Forage accumulation and persistency of binary grass-legume mixtures

En Zavalla-SF, se evaluaron 20 mezclas binarias, combinando alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) Monarca INTA (GL 9), WL 525 (GL 8), Pionner 5717 (GL 7) y Pionner 5681 (GL 6) y lotus (Lotus corniculatus L.) El Boyero, con festuca (Festuca arundinacea, Schreb.) Flexible FCAR, Palenque Plus INTA y Falcon y cebadilla (Bromus catharticus Vahl.) Bellegarde. Los tratamientos se sembraron en líneas a 20 cm, en parcelas en bloques completos al azar con tres repeticiones, empleando 500 semillas/m2 de alfalfa y festuca; 600 de lotus y 200 de cebadilla. Se defoliaron en inicio de floración o aparición de rebrotes basales de la alfalfa GL 6, secando el forraje de 0,5 m2. En el primer y último otoño se midió la densidad de plantas. Se realizaron 18 cortes desde el 16/09/1998 al 19/04/2001. En cuatro, se realizó análisis botánico. Se empleó ANVA y la prueba de Tukey. La densidad de alfalfa disminuyó 70% en tres años, probablemente por períodos húmedos (efectos Niño 1998 y 2000). La pérdida de lotus fue 100%. festuca alta y cebadilla criolla mostraron pérdidas del 19%. La acumulación de forraje anual y entre años fue similar (p>0,05) en las mezclas con alfalfa. La producción promedio del 1º, 2º y 3º año fue de 9,5; 7,8 y 8,2 t MS/ha, y con lotus 7,2; 5,2 y 6,3 t MS/ha (CV (%) = 16,53; 14,35 y 11,62). El reducido aporte de lotus determinó menor acumulación (p<0,05). No hubo diferencias estacionales por cultivares de alfalfa, pero las mezclas con festuca Flexible se destacaron en primavera, y las de Palenque Plus en otoño-invierno y en verano (p<0,05). El mayor aporte de Falcon fue en invierno (75%), siendo pobre en verano (17%). En promedio, la alfalfa aportó en verano 70% de la MS total, en otoño-invierno 27% y en primavera 52%.Twenty binary mixtures were established in Zavalla (33ºS, 61ºW), combining alfalfa Monarca (degree of latency 9), WL525 (ld 8), Pioneer 5715 (ld 7), Pioneer 5681 (ld 6) or birdfoot trefoil El Boyero with tall fescue Flexible FCAR, Palenque Plus INTA, Falcon or prairie grass Bellegarde. The mixtures were sowing in May 1998, in cut plots, at usual sowing densities. Plots were arranged in three blocks of a CABD. All the plots were cut when alfalfa flowering or its basal regrowth started. Seasonal botanic composition and densities of the mixtures were registered. ANOVA and Tukey test (p=0.05) were made with the data. From 16/09/1998 to 19/04/2001 eighteen cuts were carried out. Density decreased 70% in alfalfa, 100% in lotus and 19% in grasses. Annual and total herbage productions were similar (p&gt;0.05) between mixtures grouping by alfalfa based pastures or lotus based. Annual dry matter production averaged 9.45; 7.78 and 8.21 T/ha for alfalfa based pastures and 7.17; 5.15 and 6.29 T/ha for lotus based in the first, second and third year respectively, being the CV 16.53%; 14.35% and 11.68%. When the mixtures were clustered by individual cultivars, no varietal differences were established from alfalfa (p&gt;0.05) but from the grasses seasonal differences were find in the mixture ranking owing to it. Flexible mixtures were prominent in springtime, Palenque Plus mixtures were higher in summer and autumn-winter (p&lt;0.05) and Falcon made the greater contribution in winter (75%). On average, alfalfa performed in summer 70 % of mixture dry matter, 27% in autumn-winter and 52% in springtime. Lotus contribution was poor originating lower forage accumulations (p&lt;0.05). Mixtures show production complementarities between alfalfa and grasses under changing weather conditions.Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestale

