- Title
- The effects of rhizobium inoculation on growth performance, forage production, nutrient and anti-nutrient content of lablab purpureus cultivars
- Creator
- Senti, Sibongile Portia https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4906-9570
- Subject
- Livestock productivity
- Subject
- Rhizobium japonicum
- Date Issued
- 2017
- Date
- 2017
- Type
- Master's theses
- Type
- text
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/10353/22864
- Identifier
- vital:53011
- Description
- Declining soil fertility and inadequate low quality feed resources limit smallholder livestock production in the semi-arid regions of Eastern Cape in South Africa. Smallholder farmers are facing problems of high cost of artificial fertilisers limiting them in production of cereal crops and also fodder for their livestock. This leads to poor nutrition, particularly in the dry season, it affects livestock production. Planting Lablab purpureus and inoculating with Rhizobium would limit the necessity for buying expensive protein supplements and nitrogen fertilisers. Lablab purpureus can provide feed in the dry season for the improvement of livestock production. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of Bradyrhizobium japonicum inoculation on growth performance, biomass production, nutrient and anti-nutrient content of the two Lablab purpureus cultivars (Rongai and Highworth). The experiment was conducted at Fort Hare Research Farm in Alice, South Africa. Data was collected on plant seedling emergence, plant height, stem diameter, plant vigour, chlorophyll content, nodule numbers as well as dry matter content, biomass yield, nutrient and anti-nutrient contents at 30, 60 and 90 DAP. Samples of Lablab purpureus were harvested at flowering stage and analysed for dry matter content, biomass yield, chemical, mineral and anti-ntrient composition. The results showed that Rhizobium inoculation significantly increased (p<0.05) seedling emergence, plant height and stem diameter of both Lablab purpureus cultivars. Rhizobium inoculation had no significant effect (p>0.05) on chlorophyll content for both cultivars. Highworth had significantly higher (p<0.05) plant vigour than Rongai on both inoculated and uninoculated. Varieties and inoculation effects were significant (p<0.05) for number of nodules, nodulation rate, active nodules and nodule dry yield. Rhizobium inoculation significantly (p<0.05) increased fresh matter yield, dry matter yied and dry matter content on both cultivars. There were no significant differences (p>0.05) in NDF, ADIN, ADL, ADF, and Na between inoculated and uninoculated plants for both cultivars. The inoculation of Rhizobium improved CP (15.65%) in Highworth cultivar. The inoculation of Rhizobium significantly increased Ca (1.76-1.84%), Zn (191.91-2 8.33ppm) and Cu (3.50-6.16ppm) compared to un-inoculated plants. Varieties and Rhizobium had no interaction (p>0.05) with condensed tannin, hydrolysable tannin, total polyphenols and saponins . Therefore, the Rhizobium inoculation assisted in improving quality in terms of nutrient composition and decreasing anti-nutrients. It is recommended to use both cultivars of Lablab purpureus. Based on the results of this study it is concluded that Rhizobium inoculation increases yield and forage quality of Lablab purpureus. It is recommended that Highworth cultivar can be used by communal farmers in the Eastern Cape. This cultivar showed that it needs Rhizobium inoculation inorder to produce high quality that can increase livestock production.
- Description
- Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science and Agriculture, 2017
- Format
- computer
- Format
- online resource
- Format
- application/pdf
- Format
- 1 online resource (ix, 108 pages)
- Format
- Publisher
- University of Fort Hare
- Publisher
- Faculty of Science and Agriculture
- Language
- English
- Rights
- rights holder
- Rights
- All Rights Reserved
- Rights
- Open Access
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UFH Department of Livestock & Pasture Science
| Thumbnail | File | Description | Size | Format | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| View Details Download | SOURCE1 | Senti Sibongile MSc dissertation_tracked.pdf | 1 MB | Adobe Acrobat PDF | View Details Download |