Perennial Peanut: Summary of animal feeding studies

The perennial peanut was introduced into Florida from Brazil in 1936, but high yielding cultivars were not released until 1978 (Florigraze) and 1986 (Arbrook). Recent evaluation of the legume with different classes of livestock is reviewed. Unweaned calves, creep fed on perennial peanut pasture gained more, while their mothers lost less weight than when calves stayed with their mothers on bahia grass. Yearling beef cattle grazing the peanut produced twice the AUG per hectare measured from bahia grass alone, while dairy cows fed peanut hay gave similar milk yields, with a higher fat content than when alfalfa hay or corn silage were used. Peanut haylage was also useful for dairy cows. With pigs, peanut forage could replace up to 60% of the soya bean - corn concentrate, while with growing rabbits, it produced results similar to alfalfa. It can be used as a xanthophyll pigment source for chickens, and so has potential for use in extraction industries. It could soon be the most important forage crop in Florida since it is well suited to local climatic and edaphic conditions. (Editor's summary)

EVALUATION OF SELECTED HERBS FOR RESISTANCE TO ROOT-KNOT NEMATODES INFECTION

Screening, monitoring, and host-parasite interaction studies were conducted to evaluate the response of selected herbs to the most common root-knot nematodes in Florida. Basil (Ocimum basilicum), borage (Borago officinalis), oregano (Origanum vulgare), lavender fLavendula spica), rosemary (Rosamarinus officinalis), pot marjoram (Q. hortensis), sage (Salvia officinalis), sweet marjoram (0. maiorana), summer savory (Satureja hortensis) and winter savory (Satureia montana), seedlings were inoculated with Meloidogyne arenaria race 1, M. incognita races 1 and 3, and M. javanica. Results from our screening study shows that basil, sage, summer savory, lavender, and rosemary were susceptible, whereas oregano, pot marjoram and sweet marjoram were resistant to Meloidoayne spp. tested. Root-knot was the most common nematode and the one that increased the most on basil, sage and oregano in a Florida field. Most nematodes increased as the season progressed and decreased in the winter. Meloidogyne arenaria race 1 penetrated and established a feeding site in oregano roots. Hypertrophy was observed, hyperplasia limited, mature females were found in and out of the root