• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.16 no.7
• /
• pp.996-1002
• /
• 2003

A 6 (accession)${\times}$5 (cutting interval) factorial experiment was conducted over two years to investigate the effect of stage of growth on herbage production, nutritive value and water soluble carbohydrate (WSC) content of Napier grass and Napier grass${\times}$Pearl millet hybrids (hybrid Pennisetum). The purpose of the experiment was to determine the optimum stage of growth to harvest the Pennisetums for ensilage. Two Napier accessions (SDPP 8 and SDPP 19) and four hybrid Pennisetum (SDPN 3, SDPN 29, SDPN 38 and Bana grass) were compared at five harvest intervals (viz. 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 weeks). Basal fertilizers were similar in all treatment plots, although nitrogen (N) top-dressing fertilizer was varied proportionately, depending on the harvesting interval. The application was based on a standard rate of 60 kg N/ha every six weeks. Stage of growth had significant effects on forage yield, WSC content and nutritive value of the Pennisetums. Herbage yields increased in a progressively linear manner, with age. Nutritive value declined as the harvesting interval increased. In particular, crude protein content declined rapidly (p<0.001) from $204g\;kg^{-1}$ DM at 2 weeks to $92g\;kg^{-1}$ DM at 8 weeks of growth. In vitro dry matter digestibility decreased from 728 to $636g\;kg^{-1}$ DM, whilst acid and neutral detergent fibre contents increased from 360 and 704 to 398 and $785g\;kg^{-1}$ DM, respectively. Rapid changes in nutritive value occurred after 6 weeks of growth. The concentration of WSC increased in a quadratic manner, with peaks ($136-182g\;kg^{-1}$ DM) at about 6 weeks. However, the DM content of the forage was low ($150-200g\;DM\;kg^{-1}$) at 6 weeks. Therefore, it was concluded that Pennisetums should be harvested between 6 and 7 weeks, to increase DM content and optimize herbage production without seriously affecting nutritive value and WSC content. Accessions SDPN 29 and SDPP 19 appeared to be most suited for ensilage. It was suggested that WSC content should be incorporated as a criterion in the agronomic evaluation and screening of Pennisetum varieties.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
• /
• v.3 no.3
• /
• pp.45-53
• /
• 1999

Red sorrel (Rumex acetosella L.) is a troublesome perennial weed in the alpine grasslands of Kangwon Province of Korea. A number of soil- and foliar-applied herbicides were evaluated for their efficacy of red sorrel control. In greenhouse experiments, no soil-applied herbicides, such as pendimethalin, simazine, alachlor, metolachlor, ethalfluralin controlled red sorrel, however, foliar-applied herbicides, such as glufosinate, paraquat, glyphosate, glyphosate + 2,4-D, dicamba, mecoprop, 2,4-D, bentazone controlled more than 60% of red sorrel 2 weeks after treatments. When dicamba and 2,4-D were applied to red sorrel in different growth stages, the auxin-type of herbicides cold control red sorrel regardless of growth stage. This result implies that the auxin-type herbicides can be applied between early May (early growth stage) and mid lune (before fruit maturation) at Kangwon alpine grasslands. In a field experiment, glufosinate at 1.0 kg a.i, $ha^{-1}$, glyphosate at 3.28 kg a.i. $ha^{-1}$, dicamba at 0.96 kg a.i. $ha^{-1}$, and mecoprop at 150 kg a.i. $ha^{-1}$ controlled more than 80% of red sorrel 4 weeks for treatment, suggesting such herbicides could be applied for red sorrel control at Kangwon alpine grasslands.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.16 no.6
• /
• pp.823-829
• /
• 2003

