The Effect Of Season On The Yield And Nutritive Value Of Gliricidia Sepium And Leucaena Leucocephala

Abstract

Four plots of Gliricidia and two plots of Leucuena were harvested at three monthly intervals to monitor dry matter yield, chemical composition and in vitro organic matter digestibility. The plants had been established (Gliricidia from stakes, Leucaena from seeds) and were spaced 1m apart on rows and 1m between rows. Each plot size was 6m x 6m.\xa0\nThere was no significant difference (P>0.05) in the dry matter yield of the two browse species. Season did not have significant (P>0.05) effect on the dry matter yield of Leucaena but had on that of Gliricidia (P<0.01). The early dry harvest produced the lowest yield for both Gliricidia and Leucaena and these were significantly lower than the yield from other harvests.\xa0\nSeason had significant effect (P<0.01) on the chemical composition of Leucaena except on the percent Acid Detergent Fibre (ADF) and lignin but season had no effect on the organic matter digestibilities of the two browse species: Leucaena was higher in nutritive value than Gliricidia.