Sample records for sainfoin onobrychis viciifolia

  1. Large Variability of Proanthocyanidin Content and Composition in Sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia)

    PubMed Central

    2015-01-01

    Proanthocyanidins (PAs) in sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia Scop.) are of interest to ameliorate the sustainability of livestock production. However, sainfoin forage yield and PA concentrations, as well as their composition, require optimization. Individual plants of 27 sainfoin accessions from four continents were analyzed with LC-ESI-QqQ-MS/MS for PA concentrations and simple phenolic compounds. Large variability existed in PA concentrations (23.0–47.5 mg g–1 leaf dry matter (DM)), share of prodelphinidins (79–96%), and mean degree of polymerization (11–14) among, but also within, accessions. PAs were mainly located in leaves (26.8 mg g–1 DM), whereas stems had less PAs (7.8 mg g–1 DM). Overall, high-yielding plants had lower PA leaf concentrations (R2 = 0.16, P < 0.001) and fewer leaves (R2 = 0.66, P < 0.001). However, the results show that these two trade-offs between yield and bioactive PAs can be overcome. PMID:26551032

  2. Micropropagation of bioencapsulation and ultrastructural features of sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) grown in vivo and in vitro.

    PubMed

    Mohajer, Sadegh; Mat Taha, Rosna; Mohajer, Minoo; Khorasani Esmaeili, Arash

    2014-01-01

    To explore the potential of in vitro rapid regeneration, three varieties (Golpaygan-181, Orumieh-1763, and Gorgan-1601) of sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia Scop. syn. Onobrychis sativa L.) were evaluated. For the first time, an encapsulation protocol was established from somatic embryogenic callus in torpedo and cotyledonary stages to create artificial seeds. Callus derived from different concentrations of Kinetin (0-2.0 mg L(-1)) and Indole-3-acetic acid (0-2.0 mg L(-1)) was coated with sodium alginate and subsequently cultured either in Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium or in soil substrate. Adventitious shoots from synthetic beads developed into rooting in full and half strength MS medium supplemented with various concentrations of auxin and cytokinin. Prolonged water conservation of black and red soils (1:1) had the highest rate of survival plantlets in the acclimatization process. Diverse resistance techniques in Onobrychis viciifolia were evaluated when the plants were subjected to water deficiency. Higher frequency of epicuticular waxes was observed in in vivo leaves compared to in vitro leaves. Jagged trichomes nonsecreting glands covered by spines were only observed in the lower leaf side. Ultimately, stomata indices were 0.127 (abaxial), 0.188 (adaxial) in in vivo and 0.121 (abaxial), 0.201 (adaxial) in in vitro leaves.

  3. Stimulatory Effects of Gamma Irradiation on Phytochemical Properties, Mitotic Behaviour, and Nutritional Composition of Sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia Scop.)

    PubMed Central

    Mat Taha, Rosna; Lay, Ma Ma; Khalili, Mahsa

    2014-01-01

    Sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia Scop. Syn. Onobrychis sativa L.) is a bloat-safe forage crop with high levels of tannins, which is renowned for its medicinal qualities in grazing animals. Mutagenesis technique was applied to investigate the influence of gamma irradiation at 30, 60, 90, and 120 Gy on mitotic behavior, in vitro growth factors, phytochemical and nutritional constituents of sainfoin. Although a percentage of plant necrosis and non-growing seed were enhanced by irradiation increment, the germination speed was significantly decreased. It was observed that gamma irradiated seeds had higher value of crude protein and dry matter digestibility compared to control seeds. Toxicity of copper was reduced in sainfoin irradiated seeds at different doses of gamma rays. Anthocyanin content also decreased in inverse proportion to irradiation intensity. Accumulation of phenolic and flavonoid compounds was enhanced by gamma irradiation exposure in leaf cells. HPLC profiles differed in peak areas of the two important alkaloids, Berberine and Sanguinarine, in 120 Gy irradiated seeds compared to control seeds. There were positive correlations between irradiation dose and some abnormality divisions such as laggard chromosome, micronucleus, binucleated cells, chromosome bridge, and cytomixis. In reality, radiocytological evaluation was proven to be essential in deducing the effectiveness of gamma irradiation to induce somaclonal variation in sainfoin. PMID:25147870

  4. In vivo and in vitro efficacy of sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) against Eimeria spp in lambs.

    PubMed

    Saratsis, Anastasios; Regos, Ionela; Tzanidakis, Nikolaos; Voutzourakis, Nikolaos; Stefanakis, Alexandros; Treuter, Dieter; Joachim, Anja; Sotiraki, Smaragda

    2012-08-13

    The effect of sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) against ovine coccidia was evaluated in vivo and in vitro. In 3 in vivo trials weaned lambs were allocated into two treatment groups receiving diets with either lucerne (Medicago sativa) or sainfoin. During the trials, which lasted for 7 (trial 1) or 8 weeks (trials 2 and 3), oocysts per gram of faeces (OPGs), faecal scores and weight gain were recorded. In two of the experiments (trials 1 and 3) a reduction in the mean oocyst excretion rates was observed, starting three to four weeks after sainfoin hay feeding. This reduction ranged between 21.3% (trial 1) and 61.7% (trial 3) compared to the control values. As a result, a decrease in the total number of oocysts excreted (expressed as the mean area under the curve of the OPG) was observed from week 4 to the end of the two trials, respectively (trial 1: 42.6% reduction, p=0.05; trial 3: 52.4% reduction, p=0.06). The results did not show any significant diet effect on lamb growth rates and faecal scores. In the in vitro experiments the effect of 39 sainfoin extracts were tested in an oocyst sporulation inhibition assay. The Eimeria oocysts sporulation inhibition throughout the experiments did not exceed 10.7%, showing that extracts of this forages do not have a significant inhibitory effect on Eimeria oocyst sporulation. This was an initial attempt to investigate a possible anticoccidial effect of sainfoin and further studies are needed in order to better understand its mode of action against Eimeria. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. In situ analysis and structural elucidation of sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) tannins for high-throughput germplasm screening.

    PubMed

    Gea, An; Stringano, Elisabetta; Brown, Ron H; Mueller-Harvey, Irene

    2011-01-26

    A rapid thiolytic degradation and cleanup procedure was developed for analyzing tannins directly in chlorophyll-containing sainfoin ( Onobrychis viciifolia ) plants. The technique proved suitable for complex tannin mixtures containing catechin, epicatechin, gallocatechin, and epigallocatechin flavan-3-ol units. The reaction time was standardized at 60 min to minimize the loss of structural information as a result of epimerization and degradation of terminal flavan-3-ol units. The results were evaluated by separate analysis of extractable and unextractable tannins, which accounted for 63.6-113.7% of the in situ plant tannins. It is of note that 70% aqueous acetone extracted tannins with a lower mean degree of polymerization (mDP) than was found for tannins analyzed in situ. Extractable tannins had between 4 and 29 lower mDP values. The method was validated by comparing results from individual and mixed sample sets. The tannin composition of different sainfoin accessions covered a range of mDP values from 16 to 83, procyanidin/prodelphinidin (PC/PD) ratios from 19.2/80.8 to 45.6/54.4, and cis/trans ratios from 74.1/25.9 to 88.0/12.0. This is the first high-throughput screening method that is suitable for analyzing condensed tannin contents and structural composition directly in green plant tissue.

  6. The effect of sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) and carob pods (Ceratonia siliqua) feeding regimes on the control of lamb coccidiosis.

