the effects of five thinning treatments (T1 = 5.5, T2 = 11, T3 = 16.5, T4 = 22.5 and T5 = 28.5 m(2) ha(-1) basal area under bark) x two fertilizer treatments (F0 = unfertilized and F1 = fertilized with 400 kg ha(-1) N plus 229 kg ha(-1) P) on growth and water relations of pole-sized Eucalyptus marginata J. Donn ex Sm. trees growing in southwestern Australia. Thinning reduced leaf are...

Conventional wisdom postulates that leaching losses of N from agriculture systems are dominated by NO(3)(-). Although the export of dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) into the groundwater has been recognized for more than 100 yr, it is often ignored when total N budgets are constructed. Leaching of DON into stream and drinking water reservoirs leads to eutrophication and acidification, and can po...

Grazing management is a key element determining herbage production and grazing efficiency. This study measured herbage accumulation and grazing efficiency in Mombaça grass pastures (Panicum maximum cv. Mombaça) subjected to intermittent defoliation managements. Treatments were combinations of 2 rest periods (grazing at either 95 or 100% canopy light interception — LI) and 2 grazing intensities ...