Simple shear and water solubility of dry matter as methods to assess proximate nutritive value of leaves from tropical plants

Phanthavong Vongsamphan (  Laos )

Abstract

Leaves from 16 different trees and shrubs, commonly available in the tropics were selected for comparing two methods of simple shear method (resistance to tearing by hand) or water soluble dry matter and N to assess the proximate nutritive values. The % wash value of DM and % wash value of N contents of the samples varied in a wide range (wash value of DM, from 26.2 to 60.6  %; wash value of N, from 24.5 to 71.2   %). For shear method, 16 per persons with no previous training were selected to tear the leaves by hand. Resistance was assessed on a subjective scale 1 to 5.  

  It was found that DM (R² 0.41) water solubility were interdependent to the shear method, therefore suggesting that the nutritive value of leaves from different tropical trees and shrubs could be predicted by a simple and readily understood by farmers in integrating farming systems. However N (R² 0.01) water solubility were not interdependent to the shear method.

 Further studies are recommended to determine the nutritive value of several tropical and tree leaves in on farm conditions.

Key words: leaves, nutritive value, dry matter, nitrogen

Samples collection in the morning

 Tearing the leaves by hand and resistance assessed on a scale of 1 to 5

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