    PubMed

    Saratsis, A; Voutzourakis, N; Theodosiou, T; Stefanakis, A; Sotiraki, S

    2016-06-01

    Recent research has suggested that plants containing condensed tannins may offer a promising alternative approach for the control of coccidiosis in lambs and goat kids. The present study aimed to examine the potential effect of condensed tannins in sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) and carob pods (Ceratonia siliqua) incorporated in sheep rations against lamb coccidiosis. The above tannin-rich sources were studied in three independent feeding trials in which the animals (naturally infected by Eimeria spp. ewes and their lambs) were allocated (i) in the control group and received a tannin-free diet (lucerne hay), or (ii) in the treatment groups and received a tannin-rich diet based on sainfoin hay (in trials 1 and 2), or in carob pod meal and a combination of carob pod meal and sainfoin hay (in trial 3). In total, 95 newborn lambs (and their 73 ewes) were enrolled in all trials which started a month before lambing and ended 8-10 weeks after lambs were born (at weaning). The course of coccidial infection was monitored in lambs by faecal oocyst counts and consistencies which were recorded at weekly intervals. Moreover, lambs total weight gain was evaluated at the end of each trial. During all trials, 100 % of the animals got naturally infected by Eimeria species and the infection burden was higher in trials 2 and 3 compared to trial 1 but in all cases, severe signs of diarrhoea were not observed. Tannin-rich diets were well accepted by the animals not affecting their feed intake and body weight gain when compared to the controls. The results suggest that incorporation of both tannin-rich resources (especially sainfoin) in sheep rations can reduce Eimeria oocyst excretion rates by the lambs, which can decrease subsequently the contamination of the farm environment with the parasite. However, the high variability noted on the results is not allowing us to draw any definite conclusions at least until the potential of those plants is further investigated.

  7. Effects of condensed tannins in wrapped silage bales of sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) on in vivo and in situ digestion in sheep.

    PubMed

    Theodoridou, K; Aufrère, J; Andueza, D; Le Morvan, A; Picard, F; Pourrat, J; Baumont, R

    2012-02-01

    The objective of this study was to characterize the condensed tannins (CTs) in wrapped silage bales of sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) and examine their potential action on in vivo and in situ digestive characteristics in sheep. Silage was made from sainfoin, cut at two phenological stages. The first phenological stage, at which silage was made, was from the first vegetation cycle at the end of flowering and the second stage silage was made from regrowth, 5 weeks after the first cut, but before flowering. The silages made from the two phenological stages were fed to 12 rumen-fistulated sheep in a crossover design. Of the 12 sheep, six received polyethylene glycol (PEG) to bind with and remove the effects of CT, whereas the other six were dosed with water. Organic matter digestibility, total-tract N digestibility and N (N) balance were measured over 6 days. Kinetic studies were performed on total N, ammonia N (NH3-N) and volatile fatty acids (VFAs) in rumen fluid before and 1.5, 3 and 6 h after feeding. The kinetics of degradation of dry matter and N from Dacron bags suspended in the rumen were also determined. Biological activity of CT (protein-binding capacity) and CT concentration were greater for the silage made from sainfoin at the early flowering stage. Total-tract N digestibility was increased by the addition of PEG (P < 0.001) to the sainfoin silage before flowering (P < 0.001). CTs decreased N excretion in urine (P < 0.05) and increased faecal N excretion (P < 0.001), but had no effect on body N retention, which is beneficial for the animal. Ruminal N degradability was smaller in the presence of active CT (P < 0.001) at both phenological stages; however, soluble N (P = 0.2060) and NH3-N (P = 0.5225) concentrations in rumen fluid remained unchanged. The results of this experiment indicate that CT in the sainfoin retain their ability to affect the nutritive value of preserved forage legumes.

  8. Inclusion of sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) silage in dairy cow rations affects nutrient digestibility, nitrogen utilization, energy balance, and methane emissions.

    PubMed

    Huyen, N T; Desrues, O; Alferink, S J J; Zandstra, T; Verstegen, M W A; Hendriks, W H; Pellikaan, W F

    2016-05-01

    Sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) is a tanniniferous legume forage that has potential nutritional and health benefits preventing bloating, reducing nematode larval establishment, improving N utilization, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. However, the use of sainfoin as a fodder crop in dairy cow rations in northwestern Europe is still relatively unknown. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of sainfoin silage on nutrient digestibility, animal performance, energy and N utilization, and CH4 production. Six rumen-cannulated, lactating dairy cows with a metabolic body weight (BW(0.75)) of 132.5±3.6kg were randomly assigned to either a control (CON) or a sainfoin (SAIN)-based diet over 2 experimental periods of 25 d each in a crossover design. The CON diet was a mixture of grass silage, corn silage, concentrate, and linseed. In the SAIN diet, 50% of grass silage dry matter (DM) of the CON diet was exchanged for sainfoin silage. The cows were adapted to 95% of ad libitum feed intake for a 21-d period before being housed in climate-controlled respiration chambers for 4 d, during which time feed intake, apparent total-tract digestibility, N and energy balance, and CH4 production was determined. Data were analyzed using a mixed model procedure. Total daily DM, organic matter, and neutral detergent fiber intake did not differ between the 2 diets. The apparent digestibility of DM, organic matter, neutral detergent fiber, and acid detergent fiber were, respectively, 5.7, 4.0, 15.7, and 14.8% lower for the SAIN diet. Methane production per kilogram of DM intake was lowest for the SAIN diet, CH4 production as a percentage of gross energy intake tended to be lower, and milk yield was greater for the SAIN diet. Nitrogen intake, N retention, and energy retained in body protein were greater for the SAIN than for the CON diet. Nitrogen retention as a percentage of N intake tended to be greater for the SAIN diet. These results suggest that inclusion of sainfoin

  9. Sodium Hydroxide Enhances Extractability and Analysis of Proanthocyanidins in Ensiled Sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia).

    PubMed

    Ramsay, Aina; Drake, Chris; Grosse Brinkhaus, Anja; Girard, Marion; Copani, Giuseppe; Dohme-Meier, Frigga; Bee, Giuseppe; Niderkorn, Vincent; Mueller-Harvey, Irene

    2015-11-04

    Little information exists on the effects of ensiling on condensed tannins or proanthocyanidins. The acetone-butanol-HCl assay is suitable for measuring proanthocyanidin contents in a wide range of samples, silages included, but provides limited information on proanthocyanidin composition, which is of interest for deciphering the relationships between tannins and their bioactivities in terms of animal nutrition or health. Degradation with benzyl mercaptan (thiolysis) provides information on proanthocyanidin composition, but proanthocyanidins in several sainfoin silages have proved resistant to thiolysis. We now report that a pretreatment step with sodium hydroxide prior to thiolysis was needed to enable their analysis. This alkaline treatment increased their extractability from ensiled sainfoin and facilitated especially the release of larger proanthocyanidins. Ensiling reduced assayable proanthocyanidins by 29%, but the composition of the remaining proanthocyanidins in silage resembled that of the fresh plants.

  10. In vivo and in situ measurements of the digestive characteristics of sainfoin in comparison with lucerne fed to sheep as fresh forages at two growth stages and as hay.

    PubMed

    Aufrère, J; Dudilieu, M; Poncet, C

    2008-09-01

    In vivo and in situ digestive characteristics of sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia L., a tannin-rich forage) and lucerne (Medicago sativa L., a tannin-free forage) were compared to evaluate the effects of condensed tannins (CT) and growth stage (vegetative v. early flowering) in experiment 1. In experiment 2, the hays of the two forages, harvested at early flowering, were compared. Ingestibility, organic matter digestibility (OMD) and nitrogen (N) retention were measured in sheep fed sainfoin and lucerne fresh forages and hays. The loss of dry matter (DM) and N from polyester bags suspended in the rumen, abomasum and small intestine was also measured using rumen fistulated sheep and other intestine fistulated sheep. Nitrogen content was lower in sainfoin than in lucerne. Content of CT in sainfoin decreased with growth stage (3.5 to 2.5 g CT/kg DM) and was lower for sainfoin hay (0.6 g CT/kg DM). Ingestibility and OMD did not differ between fresh-fed forage species. Total N tract digestibility in vivo was much lower for sainfoin than for lucerne fresh forages (mean value 0.540 v. 0.721, P < 0.001) and for sainfoin hay than lucerne hay (0.464 v. 0.683, P < 0.001). In both species, N digestibility was not altered by growth stage. The rumen degradation of N was lower in sainfoin than in lucerne, resulting in a lower proportion of N intake excreted in urine. The intestinal digestibility of sainfoin was also lower than that of lucerne, resulting in a higher N excretion in faeces. Hence the efficiency of N utilisation by sheep (ENr) was similar (mean value 0.205 and 0.199 g N retained/g N intake for fresh sainfoin and lucerne, respectively). The coefficient of N retention by the animal was higher for sainfoin at the vegetative stage than for all the other forages. Nitrogen degradability in the rumen determined by the nylon bag technique (DegN) was lower for sainfoin than for lucerne when forages were studied both fresh (mean value 0.608 and 0.818, respectively) and as hays

  11. Effect of exchanging Onobrychis viciifolia and Lotus corniculatus for Medicago sativa on ruminal fermentation and nitrogen turnover in dairy cows.

