Vetch Seeds Research Articles

Physical Properties of Hungarian and Common Vetch Seeds

The physical properties of Hungarian and common vetch seeds were determined at moisture content of 11.57 and 10.3% d.b., respectively. The mean values of length, width, thickness and geometric mean diameter were 4.27, 4.03, 3.38, 3.86 mm, respectively for Hungarian vetch seed and were 5.11, 4.49, 3.83, 4.44 mm, respectively for common vetch seed. One hundred seed weights of Hungarian and common vetch seed were 4.33 and 5.88 g, respectively. The mean sphericity value was obtained as 0.91 for Hungarian vetch seed and as 0.87 for common vetch seed. The mean bulk and true densities were 772.17, 1205.81 kg m , respectively for 3 Hungarian vetch seed and were 785.9, 1091.19 kg m , respectively for common vetch seed. The angles of 3 repose of Hungarian and common vetch seed were 13.64° and 12.95°, respectively. The values of coefficient of dynamic friction against hard-wood sheet, galvanized steel, mild steel, chipboard and rubber surfaces were 0.29, 0.30, 0.33, 0.33, 0.41, respectively for Hungarian vetch seed and were 0.27, 0.27, 0.31, 0.31, 0.45, respectively for common vetch seed; while the values of coefficient of static friction were 0.35, 0.36, 0.39, 0.43 and 0.45, respectively for Hungarian vetch seed and were 0.32, 0.34, 0.39, 0.45, 0.48, respectively for common vetch seed. Physical properties of Hungarian and common vetch were cleaned with air effect and manually to remove all seeds are to be known; for design and improve of relevant foreign matter, broken and immature seeds. The moisture machines and facilities for handling, storing, harvesting content of the samples was determined by oven drying and processing. The size and shape are important in at 105+1°C for 24 h . Each of the samples was designing of separating, sizing and granding machines. replicated three times and the mean moisture content of Bulk density and porosity affect the structural loads, Hungarian and common vetch seed was found as resistance to airflow of the stored mass and are important 11.57 and 10.3% (d.b.), respectively. parameters in designing of drying and storing systems. To determine the seed size; one hundred seeds were The angle of repose is important in designing of storage randomly selected and length, width, thickness were and transporting structures. The coefficient of friction of measured using a dial-micrometer with a reading accuracy seed against the various surfaces is also necessary in of 0.01 mm. The geometric mean diameter (Dg) and structures.

Physical Properties of Vetch Seed

The physical properties of vetch seed were evaluated as a function of moisture content. The average length, width and thickness were 5·19, 4·33 and 3·63 mm, respectively, at 10·57% dry basis (d.b.) moisture content. In the moisture range from 10·57 to 20·63% d.b., studies on rewetted vetch seed showed that the thousand seed mass increased from 55·47 to 59·03 g, the projected area from 23·52 to 29·05 mm 2, the sphericity from 0·837 to 0·859, the true density from 1286·2 to 1369·9 kg m −3, the porosity from 33·08% to 39·68% and the terminal velocity from 9·94 to 10·33 m s −1. The static coefficient of friction of vetch seed increased the linearly against surfaces of four structural materials, namely, rubber (0·350–0·387), aluminium (0·319–0·367), stainless steel (0·202–0·328) and galvanised iron (0·312–0·361) as the moisture content increased from 10·57 to 20·63% d.b. The bulk density and the shelling resistance decreased from 860·8 to 826·2 kg m −3 and from 148·73 to 62·68 N, respectively, with an increase in moisture content from 10·57 to 20·63% d.b.

Seed germination and dormancy of fresh and air-dried seeds of common vetch (Vicia sativa L.) harvested at different stages of maturity

Seed germination and dormancy of fresh and air-dried seeds of common vetch (Vicia sativa L.) harvested at different stages of maturity

Effect of maturity stage on germination and dormancy of fresh and air‐dried seeds of bitter vetch (Vicia ervilia L.)

