Domestication of selected lesser known Philippine indigenous fodder trees and shrubs
2003
Calub, B. | Sevilla, C. | Pampolina, N. | Medialdia, M.T. (Philippines Univ. Los Banos, College, Laguna (Philippines))
The authors initiated domestication of lesser known Philippine indigenous fodder trees and shrubs (IFTS). Project components included: 1.) determination of appropriate nursery methods for propagation and establishment; 2.) documentation of growth, herbage production, and persistence of selected IFTS grown in Cagayan, Isabela, Laguna and Nueva Ecija [Philippines], and 3.) assessment of the feeding value, animal performance, nutrient composition, and digestibility. The four lesser known fodder tree species studied were anabiong (Trema orientalis), binunga (Macarangga tanarius), dalunot (Pipturus arborescens), kalios (Streblus asper). Because of very slow seedling growth, kalios was replaced by ratiles (Muntingia calabura). While ratiles is not indigenous, it is highly relished by livestock and used by farmers in the traditional livestock-growing province of Batangas. Anabiong was best propagated from seeds soaked overnight in water, followed by 12-hour soaking in sodium hypochlorite or in 10% sulfuric acid (H2SO4) for 30 minutes. Binunga easily germinated from soil seed bank. Ratiles easily germinated without any scarification when freshly harvested. However, stored seeds required five-minute soaking in 10% sulfuric acid. Seed viability of binunga and anabiong started to deteriorate within three months. Dalunot was best propagated from juvenile stem cuttings. Ratiles was the fastest growing in terms of height and basal stem diameter in the Laguna, Isabela, and Nueva Ecija sites. Anabiong and binunga followed closely. Dalunot being a shrub, favored lateral bushy growth. Herbage production from initial harvesting at 10-12 months from planting showed higher yields from anabiong and binunga. Among the four sites, growth of the test fodder trees was poorest in Solano, Cagayan due to very poor soil physicochemical qualities and water logging during the rainy season. Dalunot had the highest crude protein content, in vitro dry matter digestibility, calcium, and magnesium. Ratiles had the highest hemicellulose content, tannic acid, sodium, and sulfur. Young male native goats fed with napier and anabiong in a 50:50 combination had the highest dry matter intake, live weight gain, average daily gain, and feed efficiency over those fed with other napier + fodder tree combination diets
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