Tannins in forage plants and their role in animal husbandry and environmental sustainability: a review

The literature about tannins, polyphenolic secondary metabolites of plants, with both beneficial and adverse function according to their concentration and chemical structure, is vast and often conflicting. Tannins in forages have often been described as antinutritional factors, but this review aims to update information on beneficial effects on animals and the environment. Although research on the relation between tannins and animal production and health, for example, dry‐matter intake, digestibility, rumen fermentation and diseases, has mainly focused on condensed tannins, this review also discusses potential benefits from the use of hydrolysable tannins as a feed additive. Attention is given to the use of tannins in the mitigation of methane emissions from ruminants in forage‐based feeding systems and as a natural and ecologically friendly resource for improvement of nutrient utilization and environmental sustainability in meat and dairy farming.     

Hard seed breakdown patterns of unprocessed forage legume seed sown into dry soil in summer in southern Australia

The patterns and extent of hard seed breakdown of dormant seeds and pods following burial in the soil in February (summer) varied for up to 19 accessions of 12 species of annual forage legumes. The experiments, at six sites across southern Australia, were designed to identify legumes whose patterns of hard seed breakdown would suit them to agronomic evaluation in a summer sowing research program. For a subset of accessions, sufficient hard seed breakdown was demonstrated between February and April to allow a high proportion of seed to germinate in late autumn—a desirable pattern for summer sowing. Although there was a large G x E interaction, some cultivars of Ornithopus sativus Brot., O. compressus L. and Trifolium spumosum L. had a pattern that was reproducible at all sites. The experiments also identified accessions of Biserrula pelecinus L. and T. glanduliferum Boiss., which had the desirable pattern in regions of south‐eastern Australia, but not Western Australia. A pragmatic approach for selection of forage legume accessions in situ for evaluation within a summer sowing program was demonstrated.     

Effect of applications of organic solid cattle manure on Hungarian vetch and barley intercropping mixtures grown on soils of different depths

Sloping fields on soils of shallow depth to tillage are commonly left uncultivated in many parts of the world. This study was conducted to compare the effects on morphological traits, dry‐matter (DM) yield, legume ratio (LR), crude protein content (CP), crude protein yield (CP yield) and mineral concentrations (N, P, K, S, Ca, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Na, B and Zn) of Hungarian vetch (Vicia pannonica Crantz.) and barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) grown in intercropping mixtures in response to three rates of organic solid cattle manure application (M₀: 0, M₁: 10, M₂: 20 t ha^?1). Experimentation was conducted on soils of two different soil depths [shallow (8–12 cm; low‐medium erosion risk) and normal soil depth (18–22 cm; no erosion risk)] on a sloping field in the 2006–2007 and 2007–2008 growing seasons at Gumushane, Turkey. Herbage harvested on the shallow depth area had 22–73% less DM yield, 14–72% less CP yield, 6–9% greater CP content and generally higher minerals contents than herbage from the normal soil depth area. Cattle manure applications increased DM yield by about 23%, increased CP content and CP yield, and also increased the contents of most minerals in herbage of the intercropping mixtures, relative to the control, averaged over the two soil depths. It is suggested that, for areas with shallow soil depths that are prone to erosion, plant cover should be used for forage production, and that fertilization with solid cattle manure at 20 t ha^?1 can support production of quality forage of acceptable DM yield.     

Global status of nematode problems of groundnut, pigeonpea, chickpea, sorghum and pearl millet, and suggestions for future work

Analysis of responses received from 40 cooperators in 20 countries to a questionnaire on nematode problems of groundnut, pigeonpea, chickpea, sorghum and pearl millet suggested that Meloidogyne spp. are internationally important nematode pests of groundnut, chickpea and pigeonpea. Pratylenchus spp. are important on all the five crops. In India, Heterodera cajani and Rotylenchulus reniformis are important pathogens of pigeonpea. Over the last 10–15 years, extensive nematode disease surveys have been undertaken for these crops in Australia, Egypt, India, Jamaica, Senegal, Sudan, Thailand and Zimbabwe; however, < 10% of the total crop areas were covered by these surveys. Except for Brazil, Egypt, USA and Zimbabwe, growers do not use nematicides to control the nematodes. Cultural practices, especially crop rotations, are the most commonly used control measures. Species of Meloidogyne, Pratylenchus and Rotylenchulus on the legumes, and species of Hoplolaimus, Pratylenchus, Quinisulcius and Xiphinema on the cereals, are strongly suspected of increasing the severity of fungal diseases. Work aimed at finding host resistance is being done in Brazil, Fiji, India and the USA, and some sources of resistance have been identified against Meloidogyne arenaria, M. incognita, M. javanica and R. reniformis. Facilities for resistance screening work now exist in many countries. Information on damage thresholds of important pest species are available only from Brazil, Fiji, India and the USA.     

