Open AccessEvaluation of factors contributing to excessive nitrate accumulation in fodder crops leading to Ill-health in dairy animals
Author(s) -
Pritam K. Sidhu,
Bedi Gk,
. Meenakshi,
Vishal Mahajan,
S K Sharma,
K. S. Sandhu,
Meena Gupta
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
toxicology international/indian journal of toxicology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 0976-5131
pISSN - 0971-6580
DOI - 10.4103/0971-6580.75848
Subject(s) - fodder , sorghum , agronomy , avena , nitrate , pennisetum , brassica , trifolium alexandrinum , dry matter , biology , stem and leaf display , sweet sorghum , forage , ecology
A study was conducted to estimate nitrate content in commonly used fodder crops, viz., berseem (Trifolium alexandrinum), bajra (Pennisetum glaucum), maize (Zea mays), oats (Avena sativa), sorghum (Sorghum vulgare) and toriya (Brassica napus), collected from the fields of different villages of Punjab and farms of the university, and to evaluate the factors associated with nitrate accumulation in these crops. The nitrate level was highest in sorghum on dry matter basis, followed by oats and toriya, berseem, maize and bajra. The nitrate content was also determined in fodder samples harvested from young and mature stages and in different parts of plants. The stem part of forages had higher content than leaves; however, concentrations were low in mature crops as compared to immature ones. The environmental and soil factors associated with it are discussed and correlated with the experimental findings.