Comparative Biochemical Profile of Tall Fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) Varieties Grown in Himalayan Region

Abstract

Tall fescue is a potential forage grass for livestock feeding in Himalayan region. The present investigation was conducted to study biochemical composition and digestibility of four tall fescue varieties viz., Hima-1, Hima-4, Hima-5, and EC-178182. The crude protein, total carbohydrates, total sugars, reducing sugars and ash content in tall fescue varieties ranged from 8.82% to 12.81%, 9.74% to 13.34%, 4.69% to 5.09%, 1.26% to 1.83% and 6.42% to 8.01%, respectively. Cell wall constituent's viz., NDF, ADF, ADL, hemicellulose and cellulose varied from 69.36% to 71.12%, 50.28% to 52.72%, 18.24% to 19.08%, 43.02% to 45.54% and 6.50% to 7.50%, respectively in four tall fescue varieties. The levels of total phenols, simple phenols, total tannins, and oxalate content were in the range of 0.78% to 2.14%, 0.39% to 0.77%, 0.39% to 1.37% and 1.26% to 2.87%, respectively. Different phytochemicals viz., Chl-a, Chl-b, total chlorophyll, total carotenoids and total flavonoids varied from 0.580 mg/g to 0.836 mg/g, 0.334 mg/g to 0.976 mg/g, 0.962 mg/g to 1.648 mg/g, 25.44 μg/g to 47.94 μg/g and 1.16 μg/g to 2.54 mg/100g, respectively. The antioxidant activity estimated through DPPH assay revealed the range of IC50 value from (65.53 μg/ml to 116.08 μg/ml) in tall fescue varieties. Among macro and micro minerals, potassium (2.43% to 2.62%) and iron (10.56 mg/100g to 12.78 mg/100g) were the most abundant minerals. In vitro dry matter digestibility of different tall fescue varieties varied from 46.55% to 49.45%. The results of the study revealed the overall nutritional superiority of variety EC178182 over other varieties under study.