• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.16 no.9
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• pp.1280-1284
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• 2003

The number of protozoa and VFA content in the rumen fluid, in situ disappearance and turnover rate were examined with four rumen-fistulated cattle given either sugarcane stalk or Ruzi grass hay in order to clarify the manner of rumen digestion of sugarcane stalk. Cattle were given either sugarcane stalk or Ruzi grass hay at 1.0% of body weight level with commercial concentrate feed. Feeding sugarcane stalk reduced acetate content and increased propionate and butyrate contents in rumen fluid. While rapidlysoluble fraction of sugarcane stalk was 42%, the insoluble but potentially degradable fraction was only 17%. This clearly showed that sugarcane stalk mainly consisted of water soluble fraction (i.e. sugar) and tough fiber (i.e. bagasse). The ruminal degradation rate of both Ruzi grass hay and sugarcane stalk was lower in the animal given sugarcane stalk in comparison with those given Ruzi grass hay. While the turnover rate of liquid phase was about 50% higher in the animals given sugarcane stalk than in the animals given Ruzi grass hay, that of the solid phase was about 40% lower in the animals given sugarcane stalk. The effective degradability of DM of sugarcane stalk was higher than that of Ruzi grass hay. Sugarcane would be a promising roughage for ruminants in the tropics especially, in the dry season.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.205-208
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• 2002

The use of chopped sugarcane stalk (CSS) as a roughage for lactating cows was examined using four Holstein crossbred cows in a private dairy farm in Khon Kaen, Thailand, in comparison with rice straw (RS), which is the conventional roughage in the dry season in the region. Cows were subjected to the following two dietary treatments: Diet 1) RS with commercial concentrate feed, and Diet 2) CSS and RS with commercial concentrate feed. The diet was switched over every 3 weeks. The amount of concentrate was determined by the experience of the owner of the cows. RS and CSS were given ad libitum. There was no difference in milk production between two groups, although the total DMI was less in cows fed CSS. Solid-not-fat (SNF) content in milk was significantly higher in the cows given CSS. The NEFA content was significantly lower in the animals given CSS, which suggested that cows given only RS as roughage would be suffering from energy malnutrition. Therefore, it was considered that CSS feeding improved energy supply, which resulted in higher SNF in milk. In the nutritional point of view, the present study clearly showed CSS can be used as a roughage for dairy cows in the dry season.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.55-60
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• 2002

A metabolism trial with four castrated male Brahman cattle, average body weight 320 kg, was conducted in order to determine the nutritive value of chopped sugarcane stalk (CSS) for the establishment of feeding strategy in the dry season in Northeast Thailand. Animals were subjected to the following four dietary treatments: Treatment 1; 100% of CSS, Treatment 2; 70% of CSS and 30% of commercial complete feed (TMR), Treatment 3; 40% of CSS and 60% of TMR, and Treatment 4; 100% of TMR. The average CP, ether extracts, nitrogen free extracts, crude fiber and ash contents of CSS were 2.0, 0.9, 79.0, 16.1 and 2.2%, respectively. Although the amount of feed given was approximately at maintenance level, animals in treatments 1 and 2 refused a part of feed. The metabolism trial revealed that total digestible nutrient and metabolizable energy contents of CSS were 61.5% and 9.04 MJ/kgDM, respectively, when it was properly supplemented with protein sources. Nutritive value of CSS was lowered when animals were given CSS solely. This was due to the large loss of energy into urine and methane. Voluntary intake of CSS in cattle was not enough to satisfy energy requirement for maintenance. The CSS can be used as a roughage for feeding cattle in the dry season with proper supplementation of protein and energy.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.216-222
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• 2010

Fusarium proliferatum is the causal agent of stalk and root rot disease of maize, foot rot disease of rice, basal and root rot disease of onion and knife cut disease of sugarcane in Iran. In recent years, incidence and severity of these diseases have been increased in Iran. Fifty seven F. proliferatum single-spore isolates collected from diseased maize, rice, onion and sugarcane plants at different areas were used to study genetic diversity by determination of vegetative compatibility groups (VCGs). Chlorate-resistant nitrate non-utilizing (nit) mutants were recovered from selected isolates of F. proliferatum and used in complementation tests. All isolates in which both nit1 and NitM (or nit3) mutants were recovered, demonstrated self-compatibility. Vegetative compatibility tests by pairing nit mutants identified 30 VCGs among 57 isolates. Twenty-three isolates belonged to singlemember VCGs and the remaining 34 isolates, belonged to other seven multimember VCGs. Segregation of F. proliferatum isolates obtained from various area and host plants into different VCGs in Iran is reported for the first time. In this study, none of isolates obtained from rice complemented with any other isolates from onion and sugarcane and, non complementation occurred between onion and sugarcane isolates. Also, only one complementation occurred between one isolate of maize and one isolate of sugarcane and rice. Thus, a correlation between VCGs grouping and host preferences was founded. It is concluded that natural populations of F. proliferatum in Iran are probably genetically divergent and include isolates representing a potential risk for disease development.

