In semi-arid rangeland in the western U.S., there is a need to manage locoweed (Oxytropis species) populations because of its toxicity to livestock. We used statistical techniques, along with general linear models (GLM) incorporated into a Geographic Information System (CIS) along with remotely sensed data and soil data to predict the probability of observing white locoweed (Oxytropis sericea) in the Maxwell Ranch, Larimer County, Colorado. In the summer of 1999 and 2000, the presence/absence of white locoweed along with Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) coordinates were collected in the Maxwell Ranch. Stepwise regression was used to select significant variables, such as slope, Landsat 7 band 1, 3, 6 and tasseled cap layer 1, available water content, and organic matter content to include in the model. The overall accuracy of the model to predict the presence/absence of white locoweed was 86%. Logistic regression equations were used to calculate probabilities of observing white locoweed in the study site.

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A field experiment was conducted to investigate phytic acid-P accumulation during grain development measured by plant growth and P contents in plants and grain, and phytic acid-P contents in maize grain (Zea mays L.). The total dry plant weight and total P amount of plants was increased with growth. The P amounts of grain were sharply increased from the yellow-ripe stage, and the P distribution percentage of absorbed P to the grain reached 48% at full-ripe stage. The P contents in grain were 6.12, 4.08, 3.00, 1.95, 1.83 g P kg^<-1> dry matter 4 days before silking, and at the silking stage, milk-ripe stage, yellow-ripe stage and full-ripe stage, respectively. The percentage of the organic P and cellular P contents in the grain of total P content was reached to 80-90% 4 days before the silking stage and at the silking stage, while that of these P compounds decreased with grain maturity. The percentage of the phytic acid-P contents in the grain to total P content was 6.3, 42.2 and 75.8%, at the milk ripe stage, the yellow-ripe stage and the full-ripe stage, respectively. These results suggest that a large amount of P was translocated from the leaves and culm to the grain, and the translocated P from other plant parts to the grain may play an important role in P metabolism during grain maturation. The accumulation of phytic acid-P was largely promoted at the milk-ripe stage.

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Nutrient intake and digestibility of Japanese Black cows on a native pasture and an improved grass pasture were compared. The native pasture was dominated by Nezasa dwarf bamboo and the improved grass pasture was a monoculture of Italian ryegrass (Lolium multi- fiorum Lam.). NDF content in the native pasture was higher than in the improved grass pasture. CP content was similar in the both pastures, while degradability of protein was lower in the native pasture than in the improved grass pasture. Cows grazed on the native pasture had lower DM, CP and ME intakes than the cows grazed on the improved grass pasture (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in NDF intake between the pastures (P = 0.097). DM, CP and NDF digestibility were lower for cows grazed on the native pasture than for the cows grazed on the improved grass pasture (P< 0.001). Compared with the estimated nutrient requirement for maintenance (AFFRCS 2000, NRC 1996), ME intake was not sufficient on the native pasture at the low pasture allowance. This result suggested that supplementary energy is needed for beef cows grazing on the native pasture. On the improved grass pasture, CP or DIP intake considerably exceeded the requirement of the cows and this may lead to depressed fertility in beef cows.

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Under an isolated and well-fertilized growth condition, successive multiple-node formation in individual Zoysia stolon advanced very quickly and linearly at the rate of around one multiple-node per 2.5 days. The completion of initial multiple-nodal construction at stolon top was followed by its own root formation and differential appearance of Ta and Tb tillers (each attaching to bottom- and mid-part-node in the same multiple-node, respectively) in regular intervals ; each of these events commenced ca. 3.1, 6.3, and 7.6 days later on newly formed multiple- node, respectively. Sprouted Ta began to elongate inter- node in a certain period, initiated its first multiple-node in the next step, and finally formed its own nodal roots for independent growth as a stolon. In Tb tillers, the developmental transformation into stoloniferous state tended to be delayed occasionally. Distinct differential development was observed anatomically between Ta and Tb tiller buds in the same multiple-nodal position, and seemed to result in differential activity in successive development of Ta and Tb tillers. Initiation of tiller primordium was consistently undetectable in the axil of top leaf on each multiple-node developing near the shoot apex of stolon. The morphogenetic evidence of omitting primordial initiation coincides with the lack of tiller appearance from the node soon above Tb site on multiple-node.