Four different types of silage from new cultivars of Napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum), cv. NG 1 and NG 2, were fed to eight wethers in order to evaluate their preference and intake by sheep. The silages were prepared from direct-cut NG 1 herbage; pre-wilted NG 1 herbage; NG 1 herbage with maize meal (5% inclusion) and NG 2 herbage with maize meal (5% inclusion). All silages were palatable to sheep. Maize-treated silage had high quality fermentation, characterized by high Fleig scores and low pH, volatile fatty acids (VFA) and ammoniacal nitrogen contents. The pH, Fleig score, in vitro digestible organic matter (IVDOMD) and ammoniacal-N contents for maize-treated cv. NG 1 silage were 3.7, 78, $540g\;kg^{-1}$ dry matter (DM ) and $0.18g\;kg^{-1}$ DM whereas, in maize-treated cv. NG 2 they were 3.6, 59, $^458g\;kg{-1}$ DM and $0.18g\;kg^-1$ DM, respectively. The superior quality of maize-treated silages made them more preferable to sheep. Among the maize-fortified silages, palatability and intake were significantly (p<0.001) greater with cv. NG 1. Although direct-cut silage had better fermentation quality compared to wilted silage, wilted silage was significantly (p<0.001) more preferable to sheep. However, there were no significant differences (p<0.05) in the levels of preference and intake of wilted silage compared to maize-treated cv. NG 2 silage, even though the latter tended to be more palatable. There were indications that high pH (4.6 vs 3.5) and IVDOMD content (476 vs $457g\;kg^{-1}%$ DM) of wilted silage contributed to higher intake, compared to direct-cut silage. It was generally concluded that pre-wilting and treatment of Napier grass with maize meal at ensiling enhances intake and palatability.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.44 no.2
• /
• pp.106-114
• /
• 2020

Background: Determining patterns of habitat use is key to understanding of animal ecology. Approximately 1% of bird species use brood parasitism for their breeding strategy, in which they exploit other species' (hosts) parental care by laying eggs in their nests. Brood parasitism may complicate the habitat requirement of brood parasites because they need habitats that support both their host and their own conditions for breeding. Brood parasitism, through changes in reproductive roles of sex or individual, may further diversify habitat use patterns among individuals. However, patterns of habitat use in avian brood parasites have rarely been characterized. In this study, we categorized the habitat preference of a population of brood parasitic lesser cuckoos (Cuculus poliocephalus) breeding on Jeju Island, Korea. By using compositional analyses together with radio-tracking and land cover data, we determined patterns of habitat use and their sexual and diurnal differences. Results: We found that the lesser cuckoo had a relatively large home range and its overall habitat composition (the second-order selection) was similar to those of the study area; open areas such as the field and grassland habitats accounted for 80% of the home range. Nonetheless, their habitat, comprised of 2.54 different habitats per hectare, could be characterized as a mosaic. We also found sexual differences in habitat composition and selection in the core-use area of home ranges (third-order selection). In particular, the forest habitat was preferentially utilized by females, while underutilized by males. However, there was no diurnal change in the pattern of habitat use. Both sexes preferred field habitats at the second-order selection. At the third-order selection, males preferred field habitats followed by grasslands and females preferred grasslands followed by forest habitats. Conclusions: We suggest that the field and grassland habitats represent the two most important areas for the lesser cuckoo on Jeju Island. Nevertheless, this study shows that habitat preference may differ between sexes, likely due to differences in sex roles, sex-based energy demands, and potential sexual conflict.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
• /
• v.4 no.2
• /
• pp.122-126
• /
• 1983

The allocation of the dry-matter yield in Miscanthus sineusis grasslands on soils of different water contents was investigated. The results obtained in this study can be summarized as follows; 1. The standing crops of Miscanthus sineusis grassland A (soil water content; 22.54%) and B (soil water content; 9.22%) were 2,267.12 and 943.44 g/m$^{2}$, respectively. 2. The productivity curves of the Miscanthus sineusis grassland A and B were the bell-shape and the productivity peak values were showed in September. 3. In Miscanthus sineusis grassland A and B, the reproductive allocation was represented by characteristics of production structure and dry-matter yields. 4. Allocation rates of dry-matter yields to panicle and rhizomes in Miscanthus sineusis grassland A and B were 0.6 and 1.4% and 35.4 and 46.6% respectively. 5. In these results, allocation of dry-matter yield to reproductive organs was increased in the condition of water-stress.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
• /
• v.4 no.2
• /
• pp.127-132
• /
• 1983

An investigation was performed to reveal the relation between production and decomposition of the Miscanthus sinensis and Arundinella hirta grasslands in Mt. Kwanak. 1. The total annual litter productions of M. sinensis grassland A, B and A, hirta grassland were 2,267.12, 943.44 and 1,228.45 g/m$^{2}$, respectively. 2. The decay constants of litters of M. sinensis grassland A, B and A. hirta grassland were 0.732, 0.411 and 0.877. 3. The time required for the decomposition of half of the accumulated organic matter of M. sinensis A,B and 4. hirta were 0.9, 1.7 and 0.8 years, for 95% of elimination 4.1, 7.3 and 3.4 years, and for 99% of elimination 6.8, 12.2 and 5.7 years respectively. 4. The decomposition rate of grass litters was affected by the soil water content and grass species.