    PubMed

    Grosse Brinkhaus, A; Bee, G; Silacci, P; Kreuzer, M; Dohme-Meier, F

    2016-06-01

    The objective of the study was to determine the effect of feeding sainfoin (SF; Onobrychis viciifolia) and birdsfoot trefoil (BT; Lotus corniculatus), 2 temperate climate forage legumes that contain condensed tannins (CT), on ruminal fermentation and N turnover in dairy cows. Six ruminally cannulated multiparous dairy cows (milk yield=40kg/d; 36 d in milk) were used in a replicated 3×3 Latin square design. All animals were fed basal diets containing 20% pelleted SF (223g of CT/kg of dry matter), BT (30.3g of CT/kg of dry matter), or alfalfa (AL) and concentrate to meet their predicted nutrient requirements. Each experimental period consisted of a 21-d adaptation period in a tiestall, followed by a 7-d collection period in metabolic crates, where feces and urine were collected quantitatively. During the 7-d period, milk yield was recorded daily and milk samples were taken at each milking. Blood, ruminal fluid, and papillae were sampled on d 2 and 5. The relative abundance of selected bacterial strains in ruminal fluid and the gene expression of transporter genes in the papillae were determined with quantitative PCR. Total volatile fatty acids and the abundance of the cellulolytic bacteria Prevotella spp. and Ruminococcus flavefaciens decreased with SF compared with AL. The relative gene expression of the monocarboxylate transporter 1 was increased with BT compared with AL and SF. Total yields of milk, milk fat, and milk protein were similar among treatments. The proportion of 18:3n-3 in milk fat was greater and those of 22:5n-3 and 22:6n-3 were lower with SF than with BT. The contents of urea N in blood (2.71, 3.45, and 3.90mmol/L for SF, AL, and BT, respectively), milk (79.8, 100.1, and 110.9mg/kg for SF, AL, and BT, respectively), and urine were lower with SF than with AL and BT, and a trend toward a lower ruminal ammonia content occurred with SF compared with BT. Intake and excretion of N with milk were similar among treatments, but urine N was lower with SF

  12. Purification and Thermal Dependence of Glutathione Reductase from Two Forage Legume Species 1

    PubMed Central

    Kidambi, Saranga P.; Mahan, James R.; Matches, Arthur G.

    1990-01-01

    Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia Scop.) are forage legumes that differ in their responses to high and low temperature stresses. Thermal limitations on the function of glutathione reductase (EC 1.6.4.2) could adversely affect the ability of the plant to cope with adverse temperatures. Our objectives were to (a) purify glutathione reductase from `Cimarron' alfalfa and `PI 212241' sainfoin and (b) investigate the intraspecies variation in the thermal dependency of glutathione reductase from each of three cultivars of alfalfa and two cultivars and an introduction of sainfoin. Glutathione reductase was purified 1222-and 1948-fold to a specific activity of 281 and 273 units per milligram of protein, from one species each of alfalfa and sainfoin, respectively. The relative molecular mass of the protein was approximately 140 kilodaltons with subunits of 57 and 37 kilodaltons under denaturing conditions. The activation energies were approximately 50 kilojoules per mole for both species. Over a 5 to 45°C temperature gradient, large variation among species and genotypes within species was found for: (a) the minimum apparent Michaelis constant (0.6-2.1 micromoles of NADPH), (b) the temperature at which the minimum apparent Michaelis constant was observed (10-25°C), and (c) the thermal kinetic windows (6-19°C width). Future studies will focus on relating the thermal dependence of the Michaelis constant of the glutathione reductases and plant growth rates and forage quality of these species throughout the growing season. PMID:16667283

  13. Simple solution for a complex problem: proanthocyanidins, galloyl glucoses and ellagitannins fit on a single calibration curve in high performance-gel permeation chromatography.

    PubMed

    Stringano, Elisabetta; Gea, An; Salminen, Juha-Pekka; Mueller-Harvey, Irene

    2011-10-28

    This study was undertaken to explore gel permeation chromatography (GPC) for estimating molecular weights of proanthocyanidin fractions isolated from sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia). The results were compared with data obtained by thiolytic degradation of the same fractions. Polystyrene, polyethylene glycol and polymethyl methacrylate standards were not suitable for estimating the molecular weights of underivatized proanthocyanidins. Therefore, a novel HPLC-GPC method was developed based on two serially connected PolarGel-L columns using DMF that contained 5% water, 1% acetic acid and 0.15 M LiBr at 0.7 ml/min and 50 °C. This yielded a single calibration curve for galloyl glucoses (trigalloyl glucose, pentagalloyl glucose), ellagitannins (pedunculagin, vescalagin, punicalagin, oenothein B, gemin A), proanthocyanidins (procyanidin B2, cinnamtannin B1), and several other polyphenols (catechin, epicatechin gallate, epicallocatechin gallate, amentoflavone). These GPC predicted molecular weights represented a considerable advance over previously reported HPLC-GPC methods for underivatized proanthocyanidins. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Interference of condensed tannin in lignin analyses of dry bean and forage crops.

    PubMed

    Marles, M A Susan; Coulman, Bruce E; Bett, Kirstin E

    2008-11-12

    Legumes with high concentrations of condensed tannin (pinto bean [Phaseolus vulgaris L.], sainfoin [Onobrychis viciifolia Scop.], and big trefoil [Lotus uliginosus Hoff.]), were compared to a selection of forages, with low or zero condensed tannin (smooth bromegrass [ Bromus inermis Leyss], Lotus japonicus [Regel] K. Larsen, and alfalfa [Medicago sativa L.]), using four methods to estimate fiber or lignin. Protocols were validated by using semipurified condensed tannin polymers in adulteration assays that tested low-lignin tissue with polyphenolic-enriched samples. The effect on lignin assay methods by condensed tannin concentration was interpreted using a multivariate analysis. There was an overestimation of fiber or lignin in the presence of condensed tannin in the acid detergent fiber (ADF) and Klason lignin (KL) assays compared to that in the thioglycolic acid (TGA) and acid detergent lignin (ADL) methods. Sulfite reagents (present in TGA lignin method) or sequential acidic digests at high temperatures (ADF followed by ADL) were required to eliminate condensed tannin. The ADF (alone) and KL protocols are not recommended to screen nonwoody plants, such as forages, where condensed tannin has accumulated in the tissue.

  15. Pasture management strategies for reducing the risk of legume bloat in cattle.

    PubMed

    Majak, W; Hall, J W; McCaughey, W P

    1995-05-01

    Results from two decades (1973-1993) of bloat research at Kamloops are reviewed. The trials were conducted with groups of ruminally fistulated cattle either grazing or fed daily fresh-cut alfalfa (Medicago sativa) herbage. Studies were conducted during the growing season (May to September) and in the fall (October and November). The alfalfa was usually in the vegetative to early bloom stages of growth. Visual assessments of bloat severity on a scale of 1 to 5 were made .5 to 2 h after feeding started, at which time ruminal cannulas were opened to relieve ruminal pressure. Every cultivar of alfalfa tested caused bloat, but sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia), birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus), and cicer milkvetch (Astragalus cicer) did not. This confirms the bloat-safe features of these alternate legume forages. Bloat was positively associated with the level of Fraction 1 protein and total soluble protein in alfalfa, supporting the concept of a decreased probability of bloat with advancing stages of plant maturity. There was no association between alfalfa saponins and bloat. Prefeeding ruminal chlorophyll levels were higher and ruminal clearance rates were lower in cattle that were susceptible to bloat. Cattle that bloated on a given day consumed 18 to 25% less alfalfa immediately before bloat than non-bloaters did in the same time period. Ruminal cations were associated with bloat incidence but cation manipulation through supplementation did not prevent bloat. Of all the feed additives tested, only poloxalene (Bloat Guard) completely prevented bloat.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

  16. The influence of cover crops and tillage on actual and potential soil erosion in an olive grove

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sastre, Blanca; Bienes, Ramón; García-Díaz, Andrés; Panagopoulos, Thomas; José Marqués, Maria

