Publications
NIBIOs employees contribute to several hundred scientific articles and research reports every year. You can browse or search in our collection which contains references and links to these publications as well as other research and dissemination activities. The collection is continously updated with new and historical material.
2020
Abstract
Several scientific groups have concluded that the use of biochar as an on-farm management tool for carbon sequestration should be further investigated. Review articles also pinpoint the use of biochar to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the entire agricultural production, and this should be studied using whole-chain models. Biochar is added to animal diets with the main purpose of enhancing animal health. There are indications that biochar fed to ruminants may reduce enteric methane emission. Twenty-four ewe lambs were fed one of two diets, a control diet (no biochar) and a biochar diet (1.4% biochar). There were no differences in dry matter intake and average daily growth rate between animals. An expected reduction in enteric methane emissions from animals fed the biochar diet was not detected. We conclude that the effect on enteric methane emissions may depend on structure and properties of the biochar offered. We suggest further research on biomass and pyrolysis of biochar to accommodate several properties as a feed additive for farm animals.
Abstract
No abstract has been registered
Authors
Aina Lundon RussenesAbstract
No abstract has been registered
Abstract
Fractionation of forage legume crops can make a protein-rich feed available for monogastric animals. The aim of the current study was to assess the effect of fractionation method, leaf stripping or juice production, in lucerne (Medicago sativa) on protein yield in low-fibre fractions. We established field trial with replications on two lucerne varieties in Menemen, Turkey, in 2018. At first cut in 2019 whole plant and six different fractions were processed and sampled. Across varieties, juice, leaves and leaf juice yields accounted for 45%, 53% and 24% of the whole plant dry matter yield, respectively. Crude protein content was higher in leaf juice (26%) than whole plant juice (23%) and the content in leaves differed between the varieties (22% and 27%). Leaf stripping separated a higher proportion (on average 70%) of the total crude protein in the plant than juice production (on average 55%). The effects of variety, harvesting time and number of cut need further investigation.
Abstract
No abstract has been registered
Authors
Victor Rueda-Ayala Luis Ramos-Guerrero Paul Vargas-Jentzsch Betty Hernández Mats Höglind Ingrid Toscano Dayana Borja Lorena Goetschel Dionisio AndújarAbstract
In this study, aqueous extracts of Calliandra haematocephala Hassk. leaves and inforescences were tested on seeds of quinoa (Chenopodium album L.) and rice (Oryza sativa L.), and on some of the most noxious-associated weeds, Chenopodium album L. and Holcus lanatus L. in quinoa, and Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) P. Beauv., Echinochloa colona L., Eclipta prostrata L. and Rottboellia cochinchinensis (Lou.) W.D. Clayton in rice. The objectives were to identify extract concentrations at which 50 and 90% of germination (GR[50,90] ) and radicle elongation (RR[50,90] ) were inhibited, to fractionate inforescence extracts for facilitating identifying the chemical group causing allelopathic efects, and to evaluate the fraction showing the stronger weed suppression efects and the least crop damage. Increasing extract concentration rates (0, 6.25, 12.5, 25, 50 and 100% crude extract) were applied to seeds of target crops and weeds. Flower extracts at rates < 0.30 produced GR[50] and RR[50] on H. lanatus, and GR[90] and RR[90] in C. album, while quinoa seeds were not afected. Rice and its target weeds were minimally afected by fower extracts, whereas radicle elongation of all species was signifcantly reduced. A concentration rate > 0.52 caused the RR[50] on rice and all its target weeds. Fractions were quantitatively and qualitatively analysed to detect phytochemical groups, using specifc chemical reagents and thin-layer chromatography (TLC). The fraction F3 from aqueous fower extract showed a high content of favonoids, assumed as the potential allelochemical substance. Total favonoid content in F3 was quantifed as 2.7 mg of quercetin per g F3, i.e., 12.8 mg of quercetin per g of inforescence material. Additionally, feld equivalent extract rates obtained from the harvested fresh inforescence biomass could be determined. These rates ranged between 90 and 143 mL l −1 of F3 aqueous fraction, while for ethanol F3 were 131 mL l −1. Our results are encouraging for fnding sustainable and ecologically friendly alternatives for weed management in crops of high nutritional value, contributing also to counteract the growing problem of herbicide resistance.
Authors
Ievina SturiteAbstract
No abstract has been registered
Authors
Vibeke LindAbstract
No abstract has been registered
Authors
Vibeke LindAbstract
No abstract has been registered
Authors
D. Wade Abbott Inga Marie Aasen Karen A. Beauchemin Fredrik Grondahl Robert Gruninger Maria Hayes Sharon Huws David A. Kenny Sophie J. Krizsan Stuart F. Kirwan Vibeke Lind Ulrich Meyer Mohammad Ramin Katerina Theodoridou Dirk van Soosten Pamela J. Walsh Sinead Waters Xiaohui XingAbstract
The need to become more efficient in agriculture and the food industry exists parallel to the challenge of climate change. Meat and dairy production is the target of much scrutiny due to methane (CH4) emissions and global warming. On the other hand, it should be noted that two-thirds of the world’s agricultural land consists of pastures and permanent grasslands and is used for livestock grazing. This land is predominantly unsuitable for arable purposes but facilitates the production of high-quality human-edible protein in the form of ruminant animal-derived meat and milk. This makes a significant contribution to feeding the world’s population. There is a need to reduce CH4 emissions, however, and several approaches are being researched currently. Seaweeds are diverse plants containing bioactives that differ from their terrestrial counterparts and they are increasingly under investigation as a feed supplement for the mitigation of enteric CH4. Seaweeds are rich in bioactives including proteins, carbohydrates and to a lesser extent lipids, saponins, alkaloids and peptides. These bioactives could also play a role as feed ingredients to reduce enteric CH4. This review collates information on seaweeds and seaweed bioactives and their potential to impact on enteric CH4 emissions.