豆科牧草对多花黑麦草化感作用的种间差异

实验室砂培法检测了红三叶、白三叶、杂三叶、黄花草木樨、紫花苜蓿、红豆草和毛苕子等7种豆科牧草茎叶及根的10%水浸提液处理对多花黑麦草种子萌发和幼苗生长的化感作用,结果表明:供试豆科牧草茎叶和根的水浸提液处理对多花黑麦草种子发芽势和幼苗根的生长均有显著(p<0.05)的化感抑制作用;10%水浸提液处理对多花黑麦草幼叶伸长无显著(p>0.05)影响,但对幼叶的干物质积累具有抑制作用;豆科牧草对多花黑麦草幼苗生长的化感作用在作用强度和作用机制两方面存在显著的种间差异。     

24份加拿大牧草品种引种试验

1986年我们从加拿大碧青种子公司引进牧草种子24份,其中豆科7份,禾本科17份,于当年秋播。从3年试种结果看,Glory苜蓿、Minto苜蓿、Algonquin苜蓿在北京种植,无论是产草量、种子产量、草质还是适应性均表现良好。Leo百脉根在北京可安全越冬,其特点是夏季生长繁茂,草质好,耐牧,耐践踏。Orbit长穗冰草、Chief 中间冰草、阿尔泰野麦草表现为抗寒耐旱,产草量高,但要适时利用,否则会降低饲用价值。俄罗斯野麦草、Nordan沙生冰草、草地看麦娘、猫尾草产草量一般,但草质好,春季返青早,枯黄期晚,可在京郊西部山区种植。无芒雀麦(2份)、鸭茅、牛尾草、(艹鹝)草(3份)均表现为适应性好,草质优,产草量高,是较好的禾本科牧草。白三叶、草地早熟禾可做为地被植物和草坪草。     

合理施肥与红壤山地豆科牧草生长

施肥综述了山地红壤豆科牧草对N、P、K元素的需求特点以及施肥对豆科牧草生长的影响,并指出了需进一步加强研究的问题。     

5种食用豆及其配比组合抗氧化性研究

以小豆、绿豆、豌豆、芸豆、豇豆等5种食用豆的15个品种为材料,从总抗氧化能力和羟自由基清除能力2个方面,研究食用豆营养保健的合理搭配。结果表明,参试各食用豆品种间抗氧化性存在较大差异,京农绿小豆的总抗氧化能力测定值最大,为0.365U/mg,定碗1号的羟自由基清除能力测定值最小值,为0.003U/mg;5种食用豆等量配比组合间存在显著差异,组合京农8号、冀绿9、食荚大菜豌1号、龙芸豆4号、中豇1号的总抗氧化能力测定值(0.452U/mg),比单一品种京农绿小豆测定最高值(0.365U/mg)有明显提高;总抗氧化能力和羟自由基清除能力测定结果均说明,不同种类食用豆组合在抗氧化性方面存在互作高效的特性;非等量配比,总抗氧化能力最高值可达到0.589U/mg,高于等量配比组合最高值0.452U/mg。食用豆合理搭配,可显著提高其抗氧化性方面的营养保健价值。     

Degradability of amino acids in selected legume forages using the in situ nylon-bag technique

This study was conducted to determine the amino acid profiles and rumen degradability of amino acids of three cultivated forage legumes – velvet bean (Mucuna pruriens), cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) and silverleaf desmodium (Desmodium uncinatum) – using the in situ nylon-bag technique. Two Friesian cows fitted with 10-cm-diameter rumen cannulae on a complete dairy feed ration (19% crude-protein dairy meal and maize silage) were used. Silverleaf desmodium had significantly (p < 0.05) higher concentration of amino acids compared with cowpea and velvet bean. Aspartic acid showed the highest (p < 0.05) concentration in all legumes and cysteine showed the lowest concentration. Legume forage of cowpea showed the highest (p < 0.05) level of degradability of amino acid followed by silverleaf desmodium and then velvet bean. Readily and slowly degradable components in all amino acids were highest (p < 0.05) in cowpea followed by silverleaf desmodium and then velvet bean. Moreover, silverleaf and cowpea showed higher (p < 0.05) levels of effective degradability of amino acids (at outflow rates p = 0.02, 0.04 and 0.06 h^?1) than velvet bean. Total amino acid disappearance was the least in velvet bean, which suggests that it can be used to supply bypass protein to the duodenum of the ruminant animal.     

豆科蔬菜种子贮藏蛋白的电泳分析

本研究采用ＳＤＳ－聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳，对豆科蔬菜９个属、１１个种及品种的种子贮藏蛋白进行比较分析，得出豆科的特征谱带及各属的特征谱带。其植株生长势越强，谱带条数越多，即所含蛋白亚组分越多；同属不同种间比较，得出蔓生菜豆进化程度较高，特有谱带６条；同种不同品种间迁移率相同的亚组分较多，但谱带宽窄、染色深浅等存在明显差异，表现出一些本品种的特征特性，采用生物化学分类法对蔬菜作物进行分类，改变了传统的形态学分类，也使植物分类技术向分子水平迈进，为豆类蔬菜育种提供一些参考。