    2014-05-01

    The study was carried out in an olive grove in central Spain (South of Madrid; Tagus River Basin). In this semi-arid zone, the annual mean temperature is 13.8 ºC and the annual precipitation is 395 mm. Olive groves are planted in an erosion prone area due to steep slopes up to 15%. Soil is classified as Typic Haploxerept with clay loam texture. The land studied was formerly a vineyard, but it was replaced by the studied olive grove in 2004. It covers approximately 3 ha and olive trees are planted every 6 x 7 metres. They were usually managed by tillage to decrease weed competition. This conventional practice results in a wide surface of bare soil prone to erosion processes. In the long term soil degradation may lead to increase the desertification risk in the area. Storms have important consequences in this shallow and vulnerable soil, as more than 90 Mg ha-1 have been measured after one day with 40 mm of rainfall. In order to avoid this situation, cover crops between the olive trees were planted three years ago: sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia), barley (Hordeum vulgare), and purple false brome (Brachypodium distachyon), and they were compared with annual spontaneous vegetation after a minimum tillage treatment (ASV). The results regarding erosion control were positive. We observed (Oct. 2012/Sept. 2013) annual soil loss up to 11 Mg ha-1 in ASV, but this figure was reduced in the sown covers, being 8 Mg ha-1 in sainfoin treatment, 3,7 Mg ha-1 in barley treatment, and only 1,5 Mg ha-1 in false brome treatment. Those results are used to predict the risk of erosion in long term. Moreover, soil organic carbon (SOC) increased with treatments, this is significant as it reduces soil erodibility. The increases were found both in topsoil (up to 5 cm) and more in depth, in the root zone (from 5 to 10 cm depth). From higher to lower SOC values we found the false brome (1.05%), barley (0.92%), ASV (0.79%) and sainfoin (0.71%) regarding topsoil. In the root zone (5-10 cm depth

  17. Effect of bioaugmentation to enhance phytoremediation for removal of phenanthrene and pyrene from soil with Sorghum and Onobrychis sativa

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    The use of plants to remove Poly-aromatic-hydrocarbons (PAHs) from soil (phytoremediation) is emerging as a cost-effective method. Phytoremediation of contaminated soils can be promoted by the use of adding microorganisms with the potential of pollution biodegradation (bioaugmentation). In the present work, the effect of bacterial consortium was studied on the capability of Sorghum and Onobrychis sativa for the phytoremediation of soils contaminated with phenanthrene and pyrene. 1.5 kg of the contaminated soil in the ratio of 100 and 300 mg phenanthrene and/or pyrene per kg of dry soil was then transferred into each pot (nine modes). The removal efficiency of natural, phytoremediation and bioaugmentation, separately and combined, were evaluated. The samples were kept under field conditions, and the remaining concentrations of pyrene and phenanthrene were determined after 120 days. The rhizosphere as well as the microbial population of the soil was also determined. Results indicated that both plants were able to significantly remove pyrene and phenanthrene from the contaminated soil samples. Phytoremediation alone had the removal efficiency of about 63% and 74.5% for pyrene and phenanthrene respectively. In the combined mode, the removal efficiency dramatically increased, leading to pyrene and phenanthrene removal efficiencies of 74.1% and 85.02% for Onobrychis sativa and 73.84% and 85.2% for sorghum, respectively. According to the results from the present work, it can be concluded that Onobrychis sativa and sorghum are both efficient in removing pyrene and phenanthrene from contamination and bioaugmentation can significantly enhance the phytoremediation of soils contaminated with pyrene and phenanthrene by 22% and 16% respectively. PMID:24406158

  18. Fatty acid composition of ruminal digesta and longissimus muscle from lambs fed silage mixtures including red clover, sainfoin, and timothy.

    PubMed

    Campidonico, L; Toral, P G; Priolo, A; Luciano, G; Valenti, B; Hervás, G; Frutos, P; Copani, G; Ginane, C; Niderkorn, V

    2016-04-01

    This work investigated the effects of feeding silage mixtures of a plant containing polyphenol oxidase (PPO; red clover [; RC]), a plant containing tannins (sainfoin [; SF]), and a grass species not containing these compounds (timothy [; T]) on ruminal and intramuscular (i.m.) fatty acids of lambs. Forty 4-mo-old castrated male Romane lambs, divided into 5 groups, received 1 of the following silages: 1) T (100%), 2) a binary mixture of timothy and tannin-containing sainfoin ( cv. Perly; 50:50 [T-SF]), 3) a binary mixture of timothy and PPO-containing red clover ( cv. Mervius; 50:50 [T-RC]), 4) a ternary mixture of timothy, sainfoin, and red clover containing both tannins and PPO (50:25:25, respectively [T-SF-RC]), and 5) a binary mixture of tannin-containing sainfoin and PPO-containing red clover (50:50 [SF-RC]). In the rumen digesta, the partial or total replacement of T with forage legumes was associated with greater concentrations of PUFA ( < 0.001) and 1esser concentrations of MUFA ( < 0.001). The inclusion of forage legumes in the silage favored the accumulation of 18:3 -3 ( < 0.001), with the greatest concentrations being observed in SF-RC. This latter diet also led to the greatest percentage of 18:2 -6 ( < 0.001). Forage legumes decreased the -11 18:1 to 30% of T in rumen digesta ( < 0.001). Forage legumes decreased the total concentration of branched-chain fatty acids in the rumen digesta (on average, -28%; < 0.001), this effect being less marked (-17%; = 0.014) in T-RC in comparison with T. The dietary treatment tended to affect the proportion of MUFA ( = 0.081) and of PUFA ( = 0.079) in the i.m. fat of the LM, respectively, at the highest and lowest numerical value in the T group. The sum of -3 fatty acids was less in the T and T-SF groups compared with the mixture of legumes without T (SF-RC; < 0.001 and < 0.008, respectively). The latter group had also a lesser -6-to--3 ratio than the T-SF group ( = 0.01). -11 18:1 was greater ( < 0.03) in lambs given T

  19. Biomass Allocation is an Important Determinant of the Tannin Concentration in Growing Plants

    PubMed Central

    Häring, D. A.; Suter, D.; Amrhein, N.; Lüscher, A.

    2007-01-01

    Background and aims Condensed tannins (CTs) in the diet affect consumers in a concentration-dependent manner. Because of their importance in plant defence against herbivores and pathogens as well as their potential application against gastrointestinal parasites of ruminants in agronomy, an understanding of the seasonal dynamics of CT concentrations during plant growth is essential. Methods Over a vegetation period, CT concentrations in leaves, stems and roots and the biomass proportions between these organs were investigated in Onobrychis viciifolia, Lotus corniculatus and Cichorium intybus. Based on the experimental data, a model has been suggested to predict CT concentrations in harvestable biomass of these species. Key Results During the experiment, leaf mass fractions of plants decreased from 85, 64, 85 to 30, 18, 39 % d. wt in Onobrychis, Lotus and Cichorium, respectively, and proportions of stems and roots increased accordingly. While CT concentrations almost doubled in leaves in Onobrychis (from 52 to 86 mg g−1 d. wt, P<0·001) and Lotus (from 25 to 54 mg g−1 d. wt, P<0·001), they were stable at low levels in expanding leaves of Cichorium (5 mg g−1 d. wt) and in stems and roots of all investigated species. Due to an inverse effect of the increasing CT concentrations in leaves and simultaneous dilution from increasing proportions of ‘CT-poor’ stems, CT concentrations in harvestable biomass were stable over time in all investigated species: 62, 26 and 5 mg g−1 d. wt for Onobrychis, Lotus and Cichorium, respectively. Conclusions As a consequence of the unequal distribution of tannins in different plant parts and due to the changing biomass proportions between them, various herbivores (e.g. a leaf-eating insect and a grazing ruminant) may find not only different concentrations of CT in their diets but also different CT dynamics during the season. For the prediction of seasonal variations of CT concentrations, biomass allocation and accumulation

  20. In vitro digestion of bloat-safe and bloat-causing legumes by rumen microorganisms: gas and foam production.

    PubMed

    Fay, J P; Cheng, K J; Hanna, M R; Howarth, R E; Costerton, J W

    1980-08-01

    Leaves of three bloat-safe legumes -- birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.), sainfoin (Onobrychis viciaefolia Scop.), and cicer milkvetch (Astralagus cicer L.) -- and of three bloat-causing legumes -- alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), red clover (Trifolium pratense L.), and white clover (Trifolium repens L.) -- were incubated with strained rumen fluid or with mixed rumen fluid and solids. Gas released was measured during the early period (0 to 22 h) of this in vitro digestion. Gas volume was greater with a 1:1 (wt/vol) mixture of solid and fluid rumen contents than with rumen fluid alone. It was greater with whole and chewed leaves from the bloat-causing legumes than with whole leaves from the bloat-safe legumes. However, when leaves were homogenized, volumes of gas from bloat-causing and bloat-safe legumes were similar. More gas was released from homogenized leaves than from the same weight of whole leaves. The amount of foam produced on chewed herbage and homogenized leaves of bloat-causing legumes was greater than on those of bloat-safe legumes. These results are consistent with the rate of disintegration and digestion of legumes by rumen bacteria being an important determinant in pasture bloat. Measurement of gas produced early in in vitro digestion may provide a useful bioassay for evaluating the bloat-causing potential of legumes in breeding selections if variability of the method can be reduced.