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The incidence of Neotyphodium endophytes was investigated for naturalized perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) and tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) plants collected from roadsides in northern Japan. Fifty seeds were collected from each of three plants at each site. Ten seeds from each plant were tested for endophyte infection and another 10 seeds from those plants found to be infected were used for the analysis of ergovaline and lolitrem B concentration. Perennial ryegrass was collected from 59 sites and tall fescue from 71 sites. Percentages of infected plants were 10% (18/179) in perennial ryegrass and 15% (32/213) in tall fescue. Average ergovaline concentrations in seeds were 1.86 ppm and 6.27 ppm in peren nial ryegrass and tall fescue, respectively. Average lolitrem B concentration in perennial ryegrass was 1.41 ppm. Concentrations of alkaloids differed markedly among the collected plants. Neither ergovaline nor lolitrem B were detected in seeds from perennial ryegrass plants collected from Fukaura. Existence of infected plants with a low concentration of alkaloid may indicate the possibility of usage as forages by investigating characteristics of the endophyte strains.

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The author has already pointed that the evaluation of leaf structure and physical strength would be a valuable selection technique for improving the forage quality in tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.). Leaf structure such as the proportion of abaxial bundle sheath extension (ABBSE) and the physical strength such as tensile strength index were measured for plant materials grown in winter, summer and an artificial environment control chamber to clarify the influence of environmental factors on such characteristics. Two tall fescue cultivars, cv. 'Hokuryo' and cv. 'Nanryo', were used in the present study. Plants with a higher or lower ABBSE proportion were selected from each cultivar at Nishinasuno in winter, respectively. These selected plants were then grown in a field at Sapporo in summer and their proportion of ABBSE and tensile strength index were measured. In cv. 'Nanryo', a significant difference between the groups with higher and lower proportions of ABBSE was also observed at Sapporo. The plants of cv. 'Hokuryo', however, showed no significant differences in the level of proportion of ABBSE. This observation suggested that selection for ABBSE proportion in winter could be used to improve the forage quality in cv. 'Nanryo' but not in cv. 'Hokyuro'. Tensile strength index considering leaf width instead of leaf dry weight were measured for plants materials grown in phytotron (day/night temperatures are 24/20℃, natural day length) from April to October. Plants having high and low tensile strength index were selected in June, and the proportion of ABBSE was measured for these selected plants in October. In cv. 'Nanryo' plants, the lower tensile strength group showed a significantly lower proportion of ABBSE and sclerenchyma than the higher tensile strength group, but in cv. 'Hokuryo' plants, no significant difference in the proportion of ABBSE and sclerenchyma was observed between two groups. These results suggest that genotypes with non-fall dormancy such as cv. 'Nanryo' could be evaluated in leaf structure and physical strength at any time to improve the forage quality in summer, but genotypes with fall dormancy such as cv. 'Hokuryo' cannot be evaluated from fall to winter, and should be evaluated in spring and summer when they are grown in natural day-length conditions.

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We have investigated the extent of variation inmorphological and feeding characteristics in plants regenerated from six-month-old embryogenic suspensioncultures originated from a single genotype of bahiagrass(Paspalum notatum Flugge). Twenty-eight regeneratedplants were randomly selected and planted individuallyin pots and grown outdoors. Five control plants, whichwere obtained from individual seeds, were grown underthe same condition. Substantial phenotypic variation wasobserved among regenerants, whereas the control plantswere reasonably stable. Large variation was observed inthe number of tillers, ranging from 10 to 84. Regenerantswere compared in six morphological traits, cell wall constituents, lignin and in vitro-digestibility. All regenerants had higher NDF contents than the control plantsalthough there was only a small difference in dry matterand NDF digestibility between regenerants and controlplants. In this study, regenerated plants showed differentmorphological and feeding characteristics, and in vitro-digestibilities were negatively correlated with plantlength (-0.56, p<0.01).

