Search Results (61)

In Europe, food and agricultural waste amount to millions of tonnes annually. Effective management and valorisation of these residues result in environmental benefits and foster opportunities within the circular economy. Composting has emerged as a sustainable method to convert waste into fertiliser, enhancing soil fertility, water retention, and crop resilience against diseases. However, an adequate compost production process is vital to obtain a functional fertiliser. In this study, a controlled conditions self-produced compost from horticultural waste (C1) was compared against two other commercial composts, one of similar vegetable origin (C2) and another from chicken manure (C3). Physicochemical parameters and nutrient contents in the three compost types were analysed, and phytotoxicity and plant development tests were carried out on Lolium multiflorum Lam. seeds and Pistacia lentiscus L. seedlings. C1 presented fertility and germination parameters similar to C3 and showed the best seedling development. In contrast, C2 showed low levels of fertility, germination, and plant development because of impurities and possible substances inhibiting plant growth, suggesting inadequate compost formation processes. Finally, C3, although it presented germination data similar to C1, produced the worst results in the development of seedlings, probably because of high salinity values and low phosphorus content. Full article

The current Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) foresees a reduction of 50% in the use of herbicides by 2030. This study investigates the potential of integrating remote sensing with a low-cost RGB sensor and variable-rate technology (VRT) to optimize herbicide application in a ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) fodder crop. The trial was conducted on three 7.5-hectare plots, comparing a variable-rate application (VRA) of herbicide guided by a prescription map generated from segmented digital images, with a fixed-rate application (FRA) and a control (no herbicide applied). The weed population and crop biomass were assessed to evaluate the efficiency of the proposed method. Results revealed that the VRA method reduced herbicide usage by 30% (0.22 l ha⁻¹) compared to the FRA method, while maintaining comparable crop production. These findings demonstrate that smart weed management techniques can contribute to the CAP’s sustainability goals by reducing chemical inputs and promoting efficient crop production. Future research will focus on improving weed recognition accuracy and expanding this methodology to other cropping systems. Full article

Grassland ecosystems cover about 25% of the Earth’s surface, providing essential ecosystem services that benefit nature, people, and food security. This study evaluated agronomic and nutritional parameters of ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) based on fertilization levels and cutting frequency in the Amazonas department. The INIA 910—Kumymarca variety was used with nitrogen fertilization rates (0, 60, 120, 180 kg/ha) and cutting intervals of 30 and 45 days for agronomic traits and 30, 45, and 60 days for nutritional traits. A randomized complete block design with eight treatments and three replications was applied. Repeated measures analysis and Tukey’s mean comparison tests (p < 0.005) were performed, along with Pearson correlation and response surface analysis using the central composite design in R. The results showed that applying 180 kg/ha of nitrogen with a 45-day cutting interval provided the highest dry matter yield (460 kg/m²) and superior agronomic traits, including plant height (96.73 cm), number of tillers, and stem diameter. Non-fertilized treatments had the highest crude protein content (17.45%) and digestibility, while higher nitrogen doses increased crude fiber and acid detergent fiber, reducing digestibility. Significant correlations were observed between fresh and dry weight with plant height (p = 0.000; r = 0.84), fiber contents (p = 0.000; r = 1), and ash and protein content (p = 0.000; r = 0.85). The optimal management practice was cutting every 45 days with 180 kg/ha of nitrogen (T8), maximizing forage yield and quality. Proper fertilization and cutting management can improve ryegrass production, benefiting livestock feeding and rural economies. Full article