  1. Complementarity among four highly productive grassland species depends on resource availability.

    PubMed

    Roscher, Christiane; Schmid, Bernhard; Kolle, Olaf; Schulze, Ernst-Detlef

    2016-06-01

    Positive species richness-productivity relationships are common in biodiversity experiments, but how resource availability modifies biodiversity effects in grass-legume mixtures composed of highly productive species is yet to be explicitly tested. We addressed this question by choosing two grasses (Arrhenatherum elatius and Dactylis glomerata) and two legumes (Medicago × varia and Onobrychis viciifolia) which are highly productive in monocultures and dominant in mixtures (the Jena Experiment). We established monocultures, all possible two- and three-species mixtures, and the four-species mixture under three different resource supply conditions (control, fertilization, and shading). Compared to the control, community biomass production decreased under shading (-56 %) and increased under fertilization (+12 %). Net diversity effects (i.e., mixture minus mean monoculture biomass) were positive in the control and under shading (on average +15 and +72 %, respectively) and negative under fertilization (-10 %). Positive complementarity effects in the control suggested resource partitioning and facilitation of growth through symbiotic N2 fixation by legumes. Positive complementarity effects under shading indicated that resource partitioning is also possible when growth is carbon-limited. Negative complementarity effects under fertilization suggested that external nutrient supply depressed facilitative grass-legume interactions due to increased competition for light. Selection effects, which quantify the dominance of species with particularly high monoculture biomasses in the mixture, were generally small compared to complementarity effects, and indicated that these species had comparable competitive strengths in the mixture. Our study shows that resource availability has a strong impact on the occurrence of positive diversity effects among tall and highly productive grass and legume species.

  2. Interaction between a tannin-containing legume and endophyte-infected tall fescue seed on lambs’ feeding behavior and physiology

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    It was hypothesized that a tannin-rich legume like sainfoin reduces the negative postingestive effects of ergot alkaloids in tall fescue. Thirty-two 3-month-old lambs were individually penned and randomly assigned to a 2X2 factorial experimental design with two legume species (1-sainfoin [SF; tannin...

  3. Soil redistribution and nutrient delivery in a Mediterranean rain-fed agro-ecosystem with different crops and management: environmental and economic aspects

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    López-Vicente, Manuel; Álvarez, Sara

    2017-04-01

    Mediterranean agro-ecosystems are characterised by fragmented fields and patched vegetation. This shape governs the spatial patterns of water, soil and nutrient redistribution. Rainfall parameters, human infrastructures, crop management, support practices, and land use changes (set aside crops, land abandonment) control the magnitude of these processes. Under rain-fed water supply conditions, runoff generation and soil water content are two important factors in determining crop yield. Soil erosion and nutrient delivery are two of the factors which limit crop yield and thus, the gross earning of the landowner. In hilly landscapes, farmers usually supply extra soil to fill in the ephemeral gullies, and nutrient replenishment with fertilizers is a common practice. The aim of this study is to evaluate the environmental (runoff yield, soil erosion and nutrient delivery) and economic (replenishment of soil and nutrient losses with new soil and fertilizers) consequences of different conventional and conservative practices (fallow/crop rotation, cover crops, land abandonment, buffer strips) in a Mediterranean rain-fed agro-ecosystem (27 ha) with vineyards, cereal crops, cultivated and abandoned olive orchards, several trails and patches of natural vegetation. The five winter cereal fields (wheat and barley) follow fallow/crop rotation. The four vineyards are devoted to the Garnacha variety: one planted in 2007 with white wine grapes, and three planted in 2008 with red wine grapes. The inter-crop strips are managed with a mixture of plant species as cover crop (CC), including: i) spontaneous vegetation, and ii) plantation of common sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia). The maintenance of the CC includes one mowing pass at the end of spring, between May and June. The appearance and development of ephemeral gullies and the deposition of soil at the bottom of the hillslope are two of the main concerns of the landowners. In some places, the accumulation of soil complicates grape

  4. Interaction between a tannin-containing legume and endophyte-infected tall fescue seed on lambs’ feeding behavior and physiology

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    It was hypothesized that a tannin-rich legume like sainfoin reduces the negative post-ingestive effects of ergot alkaloids in tall fescue. Thirty-two 4-month-old lambs were individually penned and randomly assigned to a 2X2 factorial arrangement with two legume species (1-sainfoin [SAN; ' 3% condens...

  5. Legume species differ in the responses of their functional traits to plant diversity.

    PubMed

    Roscher, Christiane; Schmid, Bernhard; Buchmann, Nina; Weigelt, Alexandra; Schulze, Ernst-Detlef

    2011-02-01

    Plants can respond to environmental impacts by variation in functional traits, thereby increasing their performance relative to neighbors. We hypothesized that trait adjustment should also occur in response to influences of the biotic environment, in particular different plant diversity of the community. We used 12 legume species as a model and assessed their variation in morphological, physiological, life-history and performance traits in experimental grasslands of different plant species (1, 2, 4, 8, 16 and 60) and functional group (1-4) numbers. Mean trait values and their variation in response to plant diversity varied among legume species and from trait to trait. The tall-growing Onobrychis viciifolia showed little trait variation in response to increasing plant diversity, whereas the species with shorter statures responded in apparently adaptive ways. The formation of longer shoots with elongated internodes, increased biomass allocation to supporting tissue at the cost of leaf mass, reduced branching, higher specific leaf areas and lower foliar δ(13)C values indicated increasing efforts for light acquisition in more diverse communities. Although leaf nitrogen concentrations and shoot biomass:nitrogen ratios were not affected by increasing plant diversity, foliar δ(15)N values of most legumes decreased and the application of the (15)N natural abundance method suggested that they became more reliant on symbiotic N(2) fixation. Some species formed fewer inflorescences and delayed flowering with increasing community diversity. The observed variation in functional traits generally indicated strategies of legumes to optimize light and nutrient capturing, but they were largely species-dependent and only partly attributable to increasing canopy height and community biomass with increasing plant diversity. Thus, the analysis of individual plant species and their adjustment to growth conditions in communities of increasing plant diversity is essential to get a deeper

  6. In vitro ruminal fermentation characteristics and utilisable CP supply of sainfoin and birdsfoot trefoil silages and their mixtures with other legumes.

