EVALUATION OF ACCESSIONS OF ALYSICARPUS RUGOSUS FOR THEIR NUTRITIVE VALUES AND MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS

Abstract

In spite of their multiple roles, little emphases have been given to indigenous forage legumes in Ethiopia. A study was undertaken at Wondo genet field gene bank to evaluate 15 accessions of Alysicarous rugosus for their nutritive values and agro - morphological characteristics. A randomized complete block design with three replications of treatment was employed on a pot size of 1m x 2m. The result showed that days to 50 % flowering, number of plants at 4 weeks and plants height varied among accessions (P < 0.001 and P < 0.05, respectively). The value of crude protein (CP) accession of 8652 and 7772 was significantly higher (P < 0.05) than that of 7752. The highest (P < 0.05) acid detergent fiber (ADF) value (35.49 %) was from accession 7752. Metabolizable energy (ME) was highest (P < 0.05) in 10021 than 9767, 7752, 13782 and 13508 accessions. In vitro dry matter digestibility (IVOMD) was high (P < 0.05) in 7704 than 13782. The hierarchical cluster analysis indicated the existence of a significant variability in nutritive values among the Alysicarpus rugosus accessions which suggest the need for further selection among accessions. Generally, the results indicated that these accessions of Alycarpus rugosus could be used as alternative sources of proteins in livestock feeding to supplement a basal diet of predominantly low-quality origin.

Keywords

• nutritive values
• accessions
• alysicarpus rugosus