Effect of water stress on the nutritive value of three Lotus corniculatus L . populations at the regrowth stage
2016
Parissi, Z M | Kyriazopoulos, A P | Abraham, E M | Karatassiou, M | Lazaridou, M
Lotus corniculatus L. is a promising drought resistant forage legume of high nutritive value. The aim of this study was to estimate the effect of limited irrigation on the nutritive value at the regrowth stage of three natural populations of L. corniculatus growing at different elevation in northern Greece. Plants of these populations were tested under two irrigation levels: (1) watered up to soil field capacity and (2) at 40 per cent of field capacity for three months. Plant materials of L. corniculatus were randomly collected at the regrowth stage in October 2013 from each population at each treatment and were analysed for chemical components. There was no significant difference among the populations (across irrigation levels) in their CP, NDF, ADF, and ADL, content. On the other hand, limited irrigation had significantly decreased NDF (-43 g per kg DM), ADF (-28 g per kg DM) and ADL (-10 g per kg DM) contents in all tested populations, while it did not affect the CP content. According to the results, the phenol (TPH) and tannins (TT) concentrations were significantly higher in Drama (8 and 6.1g per kg DM) and Taxiarchis population (10.2 and 8 g per kg DM), compared to Kilkis (4.7 and 3.4 g per kg DM), while in condensed tannins (CT) concentration there was no significant difference. Inversely, limited irrigation significantly increased TPH, TT and CT concentrations in all tested populations compared to those received full irrigation It can be concluded that limited irrigation decreased fiber content of L. corniculatus, but increased TPH, TT and CT concentrations. Thus, the next step is to evaluate the water stress on forage yield of L. corniculatus and its potential regrowth.
Show more [+] Less [-]AGROVOC Keywords
Bibliographic information
This bibliographic record has been provided by Instituto Agronómico Mediterráneo de Zaragoza