    PubMed

    Grosse Brinkhaus, A; Wyss, U; Arrigo, Y; Girard, M; Bee, G; Zeitz, J O; Kreuzer, M; Dohme-Meier, F

    2017-04-01

    The extensive protein degradation occurring during ensiling decreases the nutritive value of silages, but this might be counteracted by tannins. Therefore, silages from two legume species containing condensed tannins (CT) - sainfoin (SF) and birdsfoot trefoil (two cultivars: birdsfoot trefoil, cv. Bull (BTB) and birdsfoot trefoil, cv. Polom) - were compared for their in vitro ruminal fermentation characteristics. The effect of combining them with two CT-free legume silages (lucerne (LU) and red clover (RC)) was also determined. The supply of duodenally utilisable CP (uCP) in the forages was emphasised. The legumes were each harvested from three field sites. After 24 h of wilting on the field, the legumes were ensiled in laboratory silos for 86 days. Proximate constituents, silage fermentation characteristics, CT content and CP fractions were determined. Subsequently, silage samples and 1 : 1 mixtures of the CT-containing and CT-free silages were incubated for 24 h in batch cultures using ruminal fluid and buffer (1 : 2, v/v). Each treatment was replicated six times in six runs. The effects on pH, ammonia and volatile fatty acid concentrations, protozoal counts, and total gas and methane production were determined. uCP content was calculated by considering the CP in the silage and the ammonia in the incubation fluid from treatments and blanks. Statistical evaluation compared data from single plants alone and together with that from the mixtures. Among treatments, SF silage contained the least CP and the most CT. The non-protein nitrogen content was lower, favouring neutral detergent soluble and insoluble protein fractions, in the SF and RC silages. Absolute uCP content was lowest in SF and SF mixtures, although the ratio to total CP was the highest. In comparison with LU, the ammonia concentration of the incubation fluid was lower for SF, RC and BTB and for the mixture of SF with LU. The total gas and methane production was similar among the treatments, and the

  7. USSR and Eastern Europe Scientific Abstracts, Chemistry, Number 58

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1978-01-20

    fertilization. Miron- ovskaya 808 winter wheat variety was planted in 1972-1974, in rotation after sainfoin. Production conditions of planting and cultivation ...METHODOLOGICAL PRINCIPLES OF PESTICIDE ECOTOXICOLOGY Moscow KHIMIYA V SEL’SKOM KHOZYAYSTVE in Russian No 6, 1977 pp 67-73 SOKOLOV, M. S., Candidate

  8. A scanning electron microscopy study of the invasion of leaflets of a bloat-safe and a bloat-causing legume by rumen microorganisms.

    PubMed

    Fay, J P; Cheng, K J; Hanna, M R; Howarth, R E; Costerton, J W

    1981-04-01

    A newly developed technique using ruthenium red to detect foci of bacterial digestion in mounts of whole leaflets that had been incubated with rumen bacteria was used to compare the digestion of alfalfa, a bloat-causing legume, and sainfoin, a bloat-safe legume. When whole leaflets were suspended in an artificial rumen medium and inoculated with rumen bacteria, massive bacterial adhesion and proliferation were noted at the stomata of alfalfa leaflets after 6 h of incubation, whereas only a few isolated bacteria adhered near the stomata of sainfoin leaflets After 22 h of incubation, the epidermal layers of alfalfa leaflets had peeled away in many areas, revealing an extensive bacterial invasion of the underlying mesophyll tissue in which large bacterial microcolonies had formed in intercellular spaces, and in intracellular spaces in several areas where plant cell walls had broken down. After 22 h of incubation, the surface of sainfoin leaflets resembled that of alfalfa leaflets at 6 h, with bacterial microcolonies adhering to the area surrounding the stomata, but without sloughing of the epidermis. Uninoculated control leaflets of both species showed no surface alteration but part of their normal bacterial flora had proliferated to form microcolonies on the surface after 22 h incubation. Dry matter loss due to leaching or bacterial digestion when whole leaflets of legumes were suspended in an artificial rumen medium, alone or with rumen bacteria, was significantly higher in the bloat-causing group. Values of leaching and of bacterial digestion were positively correlated. We conclude that reported differences in plant anatomy, and in cell wall chemistry, produce distinct rates or organic nutrient release from legume leaflets, and that these same differences produce an equally distinct susceptibility of leaflets to bacterial invasion, plant cell rupture, and the consequent release of intracellular plant components. The rate of release of organic nutrients from legume

  9. Rumen microbial protein synthesis and nitrogen efficiency as affected by tanniferous and non-tanniferous forage legumes incubated individually or together in Rumen Simulation Technique.

    PubMed

    Grosse Brinkhaus, Anja; Bee, Giuseppe; Schwarm, Angela; Kreuzer, Michael; Dohme-Meier, Frigga; Zeitz, Johanna O

    2018-03-01

    A limited availability of microbial protein can impair productivity in ruminants. Ruminal nitrogen efficiency might be optimised by combining high-quality forage legumes such as red clover (RC), which has unfavourably high ruminal protein degradability, with tanniferous legumes like sainfoin (SF) and birdsfoot trefoil (BT). Silages from SF and from BT cultivars [Bull (BB) and Polom (BP)] were incubated singly or in combination with RC using the Rumen Simulation Technique (n = 6). The tanniferous legumes, when compared to RC, changed the total short-chain fatty acid profile by increasing propionate proportions at the expense of butyrate. Silage from SF contained the most condensed tannins (CTs) (136 g CT kg -1 dry matter) and clearly differed in various traits from the BT and RC silages. The apparent nutrient degradability (small with SF), microbial protein synthesis, and calculated content of potentially utilisable crude protein (large with SF) indicated that SF had the greatest efficiency in ruminal protein synthesis. The effects of combining SF with RC were mostly linear. The potential of sainfoin to improve protein supply, demonstrated either individually or in combination with a high-performance forage legume, indicates its potential usefulness in complementing protein-deficient ruminant diets and high-quality forages rich in rumen-degradable protein. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

  10. Comparison of species-rich cover crop mixtures in Hungarian vineyards

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Donkó, Adam; Miglécz, Tamas; Valkó, Orsolya; Török, Peter; Deák, Balazs; Kelemen, Andras; Zanathy, Gabor; Drexler, Dora

    2014-05-01

    In case of vine growing, agricultural practices of the past decades - as mechanical cultivation on steep vineyard slopes - can endanger the soil of vineyards. Moreover, climate change scenarios predict heavier rainstorms, which can also promote the degradation of the soil. These are some of the reasons why sustainable floor management plays an increasingly important role in viticulture recently. The use of cover crops in the inter-row has a special importance, especially on steep slopes and in case of organic farming to provide conditions for environmental friendly soil management. Species-rich cover crop seed mixtures may help to prevent erosion and create easier cultivation circumstances. Furthermore they have a positive effect on soil structure, soil fertility and ecosystem functions. However, it is important to find suitable seed mixtures for specific production sites, consisting ideally of native species from local provenance, adapted to the local climate/vine region/vineyard. Requirements for suitable cover crop species are as follows: they should save the soil from erosion and also from compaction caused by the movement of workers and machines, they should not compete significantly with the grapevines, or influence produce quality. We started to develop and apply several species-rich cover crop seed mixtures in spring 2012. During the experiments, three cover crop seed mixtures (Biocont-Ecovin mixture, mixture of legumes, mixture of grasses and herbs) were compared in vineyards of the Tokaj and Szekszárd vine regions of Hungary. Each mixture was sown in three consecutive inter-rows at each experimental site (all together 10 sites). Besides botanical measurements, yield, must quality, and pruning weight was studied in every treatment. The botanical survey showed that the following species of the mixtures established successfully and prospered during the years 2012 and 2013: Coronilla varia, Lotus corniculatus, Medicago lupulina, Onobrychis viciifolia

  11. Identification and characterisation of potential biofertilizer bacterial strains

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Karagöz, Kenan; Kotan, Recep; Dadaşoǧlu, Fatih; Dadaşoǧlu, Esin

    2016-04-01

    In this study we aimed that isolation, identification and characterizations of PGPR strains from rhizosphere of legume plants. 188 bacterial strains isolated from different legume plants like clover, sainfoin and vetch in Erzurum province of Turkey. These three plants are cultivated commonly in the Erzurum province. It was screen that 50 out of 188 strains can fix nitrogen and solubilize phosphate. These strains were identified via MIS (Microbial identification system). According to MIS identification results, 40 out of 50 strains were identified as Bacillus, 5 as Pseudomonas, 3 as Paenibacillus, 1 as Acinetobacter, 1 as Brevibacterium. According to classical test results, while the catalase test result of all isolates are positive, oxidase, KOH and starch hydrolysis rest results are variable.