Bitter vetch is an important legume crop cultivated for forage and seed yield in the Mediterranean, West Asia, and North Africa regions. Delaying seed harvest of bitter vetch may increase seed losses due to pod shattering; however, early harvest may influence seed dormancy and the ability of seed to germinate. Field experiments were conducted at two locations in Jordan to study the effect of maturity stage on germination and dormancy of fresh (before drying), air‐dried, and dry‐prechilled (at 5°C for 8 days) seeds of bitter vetch. Pods were harvested at three development stages: full‐seed pod (FS), yellow pod (YP), and brown pod (BP). Percentage of normal, abnormal, hard, and dead seeds at 14 days after planting in standard germination tests was recorded for the fresh, air‐dried, and dry‐prechilled seeds harvested at the three development stages. Germination counts of normal seedlings at 4, 7, 10, and 14 days after planting was used to calculate the germination rate index (GRI). For the fresh seeds, germination did not exceed 30% when seeds were harvested at the FS stage, and decreased to 0% at the YP stage. All non‐germinated fresh seeds harvested at the YP stage were dormant. Air‐drying and dry‐prechilling treatments improved seed germination at the YP and BP stages. Maximum germination was achieved in air‐dried and dry‐prechilled seeds harvested at the BP stage. The percentage of hard seeds was the highest for air‐dried seeds harvested at the FS stage. Percentage of hard and dormant seeds was decreased to the minimum when seeds were harvested at the BP stage and exposed to air‐drying and dry‐prechilling treatment before germination. Dry‐prechilled seeds had higher GRI than fresh and air‐dried seeds when seeds were harvested at the BP stage. In conclusion, maximum germination and minimum dormancy was achieved for air‐dried and dry‐prechilled seeds harvested at the BP stage. Dry‐prechilling treatment increased the speed of germination for seeds harvested at the BP stage. Presence of hard seeds reduced the germination of air‐dried seeds harvested at the YP stage. Bitter vetch seeds harvested at the YP stage may require scarification and a longer prechilling treatment to overcome seed dormancy observed at this stage.

Vicine and convicine in common vetch (Vicia sativa) seeds enhance beta-cyanoalanine toxicity in male broiler chicks.

Two studies were conducted to investigate the effects of feeding raw and water-soaked vetch seeds to male broiler chicks on performance, organ weights, and blood parameters. Intact and ground vetch seeds were soaked in water (1:5) at room temperature for 24 hours (study 1), and (1:10) at 40 degrees C for 24, 48, and 72 hours, with water change every 12 hours (study 2). In study 1, untreated vetch contained, on dry matter basis, 0.530%, 0.731%, and 0.081% total beta-cyanoalanine (BCA), vicine, and convicine, respectively. Toxins were not appreciably reduced in soaked intact and ground vetch. Diets containing untreated, soaked intact, and soaked ground vetch, each at 0%, 20%, 40%, and 60%, were fed to 7-day-old male broilers until onset of neurotoxicity symptoms. Survival time was not only decreased by BCA level but also by those of vicine and convicine (p <.05). In study 2, 60% of untreated or treated vetch seeds were incorporated in chick diets. Although untreated vetch used in this study contained 32% less BCA but 8% and 81% more vicine and convicine, respectively, yet, the chicks on 60% untreated vetch showed toxicity symptoms earlier than those of study 1. Soaking ground vetch for 48 hours or more reduced BCA and totally removed vicine and convicine. Consequently, birds on 60% ground vetch soaked for 48 and 72 hours survived through the starter period and had mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration and organ weights comparable to those of control at 4 days post trial. The results indicated that "high levels" of vicine or convicine or both might have shortened the birds' survival time by enhancing the neurotoxicity induced by "lower levels" of BCA.

Peroxyl radical-trapping capacity of germinated legume seeds.

