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Histological and in vitro Digestion Study of 1‐ and 4‐Week Stems and Leaves From High and Low Quality Bermudagrass Genotypes 1
Author(s) -
Hanna Wayne W.,
Monson Warren G.,
Burton Glenn W.
Publication year - 1976
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/agronj1976.00021962006800020002x
Subject(s) - cynodon dactylon , forage , digestion (alchemy) , biology , phloem , rumen , dry matter , zoology , cynodon , vascular bundle , agronomy , horticulture , botany , chemistry , food science , fermentation , chromatography
Anatomical information is limited on changes occurring with age of the forage and differences due to genotype affecting in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD). Since this type of information would be ot value to those concerned with the production and use of forage, two bermudagrass, Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers., clones with high IVDMD values (Coastcross‐1 and P.I. 293603) and two clones with low IVDMD values (P.I. 291715 and P.I. 291719) were studied histologically. No histological differences were observed in either the stems or leaves between the high‐ and low‐quality bermudagrass of the same age. The formation of a band of thick‐walled cells in the stem at 4 weeks of age more than doubled the percentage of anatomical components resistant to 72 hours of rumen fluid digestion and reduced IVDMD values by up to 44%, as compared to 1‐week‐old stems. The percentage of anatomical components resistant to digestion in the leaves and IVDMD values of leaves remained relatively the same in 1 and 4‐week‐old samples of a specific clone. This indicates that reduction in quality with age of bermudagrass forage is due mainly to changes occurring in the stem. The vascular bundles (except phloem), parts of the epidermal cells, and the thick‐walled cells in 4‐week‐old stems were resistant to digestion. The higher IVDMD values of the high‐quality bermudagrasses appear to be due to a larger soluble fraction and more digestible cell wall. No anatomical differences were observed between the high and low quality genotypes to account for the differences in IVDMD values.