Hostname: page-component-5c6d5d7d68-txr5j Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-08-08T12:54:24.169Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

A histological technique, using cellulolytic enzyme digestion, for assessing nutritive quality differences in grasses

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

O. I. Selim ,
D. Wilson  and
D. I. H. Jones
O. I. Selim
Affiliation:
Welsh Plant Breeding Station, Aberystwyth
D. Wilson
Affiliation:
Welsh Plant Breeding Station, Aberystwyth
D. I. H. Jones
Affiliation:
Welsh Plant Breeding Station, Aberystwyth
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

Transverse sections of Festuca arundinacea Schreb. leaves were incubated in cellulase at 40 °C with and without pepsin pretreatment. The sequence of tissue breakdown (mesophyll-phloem-adaxial epidermis) was the same in both treatments, but the rate of breakdown was much slower without pepsin pretreatment (up to 30 h compared with up to 90 min). Pepsin appeared to make the primary cell wall more susceptible to cellulase attack. Young leaves were digested faster than old. Possible applications to the evaluation of grass nutritive quality are discussed.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 85 , Issue 2 , October 1975 , pp. 297 - 299
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1975

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Allinson, D. W. (1971). Influence of photoperiod and thermoperiod on the IVDMD and cell wall components of tall fescue. Crop Science 11, 456–58.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Evans, P. S. (1964). A study of leaf strength in four ryegrass varieties. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research 7, 508–13.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hanna, W. W., Monson, W. G. & Burton, G. W. (1973). Histological examination of fresh forage leaves after in vitro digestion. Crop Science 13, 98–102.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hartley, R. D., Jones, E. C. & Fenlon, J. S. (1974). Prediction of the digestibility of forages by treatment of their cell walls with cellulolytic enzymes. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 25, 947–54.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jarrige, R., Thivand, P. & Demarquilly, C. (1970). Development of a cellulolytic enzyme digestion for predicting the nutritive value of forages. Proceedings of the Xlth International Grassland Congress, Brisbane, pp. 726–66.Google Scholar
Jones, D. I. H. & Bailey, R. W. (1974). Hydrolysis of the cell wall carbohydrates of grasses by carbohydrasos in relation to voluntary intake by sheep. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 83, 105–11.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jones, D. I. H. & Hayward, M. V. (1973). A cellulase digestion technique for predicting the dry matter digestibility of grasses. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 24, 1419–26.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Jones, D. I. H. & Hayward, M. V. (1975). The effect of pepsin pretreatment of herbage on the prediction of dry matter digestibility from solubility in fungal cellulase solutions. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture (in the Press).Google Scholar
Monson, W. G., Powell, J. B. & Burton, G. W. (1972). Digestion of fresh forage in rumen fluid. Agronomy Journal 64, 231–33.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tilley, J. M. A. & Terry, R. A. (1963). A two stage technique for the in vitrodigestion of forage crops. Journal of the British Grassland Society 18, 104–11.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wilson, D. (1965). Nutritive value and the genetic relationships of cellulose content and leaf tensile strength on Lolium. Journal of Agricultural Science Cambridge 65, 285–92.CrossRefGoogle Scholar