Nutritive evaluation of some nitrogen and non-nitrogen fixing multipurpose tree species

Abstract

The nutritive value of leaf materials from five each of nitrogen (NFT), namely, Acacia nilotica, Albizia lebbeck, Butea monosperma, Leucaena leucocephala, Pongamia pinnata and non-nitrogen fixing multipurpose tree (non-NFT) species, namely, Anogeissus pendula, Azadirachta indica, Ficus bengalensis, Terminalia arjuna and Syzygium cumini grown at National Research Centre for Agroforestry, were evaluated by chemical and in sacco methods. Mean organic matter (OM) concentration (g kg −1 dry matter) was comparable between NFT (902±5.3) and non-NFT (916±6.5). However, significantly ( P<0.05) higher mean crude protein (CP) contents (g kg −1 DM) were recorded in NFT (174±10.7) than non-NFT (96±1.5) with maximum in L. leucocephala (228) and minimum in F. bengalensis (88), respectively. Mean neutral detergent fibre (NDF) contents were relatively lower in NFT than in non-NFT. Significantly ( P<0.05) higher contents of NDF, acid detergent fibre (ADF) and lignin (g kg −1 DM) were observed in F. bengalensis (597, 458 and 222) and S. cumini (566, 483 and 279) than in any of the other trees. Total phenolics (TP) concentration was significantly ( P<0.05) lower in NFT except for A. nilotica, but higher ( P<0.05) in non-NFT except in F. bengalensis. Mean condensed tannins (CT) concentration differed significantly ( P<0.05) between NFT and non-NFT and ranged from 17 to 31 and 14 to 94 g kg −1 DM, respectively. In sacco degradability of DM differed significantly ( P<0.05) amongst the MPTs and ranged from 504 to 809 for NFT and 513 to 881 g kg −1 DM for non-NFT, respectively. Mean CP degradability (g kg −1 DM) was similar for ( P<0.05) NFT (659±24.1) and non-NFT (661±62.5). Cell wall contents degradability was relatively higher in non-NFT than NFT. However, a poor correlation was observed between anti-nutritional characters and in sacco degradability, whereas strong negative correlations were recorded between DM degradability and NDF, ADF and cellulose contents. The NFT contained high CP and low cell wall contents and anti-nutritional characters, however the in sacco degradability of nutrients was less for non-NFT. Nutritive value of the trees indicated that all the species could potentially be used as protein banks to supplement grass or crop residues in dry seasons.