This study aimed to assess the fermentation characteristics, bacterial community structure, co-occurrence networks, and their predicted functionality and pathogenic risk in high-moisture Italian ryegrass (IR; Lolium multiflorum Lam.) silage. The IR harvested at heading stage (208 g dry matter (DM)/kg fresh weight) was spontaneously ensiled in plastic silos (10 L scale). Triplicated silos were opened after 1, 3, 7, 15, 30, and 60 days of fermentation, respectively. The bacterial community structure on days 3 and 60 were investigated using high-throughput sequencing technology, and 16S rRNA-gene predicted functionality and phenotypes were determined by PICRUSt2 and BugBase tools, respectively. After 60 days, the IR silage exhibited good ensiling characteristics indicated by large amounts of acetic acid (~58.7 g/kg DM) and lactic acid (~91.5 g/kg DM), relatively low pH (~4.20), acceptable levels of ammonia nitrogen (~87.0 g/kg total nitrogen), and trace amounts of butyric acid (~1.59 g/kg DM). Psychrobacter was prevalent in fresh IR, and Lactobacillus became the most predominant genus after 3 and 60 days. The ensilage process reduced the complexity of the bacterial community networks in IR silage. The bacterial functional pathways in fresh and ensilaged IR are primarily characterized by the metabolism of carbohydrate and amino acid. The pyruvate kinase and 1-phosphofructokinase were critical in promoting lactic acid fermentation. A greater (p < 0.01) abundance of the “potentially pathogenic” label was noticed in the bacterial communities of ensiled IR than fresh IR. Altogether, the findings indicated that the high-moisture IR silage exhibited good ensiling characteristics, but the potential for microbial contamination and pathogens still remained after ensiling. Full article

Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) is a persistent weed species that poses significant management challenges in key agricultural crops such as wheat, corn, cotton, and soybean. This study investigated the prevalence of resistance to ACCase inhibitor herbicides, specifically diclofop and pinoxaden, among field-collected Italian ryegrass populations. The survey revealed widespread resistance to diclofop and emerging cross-resistance to pinoxaden. To elucidate the physiological mechanism of ACCase herbicide resistance, we investigated mutations in the carboxyl-transferase (CT) domain of the ACCase enzyme, a critical region for herbicide sensitivity. Using dCAPS assays and CT domain sequencing, several known resistance-conferring mutations were detected in diclofop survivors, including I1781L, W2027C, I2041N, D2078G, and C2088R. Additionally, other mutations such as L1701M, E1874A, N1878H, G1946E/Q, V1992D, and E2039D were identified. To understand the functional role of these mutations in herbicide resistance, homology modeling was performed using AutoDock Vina for selected mutation combinations. The computational analysis revealed that all mutations and their combinations resulted in reduced binding affinity with diclofop and pinoxaden compared to the wild-type ACCase CT domain. Computational binding energy predictions indicated that the G1946E mutation and the L1701M + I1781L + E1874A + N1878H combination exhibited the lowest affinities for diclofop and pinoxaden, respectively. This study provides valuable insights into the molecular basis of ACCase inhibitor resistance in Italian ryegrass. However, further research is needed to validate the functional significance of each new substitution and its combinations in conferring herbicide resistance. Full article

Pastures are essential for sustaining dairy production, particularly in temperate climates where year-round grazing is feasible. However, comprehensive analyses of their productivity, efficiency, and cost evaluation remain uncommon. This study evaluated the productivity, quality, nitrogen fertilization use efficiency, and production costs of Lolium multiflorum Lam pasture on a farm in São Miguel Island. The research compared conventional nitrogen fertilizer with slow-release nitrogen fertilizer at application rates of 320 and 160 kg N ha⁻¹, alongside a control treatment. A Latin square design with five treatments was employed to assess both agronomic and economic performance. The results showed that the type of fertilizer did not significantly influence productivity or quality, while nitrogen levels had a notable impact. Higher nitrogen doses increased dry matter yield and crude protein content. Fiber characteristics remained relatively stable, though neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber levels tended to rise with increased nitrogen application. Nitrogen fertilizer use efficiency consistently exceeded 70%, regardless of the fertilizer type or application rate. Regarding production costs, conventional fertilizer was significantly more cost-effective than slow-release fertilizer, underscoring the importance of selecting economically viable options without compromising agronomic performance in forage production. Full article