• Mycobiology
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.97-101
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• 2010

Calocybe indica, a tropical edible mushroom, is popular because it has good nutritive value and it can be cultivated commercially. The current investigation was undertaken to determine a suitable substrate and the appropriate thickness of casing materials for the cultivation of C. indica. Optimum mycelial growth was observed in coconut coir substrate. Primordia initiation with the different substrates and casing materials was observed between the 13th and 19th day. The maximum length of stalk was recorded from sugarcane leaf, while diameter of stalk and pileus, and thickness of pileus were found in rice straw substrate. The highest biological and economic yield, and biological efficiency were also obtained in the rice straw substrate. Cow dung and loamy soil, farm-yard manure, loamy soil and sand, and spent oyster mushroom substrates were used as casing materials to evaluate the yield and yield-contributing characteristics of C. indica. The results indicate that the number of effective fruiting bodies, the biological and economic yield, and the biological efficiency were statistically similar all of the casing materials used. The maximum biological efficiency was found in the cow dung and loamy soil casing material. The cow dung and loamy soil (3 cm thick) was the best casing material and the rice straw was the best substrate for the commercial cultivation of C. indica.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Near Infrared Spectroscopy Conference
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• 2001.06a
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• pp.1621-1621
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• 2001

The quality of sugarcane grown on the NE Australian tropical coast ($16^{\circ}$15'- $18^{\circ}$15' S Lat.) has declined markedly in the past seven years. This has been linked to dilution of mill-supply cane with increasing levels of non mature-stalk material consisting of leaves and sucker culms. The prime research objective was to examine the transition from the pre-harvest, in-field crop to harvested material sent for processing, in terms of quality and crop fraction proportions. A secondary objective was to quantify the effects of preharvest-season crop habit and culm condition on crop quality. Ten quadrat samples from each of 54 random crop sites (17 in 1999 and 37 in 2000), covering a wide range of variables (cultivar, crop class, and edaphic, topographic, climatic, and temporal factors) were collected immediately before harvest. Samples were partitioned into four fractions:- sound and unsound mature stalks (culms), sucker culms, and extraneous matter (leaves). Material harvested from each site was sampled and partitioned into four fractions:- sound and unsound billets (culm pieces), culm-spindle pieces, and leaf. In 2000, before harvest, 14 additional sites were sampled monthly, on three occasions, from March - June. Erect and non-erect culms were divided into sound and unsound classes. All samples were disintegrated and presented to a remote reflectance module of a scanning spectrophotometer using the BSES large cassette module. Near infra-red spectroscopic (NIS) analyses were developed for the rapid determination of quality components (Brix, commercial cane sugar (CCS), fibre, moisture, and polariscope reading). Calibrations for three material groups (culm (n = 639), non-culm (n = 496), and combined) were developed for all components using the 1999 data set. Two sub-sets (n = 178, and 190) of about 10% of the preharvest-season and harvest populations scanned in 2000 also were subjected to full routine laboratory analyses. The 1999 combined calibrations were excellent, but the culm calibrations produced consistently lower standard errors. Non-culm calibrations were marginally better than the combined for only CCS and pol. reading. Analysis of the 2000 culm data with calibrations using all 1999 and 2000 culm data resulted in better predictions relative to the 1999 culm calibrations. This also was true for the combined calibrations. Assessment of quality components in pre- and post-harvest sugarcane using NIS calibrations was more cost effective than using routine laboratory techniques. Outcomes from this NIS-facilitated research will have important economic consequences for the Australian sugarcane industry. Potential CCS present in mature culms is being discounted by dilution with leaves and sucker culms, threatening farm viability. The results question the efficacy of current harvesting technology. The CCS of harvested cane is improved only marginally over that of the in-field crop. Current harvesting technology requires either supplementary, innovative pre-mill processing or a design revolution to improve mill-supply cane quality, and therefore whole of industry economics. NIS-facilitated analyses, before the harvest season, highlighted the benefits of growing erect, sound crops. Loss of CCS then, can be minimized only by a combination of crop improvement and agronomic solutions, applied as part of sound on-farm management.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Near Infrared Spectroscopy Conference
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• 2001.06a
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• pp.3124-3124
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• 2001

The development and evolution of near infra-red spectroscopic (NIS) calibrations for high-moisture materials is an expensive proposition. Such investment is suspect unless the instrument, or instruments, on which calibrations were developed can be preserved intact or re-standardized as component replacements occurs. The objective of this paper is to detail the changes in performance of a six-year old instrument after maintenance in years five and six resulted in collection of spectral data that was increasingly removed from the calibration population. Calibrations for the analysis of mature sugarcane stalks, a high-moisture material, were developed successfully in 1995 using a broad sample population in terms of genetics, and spectral and temporal variation. The spectral library was further broadened in 1996. In 1997, 1999, 1999, and 2000, additional samples constituting 10% of the laboratories throughput were subjected to full component analyses using routine laboratory techniques. These samples were primarily random samples, but were complemented with samples that were significant for the spectral H statistic or for the component t statistic. In 1998, an additional calibration was developed for populations consisting of samples of either mature stalks (culms) or sucker culms. Substantial additional samples numbers were collected for this calibration in 1999 and 2000. Attempts to standardize the scanning spectrophotometer used for these calibrations with a second similar instrument in 1999 failed because the instruments were optically different, and standardization could not account for this. Maintenance adjustments were made to the remote reflectance probe of the original instrument in 1999, and replacement of its PbS detectors was done in 2000. Spectral data collected in 1999 and 2000 yielded spectral populations that were increasingly removed from the respective spectral populations on which the calibrations were developed. The mature stalk calibrations benefited marginally from evolutionary calib.