The legume seeds of lentil (Lens culinaris), vetch (Vicia sativa) and soybean (Glycine max, cv. Mazowia) were germinated in the dark at a constant temperature of 25 degrees C up to 168 h (24 h x 7 d). The changes in peroxyl radical-trapping capacity (PRTC) of the processed seeds were measured and compared to those of the raw seeds. A simple method of determining the peroxyl radical-trapping capacity based on the use of 2,2'-azobis(2-amidopropane) hydrochloride (ABAP) decomposition as a free radical source and the use of 2,2'-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) oxidation as the reaction indicator was employed to express antioxidant properties of germinated seeds. The data show that the germinated lentil and vetch seeds were more effective than germinated soybean when their peroxyl radical-trapping capacity was compared.

Stored cysteine proteinases start globulin mobilization in protein bodies of embryonic axes and cotyledons during vetch (Vicia sativa L.) seed germination.

Inhibition of protein synthesis by cycloheximide during vetch seed germination, did not prevent globulin breakdown as indicated by a decrease in vicilin- and legumin-specific immunosignals on Western blots. Protein bodies isolated from embryo axes and cotyledons of dry vetch (Vicia sativa L.) seeds using a non-aqueous method were found to be free of cytoplasmic and organellar contaminations. Lysates of these purified protein bodies were capable of degrading globulins; this process was blocked by the cysteine proteinase (CPR) inhibitor iodoacetic acid. Protein bodies contained the papain-like CPR2 and CPR4, and the legumain-like CPR VsPB2. In vitro assays showed that albumin extracts from protein bodies degraded oligopeptide substrates in the PepTag-Assay and degraded the legumain substrate N-benzoyl-asparaginyl-p-nitroanilide. We conclude that, during germination, globulin mobilization is initiated by stored CPRs in protein bodies of embryonic axes as well as cotyledons, and that de-novo-formed proteolytic enzymes mainly mediate bulk degradation of stored globulin in cotyledons after germination.

Performance of Broilers and Production and Egg Quality Parameters of Laying Hens Fed 60% Rawor Treated Common Vetch (Vicia sativa) Seeds

Two experiments were conducted to study the effect of feeding 60% untreated (U) or coarsely ground treated vetch (V) seeds on performance of broilers and laying hens. In Experiment 1, the V seeds were soaked in 1% NaHCO3 (1:10) or in 1% acetic acid (1:5) at room temperature for 24 h (RTAA). Birds on the NaHCO3-treated V diet had 100% mortality rate but had significantly longer survival time than those on UV (14.9 vs 5.1 d). Birds on RTAA-V survived and had similar BW and feed conversion but greater kidney size than those of the controls at 7 wk of age (P < 0.05). In Experiment 2, control, UV, V soaked in water at 40 C (40WV), RTAA-V, and V soaked in acetic acid at 40 C (40AAV) diets were fed to laying hens for 84 d. The ground seeds in RTAA-V and 40AAV were soaked in acetic acid (1:10) at room temperature or at 40 C, respectively, for 24 h. For 40WV, the seeds were soaked in water (1:10) at 40 C for 72 h with a water change every 12 h. The UV-fed hens ceased egg production within 14 d and had the highest BW loss and the lowest feed intake among all treatments (P < 0.05). The 40WV and 40AAV significantly improved these criteria. Moreover, the RTAA-V resulted in performance comparable to that of the controls. Eggs produced by hens on treated V diets had similar weight but higher Haugh unit score (11 points), thinner shell, and lower yolk color score than those of the controls (P < 0.05). Results indicated that RTAA-V at 60% dietary level was not detrimental to broilers and laying hens.

