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<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>This study evaluated the effect of cutting regime on biomass yield and nutrient composition of pigeon pea (<jats:italic>Cajanus cajan</jats:italic> (L) Millsp.) fodder in the Guinea Savanna Agro-Ecological Zone of Ghana. Three cutting regimes (12, 16 and 20 Week After Planting [WAP]) in RCBD were imposed on <jats:italic>Cajanus cajan</jats:italic> at both initial establishment and regrowth. At each harvest, biomass yield was estimated after which samples of the fodder were separated into leaf and stem botanical fractions for chemical composition and in vitro digestibility. Cutting regime significantly affected plant height, number of branches and stem diameter in both the initial establishment and regrowth. Biomass yield was significantly affected by cutting regime in the initial establishment but not the regrowth. The biomass yield was highest in the harvest at 20WAP (6515kgDM/ha) while 12WAP (3175 kg/ha) recorded the lowest biomass yield in the initial establishment. All chemical composition parameters were significantly affected by cutting regime and botanical fractions except hemicellulose in the initial establishment. Cutting regime also significantly affected DM, CP and ash concentrations in the regrowth with botanical fraction significantly (<jats:italic>P</jats:italic> &lt; 0.05) influencing CP, NDF, ADF and ash. The highest CP was obtained in the leaf fraction harvested at 12 WAP and 20 WAP in the initial establishment and regrowth respectively. Cutting regime, botanical fraction and their interaction were significant in gas produced at 24 h, SCFA and ME in both the initial establishment and regrowth stages. In conclusion, harvest at 20WAP produced the highest biomass yield but lower CP in the initial establishment whiles in the regrowth, harvest at 20WAP produced higher biomass yield, CP and ME.</jats:p>

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>Unlocking browse species in semi-arid regions can be a key to improving the livestock productivity. The research was conducted to assess the browse species variation in chemical composition and in vitro dry matter degradability as influenced by seasonal (summer and winter) changes. Leaves from ten randomly selected browsable trees from sixteen species (<jats:italic>Vachellia karroo</jats:italic><jats:italic>, </jats:italic><jats:italic>Senegalia nigrescens</jats:italic><jats:italic>, </jats:italic><jats:italic>Vachellia nilotica</jats:italic><jats:italic>, </jats:italic><jats:italic>Balanites maughamii</jats:italic><jats:italic>, </jats:italic><jats:italic>Berchemia discolor, Berchemia zeyheri</jats:italic><jats:italic>, </jats:italic><jats:italic>Bridelia mollis</jats:italic><jats:italic>, </jats:italic><jats:italic>Combretum collinum</jats:italic><jats:italic>, </jats:italic><jats:italic>Combretum imberbe</jats:italic><jats:italic>, </jats:italic><jats:italic>Dalbergia melanoxylon</jats:italic><jats:italic>, </jats:italic><jats:italic>Dichrostachys cinerea</jats:italic><jats:italic>, </jats:italic><jats:italic>Grewia monticola</jats:italic><jats:italic>, </jats:italic><jats:italic>Grewia occidentalis</jats:italic><jats:italic>, </jats:italic><jats:italic>Melia azedarach</jats:italic><jats:italic>, </jats:italic><jats:italic>Ormocarpum kirkii</jats:italic> and <jats:italic>Ziziphus mucronata</jats:italic>) were harvested before defoliation from the site in two seasons (summer and winter) and dried at room temperature and then ground for analysis. Two-way analysis was used to analyse chemical composition and in vitro ruminal dry matter degradability. <jats:italic>Melia azedarach</jats:italic> (343.7 g/kg DM) had the highest (<jats:italic>p</jats:italic> &lt; 0.0001) CP content in summer. In winter, <jats:italic>B. maughamii</jats:italic> (210.3 g/kg DM) had the highest (<jats:italic>p</jats:italic> &lt; 0.05) crude protein content. <jats:italic>Combretum collinum</jats:italic> (2.90 Mcal/kg) had a highest (<jats:italic>p</jats:italic> &lt; 0.0001) metabolizable energy value in summer. <jats:italic>Bridelia mollis, B. maughamii, B. discolor, C. collinum, C. imberbe, O. kirkii, S. nigrescens, V. nilotica, G. occidentalis</jats:italic> and <jats:italic>B. zeyheri</jats:italic> had the same (<jats:italic>p</jats:italic> &gt; 0.0001) dry matter degradability (DMD) 48 values across two seasons. In both seasons, most of these browse species have the potential to supplement low quality natural grasses because they go beyond the minimum requirement of protein and have coherent amounts of fibre concentration. There is a need to assess the bioactive compounds found in these browse species for the amelioration and also to maximize browsing of these species.</jats:p>

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>Light is a limiting resource for crops within integrated land use systems especially those including woody perennials. The amount of available light at ground level can be modified by artificially pruning the overstory. Aiming to increase the understanding of light management strategies, we simulated the pruning of wild cherry trees and compared the shading effects of the resulting tree structures over a complete growing season, with fine spatiotemporal resolution. Original 3D-tree structures were retrieved employing terrestrial laser scanning and quantitative structure models, and subjected to two pruning treatments at low and high intensities. By using the ‘shadow model’, the analogous tree structures created diverse shaded scenarios varying in size and intensity of insolation reduction. Conventional pruning treatments reduced the crown structure to the uppermost portion of the tree bole, reducing the shading effects, and thus, shrinking the shaded area on the ground by up to 38%, together with the shading intensity. As an alternative, the selective removal of branches reduced the shading effects, while keeping a more similar spatial distribution compared to the unpruned tree. Hence, the virtual pruning of tree structures can support designing and selecting adequate tending operations for the management of light distribution in agroforestry systems. The evidence assembled in this study is highly relevant for agroecosystems and can be strategically used for maintaining, planning and designing integrated tree-crop agricultural systems.</jats:p>