Regresar

Evaluation of Kudzu (Pueraria phaseloides) and clitoria ternatea in different stages of maturity

Abstract:

The yield and quality of the grasses, it has been one of the main problems to increase the productivity of the cattle systems in the tropic. The objective of the present work was to evaluate the proportion leaf stalk, proportion aerial part/root part, quality and the microbiological composition associated of the legumes Kudzú (Pueraria phaseloides) and Clitoria (Clitoria ternatea) in the dry season. Treatments were three stages of maturity (80; 110 and 140 days). The leaf: stem ratio; aerial part: root part ratio; dry matter; and microbiological composition associated was evaluated. The protein and crude fiber and ether extract were determined by AOAC. The design was randomized block. For the comparison between means the multiple range test of Tukey was used. The analyses of the data were carried out using the statistical program Statistic version 8 for Windows. For both species the leaf: stem ratio decreased with age, with differences between treatments. The aerial part: root part ratio had an opposite behavior in both legumes. Regrowth age affected the quality of forages Kudzú and Clitoria, with best percentages of protein at younger ages. This concluded that the quality of the evaluated species diminished with the age from the plant when being affected indicators as the proportion leaf - shaft and the crude protein. The microbiology composition was favored with the increase of the age.