Sistemas consorciados de aveia preta e ervilhaca comum como cobertura de solo e seus efeitos na cultura do milho em sucessão

Com o aumento do cultivo do milho no sistema plantio direto (SPD), várias espécies vegetais de inverno estão sendo avaliadas, visando à obtenção de uma cobertura de solo que beneficie o milho cultivado em sucessão e o SPD. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o efeito de três densidades de semeadura de aveia preta e ervilhaca comum em sistemas consorciados e em cultivos isolados e de três níveis de adubação nitrogenada (zero, 60 e 160 kg ha-1) aplicados em cobertura sobre a cultura do milho em sucessão. O experimento foi realizado em campo na Estação Experimental Agronômica da UFRGS em Eldorado do Sul (RS), no ano agrícola 1998/99. O rendimento total de matéria seca da cobertura de solo foi similar entre os sistemas consorciados de aveia e ervilhaca e os cultivos isolados. O aumento da dose de N aplicada no milho e o incremento da proporção de sementes de ervilhaca no consórcio da cobertura de solo elevaram a quantidade de N acumulado por planta de milho. Na produtividade de grãos de milho, percebeu-se interação de doses de N aplicadas e sistemas de cobertura de solo. Sem aplicação de N, houve aumento de 321 kg ha-1 na produtividade de grãos, para cada 10% de substituição de aveia por ervilhaca nos sistemas de consórcio. Com 60 kg ha-1 de N, a resposta foi quadrática; com 160 kg ha-1, não houve efeito das coberturas de solo no inverno sobre a produtividade de grãos. A produtividade de grãos de milho cultivado em sucessão à aveia em cultivo isolado ou em consórcio com ervilhaca aumentou linearmente com o aumento da dose da adubação nitrogenada; em sucessão à ervilhaca em cultivo isolado, não houve resposta do milho à adubação nitrogenada.

Moisture Sorption Isotherms of Vetch Seeds at Four Temperatures

The equilibrium moisture contents were determined for vetch seeds using the gravimetric static method at 5, 20, 40 and 60°C over a range of relative humidities from 0·110 to 0·877. The sorption capacity of the seeds decreased with an increase in temperature at constant relative humidity. The hysteresis effect was lower at higher temperatures. Five equations were applied for analysing the experimental data: modified Chung–Pfost, modified Halsey, modified Oswin, modified Henderson, and Guggenheim–Anderson–de Boer (GAB) equations. The modified Oswin model was the most suitable for describing the relationships between equilibrium moisture content, relative humidity and temperature. Vetch seeds maintained a monolayer moisture content when stored at a relative humidity in the range 0·17–0·18 regardless of the temperature.

Comparison of globulin mobilization and cysteine proteinases in embryonic axes and cotyledons during germination and seedling growth of vetch (Vicia sativa L.)

Vicilin and legumin, the storage globulins of mature dry vetch (Vicia sativa L.) seeds, are found in protein bodies which are present not only in the cotyledons, but also in the radicle, axis and shoot (together, for reasons of simplicity, here called axis). When at 24 h after the start of imbibition (hai) the radicle breaks through the seed coat a major part of the globulins in the axis has already been degraded, whereas in the cotyledons globulin breakdown cannot yet be detected. Globulin mobilization starts with the degradation of vicilin. At 48 hai when globulin mobilization in the cotyledons just begins, the axis is already nearly depleted of globulins. Mobilization of storage globulin is probably brought about by a complex of different cysteine proteinases (CPRs). The papain-like CPR2 and CPR4, and the legumain-like VsPB2, together with their mRNAs, are already present in axes and cotyledons of dry seeds. This means that they must have been formed during seed maturation. Additional papain-like CPRs are formed later during germination and seedling growth. CPR4 and VsPB2 together with their corresponding mRNAs become undetectable as germination and seedling growth proceed. VsPB2 and VsPB2-mRNA are substituted by the homologous legumain-like proteinase B and its mRNA. The composition of stored and newly formed CPRs undergoes developmental changes which differ between axes and cotyledons. It is concluded that storage globulin mobilization in germinating vetch seeds is started by stored CPRs, whereas the mobilization of the bulk of globulin is predominantly mediated by CPRs which are formed de novo.

Galactosylpinitols isolated from vetch (Vicia villosa roth.) seeds.

