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    A study of some fungal leafspot diseases of Dactylis glomerata in the Manawatu : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Agricultural Science in the University of New Zealand
    (Massey University, 1957) Latch, G. C. M.
    New Zealand is unique in that the entire basis of her national economy is based upon livestock-pastoral farming. Of the fortythree million acres in occupation for agricultural and pastoral purposes, seventeen and a half million are of sown pasture and about thirteen and a half million of natural grasslands. The seventeen and a half million acres of sown pasture are down in imported grasses of which approximately one half has been surface sown and the remainder sown on cultivated land with high producing English grasses. These have been selected for such qualities as leaf area and density of leaves, form of the plant, resistance to drought and many other desirable agronomic properties. Regarding the disease factor, there has been no attempt in New Zealand at breeding for resistance to disease with the exception of Blind seed disease of Ryegrass caused by Gloeotinia temulenta (Prill. et Delacr.) Wilson, Noble et Gray. [From Introduction]
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    Biology of sambar deer (Cervus unicolor Kerr, 1792) in New Zealand with particular reference to diet in a Manawatu flax swamp : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Zoology at Massey University
    (Massey University, 1981) Kelton, Simon Douglas
    This MSc. thesis is the first detailed account of the biology of sambar deer (Cervus unicolor Kerr, 1792) in New Zealand. Observations were made for fifteen months on approximately 35 animals inhabiting flax swamp at Moutoa, southern Manawatu. Sambar are shy and cautious, mostly nocturnal and prefer dense cover. Methods used to overcome problems of direct observation of sambar are described and their relative effectivenesses are compared. Habitat requirements are also discussed. Diet of Moutoa deer was determined by analysing monthly faecal samples supported by direct observation of feeding and examination of feeding evidence. A quantitative method of faecal analysis based on the area of plant cuticle present is described. Seasonal changes in diet composition are detailed. Flax and rank grasses comprise the greatest proportion of the diet, while ryegrass was present in low proportions and clover was absent from the faeces. Evidence is presented suggesting sambar deer do not compete with domestic stock for high quality forage. The eight most frequent forage species found in faeces were sampled seasonally and analysed for Acid Detergent Fibre, energy, nitrogen (crude protein) and water content. There was no correlation between changes in forage quality throughout the year and seasonal changes in diet composition. Other factors involved in forage selection are discussed. The Moutoa breeding population is viable and had an estimated average age structure of 36% adult males, 46% adult females and 18% juveniles. In New Zealand sambar appear to breed throughout the year with two peaks of increased rutting activity in June, July and August, and in November. Evidence is presented that the majority of stags shed their antlers annually, in contrast to the previously accepted belief that they hold antlers for two or more years. Antler cycle is closely associated with the breeding cycle, most sightings of stags in hard antler occurring from June to November. Examination of available information on breeding and antler cycles in Australian sambar revealed similar cycles to those in New Zealand, whereas in India it appears a single peak in rutting occurs from October to December, with a corresponding antler cycle. Herds are loosely structured and generally comprise small family groups, commonly a hind, yearling and fawn. Young stags generally form groups of two to four individuals while old stags evidently lead solitary lives except in the breeding season when they were often observed with one or two hinds. Rutting stags are territorial with olfactory and visual cues apparently serving to exclude rivals. Roaring or fighting, apparently common in India during the rut, is rare in New Zealand. Evidence is presented that some hybridisation with rusa deer (Cervus timorensis Blainville, 1822) occurs in the Bay of Plenty. A comparison of cranial characters between Manawatu and Bay of Plenty deer was inconclusive because of insufficient numbers of skulls. Sexually dimorphic cranial characters are given for animals from the Manawatu area. Sambar deer skulls were aged by counting the number of annuli in the cementum pad of molariform teeth.