Logging operations of Liriodendron tulipifera L., as timber trees, and fallen leaves in autumn from ornamental trees produce a large amount of leaf waste. In this study, the allelopathy of L. tulipifera fresh and fallen leaves was investigated for the development of potential applications of leaf waste. The extracts of fresh and fallen leaves of L. tulipifera showed growth inhibitory activity against weed species, Vulpia myuros (L.) C.C.Gmel., Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) P.Beauv., and Lolium multiflorum Lam., under laboratory conditions. The powder of L. tulipifera fresh and fallen leaves also inhibited the germination of E. crus-galli under greenhouse conditions. A potent allelochemical was isolated from fresh and fallen leaf extracts through a bioassay-guided separation process, and was identified as lipiferolide. Lipiferolide inhibited the growth of L. multiflorum and Lepidum sativum in a concentration-dependent manner. This investigation suggests that the leaf waste of L. tulipifera from logging operations and fallen leaves is potentially useful for the purpose of weed control, such as through the use of soil additive materials from leaves or the creation of foliar spray from leaf extracts. The development of weed control materials using L. tulipifera leaf waste may be a means with which to minimize waste, reducing environmental impacts and economic concerns. Full article

Improvements in nitrogen use efficiency can be achieved through fertilizer management strategies that capitalize on nutrient synergies. However, limited research on synergies between nitrogen, sulfur, and calcium complicates understanding causal links and developing sustainable management. In this regard, the effects of different nitrogen sources on productivity and nitrogen use efficiency in Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) and pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.)), along with their impacts on forage quality and secondary production, were investigated. Treatments included: Urea (46% N), ammonium nitrate (NH₄NO₃; 32% N), ammonium nitrate supplemented with calcium and sulfur (NH₄NO₃ (+), 27% N + 5% Ca + 3.7% S), and control treatment with no N application. The application of fertilizers that combine nitrogen with calcium and sulfur enhances primary production in both winter and summer pastures. Fertilization with NH₄NO₃ (+) increased nitrogen use efficiency by 125% in Italian ryegrass compared to NH₄NO₃. However, within the framework of rotatinuous grazing management principles, optimizing plant nitrogen use efficiency does not necessarily lead to a better forage quality or animal performance. These findings highlight that using fertilizers that promote synergies among nutrients, such as the combination of nitrogen with calcium and sulfur, can bring benefits to the sustainability of pasture-based livestock production systems. Full article

Cinmethylin is a potential pre-emergence herbicide that could be used to control grass weeds in winter cereals. To determine the herbicidal activity of cinmethylin against common gramineous weeds in wheat fields in China and its level of safety on wheat, we conducted the following experiments: (i) assessing the efficacy of cinmethylin against 11 grass weeds and (ii) determining its safety against 19 wheat varieties. The results showed that cinmethylin had good herbicidal efficacy against annual bluegrass (Poa annua L.), shortawn foxtail (Alopecurus aequalis Sobol.), slender meadow foxtail (Alopecurus myosuroides Huds.), Japanese foxtail (Alopecurus japonicus Steud.), Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.), British timothy (Phleum paniculatum Huds.), Asia Minor bluegrass (Polypogon fugax Nees ex Steud.), Helictotrichon tibeticum (Roshev.) Holub., and wild oat (Avena fatua L.), with a GR₅₀ (the herbicide dose resulting in 50% growth inhibition) value of 4.50–99.21 g a.i. ha⁻¹ in plant height and 1.43–70.34 g a.i. ha⁻¹ in fresh weight. However, cinmethylin cannot control Japanese brome (Bromus japonicus L.) or Tausch’s goatgrass (Aegilops tauschii Coss.) at a dose of 200 g a.i. ha⁻¹. Different wheat varieties varied in their phytotoxicity to cinmethylin. Overall, there is a phytotoxicity risk when using cinmethylin on wheat, mainly to wheat roots, with a reduction in root length of 40.81–64.09% at a dose of 400 g a.i. ha⁻¹. These findings indicate that the pre-emergence herbicide cinmethylin provides good efficacy against most grass weeds and may possess potential for weed management in wheat fields. However, attention should be given to the application dosage and the sensitivity of wheat varieties when using cinmethylin in wheat fields. Full article