  12. Herbage intake regulation and growth of rabbits raised on grasslands: back to basics and looking forward.

    PubMed

    Martin, G; Duprat, A; Goby, J-P; Theau, J-P; Roinsard, A; Descombes, M; Legendre, H; Gidenne, T

    2016-10-01

    Organic agriculture is developing worldwide, and organic rabbit production has developed within this context. It entails raising rabbits in moving cages or paddocks, which enables them to graze grasslands. As organic farmers currently lack basic technical information, the objective of this article is to characterize herbage intake, feed intake and the growth rate of rabbits raised on grasslands in different environmental and management contexts (weather conditions, grassland type and complete feed supplementation). Three experiments were performed with moving cages at an experimental station. From weaning, rabbits grazed a natural grassland, a tall fescue grassland and a sainfoin grassland in experiments 1, 2 and 3, respectively. Rabbit diets were supplemented with a complete pelleted feed limited to 69 g dry matter (DM)/rabbit per day in experiment 1 and 52 g DM/rabbit per day in experiments 2 and 3. Herbage allowance and fiber, DM and protein contents, as well as rabbit intake and live weight, were measured weekly. Mean herbage DM intake per rabbit per day differed significantly (P<0.001) between experiments. It was highest in experiment 1 (78.5 g DM/day) and was 43.9 and 51.2 g DM/day in experiments 2 and 3, respectively. Herbage allowance was the most significant determinant of herbage DM intake during grazing, followed by rabbit metabolic weight (live weight0.75) and herbage protein and fiber contents. Across experiments, a 10 g DM increase in herbage allowance and a 100 g increase in rabbit metabolic weight corresponded to a mean increase of 6.8 and 9.6 g of herbage DM intake, respectively. When including complete feed, daily mean DM intakes differed significantly among experiments (P<0.001), ranging from 96.1 g DM/rabbit per day in experiment 2 to 163.6 g DM/rabbit per day in experiment 1. Metabolic weight of rabbits raised on grasslands increased linearly over time in all three experiments, yielding daily mean growth rates of 26.2, 19.2 and 28.5 g/day in

  13. Interaction between a tannin-containing legume and endophyte-infected tall fescue seed on lambs' feeding behavior and physiology.

    PubMed

    Villalba, J J; Spackman, C; Goff, B M; Klotz, J L; Griggs, T; MacAdam, J W

    2016-02-01

    It was hypothesized that a tannin-rich legume such as sainfoin attenuates the negative postingestive effects of ergot alkaloids in tall fescue. Thirty-two 4-mo-old lambs were individually penned and randomly assigned to a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement with 2 legume species, sainfoin (SAN; 2.9% condensed tannins) or cicer milkvetch (CIC; without tannins) and a mixed ration containing tall fescue seed (50:30:20 seed:beet pulp:alfalfa) with 2 levels of endophyte infection (endophyte-infected tall fescue seed [E+; 3,150 ug/L ergovaline] or endophyte-free tall fescue seed [E-]). For a 10-d baseline period, half of the lambs were fed SAN and half were fed CIC and all lambs had ad libitum amounts of E-. In an ensuing 10-d experimental period, the protocol was the same except half of the lambs fed SAN or CIC received E+ instead of E-. Subsequently, all lambs could choose between their respective legume and seed-containing ration and between E+ and E-. Finally, an in vitro radial diffusion assay was conducted to determine whether tannins isolated from SAN would bind to alkaloids isolated from E+. All groups consumed similar amounts of E- during baseline period ( > 0.10), but lambs ate more E- than E+ during the experimental period ( < 0.05) and lambs offered SAN ate more E+ than lambs offered CIC ( < 0.05). Groups fed E- during the baseline and experimental periods had similar rectal temperatures ( > 0.10), but lambs fed E+ had lower rectal temperatures per gram of feed ingested when supplemented with SAN than with CIC ( < 0.05). Lambs fed E+ had greater concentrations of hemoglobin and more red blood cells than lambs fed E- ( < 0.05), but plasmatic concentrations of cortisol and prolactin did not differ among treatments ( > 0.10). All lambs preferred their treatment ration over their treatment legume, but lambs in the SAN and E+ treatment ate more legume + ration than lambs in the CIC and E+ (CIC-E+; < 0.05) treatment. All lambs preferred E- over E+, but lambs in the CIC

  14. Ethnobotanical study on medicinal plants in villages of Çatak (Van-Turkey).

    PubMed

    Mükemre, Muzaffer; Behçet, Lütfi; Çakılcıoğlu, Uğur

    2015-05-26

    This paper provides significant ethnobotanical information on medicinal plants in the villages of Çatak in the Eastern Anatolia Region. Recording such data calls for urgency. This is the first ethnobotanical study in which statistical calculations about plants are carried out by means of FIC method in Eastern (Van) part of Turkey. This study aims to identify the wild plants collected for medicinal purposes by locals of Çatak which is located in the Eastern Anatolia Region of Turkey, and to identify the uses and local names of these wild plants. A field study had been carried out for a period of approximately 2 years (2010-2012). During this period, 78 plants taxa were collected. Demographic characteristics of participants, names of the local plants, their utilized parts and preparation methods were investigated and recorded. The plant taxa were collected within the scope of the study; and herbarium materials were prepared. In addition, the relative significance value of the taxa was determined, and informant consensus factor (FIC) was calculated for the medicinal plants included in the study. We have found out in the literature review of the plants included in our study that 78 plant taxa are already used for medicinal purposes while 19 plants are not available among the records in the literature. The most common families are Asteraceae, Apiaceae, Lamiaceae, Rosaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Fabaceae, and Malvaceae. We include in our study and report for the first time the medicinal uses of Alchemilla buseriana Rothm., Astragalus longifolius Lam., Cephalaria microcephala Boiss., Euphorbia grisophylla M.S. Khan, Fritillaria crassifolia Boiss. & Huet. subsp. kurdica (Boiss. & Noe) Rix, Fritillaria pinardii Boiss., Malabaila lasiocarpa Boiss., Nepeta betonicifolia C.A. Mey., Onobrychis altissima Grossh., Onobrychis carduchorum C.C. Townsend, Papaver bracteatum Lindl., Phlomis tuberosa L., Psephellus karduchorum (Boiss.) Wagenitz, Scutellaria orientalis L. subsp. pichleri

  15. Endophytic occupation of root nodules and roots of Melilotus dentatus by Agrobacterium tumefaciens.

    PubMed

    Wang, Ling Ling; Wang, En Tao; Liu, Jie; Li, Ying; Chen, Wen Xin

    2006-10-01

    Agrobacterium strains have been frequently isolated from the root nodules of different legumes. Various possible mechanisms have been proposed to explain the existence of these bacteria in nodules, but there is no sufficient experimental evidence to support the estimations. In this work, we proved that the Agrobacterium strain CCBAU 81181, which was originally isolated from the root nodules of Onobrychis viciaefolia, and a symbiotic strain of Sinorhizobium meliloti CCBAU 10062 could coinhabit the root nodules of Melilotus dentatus. Analyses were performed by using a fluorescence marker, reisolation of bacteria from nodules, sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) of whole cellular proteins, and polymerase chain reaction amplification of symbiotic genes. The inoculation of A. tumefaciens CCBAU 81181 did not affect the growth and nodulation of plants. CCBAU 81181 and 24 other Agrobacterium strains isolated from nodules were incapable of nodulating on their original or alternative host and 22 strains of these strains were endophytes in the roots and stems of their hosts. Also, the tumor-inducing A. tumefaciens strains IAM 13129(T) and C58 were found capable of entering the roots of Glycyrrhiza pallidiflora, but did not cause pathogenic symptoms. With these results, we conclude that A. tumefaciens strains could be endophytic bacteria in the roots, stems, and root nodules. This finding partially explains why Agrobacterium strains were frequently isolated from the surface-sterilized nodules.

  16. Hedysarum L. (Fabaceae: Hedysareae) Is Not Monophyletic – Evidence from Phylogenetic Analyses Based on Five Nuclear and Five Plastid Sequences

    PubMed Central

    Liu, Pei-Liang; Wen, Jun; Duan, Lei; Arslan, Emine; Ertuğrul, Kuddisi; Chang, Zhao-Yang

    2017-01-01

    The legume family (Fabaceae) exhibits a high level of species diversity and evolutionary success worldwide. Previous phylogenetic studies of the genus Hedysarum L. (Fabaceae: Hedysareae) showed that the nuclear and the plastid topologies might be incongruent, and the systematic position of the Hedysarum sect. Stracheya clade was uncertain. In this study, phylogenetic relationships of Hedysarum were investigated based on the nuclear ITS, ETS, PGDH, SQD1, TRPT and the plastid psbA-trnH, trnC-petN, trnL-trnF, trnS-trnG, petN-psbM sequences. Both nuclear and plastid data support two major lineages in Hedysarum: the Hedysarum s.s. clade and the Sartoria clade. In the nuclear tree, Hedysarum is biphyletic with the Hedysarum s.s. clade sister to the Corethrodendron + Eversmannia + Greuteria + Onobrychis clade (the CEGO clade), whereas the Sartoria clade is sister to the genus Taverniera DC. In the plastid tree, Hedysarum is monophyletic and sister to Taverniera. The incongruent position of the Hedysarum s.s. clade between the nuclear and plastid trees may be best explained by a chloroplast capture hypothesis via introgression. The Hedysarum sect. Stracheya clade is resolved as sister to the H. sect. Hedysarum clade in both nuclear and plastid trees, and our analyses support merging Stracheya into Hedysarum. Based on our new evidence from multiple sequences, Hedysarum is not monophyletic, and its generic delimitation needs to be reconsidered. PMID:28122062

  17. Hedysarum L. (Fabaceae: Hedysareae) Is Not Monophyletic - Evidence from Phylogenetic Analyses Based on Five Nuclear and Five Plastid Sequences.

