Premium
A Chick Test for Toxicity in Forage Legumes 1
Author(s) -
Rosenberg M. M.,
Zoebisch O. C.
Publication year - 1952
Publication title -
agronomy journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.752
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1435-0645
pISSN - 0002-1962
DOI - 10.2134/agronj1952.00021962004400060008x
Subject(s) - forage , test (biology) , citation , agricultural experiment station , agricultural science , library science , mathematics , agriculture , political science , agronomy , agricultural economics , computer science , geography , biology , economics , botany , archaeology
HERE are numerous legume species in the tropics and Tsubt ropics that have served agricultural uses for a long time as cover and green manure crops. However, little is known about their forage value. Tests made at this station of a number of these legumes have recently indicated the presence of a toxic principle( s) , apparently unsuspected in countries where they are used to a limited degree as forage crops. Inasmuch as the Hawaii Agricultural Experiment Station maintains an active project on the introduction of tropical legumes, an initial screening for toxicity of such introductions is of particular importance. Such a technique would also be important in a breeding program to select nontoxic lines in the progenies o€ crosses betwe2n toxic and nontoxic parents. Iiidigoferrl endecnphylla is one of the most vigorously growing legumes ever introduced into Hawaii, especially in the wet areas. However, Nordfeldt and Younge ( 2 ) reported that the strain originally introduced into Hawaii was toxic to livestock, causing abortion in bred heifers and cows. It has also been reported by Nordfeldt et al.3 as causing depression, dizziness, lowered appetite, and, in some cases, death in rabbits, sheep, and cattle. In order to test a number of strains of 1. endecaphylla as well as other species of the genus Indigofera, it was apparent that some inexpensive and rapid method of detecting toxicity was necessary. A rapid chemical test would be preferred, but the toxic principle(s) in I . endecaphylln is still unknown. From published reports it appeared that rabbits and chicks would meet the criteria of a rapid and inexpensive biological assay for toxicity. Emmel and Ritchey (1) and Nordfeldt et aL.3 have reported that 1. endernpbylla was toxic to rabbits. It has been reported by Rosenberg and Palafox (3) that chicks also were highly sensitive to this species. Chicks fed 5 , 10, 15, and 20% of dried I , endecaphylla meal were depressed in growth, a syndrome grossly resembling Newcastle disease was induced, and many chicks died. For this test chicks are preferable to rabbits since they are cheaper, more easily procured in large numbers, and require very little feed. It has been found that a satisfactory feeding trial using 20 chicks can be conducted from forage produced in one rod row.