http://hdl.handle.net/10150/635430 Wed, 20 May 2026 20:03:08 GMT 2026-05-20T20:03:08Z http://hdl.handle.net/10150/643255 Using Geographic Information Systems to Present Nongeographical Data: An Example Using 2-Way Thermogradient Plate Data Tarasoff, Catherine S.; Louhaichi, Mounir; Mallory-Smith, Carol; Ball, Daniel A. ‘‘A picture is worth a thousand words’’ is a familiar truism that is aptly suited to the dilemma of presenting complex research results involving multiple explanatory variables. An example of such a scenario is the use of 2-way thermogradient plates to study optimal germination temperatures and germination over time to answer a variety of biological questions. Two-way thermogradient plates produce a plethora of seed germination data, the value of which quickly becomes obscured in cumbersome tabular data formats. Problems related to comprehensible data presentation can swell when germination over time is incorporated into an experiment. Although somewhat unorthodox, Geographic Information Systems-based techniques are powerful tools that provide a clear and visually evident presentation of seed germination data to the reader.   Tue, 01 Mar 2005 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10150/643255 2005-03-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10150/643254 Microhistological Estimation of Grass Leaf Blade Percentages in Pastures and Diets Sierra, Paula V.; Cid, M. Silvia; Brizuela, Miguel A.; Ferri, Carlos M. Herbivores select plant parts to maximize the quality of their diets. However, there are few procedures available to quantify the relative consumption of leaf blades. In this study, we initially identified epidermal features that were specific of the blade in 4 grasses: Kleingrass (Panicum coloratum L.), tall wheatgrass (Thinopyrum ponticum [Podp.] Barkw. Dewey), tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.), and salt grass (Distichlis scoparia L.). Then, we quantified the percentage of fragments with the blade epidermal feature for each species, evaluating whether they varied with plant maturity. We also evaluated whether those percentages were affected by digestion to determine if the procedure we propose could be used in diet analysis. Finally, by linear regression, we analyzed whether the relationships between the actual blade dry mass percentages (y) and those estimated by microanalysis (x) were 1:1 in mixes of different plant parts of the individual species as well as in mixed vegetation samples. Digestion affected the percentage of identifiable blade fragments of each species; but, after correction by digestion, all the estimates were accurate (a = 0 and b = 1 in all the regression equations) and precise (r2 > 0.90). Results indicate that epidermal features specific to blades would make it possible to estimate by microanalysis the percentage of this plant part for each species in vegetation samples from pastures composed of few species and also in the diets of herbivores grazing them. Although the proposed procedure was tested in simple systems, it could also be used to estimate the percentage of blades of the dominant species in the diets of herbivores grazing more complex systems.   Tue, 01 Mar 2005 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10150/643254 2005-03-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10150/643253 Evaluation of Openers for Seeding Meadow Brome Grass (Bromus riparius) Using Air Delivery Seeding Systems McCartney, Duane; Hultgreen, Gord; Boyden, Allan; Stevenson, Craig There is interest in Canada in seeding grass seed using air seeders and air drills that were originally designed for seeding cereals and oilseeds. These seeders use an air delivery system to move the seed from large grain tanks on the seeder to the cultivator furrow openers for seed placement in the ground. Various types of furrow openers (i.e. spoons or knives) were evaluated for their effectiveness in placing meadow brome grass seed (Bromus riparius [Rehmann]) in the ground. Knife openers provided the best seed emergence results. Seed brakes and variable air velocities were also evaluated as a means of preventing the seed from blowing out of the seed row when using high air velocities. The screen-type seed brakes were prone to plugging with the grass seed. Acceptable seeding results were achieved without seed brakes when used at low air velocities; however, at these lower air velocities, seed distribution may be less accurate. It was also shown that when monoammonium phosphate (11-51-0) was mixed with the meadow brome grass seed at 33 kg ha-1 as a means of preventing seed bridging in the delivery system, the seedling emergence counts were significantly less than applying the fertilizer at the point where the seed enters the openers. Tue, 01 Mar 2005 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10150/643253 2005-03-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10150/643252 Development of Agitators for Seeding Forages Using Air Delivery Systems McCartney, Duane; Hultgreen, Gord; Boyden, Allan; Stevenson, Craig Air seeders or air drills traditionally have been used for minimum till and direct seeding of cereal, oilseed, and pulse crops. These seeders use an air delivery system to move the seed from a large grain tank to cultivator furrow openers or boots. Air seeders have all the weight of the cultivator attachment on wheels, whereas the air drill cultivator attachment has the weight distributed to caster wheels on the front and the packer wheels on the back. These units have not been used extensively for forage seeding because of seed bridging problems with some types of grass seed over the metering system entry points in the seed tank. This study designed and evaluated modifications to the agitation and metering systems for seeding forages using 3 different types of Canadian-built air seeders. Meadow brome grass (Bromus riparius Rehmann) was used in the seeding trials because of its extreme susceptibility to bridging. The agitator systems for 3 different types of commercially available air seeders were modified with the ultimate goal to design a configuration that reduced seed bridging and provided uniform seed output. Tests were also conducted with a seed and fertilizer mixture as another method of improving uniformity of seed metering and output. None of the air seeders were able to meter and distribute pure meadow brome seed without the use of a modified agitation system. The Bourgault 3165 air seeder was able to effectively meter and distribute the meadow brome grass seed and fertilizer mixture without the agitator modifications and was able to meter and distribute pure meadow brome grass seed with the addition of the modified agitator. The Flexi-coil 172 air seeders required the addition of a horizontal agitator to effectively meter and distribute the seed and fertilizer mixture, and the Morris 6130 was unable to output the mixture of meadow brome grass seed and fertilizer uniformly despite agitator modifications. Field-scale testing indicated that grass forages could be successfully seeded using a full- size air seeder with these modifications.   Tue, 01 Mar 2005 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10150/643252 2005-03-01T00:00:00Z