Three alpha-galactosides of D-pinitol: 1D-O-(alpha-D-galactopyranosyl)-(1-->2)-4-O-methyl-chiro-inositol, 1, 1D-O-alpha-D-galactopyranosyl-(1-->6)-O-alpha-D-galactopyranosyl-(1- ->2)-4-O-methyl-chiro-inositol, 2, and 1D-O-alpha-D-galactopyranosyl-(1-->6)-O-alpha-D-galactopyranosyl-(1-- >6)-O-alpha-D-galactopyranosyl-(1-->2)-4-O-methyl-chiro-inositol, 3, present in vetch seeds, were isolated, purified, and quantitatively determined using column and high-resolution gas chromatography. Their structures were established by (1)H and (13)C NMR 1D and 2D techniques.

The families of papain- and legumain-like cysteine proteinases from embryonic axes and cotyledons of Vicia seeds: developmental patterns, intracellular localization and functions in globulin proteolysis.

Families of papain- and legumain-like cysteine proteinases (CPR) were found in Vicia seeds. cDNAs and antibodies were used to follow organ specificity and the developmental course of CPR-specific mRNAs and polypeptides. Four papain-like cysteine proteinases (CPR1, CPR2, proteinase A and CPR4) from vetch seeds (Vicia sativa L.) were analysed. CPR2 and its mRNA were already found in dry embryonic axes. CPR1 was only detected there during early germination. Both CPR1 and CPR2 strongly increased later during germination. In cotyledons, both CPR1 and CPR2 were only observed one to two days later than in the axis. Proteinase A was not found in axes. In cotyledons it could only be detected several days after seeds had germinated. CPR4 mRNA and polypeptide were already present in embryonic axes and cotyledons during seed maturation and decreased in both organs during germination. Purified CPR1, CPR2 and proteinase A exhibited partially different patterns of globulin degradation products in vitro. Although the cDNA-deduced amino acid sequence of the precursor of proteinase A has an N-terminal signal peptide, the enzyme was not found in vacuoles whereas the other papain-like CPRs showed vacuolar localization. Four different legumain-like cysteine proteinases (VsPB2, proteinase B, VnPB1 and VnPB2) of Vicia species were analysed. Proteinase B and VnPB1 mRNAs were detected in cotyledons and seedling organs after seeds had germinated. Proteinase B degraded globulins isolated from mature vetch seeds in vitro. VsPB2 and proteinase B are localized to protein bodies of maturing seeds and seedlings, respectively, of V. sativa. Like VsPB2 from V sativa, also VnPB2 of V. narbonensis corresponds to vacuolar processing enzymes (betaVPE). Based on these results different functions in molecular maturation and mobilization of storage proteins could be attributed to the various members of the CPR families.

Nutritional Evaluation of Detoxified and Raw Common Vetch Seed (Vicia sativa L.) Using Diets of Broilers

This work demonstrates that both processed and raw common vetch seed (Vicia sativa L.) can substitute for 10% of the corn−soybean in a balanced diet for 1 month without affecting the growth and feed utilization of young broilers. Two specimens of processed vetch, detoxified by cooking with decantation, contained 22.4 and 25.8% crude protein (N × 6.25). The amino acid composition remained close to that of raw vetch. Processed and raw vetch seeds have relatively high contents of lysine, leucine, arginine, and phenylalanine plus tyrosine and low contents of methionine plus cystine and tryptophan. The lack of toxicity observed for raw vetch is consistent with the dietary level of β-cyanoalanine. Low, but detectable, residues (<0.02%) of this toxin were present in the chicken muscle. The findings are relevant to the potential use of processed vetch for human nutrition and of raw vetch for young poultry. Keywords: Processed and raw common vetch seed; Vicia sativa L.; nutrition; broilers; β-cyanoalanine

Nutritional Evaluation of Detoxified and Raw Common Vetch Seed (Vicia sativa L.) Using Diets of Broilers

Nutritional Evaluation of Detoxified and Raw Common Vetch Seed (<i>Vicia sativa </i>L.) Using Diets of Broilers

Proteinase A, a storage-globulin-degrading endopeptidase of vetch (Vicia sativa L.) seeds, is not involved in early steps of storage-protein mobilization.

