BIOMASS YIELD, NUTRITIVE VALUE AND SELECTIVITY OF HEDGEROW SPECIES GROWN LN WEATHERED ACID SOILS OF SRI LANKA

Abstract

Major portion of the mid country soils are heavily eroded and weathered with a very thin topsoil. Shrub species are grown as hedgerows to control further soil erosion. These hedgerows provide high quality fodder to feed livestock, whereby the small holder land owners gain an additional income from livestock products. ln hedgerows Gliricidia sepium, Calliandra calothyrsus, Erythrina verigala, Desniodium ransonii, Flemingia macraphylla, Sesbania grandiflora, Tithonia diversifolia, Morus alba were planted as double hedgerows at 7 meters apart. Lopping was done at 12 week intervals for one year. Yields were estimated on 100 meter linear length per year. Highest leaf dry matter yield (LDMY) was observed in E. verigala (302 "
18 kg) and the lo\vest in D. ransonii (92 " 14 kg). The crude protein (CP) content of leguminous fodder was highest in C. calothyrsus (26 " 3.4%), whereas in non legtunes in T. diversifolia (24.9 " 3.4). All species showed a acid detergent fibre (ADF) content of >30% and an acid detergent lignin (ADL) content between 7.5 " 1.2 to 24.1 " 6.5%. Invilro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) of all species were >5O%, except F. macrophylla (44.7“3.7). The total degradable fi-action (a+b) was highest in T. diversrfolia (94.1%), except F. macrophylla and C. calothyrsus,
all fodder species had a total degradable nitrogen of >70%. The highest acceptance by goats was M. alba (48g/day/kg BW) and the lowest was F. macrophylia (20g/day/kg BW). This suggest that both leguminous and non legume species can be successfully grovim in sloppy acid soils and provide quality biomass which are highly nutritious and accepted by livestock.