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    Tillage-induced soil nitrous oxide fluxes from tow soils in the Manawatu : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Applied Science in Agricultural Engineering, Institute of Technology and Engineering, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2000) Akramkhanov, Akmal
    Enhanced greenhouse gas emissions of nitrous oxide (N₂O) induced by agricultural practices is believed to be the major anthropogenic source. Studies conducted in New Zealand generally from pasture suggest low N₂O emission, however, there is little information for arable farming systems. Therefore, there is a need for a site-specific assessment of the impact of tillage practices on N₂O fluxes. This paper evaluates tillage system and land use effects on N₂O emissions at two sites using a closed chamber technique. Sites included a Kairanga silt loam where maize/barley was grown continuously for either 17 (K17) or 34 (K34) years, with a conventional tillage system (Kairanga), and an Ohakea silt loam where winter oats and summer fodder maize was double-cropped for five years with conventional (CT) and no-tillage (NT) systems (Massey). At both sites permanent pasture (PP) soil was used as a control. Spatial measurements for all treatments at Massey site showed large inherent variations in N₂O fluxes (a mean CV=119%) which reflected natural soil heterogeneity, and perhaps the measurement technique used rather than the real differences due to the tillage and cropping systems evaluated. N₂O emissions measured from December 1998 to September 1999 from the PP were significantly lower (1.66 kg N₂O-N/ha/year) than the CT and NT plots at 9.20 and 12.00 kg N₂O-N/ha/year respectively. However, there were no differences in N₂O emission rates between the CT and NT treatments. Cumulative coefficient of variation (CV) of treatments ranged from 39 to 140%. Seedbed preparation using power-harrow which was done within few days of ploughing the CT plots reduced N₂O emissions by 65% within the first hour after power-harrowing. However. N₂O emission rates returned to the pre-power harrowing levels one month after power-harrowing. There was strong relationship between log-transformed values of soil moisture content (SMC) and N₂O emissions in all treatments. PP (r = 0.73), CT (r = 0.75) and NT (r = 0.86). Seasonal variation in N₂O emission from the PP was in the order of winter=autumn>summer. Although fluxes in the CT were higher in winter than in the autumn season, there were no differences between the summer and autumn data. Similar to the PP. the seasonal variations in N₂O emission in the NT treatment were in the order of winter>autumn=summer. The estimated annual N₂O emissions from the PP. K17 and K34 (calculated as the mean of all individual closed cover chamber measurements between November 1998 and September 1999) from Kairanga site were similar at 3.24, 3.42 and 2.37 kg N₂O-N/ha/year, respectively. There were large variations in N₂O emissions during the year with the mean flux rates ranging from 0.175 to 13.32, 0.175 to 16.91 and 0.088 to 30.05 kg N₂O-N/ha/year in the PP, K17 and K34 fields, respectively. Although overall comparison of treatment means did not show any discernible differences between management practices, there were signs that the K34 had lower emissions compared to the PP. N₂O fluxes from the K17 and PP field appeared to be influenced by SMC. There is clear indication that low or negligible emissions occur when gravimetric soil water content is less than 30% in the PP. Although N₂O fluxes did not follow the rainfall patterns in the K17 and PP, linear regression analyses indicated low but significant relationship r = 0.46 and 0.53 (0.72 when log-transformed), respectively. In the K34 field. SMC did not seem to govern fluxes which were especially apparent during wet months of April and May. The linear regression analysis using the measured data revealed no relationship (r = 0.12) between the SMC and N₂O fluxes in the K34 treatment. Seasonal grouping of monthly log-transformed N₂O emissions showed significant differences in all treatments. Summer season N₂O emissions in the PP were the lowest than other seasons whereas no discernible differences were observed among other seasons. Although N₂O fluxes during spring and summer were similar in the K17 field, they were significantly lower than the winter and higher than autumn fluxes. There were considerably higher emissions in summer than in autumn in the K34 but seasonal variation between winter and spring was less profound. Spatial variability in N₂O fluxes was large during the year with coefficients of variation (CV) ranging from 10 to 82%, 12 to 99% and 9 to 137% for the PP, K17 and K34 fields, respectively.
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    Lack of awareness of health promotion messages in a group of New Zealanders over the age of forty living in the Manawatu : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Master of Philosophy at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2000) Boyle, Fiona
    The aim of the Health Promotion Awareness Study was to assess the awareness of health promotion messages from public and commercial organisations in a non-random group of self-selected adults living in the Manawatu. A secondary aim was to compare the lifestyle habits of the group with those reported in national surveys. The study involved 115 self-selected New Zealanders (43 men and 72 women) over the age of forty years. Awareness of health promotion messages was assessed using a mailed out survey of which 69 were returned. Adherence to health promotion messages from commercial organisations was also assessed. Food intake was estimated by 24-hour dietary recall. Basic anthropometric measurements were made (height, weight, hip and waist circumference), and a submaximal exercise test wras used to assess fitness. Habitual physical activity was defined using two questionnaires and a self-reported assessment of health (SF-36) was completed. The results show that subjects met the New Zealand national guidelines for food intake, fitness and physical activity but felt they ought to exercise more. There was a good awareness of national health promotion organisations but only half the subjects had a general idea about the content of the health messages with women having a greater awareness than men. Messages from commercial organisations were generally not adhered to. This group of adult New Zealanders had a healthy lifestyle that was not associated with a high awareness of public health messages, suggesting that other sources of health information are used.