Faba bean (Vicia faba L.) is an important source of plant protein for humans and animals; however, nutritional value of seeds is notoriously deficient in sulphur (S)-containing amino acids. In this article, the effect of S fertilization on faba bean's capability of N2 fixation, grain yield and chemical characteristics in terms of protein fractions, fatty acids and minerals composition is reported. A randomized, complete block design with three replicates was used, and three S applications (0, 30 and 60 kg ha−1, respectively) for faba bean were performed. The S fertilization was split into two applications: 50% before sowing and 50% in the beginning of March as K2SO4. At the same time, both the legume and oat crops were fertilized uniformly with 10 kg N ha−1 as 15N NH415NO3 (10% 15N atomic excess) in solution form. In a Mediterranean climate under optimal spring rainfall situations, faba bean produced high yield of grain and protein. Sulphur application resulted in an increase in overall plant yield and N2 fixation. In addition, S fertilization enhanced the protein quality, increasing its degradable fraction. Fertilizing faba bean with 30 kg ha−1 of S resulted in a more appropriate dose in order to obtain a quantitative and qualitative crop improvement. From our findings, it can be concluded that S fertilization to faba bean should be recommended to soils with suboptimal S levels to obtain maximum seed and protein yields. Quality, yield and nitrogen fixation of faba bean seeds as affected by sulphur fertilization (PDF Download Available). Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/232282045_Quality_yield_and_nitrogen_fixation_of_faba_bean_seeds_as_affected_by_sulphur_fertilization [accessed Jan 21, 2016]

A field experiment was conducted in Southern Italy to study the response of durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. var. durum) grain yield and quality traits to a no-tillage (NT) system and different nitrogen N fertilizer rates (30, 60, and 90 kg N ha −1 ). The NT system was evaluated and compared to conventional (CT) and reduced (RT) tillage within continuous wheat (WW) and faba bean-wheat (FW) crop sequences over 3-years (2010-2012). The results showed a promising grain yield increase (30%) in the last year. The effect of the N rate on protein content was significant, while productive parameters were not significantly influenced due to both weather conditions and the previous crop. Tillage effect was significantly (p ≤ 0.05) positive on grain yield, yield components and quality parameters, especially in NT system, and was more pronounced when accompanied with faba bean in the rotation system. Despite producing a lower grain protein content (13%) compared to other systems, NT produced good semolina quality (with higher hectoliter weight and lower percentage of broken and shriveled grains). This study provides useful information for farmers on how to produce a satisfactory yield and good grain quality with minimum inputs, helping to design sustainable strategies for durum wheat cultivation in the dry regions.

The effect of diets with different levels of partly destoned exhausted olive cake (PDEOC) on growth performance and carcass traits of Gentile di Puglia breed lambs was studied. Sixty lambs (16.5 ± 0.5 kg) at weaning were randomly allocated to 3 isocaloric and isonitrogenous diets for 50 d. Pelleted total mixed rations (TMR) were formulated to provide olive by-product at 3 different levels: 1) a control diet without olive by-product (PDEOC-0), 2) an experimental corn-based diet containing 10% by-product (PDEOC-10) replacing part of the oat hay and sunflower meal, and 3) an experimental corn-based diet containing 20% PDEOC (PDEOC-20) replacing part of the oat hay and soybean meal. To evaluate in vivo digestibility of the diets, adult rams (n = 3) were placed in metabolic cages, their individual feces and urine were collected, and differences were observed for DM and fiber fractions. Results from the growth trial of the lambs showed that performance was influenced by olive by-product inclusion in diet (P < 0.05). At the end of the feeding period, lambs were slaughtered, and none of the variables studied were influenced by dietary treatment except for cold carcass dressing (P = 0.027) and half-carcass weight (P = 0.019), which were improved in lambs fed the PDEOC-20 diet. As a result, the current study confirms that olive by-product can be used in lamb finishing rations, resulting in a valuable ingredient as replacement for conventional feeds, which could reduce feeding costs because of the lower cost of the olive by-product. Use of olive by-products as animal feed may become economically feasible for producers where the olive oil industries play an important economic role.

The practice of grazing winter cereals before heading and subsequently harvesting the forage is common in some countries. Triticale (×Triticosecale Wittmack) is particularly interesting due to its nutritional characteristics, and forage yield and quality are strongly influenced by agronomic techniques. The effect of two modes of utilization (cut at heading stage and cut during winter grazing simulation with regrowth cut at heading stage), three nitrogen (N) fertilization levels [0 and 100 kg ha−1 split in two phases; and 100 kg ha−1 before sowing, using a fertilizer with 3,4-dimethylpyrazole phosphate (DMPP) as a nitrification inhibitor (NI)] and mycorrhizal fungus inoculation (mixed inoculation of Glomus intraradices and Glomus moseae) on forage yield and quality, protein fractions and in vitro digestibility of triticale was determined in southern Italy. Mode of utilization and fertilization affected significantly forage yield and quality, while mycorrhizal fungus inoculation influenced positively some quality parameters. Cutting at heading stage of triticale led to high dry matter (DM) production compared to the winter cut simulating grazing, but no differences in protein yield (PY). N fertilization increased total DM and PYs, but no differences were reported among the application modalities of N fertilizers. Triticale protein fractions and protein and fiber digestibility were improved by N fertilization. Mycorrhizal fungus inoculation positively influenced forage quality at heading stage, which resulted in more digestible fiber and protein. As a result, when triticale was grown under Mediterranean conditions, mode of utilization and N fertilization resulted in greater forage yield and quality, while mycorrhizal fungus inoculation influenced positively forage nutritional quality parameters.

White lupin (Lupinus albus L.) is an important\ud source of plant protein for both humans and livestock, due\ud to high protein content, low alkaloids level, high level of\ud unsaturated fatty acids, price and market availability in\ud many countries. In this paper is reported the effect of S\ud fertilization on white N fixation capability of lupin, grain\ud yield and chemical characteristics in terms of protein\ud fractions, fatty acid and mineral composition. Randomized\ud complete block design with three replicates was used, and\ud three S applications (0, 30 and 60 kg ha-1, respectively)\ud for white lupin were used. The S fertilization was split into\ud two: 50 % before sowing and 50 % in the early of March\ud as K2SO4. At the same time, both the legume and oat crops\ud were fertilized uniformly with solution of 10 kg N ha-1\ud 15N NH4\ud 15NO3 (10 % 15N atomic excess). Data indicated\ud that under Mediterranean environment on sub-alkaline soil,\ud white lupin produces low grain and protein; however, S\ud application increased plant yield and N fixation. In conclusion,\ud it seems that S fertilization to white lupin should\ud be recommended to soils with sub-optimal S levels to\ud obtain maximum seed and protein yields. Moreover, S\ud fertilization enhanced the protein quality increasing its\ud degradable fraction, and improved the lupin oil quality through the increase in oleic and linolenic acids and the\ud remarkable decrease in erucic acid