Abstract
Secondary metabolites are important organic metabolites produced by plants. These metabolites include phenolic compounds, which have been of research interest because phenolics are considered an antinutritional factor for ruminants, compromise the bioavailability of nutrients. This study included a chemical composition analysis, an analysis of the condensed tannin content and the identification and quantification of the phenolic compounds present in the following plants cultivated with and without fertilisation: Coastcross-1 grass (G) and the legumes Stylosanthes guianensis cv. Mineirão (MS), Stylosanthes capitata × Stylosanthes macrocephala cv. Campo Grande (CGS), Arachis pintoi cv. Amarillo (AA) and Arachis pintoi cv. Belmonte (AB). High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to analyse 13 phenolic compounds. The forage with the best nutritive value was Amarillo pinto peanut. The condensed tannin content was higher in the legumes than that in the grass. Vanillin and o-coumaric, m-coumaric, caffeic and ferulic acid were detected in all the cultivars. The cultivar with the largest variety of phenolic compounds was Coastcross-1 grass. Diversity existed in the occurrence of phenolic compounds, which indicated the presence of condensed tannins in the cultivars and possibly that the diversity does not affect the concentration of these compounds. The AA cultivar was the most interesting alternative for the establishment of pasture intercropped with Coastcross-1 grass.
Highlights
Plants produce a considerable quantity of organic metabolites; these substances are divided into primary metabolites, with structural, plastic and energy storage functions, and secondary metabolites, whose function is to defend against herbivores and pathogens, to attract pollinators and to act as agents of competition between plants and of symbiosis between plants and microorganisms
Secondary metabolites include phenolic compounds, terpenes and alkaloids and may vary in quantity according to species, physiological stage and edaphic and climatic conditions
The results of the chemical composition analysis showed that the AA legume presented the best results for the Ca and P contents and had an adequate crude protein (CP) content and the lowest NDF level, indicating that this cultivar possesses good nutritive value
Summary
Plants produce a considerable quantity of organic metabolites; these substances are divided into primary metabolites, with structural, plastic and energy storage functions, and secondary metabolites, whose function is to defend against herbivores and pathogens, to attract pollinators and to act as agents of competition between plants and of symbiosis between plants and microorganisms. Secondary compounds can be used as antimicrobials in cosmetics, food and agrochemicals (Thorat, 2018). Secondary metabolites include phenolic compounds (flavonoids, lignins and tannins), terpenes (essential oils, saponins, carotenes and xanthophylls) and alkaloids (caffeine) and may vary in quantity according to species, physiological stage and edaphic and climatic conditions. These compounds are of scientific interest due to their antioxidant, physiological and nutritional properties (Thorat, 2018). The phenolic secondary metabolites are known as antinutritional factors because of their direct relationship with intake restriction and forage digestion and their influence on animal acceptability and animal performance. The phenolic compounds compose the phenol group and contain an aromatic ring bonded to a functional hydroxyl group; the most important phenolic compounds are lignin and tannin (Edvan & Bezerra, 2018)
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