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Fermentation quality of rice whole crop silage was examined for treatments with additives of fermented juice of epiphytic lactic acid bacteria (FJLB-1, FJLB2, FJLB3, FJLB 5, FJLB7), which was prepared by different pre-incubation time (1, 2, 3, 5 and 7 days). The β-Carotene and phytin phos- phorus in the silages were also determined. The concentration of lactic acid was significantly (P< 0.05) increased in all of the FJLB treated silages as com- pared to the control silage (none additive), accompanied with lowered butyric acid and ammonia. The FJLB-treated silages also had lower contents of ficarotene and phytin phosphorus than the control. Among five FJLB-treated silages, the FJLB-2 silage was the hightest improvement for the fermentation qua-ity. This was discussed in relation to variations in the fermentation characteristics of FJLB.

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The objective of this study was to clarify the effects of grazing in abandoned fields on the nutrition and health condition of breeding beef cows. We investigated the amount of herbage consumption, the feed compositions of herbage, the body weight change, and the blood constituents of grazing cows in two abandoned fields (Pastures A and B) and a Zoysia dominated pasture (Pasture C) in southwest Japan. The amount of herbage consumption (gDM/m^2) in Pastures A and B were higher than that in Pasture C. The ratio of each species to total grazed herbage in Pasture A, including Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.), other Gramineae, Leguminosae, and others were 41%, 32%, 6%, and 21%, respectively. In Pasture B, Gramineae, white clover (Trifolium repens L.), and others were 36%, 12%, and 53%, respectively. The weighted averages of Ca and P contents calculated using each feed composition of grazed herbage in Pastures A and B were higher than the value recommended for cows, while the ratio of Ca to P (Ca/P) in Pasture A was within the recommended value. On the other hand, the ratio of Ca to P in Pasture B was high compared with the value recommended for cows. The ratios of Ca to P in grazed herbage other than Gramineae were high in Pastures A and B. The Ca contents were also very high compared with the values recommended for cows. The body weights of grazing cows increased in all pastures during the periods of the experiment. Serum Ca concentrations of grazing cows in Pasture A was significantly higher than those in Pastures B and C (P<0.05). The serum Ca concentrations of grazing cows in all pastures exceeded the critical level (8.0mg/dl). However, serum inorganic phosphorus (IP) concentrations of grazing cows in Pasture C was higher than those in Pastures A and B, while grazing cows which showed below the critical level for serum IP concentration (4.5 mg/dl) were observed in all pastures. In particular, 67% of the cows in Pasture A and 57% of the cows in Pasture B were below the critical level. These results indicated that when the abandoned fields were used for grazing, we should pay attention to phosphorus deficiency, as in the case of the Zoysia-dominated pasture.

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This experiment was carried to clarify the possibility of wash-free rice by-product (Wl, W2) as feeds. Bound protein/crude protein (CP) %, ether extract content %, organic cell wall content % and acid detergent fiber content % were lower, and organic cellular content and starch content were higher in wash-free rice by-product than in rice bran. Dry matter (DM), starch, and CP in wash-free rice by- product showed high ruminal disappearance at early incubation times. In order to investigate the digestibility and nutritive value of wash-free rice by-product (Wl, W2), four Japanese native goats were fed diets consisting of wash-free rice by-product and alfalfa hay cube (15.1 : 84.9 on dry matter basis) or alfalfa hay cube only. It was estimated that total digestibile nutrients, digestibile energy, and metabolizable energy of the wash-free rice by-product were 96.9% /DM, 17.84MJ/DMkg and 15.42MJ/DMkg for W1, 93.9%/DM, 17.6 MJ/DMkg and 15.25MJ/DMkg for W2, respectively. It is suggested that wash-free rice by-product is a promising ner high energy feed resource, if appropriately used.