Artemisia arborescens is a Mediterranean evergreen shrub, with silver grey-green tomentose leaves and a strong scent. It has various ethnopharmacological uses and its secondary metabolites have demonstrated antimicrobial, antiviral, pharmaceutical, phytotoxic, and insecticidal activities. Different extracts obtained from aerial parts of this species are known for their allelopathic effect, but similar studies on its essential oil (EO) are lacking. Therefore, we carried out a pharmacognostic study, obtaining the characterization of the secretory structures and the EO produced. Trans-thujone and camphor are the main components, followed by aromadendrene, camphene, and 8-cedren-13-ol. EO phytotoxic activity was tested on weed plants (Lolium multiflorum Lam. and Sinapis arvensis L.) and crops (Raphanus sativus L. and Cucumis sativus L.), showing inhibition on both germination and radical growth of the two weeds tested. The effects of the EO against the bacterial plant pathogens Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris (Gram−) and Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato (Gram+) was also assayed. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was observed when it was used undiluted [100% v/v], and growth inhibition when diluted at different doses. The antimicrobial activity was also confirmed by the cellular material release and biofilm formation assays. The overall data show that A. arborescens EO can find application as a potential alternative biocontrol product against weeds and plant pathogens. This goal is particularly important from the perspective of replacing synthetic pesticides with natural products, which safeguard both the environment and the health of consumers. Full article

Grasslands are important for sustainable milk and meat production as well as for providing other ecosystem services. One of the most productive components of short-term grasslands is Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum subsp. italicum Lam.), offering high yield, excellent feed value, and high palatability to animals but low tolerance to abiotic stress. Global climate warming opens new opportunities and could be beneficial in increasing the potential of biomass production. In this study, we aimed to assess an Italian ryegrass cultivar of Lithuanian origin, ‘Ugnė’, for productivity and yield stability, with special emphasis on their relationship with climatic factors over a period of 14 years. The average winter temperatures and total spring precipitation explained 51% of the first-cut dry matter yield (DMY) variance. Second- and third-cut DMYs were associated with average temperature only. Italian ryegrass cv. ‘Ugnė’ demonstrated the potential to produce high dry matter yields after warm winters and withstand summer drought spells under Lithuanian conditions. However, mid-to-late-summer heat waves might reduce productivity and should be taken into consideration when breeding new Italian ryegrass cultivars. Full article

The Quick Wash (QW) treatment extracts phosphorus (P) from manure and municipal sludge (MS), producing an organic acidified by-product with adequate nitrogen (N):P ratio to meet crop N requirements. Yet, data on crop response to N using QW by-products are lacking. We evaluated the response of annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) and potential N leaching in sandy soil to N applications using raw wastes, their corresponding QW by-products, and ammonium sulfate (AMS) fertilizer. Treatments included a control (no amendment added), raw and acid-washed chicken litter, dairy and swine manure, MS, and AMS at 100, 200, and 400 kg N ha⁻¹. We found no significant differences in annual ryegrass yield and N uptake between the raw and acidified organic QW by-products. However, ryegrass produced 4–30% more biomass with AMS than organic amendments. The total residual soil inorganic N under AMS treatments ranged between 6.3 and 67.9 mg pot⁻¹ and accounted for 5–17% of the total N applied, but it was <1% for all the organic amendments. We found no differences in soil N leaching between raw and acid-washed forms of each organic soil amendment. Our results indicated that acidified organic QW by-products can improve environmental quality by substantially reducing the amount of applied P with no penalties for crop yield losses compared to raw manure and MS. Full article