Forage accumulation and persistency of binary grass-legume mixtures

En Zavalla-SF, se evaluaron 20 mezclas binarias, combinando alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) Monarca INTA (GL 9), WL 525 (GL 8), Pionner 5717 (GL 7) y Pionner 5681 (GL 6) y lotus (Lotus corniculatus L.) El Boyero, con festuca (Festuca arundinacea, Schreb.) Flexible FCAR, Palenque Plus INTA y Falcon y cebadilla (Bromus catharticus Vahl.) Bellegarde. Los tratamientos se sembraron en líneas a 20 cm, en parcelas en bloques completos al azar con tres repeticiones, empleando 500 semillas/m2 de alfalfa y festuca; 600 de lotus y 200 de cebadilla. Se defoliaron en inicio de floración o aparición de rebrotes basales de la alfalfa GL 6, secando el forraje de 0,5 m2. En el primer y último otoño se midió la densidad de plantas. Se realizaron 18 cortes desde el 16/09/1998 al 19/04/2001. En cuatro, se realizó análisis botánico. Se empleó ANVA y la prueba de Tukey. La densidad de alfalfa disminuyó 70% en tres años, probablemente por períodos húmedos (efectos Niño 1998 y 2000). La pérdida de lotus fue 100%. festuca alta y cebadilla criolla mostraron pérdidas del 19%. La acumulación de forraje anual y entre años fue similar (p>0,05) en las mezclas con alfalfa. La producción promedio del 1º, 2º y 3º año fue de 9,5; 7,8 y 8,2 t MS/ha, y con lotus 7,2; 5,2 y 6,3 t MS/ha (CV (%) = 16,53; 14,35 y 11,62). El reducido aporte de lotus determinó menor acumulación (p<0,05). No hubo diferencias estacionales por cultivares de alfalfa, pero las mezclas con festuca Flexible se destacaron en primavera, y las de Palenque Plus en otoño-invierno y en verano (p<0,05). El mayor aporte de Falcon fue en invierno (75%), siendo pobre en verano (17%). En promedio, la alfalfa aportó en verano 70% de la MS total, en otoño-invierno 27% y en primavera 52%.Twenty binary mixtures were established in Zavalla (33ºS, 61ºW), combining alfalfa Monarca (degree of latency 9), WL525 (ld 8), Pioneer 5715 (ld 7), Pioneer 5681 (ld 6) or birdfoot trefoil El Boyero with tall fescue Flexible FCAR, Palenque Plus INTA, Falcon or prairie grass Bellegarde. The mixtures were sowing in May 1998, in cut plots, at usual sowing densities. Plots were arranged in three blocks of a CABD. All the plots were cut when alfalfa flowering or its basal regrowth started. Seasonal botanic composition and densities of the mixtures were registered. ANOVA and Tukey test (p=0.05) were made with the data. From 16/09/1998 to 19/04/2001 eighteen cuts were carried out. Density decreased 70% in alfalfa, 100% in lotus and 19% in grasses. Annual and total herbage productions were similar (p&gt;0.05) between mixtures grouping by alfalfa based pastures or lotus based. Annual dry matter production averaged 9.45; 7.78 and 8.21 T/ha for alfalfa based pastures and 7.17; 5.15 and 6.29 T/ha for lotus based in the first, second and third year respectively, being the CV 16.53%; 14.35% and 11.68%. When the mixtures were clustered by individual cultivars, no varietal differences were established from alfalfa (p&gt;0.05) but from the grasses seasonal differences were find in the mixture ranking owing to it. Flexible mixtures were prominent in springtime, Palenque Plus mixtures were higher in summer and autumn-winter (p&lt;0.05) and Falcon made the greater contribution in winter (75%). On average, alfalfa performed in summer 70 % of mixture dry matter, 27% in autumn-winter and 52% in springtime. Lotus contribution was poor originating lower forage accumulations (p&lt;0.05). Mixtures show production complementarities between alfalfa and grasses under changing weather conditions.Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestale

Effects of Continuous Grazing and Exclusion on the Structure of Modified Flooding Pampa Grassland in Argentina

