The effects of mulching by defibration-, expanding- and moistening-treated Moso bamboo (Phyllostachys pubescens Mazel ex Houz. de Lehaie) on vegetation under the electric fence in the grazing land were examined from the viewpoint of efficiency and biological weed control. Two crossbred female goats were kept on Japanese black pine (Pinus thunbergii Parl.) woodland (about 20 a in area) under a set stocking condition from 2004 to 2006 (total of 5 grazing periods). The areas (0.5×1.0m) under the electric fence were partly mulched with a thickness of 3 or 5cm using chipped (CB) or defibration-, expanding- and moistening-treated Moso bamboo (DEMB), i.e. totally 5 treatments. The results indicate the mulching effect of Moso bamboo, and it is also suggested that DEMB treatment is more effective comparing CB. Aqueous extracts of CB and DEMB were tested by means of germination and growth bioassays (using Lactuca sativa L.) in the laboratory to assess the allelopathic action of Moso bamboo. which showed no inhibitory activities in the aqueous extracts of Moso bamboo. Therefore, it is suggested that the mulching effects of Moso bamboo are not attributed to inhibitory action but rather covering and shading.

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This study was performed to evaluate the effect of use of citrus pulp (CiP), tofu cake (TC), corn distiller's dried grains plus solubles (DDGS) and enzyme on the fermentation quality of fermented total mixed ration (TMR) with reed canarygrass (RCG). RCG was prepared at two levels of 45% and 65% as fresh matter basis for making fermentation of TMR. The experimental plot was set up at 0.2% enzyme (Procelase^[○!R], Meijiseikakaisha. Ltd, Tokyo) addition. After one month storage, a pH as low as 4.0 was obtained when the TMR silage of RCG was prepared with 65% of RCG and DDGS plus enzyme. Lactic acid content of TMR silage of RCG was higher when preparing with TC and DDGS plus enzyme. It is possible to think that the good fermentation quality was obtained when TC or DDGS was mixed at about 20%, and fermentation quality was improved more and more when enzyme was added.

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The authors developed a self-propelled harvesting roll baler that can be used for harvesting, chopping, and forming forage crops into a roll bale for contractors mainly in Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu districts. We tested a harvesting system consisting of the developed machine and a conventional self-propelled bale wrapper in cooperation with contractors and farmers to improve endurance and to investigate harvesting and ensiling cost. It was important to restrain the cost of using the harvesting system widely for forage crops that had different harvesting times. Furthermore, we calculated the minimum harvesting area for introducing the harvesting system to contractors seeking to extend into forage paddy and forage barley harvesting and to add maize harvesting. We also considered contractors who desire to begin selling barley whole crop silage and harvesting maize in addition to harvesting and selling rice whole crop silage, based on the results of the cost investigation. The results demonstrated that the harvesting system could obviously decrease harvesting and ensiling cost.

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The authors developed functions to harvest forage rice plant for the self-propelled harvesting roll baler which harvests, chops and forms forage crops (corn, rice plant and wilting grass) into roll bales. A reel-head attachment of a combine for multiple crops was installed as close as possible to the forage harvester unit to smooth the material flow. Performance tests indicated that the average loss at bale release was 1.2%, the average mass of a roll bale of forage rice was 328kg. and the average dry matter density was 168kg/m^3. The average working rate was 17a/h for fields from 10 to 20a and 31a/h for fields larger than 20a. This roll baler's work rate for an approximately 5a field was 11a/h, which demonstrated its adaptability to small fields in mountainous regions. This roll baler was also able to harvest a long-stalk forage rice plant (average height 145cm). Rice whole crop silage in bales produced by this roll baler maintained its high quality for a year.

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The authors developed functions to harvest wilting grass for the self-propelled harvesting roll baler which harvests, chops and forms forage crops (corn, rice plant and wilting grass) into roll bales. The improvements smooth the material flow from the pickup attachment to the forage harvester unit. One of the improvements was to sharpen radial plate projection points of one side of the feed rollers. Performance tests demonstrated that the average loss at bale release was 0.9%, the average mass of a roll bale of wilting grass was 423kg, and the dry matter average density was 232kg/m^3. When the moisture content ranged from 50 to 60%, which is thought suitable for fermentation, the average dry matter harvesting mass per hour was 5.6t/h. The roll baler's working rate was 89a/h for 30a field. Furthermore, the grass silage in bales produced by this roll baler maintained its high quality for seven months.

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The aim of this research was to determine the effects of weed damage on maize growth using hyperspectrum data obtained by airborne remote sensing. Using hyperspectrum data, we calculated the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), modified normalized difference vegetation index (mNDVI) and soil-adjusted vegetation index (SAVI), and compared the values obtained with the maize yield, weed biomass and SPAD values of maize leaves. The results showed that weeds had a significant influence on maize growth as a fall in the SPAD value of maize leaves. Moreover, the maize yield of the experimental plot with weeds was 13-22% lower than that of the weeded experimental plot. The computed NDVI and SAVI of the three types of vegetation indices showed that mixing by spectrum data of soil was a problem. Thus, evaluations using these vegetation indexes are not satisfactory. Although a correlation among mNDVI maize yield and weed biomass was found, it was difficult to predict these using mNDVI. Alternatively, to find a strong positive correlation of mNDVI and SPAD value. it was important to evaluate the nitrogen and chlorophyll content.

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We overseeded six temperate perennial grasses in a degrading pasture with a simple grassland renovator. The overseeded grasses were Dactylis glomerata L., Phleum pratense L. Lolium perenne L. and three cultivars of ×Festulolium Braunii (cultivars: 'Barfest', 'Tohoku 1' and 'Morikei 1'). We compared the characteristics of establishment and persistency among these grasses. Establishment of L. perenne and the three F. Braunii cultivars was significantly better than that of D. glomerata and P. pratense, because L. perenne and three F. Braunii cultivars had outstanding early growth, so the height of L. perenne and three F. Braunii cultivars before grazing were higher than the other overseeded grasses and the dominant species in the degrading pasture. On the other hand, D. glomerata had the best persistency among these grasses three years after simple grassland renovation. However, one of the F. Braunii cultivars, 'Morikei 1', also had excellent persistency which was equal to D. glomerata. F. Braunii cultivars 'Morikei 1' are advantageous for simple grassland renovation in degrading pasture, because 'Morikei 1' had both outstanding esatablishment and excellent persistency.

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