Biochar, a fine-grained porous material, exhibits properties that improve soil quality on agricultural land. Biochar, in combination with mineral fertilizers in perennial mixed crops, has so far not been studied for its effect on biomass production and feed value. The study, conducted in 2021 and 2022, aims to investigate the impact of different biochar application rates (alone and in combination with high and low NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium) fertilizer dosages) on the yield and structural carbohydrate content in grass–legume mixtures. Thus, a two-factorial pot study consisting of 36 pots was established in 2021. The study was set up in a randomized block design with nine fertilization treatments in four replicates. The factors studied were the rate of biochar (0, 5, and 10 Mg ha⁻¹) and the rate of NPK mineral fertilizer application (0, 105, and 185 kg ha⁻¹). First, biochar was applied and then the grass–legume mixture was sown, consisting of Lolium perenne L., Festuca arundinacea Schreb., Dectylis glomerata L., Lolium multiflorum Lam., Phleum pratense L., Festuca rubra L., Festuca ovina L., Poa pratensis L., Trifolium repens L., and Medicago sativa L. In both years of the study, during the growing season, plant biomass was harvested three times to assess biomass production and structural carbohydrate content. In the collected samples, neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), and acid detergent lignin (ADL) were examined, and, based on these, dry matter digestibility (DDM), dry matter intake (DMI), and relative feed value (RFV) were calculated. Compared to the control, the biochar addition increased the biomass production by 6.7–14.4% in the first year and by 49–59% in the second year after application. The addition of biochar in combination with NPK fertilization caused an increase in biomass production—22–45% in the first year and 71–136% in the second year after application. The structural carbohydrate content in the mixture depended neither on the biochar dose nor on fertilization. On the other hand, the most significant differences for the studied parameters were observed due to different harvest dates. Full article

Intercropping perennial legumes with trees can reduce Nitrogen (N) losses, due to the high amount of N accumulated in stable forms in the soil and permanent soil cover during the whole year. Although N cycling improvement in mature agroforestry systems (AFS) was well documented, there is a lack of knowledge regarding systems in transition to AF. In this work, we studied the association of two perennial forage crops, namely ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) and sulla (Hedysarum coronarium L.), with 1-year old poplars, to evaluate: (i) the agronomic performance of sulla and ryegrass with vs. without intercropped poplar trees; (ii) the N-fixing ability of sulla in association with trees; (iii) the N transfer effect from sulla and growth promoting effect on poplar; and finally (iv) the nitrate leaching reduction due to the presence of poplar trees associated to forage crops. The layout was arranged in a two-factor randomized complete blocks design (RCB) with three replicates. The first factor tested (crop species) implied two different swards, namely sulla and ryegrass. The second factor (cropping system) included two different systems: PAST i.e., a pastoral system without trees, and SIPAST, i.e., a silvo-pastoral system with one poplar tree row beside the sward. Sulla resulted more productive than ryegrass when associated with trees (+35%). No clear trend was observed about the tree influence on N-fixation in sulla, but the amount of N fixed resulted higher in in sulla grown in the SIPAST near the trees (+35%). Poplar plants, even in the first year after planting, resulted effective yet in reducing the nitrate flux from the crops towards ditches. Further investigations are needed to study other swards in young AF and better understand the N dynamics; in particular, it could be worth to assess the nutrient flux in the soil solution. Full article

Soil microorganisms play a vital role in increasing the availability of phosphorus (P) for plants through mineralization of organic P and solubilization of precipitated P compounds. In this two-year study, we analyzed several P-solubilizing microorganisms (PSMs) of the genus Bacillus and their consortiums for the ability to release soluble P from apatite concentrates of various grinding degrees using ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) as a model plant. The effects were accessed by analyzing plant growth and nutrient assimilation. The greatest effect on root system development and plant biomass accumulation (dry weight) was observed for the apatite concentrate of standard grinding in combination with Bacillus megaterium BI14 and Bacillus subtilis BI2 and Bacillus velezensis BS89 strains. Although the introduction of apatite concentrates led to an increase in the content of total strontium in soil, the levels of strontium did not exceed the maximum allowable concentration, and the accumulation of mobile strontium by plants was unchanged; importantly, the use of tested PSMs led to a decrease in the strontium content in the green biomass of ryegrass. Our results indicate that biologized apatite concentrates in combination with PSMs represent promising fertilizers that can provide a source of soluble P to be readily assimilated by plants. Full article