Proteinase A is a papain-like cysteine endopeptidase of vetch (Vicia sativa L.) which was assumed to initiate storage-globulin breakdown just after the onset of seed germination. This enzyme was purified from cotyledons of vetch seedlings. On gelatin-containg SDS gels, active proteinase A migrated with an apparent molecular mass of 21 kDa, whereas after heat denaturation its molecular size on SDS/PAGE was 29 kDa. Although proteinase A is capable of hydrolyzing storage globulins in vitro it could not be localized in the protein-body fraction of cotyledons from germinating seeds. cDNA clones encoding proteinase A precursor have been obtained by PCR. The precursor is composed of an N-terminal signal sequence followed by a propeptide, the region encoding mature proteinase A, and a C-terminal KDEL sequence. Mature proteinase A with a derived molecular mass of 25,244 Da does not have the KDEL sequence. The derived amino acid sequence of the proteinase A precursor is 78.2% identical to sulfhydryl-endopeptidase (SH-EP), a cysteine endopeptidase from germinating Vigna mungo seedlings. Northern blot analysis indicated that proteinase A mRNA appears de novo in cotyledons of 1-day-germinated vetch seeds, where its amount increases up to day 6. No proteinase A mRNA was detected in other vetch organs, not even in the embryo axis, which contains stored globulins. By means of antibodies raised against the purified and against recombinantly produced proteinase A, the 29-kDa bands of mature proteinase A were detected in cotyledon extracts of 6-day-germinated seeds when globulin degradation has already far proceeded. The reported data do not agree with the proposed triggering role of proteinase A in storage-globulin breakdown during germination.

Neurotoxins in a Vetch Food: Stability to Cooking and Removal of γ-Glutamyl-β-cyanoalanine and β-Cyanoalanine and Acute Toxicity from Common Vetch (Vicia sativa L.) Legumes

Because the neurotoxic common vetch (Vicia sativa L.) legume seems to have come into some use in man's diet, we have investigated, using Pico-Tag analysis, the stability of the vetch neurotoxins to cooking. When heated in water at 100 °C for 3 h, γ-glutamyl-β-cyanoalanine (γ-gluBCA) cyclized extensively to form pyroglutamic acid and β-cyanoalanine (BCA). By contrast three specimens of common vetch seeds containing 0.42−0.74% γ-gluBCA and 0.01−0.03% BCA retained these principles without loss. A modified cooking procedure replacing the broth during cooking with fresh water and washing the seeds well yielded cooked seeds without detectable neurotoxins. A nutritional study confirmed that the toxins responsible for causing weight loss and mortality in chicks were removed. Lengthy steeping in water at room temperature also effectively removed the neurotoxins from dehulled split seeds but incompletely from intact seeds. These procedures improve the quality of common vetch seed as a source of protein for man. Key...

Consumption of Hairy Vetch, Sweet Clover, and Foxtail Seeds by Three Granivorous Bird Species

Sustainable agriculture may include hairy vetch (Vicia villosa) and sweet clover (Melilotus officinalis) as cover crops. Seeds produced by these two plants are thought to be good food for wildlife, but are not abundant in crop contents of northern bobwhites (Colinus virginianus). To determine if the seeds were acceptable to birds, we compared their consumption by birds to that of foxtail (Setaria glauca), a preferred food of granivorous birds. Seed consumption was determined in feeding trials using three species of granivorous birds. Neither seeds of hairy vetch nor sweet clover were as acceptable as foxtail seeds to northern bobwhites, dark-eyed juncos (Junco hyemalis), or Harris' sparrows (Zonotrichia querala). Bobwhites consumed >12 g/day of foxtail seed compared to <3 g/day of vetch or clover seed; sparrows and juncos consumed 5-6 g/day of foxtail seed compared to <1 g/day of vetch or clover seed. No obvious relationship between beak size, seed size, and seed consumption was apparent.