• Journal of People, Plants, and Environment
• /
• v.23 no.3
• /
• pp.293-304
• /
• 2020

Background and objective: This study was carried out to assess the relationship between the internal and external environments and the ecological items in five sites with a high level of artificial use intensity prior to the establishment of Geumgang River riparian ecological belts. Methods: The sites were classified into forest type, cultivated land type and urbanized type in accordance with their respective locational types. Ecological items including plant ecology such as proportion, naturalization index and urbanization index of native species were analyzed and animal ecology such as the number of species and population of wild birds, amphibians and reptiles, mammals, and butterflies and dragonflies, which are indicator insects, were investigated. In addition, species diversity indices of wild birds, butterflies and dragonflies found in all the subject lands were computed. Results: Among the plant ecological items, the ratio of native species in the forest type was higher than 90%, which was a satisfactory level, while the naturalization and urbanization indices were less than 10%. The number of species in the animal ecological characteristics was reduced in the order of forest type, cultivated land type and urbanized type. As the results of correlation analysis, the internal area of the planted area showed a negative correlation with the total of individuals. The area of grasslands showed a positive correlation with the number of dragonfly species and the total number of individuals, thereby illustrating that wet grasslands have positive effects. The area of surrounding forests, as an external environment, had a negative correlation with the urbanization index (UI) but a positive correlation with the inhabitation of butterflies and the total number of species. Conclusion: The results confirmed the need for more diversified special compositions including planted land, grassland, wetland, bodies of water and waterways within the subject land in the wetland ecological belt along with the need for surrounding forest location and preservation from the perspective of purchase and restoration of land for enhancement of wider biodiversity in the future.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
• /
• v.17 no.2
• /
• pp.105-112
• /
• 1994

Structure of grassland communities was investigated, and performance of populations of Themeda triandra var. japonica and Miscanthus sinensis were compared on limestone and granite soils. Forty three and forty taxa occurred on the limestone and granite grasslands, respectively, but their similarity was very low. Shoot height and number of hills per patch, as a measure of performance, of Themeda on the limestone grassland were higherthan those on the granite grassland. In contrast, shoot height and number on hills per patch of Miscanthus were higher on limestone than granite grassland. Evidence shows that poor growth of Micanthus population on the limestone soil was associated with higher content of insoluble divalent cations than soluble ones in shoot tissue.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
• /
• v.12 no.4
• /
• pp.239-245
• /
• 1992

Aspects of nitrate accumulation of forages growing on grasslands in Chonbuk Province, and the effects of different rates of N fertilizer on the total nitrogen and nitrate contents of sudangrass-hybrid and corn were studied through the 1991 growing season. The results obtained are summarized as follows: I . Thc nitrate content of the forages was increased by N application and decreased as the plants matured. 2. Nitrate concentration was high throughout the growing season in samples collected at Namweon-gun 1, which was considered as potentially unsafe. 3. Total nitrogen and nitrate content of plants generally increased with the increasing rates of N fertilizer, but not statistically significant among treatments except the plot of 25 kg N/lOa. 4. The annual crops had a greater tendency to accumulate nitrate than the perennial forage species. 5. It is suggested that high level of N fertilizer and manure may result in toxic levels of nitrate, and special attention must be given in feeding them.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
• /
• v.27 no.3
• /
• pp.179-184
• /
• 2004

The diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AM) was investigated in cultivated and natural fold sites or chungbuk, Korea. soils were collected from rhizosphere or Sorghum bicolor, Fagopyrum esculentum and Glycine max in cultivated sites, and of Miscanthus sinensis, Glycine soja and Lespedeza cuneata in natural sites. Total 20 species of Glomalean fungi were found in this study. Species richness, species diversity and density of AM fungi were significantly lower in the arable sites. While only AM fungal spores belong to Glomus and Acaulospora were found in arable fold sites, more diverse fungal spores including Gigasporaceae were found in natural grasslands. AM fungal spore composition did not significantly differ among crop plant species. Results suggest that the agricultural practices were significantly influenced on AM fungal community structures and mycorrhizal developments.