    PubMed

    Liu, Pei-Liang; Wen, Jun; Duan, Lei; Arslan, Emine; Ertuğrul, Kuddisi; Chang, Zhao-Yang

    2017-01-01

    The legume family (Fabaceae) exhibits a high level of species diversity and evolutionary success worldwide. Previous phylogenetic studies of the genus Hedysarum L. (Fabaceae: Hedysareae) showed that the nuclear and the plastid topologies might be incongruent, and the systematic position of the Hedysarum sect. Stracheya clade was uncertain. In this study, phylogenetic relationships of Hedysarum were investigated based on the nuclear ITS, ETS, PGDH, SQD1, TRPT and the plastid psbA-trnH, trnC-petN, trnL-trnF, trnS-trnG, petN-psbM sequences. Both nuclear and plastid data support two major lineages in Hedysarum: the Hedysarum s.s. clade and the Sartoria clade. In the nuclear tree, Hedysarum is biphyletic with the Hedysarum s.s. clade sister to the Corethrodendron + Eversmannia + Greuteria + Onobrychis clade (the CEGO clade), whereas the Sartoria clade is sister to the genus Taverniera DC. In the plastid tree, Hedysarum is monophyletic and sister to Taverniera. The incongruent position of the Hedysarum s.s. clade between the nuclear and plastid trees may be best explained by a chloroplast capture hypothesis via introgression. The Hedysarum sect. Stracheya clade is resolved as sister to the H. sect. Hedysarum clade in both nuclear and plastid trees, and our analyses support merging Stracheya into Hedysarum. Based on our new evidence from multiple sequences, Hedysarum is not monophyletic, and its generic delimitation needs to be reconsidered.

  18. Polyommatus ripartii : The Biological Basis for the Conservation and the Morphology of the Developmental Stages of a Critically Endangered, Relict Population in Central Europe

    PubMed Central

    Przybyłowicz, Łukasz

    2014-01-01

    Abstract Ripart’s Anomalous Blue Polyommatus ripartii (Freyer, 1830) is one of the most seriously endangered butterfly species in central Europe, a small, relict population of which has survived in two localities in Poland. This isolated population is undoubtedly the last and northernmost remnant of a once much wider range in central Europe. P. ripartii is associated with highly xerophilous vegetation on gypsum and calcareous soils. Only active conservation measures can ensure its survival. For these to be successful, however, precise information on the butterfly’s biology, behavior and also its morphology is crucial. The first to do so, this article describes the butterfly’s egg-laying preferences, and specifies the numbers of eggs on a single shoot and their placement on it. A unique behavioral trait of the female—the secretion of oviposition-deterring pheromones—is reported. The preferred plant associations and nectar sources have been investigated, and information on overnight roosts is given. In addition, an exhaustive description of the morphologies of the egg, final instar and pupa, as well as new details of adult behavior are provided. The main conclusion of the this study is that the existence of a stable population in the Nida Region is determined by the presence of large patches of sainfoin, which is both the larval host plant and a source of nectar for the imago. Moreover, stress is laid on the importance of Inula ensifolia L. as the secondary nectaring plant, which may facilitate dispersion among patches of suitable habitat. Finally, the study shows that searching for the easily detected eggs may be the best method for proving the existence of the species in a given locality. PMID:25525109

  19. Forage choice in pasturelands: Influence on cattle foraging behavior and performance.

    PubMed

    Villalba, J J; Cabassu, R; Gunter, S A

    2015-04-01

    We determined if combinations of adjacent pastures of 3 forage species led to complementary relationships that influenced animal behavior and performance over monocultures. Grazing bouts, behavioral levels of activity, blood urea N (BUN), chemical composition of feces, BW, and herbage biomass before and after grazing were monitored when beef calves strip-grazed 3 replications of 4 treatments from June 14 through August 23, 2013 (9 animals/treatment). Animals grazed monocultures of: 1) tall fescue (TF), 2) alfalfa (ALF), 3) sainfoin (SAN), or 4) a choice of strips of forages TF, ALF, and SAN (CHOICE). The lowest and greatest incidence of foraging bouts occurred for cattle in CHOICE and SAN, respectively (P < 0.01). Animals in CHOICE grazed SAN > ALF > TF (P < 0.01). Animals on TF and CHOICE took greater number of steps than animals grazing a monocultures of either legume (P = 0.01). Calves in TF had lower BUN (P < 0.01) and fecal CP concentration (P < 0.01) than calves grazing the remaining treatments, whereas animals in SAN showed the greatest concentrations of fecal CP (P < 0.01). Fecal NDF concentration was the greatest for animals grazing TF and the lowest for animals grazing SAN (P < 0.01), whereas fecal ADF concentration was greater for animals grazing TF and SAN than for animals grazing CHOICE and ALF (P = 0.02). Calcium, Mg, and Zn concentrations were the lowest in feces from calves grazing TF and the greatest for calves grazing a monoculture of either legume (P < 0.05). When averaging both periods, animals grazing SAN, ALF, or CHOICE gained more BW than animals grazing TF (P < 0.01). Thus, calves in CHOICE incorporated tall fescue into their diets, were more active, and displayed a lower number of grazing bouts than calves grazing monoculture of either legume. Herbage diversity may lead to levels of ADG comparable to legume monocultures with the potential benefit of maintaining plant species diversity in pasturelands.

  20. Ability of 3 tanniferous forage legumes to modify quality of milk and Gruyère-type cheese.

    PubMed

    Girard, M; Dohme-Meier, F; Wechsler, D; Goy, D; Kreuzer, M; Bee, G

    2016-01-01

    Condensed tannins (CT) may affect ruminal biohydrogenation of dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids. A feeding experiment was conducted with 24 Holstein cows to evaluate whether diets containing CT from different forage legumes can increase polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially n-3 fatty acid content in milk and cheese, without affecting negatively their physicochemical and sensorial properties. Cows were assigned to 4 treatment groups (n=6) for 52 d, divided into 2 periods: a control period (CoP) and an experimental period (ExP). During the CoP, cows received a basal diet composed of hay, corn silage, ExtruLin (Trinova Handel & Marketing AG, Wangen, Switzerland), concentrate, and alfalfa (AF) in a ratio of 45:25:5:7:18. In the ExP, in 3 of the 4 groups AF was replaced by either sainfoin (SF; 19% CT in dry matter) or 1 of 2 cultivars of birdsfoot trefoil [Polom (BP), 3% CT; Bull (BB), 5% CT]. At the end of each period, milk was collected on 3 consecutive days and analyzed for milk gross composition and fatty acid profile and was processed to Gruyère-type cheese. A trained panel assessed the sensory quality of raw milk and cheese using discriminative and descriptive tests. This experimental design consisting of AF in both the CoP and ExP allowed us to quantify effects due to lactation stage and experimental diets. In both the CoP and ExP, dry matter intake and milk yield did not differ among treatment groups. From the CoP to the ExP, milk urea content was reduced by 23% with SF, remained unchanged with BP, and tended to increase with AF and BB. The odor of the raw BB milk was judged to be different from AF milk. With SF, switching from the CoP to the ExP resulted in a 17% increase of the 18:3n-3 proportion in milk and cheese lipids. In BP cheese, the increase was 3%, whereas it tended to decrease in BB cheese. Additionally, the 20:5n-3 and 22:5n-3 proportions tended to increase in SF cheese from the CoP to the ExP. Compared with the AF cheeses, cheeses from cows