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A selected strain Chikuso-1 isolated from corn was characterized, and their application to silage preparation of forage paddy rice was studied. This strain was a Gram- positive and catalase-negative rod that did not produce gas from glucose, formed L (+) and D (-) lactic acid and grew under a low-pH condition. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis and DNA-DNA relatedness, the strain Chikuso-1 belonged to Lactobacillus plantarum. This strain was used as additives to round bale silage preparation of forage paddy rice with two cultivars, Hamasari and Kusahonami. Silages inoculated with strain Chikuso-1 were well preserved and exhibited lower pH, butyric acid and ammonia-nitrogen, and higher lactic acid content, as compared to control silages. After 370-days of storage, control silages displayed mould growth, whereas in Chikuso-1-inoculated silages, moulds were nearly or below the detectable level. These results showed that Lactobacillus plantarum Chikuso-1 is of great potential as an inoculant for forage paddy rice.

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Salt tolerance of plants has practically been measured by the effect of the salt on the increase in dry matter. This method, however, is unsuitable for the study on the effect of a labile substance on the salt tolerance, since it takes long term for determination. We investigated a new faster salt tolerance test for forage grasses detecting K^+ release by immersing leaf sections in salt solution. The following test conditions were carefully selected to minimize error using leaf blades of Italian ryegrass : one part (g) of 2.0cm leaf sections was immersed in 120 parts (ml) of 100 mM NaCl solution at 4℃ for 24 h. To minimize the effects of the variations of K^+ amount in leaves on the K^+ release, K^+ release/total soluble K^+ was used as an indicator. Total soluble K^+ was extracted by boiling the sample in distilled water for 10 minutes. An inverse relationship between the K^+ release rate and dry matter increase was obtained by treatment of Italian ryegrass, perennial ryegrass, meadow fescue and tall fescue, with NaCl solution, suggesting that this K^+ release test is suitable for evaluating the salt tolerance.

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The present study investigated root system development in alfalfa after treatment with nitrate nitrogen or ammonium nitrogen. Both the dry weight and total root length of alfalfa grown under conditions of soil culture and water culture were greater for the NH_4 plot than for the NO_3 plot. Under water culture conditions, plants from the NO_3 and NH_4 plots did not significantly differ with respect to taproot length or specific root length of the taproot. In contrast, specific root length of lateral roots was significantly greater in the NH_4 plot than in the NO_3 plot at 50 days after sowing. These findings demonstrate that ammonium nitrogen is superior to nitrate nitrogen for the development of the overall roots system as well as for development of lateral roots of alfalfa.

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We tried to use liquid waste from deodorization facilities (a method to scrabble ammonia gas with sprayed diluted sulfuric acid solution) of a composting plant as a resource for fertilization. The liquid waste contained 8.2% N as ammonium sulfate. Application of the liquid waste at 1 or 2 kg/a in terms of N, whether for basal dressing or top- dressing, resulted in a good growing of forage crops. When applied at 4 kg/a, it led to a slight delay of their growing. Increasing applied N to 8.2 kg/a induced poor growth or death of the forage crops. To compare their fertilizing effects, the liquid waste and ammonium sulfate were applied in the same N concentration for growing Italian ryegrass in experimental fields. No significant difference between them was detected in any of the examined items. For practical use of the liquid waste, a lateral-duct sprayer was made on an experimental basis. In conclusion, the present study suggests that the liquid waste may be used as a N fertilizer to substitute for ammonium sulfate.

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In storage work for wrap silos, we developed a simple handling device to do loading by the bottom face down position (parallel position). This device has a structure adopting rubber wheels on the tips of right-and-left grip arms. The device grasps the side of a wrap silo placing it in the side-long position (transversal position); then converts it in the parallel position by merely raising the loader. Thereby, we can omit the hydraulic system normally required to reverse a wrap silo. (1) We developed a self-propelled bale handler utilizing the device. With this machine, we performed loading of wrap silos with 900 mm in diameter (double stack). It took the machine 6.2 seconds per piece to turn over a wrap silo after grasping it. In addition, it caused no damage to film during the process. (2) Installing this machine on a front loader of a tractor, we performed handling work for a 1,000 mm-diameter wrap silo. The amount of time for the machine to turn over a wrap silo after grasping it was 5.2 seconds per piece ; hours of work were saved in comparison with use of a commercially-available grip-type handling device.

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