Publication Date
1989
Description
Several million hectares in the subtropical world are currently used as grazing land for beef and dairy cattle, however, in many cases animal production is very low. To improve animal nutrition, cultivated legume species can be introduced. Sericea lespedeza has potential and could be utilized in the acid soils of the· subtropics. Generally, sericea is low in palatability and nutritive value because its leaves contain tannins, which have long been associated with low intake and reduced digestibility. Tannins are responsible for an astringent or bitter taste caused by the precipitation of salivary glycoprotein (Goldstein and Swain, 1963). Chopping or macerating fresh plant material or wilting in the field reduces tannins in lespedeza leaves (Lyford et al., 1967). Thus, analysis of fresh herbage may provide more accurate tannin data than the analysis of oven dried samples. Dry samples, however, are easier to handle and analyze. The purposes of this research were (i) to evaluate the usefulness ofNIRS for the prediction of tannins in lespedeza leaves, and (ii) to determine the relationship between leaf tannins with leaf crude protein and herbage palatability.
Citation
Petersen, J C.; Mosjidis, J A.; and Hill, N S., "Screening Sericea lespedeza Germplasm for Tannin Concentration in the Leaves and Herbage Palatability" (2025). IGC Proceedings (1989-2023). 4.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/1989/session7/4
Included in
Agricultural Science Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Plant Biology Commons, Plant Pathology Commons, Soil Science Commons, Weed Science Commons
Screening Sericea lespedeza Germplasm for Tannin Concentration in the Leaves and Herbage Palatability
Several million hectares in the subtropical world are currently used as grazing land for beef and dairy cattle, however, in many cases animal production is very low. To improve animal nutrition, cultivated legume species can be introduced. Sericea lespedeza has potential and could be utilized in the acid soils of the· subtropics. Generally, sericea is low in palatability and nutritive value because its leaves contain tannins, which have long been associated with low intake and reduced digestibility. Tannins are responsible for an astringent or bitter taste caused by the precipitation of salivary glycoprotein (Goldstein and Swain, 1963). Chopping or macerating fresh plant material or wilting in the field reduces tannins in lespedeza leaves (Lyford et al., 1967). Thus, analysis of fresh herbage may provide more accurate tannin data than the analysis of oven dried samples. Dry samples, however, are easier to handle and analyze. The purposes of this research were (i) to evaluate the usefulness ofNIRS for the prediction of tannins in lespedeza leaves, and (ii) to determine the relationship between leaf tannins with leaf crude protein and herbage palatability.
