Variation in relative palatability to sheep amongGliricidia sepium provenances

The cafeteria technique using three-year-old West African Dwarf sheep was used to determine relative palatability differences within 28 provenances ofGliricidia sepium collected from West Africa and Central America.Leucaena leucocephala andGuazuma ulmifolia were included as controls. Significant differences (P<0.05) in relative palatability index (RPI) were detected amongG. sepium provenances. Mexican ecotypes appeared to be of low relative palatability compared to those from Costa Rica. Based on their RPI, provenances were grouped into high (RPI>90%), medium (RPI 60–90%) and low (RPI<60%) preference rankings. The importance of the differences in relative palatability is discussed in relation to Gliricidia-based alley farming in the humid West African region.