The breeding of beef cattle is the predominant activity in the Flooding Pampa wet grasslands. The stocking rate of this region is increasing because of livestock displaced by agriculture in other regions. This increased load has been achieved through the alteration of grassland with the use of herbicides and fertilizers or replacement thereof by pasture (Cahuepé and Hidalgo 2005). The large herbivores grazing cause changes in species composition and diversity (Hall et al. 1986) in both the original and the modified grassland. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of different stocking rates under continuous grazing and exclusion of grazing on the floristic composition and diversity of wet mesophytes prairie, modified during 10 years by the application of herbicides

Beef Heifers Performance under Continuous Grazing on Modified Grassland in Argentina Flooding Pampa

The Salado river basin is the main beef cattle breeding region of Argentina. It is a flat flooding area with poor slopes (\u3c 3%). Their soils are Natracuoles, Natraqualfes and Argiacuoles. The grasslands are predominately continuously grazed and with a set stocking rate cow – calf system. Stocking rate and grazing pressure are two core variables that directly affect animal production. Reduced animal performance is believed to be due to poor grazing management. During 2010, 2011 and 2012 an experiment on the effect of stocking rate on animal growth and body condition with Angus heifers continuously grazing annual winter grasses, was carried out. Previous studies have demonstrated the practicability of producing replacement females with this management (Carrillo 2001; Eirin et al. 2011; Agnelli et al. 2011) that involves mesothermic grasslands modification into self sown winter grasses by using glyphosate and other herbicides (Oyhamburu et al. 2000, Rodriguez and Jacobo 2010). The aim of this study was to establish the stocking rate that optimizes beef rearing heifer’s performance for early mating

Photocatalytic treatments for personal protective equipment: Experimental microbiological investigations and perspectives for the enhancement of antimicrobial activity by micrometric TiO2

The COVID‐19 pandemic has led to countries enforcing the use of facial masks to prevent contagion. However, acquisition, reuse, and disposal of personal protective equipment (PPE) has generated problems, in regard to the safety of individuals and environmental sustainability. Effective strategies to reprocess and disinfect PPE are needed to improve the efficacy and durability of this equipment and to reduce waste load. Thus, the addition of photocatalytic materials to these materials, combined with light exposure at specific wavelengths, may represent promising solutions. To this aim, we prepared a series of masks by depositing micrometer‐sized TiO2 on the external surfaces; the masks were then contaminated with droplets of bacteria suspensions and the coatings were activated by light radiation at different wavelengths. A significant reduction in the microbial load (over 90%, p &lt; 0.01) was observed using both Gram negative (E. coli) and Gram positive (S. aureus) bacteria within 15 min of irradiation, with UV or visible light, including sunlight or artificial sources. Our results support the need for further investigations on self‐disinfecting masks and other disposable PPE, which could positively impact i) the safety of operators/workers, and ii) environmental sustainability in different occupational or recreational settings

Acque termali, qualità e biodiversità: un atlante attraverso l’analisi di mfDNA

Le sorgenti termali sono straordinari ambienti naturali presenti in tutto il mondo e, già dall’antichità, una risorsa sociale ed economica, ancora oggi impiegata in medicina e wellness. L’equilibrio tra le caratteristiche chimico-fisiche e la microflora autoctona è delicato e distingue queste nicchie ecologiche, contribuendo alla creazione di una biodiversità unica. L’origine stessa della vita si presume derivi da simili ambienti cui è riconducibile LUCA, l’Ultimo Antenato Comune Universale. Il patrimonio ambientale, culturale e scientifico delle sorgenti va protetto e valorizzato. La conoscenza dei componenti biotici/abiotici caratterizza l’acqua e ne sostiene l’adeguata gestione. La microflora autoctona, estremofila, è difficilmente coltivabile ma tipizzabile col sequenziamento di mfDNA. È stato realizzato il database Microflora Thermarum Atlas per studiare la biodiversità e caratteristiche naturali. Tale progetto ha implicazioni per gli usi terapeutici, riabilitativi e ricreativi delle acque termali ed è promosso dal gruppo di lavoro GSMS-SIt