Laboratory of Forage Plant [LAPF]

The Forage Plant Laboratory provides operational and logistic support to research involving the agronomic characterization of pastures and forage crops.  Available infrastructure includes experimental fields for plot studies using clipping or mob-grazing, irrigation, and larger areas for grazing studies where plant and animal responses can be investigated.  In order to make forage studies self-contained and independent, the Forage Lab has developed capability to support activities using specific facilities such as sample processing, drying and grinding rooms, besides storage (dry or frozen) equipment.  For ecophysiology research, field equipment includes rising-plate meters and capacitance probes for herbage mass evaluation, point-quadrat and electronic canopy analyzers for the characterization of sward structure and architecture, and infra-red gas analyzer for photosynthesis measurements.  "Heavy" equipment is available for forage sampling, including, sickle-bar self-propelled forage harvester, electric shears for quadrat clipping, gas-powered generators, hedge trimmers, and portable mowers.  Electronic and mechanical scales and dynamometers, as well as leaf area meters are available for field and bench measurements.  A computer station and internet optic fiber link are also available to graduate students, student workers and research associates.