Seed yield and hardseededness of two amphicarpic pasture legumes (Vicia sativa ssp. amphicarpa and Lathyrus ciliolatus) and two annual medics (Medicago rigidula and M. noeana)

SUMMARYYields and hardseed breakdown of underground and aerial seeds in subterranean vetch (Vicia sativa ssp. amphicarpa) and lathyrus (Lathyrus ciliolatus) and aerial seeds of Medicago rigidula and M. noeana were compared at Tel Hadya, near Aleppo, in north Syria between 1990 and 1992. Underground and aerial seed and straw (mature herbage) yields were measured at maturity in the first spring, and hardseed breakdown over the following summer, autumn and winter. Regenerating herbage production was measured in the second spring.In the establishment year (292 mm rainfall) the medics produced twice as much straw as the amphicarpic species. In contrast, seed yields were less than half: M. rigidula and M. noeana produced 412 and 110 kg/ha respectively, while subterranean vetch and lathyrus produced 1174 and 736 kg/ha. More than 95 % of the total seed yield of the amphicarpic legumes was underground. Underground seeds of the amphicarpic legumes were larger than aerial seeds, and almost 10 times as large as the medic seeds.Seeds of all species were &gt; 90% hard when newly set in summer. At the first seasonal rains &gt; 95% of underground seed had softened, compared with 5 and 40% of the aerial seeds of vetch and lathyrus respectively. The medics remained &gt; 90% hardseeded. In laboratory tests, embryo dormancy was observed in all species prior to the onset of first seasonal rains. For the amphicarpic legumes, but not for the medics, embryo dormancy persisted into winter. In the field, and after all germination events, 900–1430 seeds/m2 of subterranean vetch seed remained in the soil. This was considerably more than expected, based on the low levels of hardseededness and embryo dormancy observed in the laboratory. The results suggest that dormant seeds of the amphicarpic legumes need light to germinate.In the second year (353 mm rainfall), regenerating M. rigidula produced 5·3 t/ha compared with 3·4 t/ha by the best subterranean vetch from approximately equal numbers of seedlings. The amphicarpic legumes germinated later and over a more extended period than the medics, indicating that they could become weeds in a cereal/pasture rotation. However, the results suggest that in drier areas or in drier years the vetches will compare favourably with the medics in most respects. Clearly, subterranean vetch and lathyrus have great potential for pasture improvement in dry areas.

Effect of Feeding Raw and Treated Common Vetch Seed (Vicia sativa) on the Performance and Egg Quality Parameters of Laying Hens

Two experiments were conducted to study the effect of feeding raw or treated common vetch seeds (V) on BW, feed intake (FI), egg production (EP), feed conversion (FC), egg weight (EW), shell thickness (ST), yolk color score (YC), and Haugh unit score (HU) of Single Comb White Leghorn hens for 56 d. In Experiment 1, diets contained 0, 7.5, 15, and 22.5% raw V. Compared with the control, the 22.5% V diet decreased (P < .05) BW, FI, and EP. In Experiment 2, intact or ground (G) V were either soaked (S) in water (1:5) for 24 h or autoclaved (A) at 103.5 × 103 Pa for 8 h, and then dried (D) at 55 C for 24 h. Eight diets were used, a corn soybean (control) and seven others, each containing 25% V, previously subjected to the forementioned treatments as follows: untreated V (UV), SDV, GSDV, ADV, GADV, SADV, and GSADV. Compared with the control, the UV diet decreased (P < .05) FI (75 vs 98 g) and EP (47.3 vs 88.7%), increased FC (1.99 vs 1.4 kg feed per dozen eggs), and induced BW loss (-63 vs 49 g). Soaking intact V improved (P < .05) FI (85 g) and EP (69%). Remaining treatments resulted in further improvement. Hens fed all V diets produced eggs with HU score 13 points better than that of the control (P < .05). In both experiments, EW, YC, and ST were not different among treatments. Results indicated that autoclaved V at 25% level was not detrimental to layers’ performance.