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International Journal of Pure & Applied Bioscience (IJPAB)
Year : 2018, Volume : 6, Issue : 3
First page : (490) Last page : (495)
Article doi: : http://dx.doi.org/10.18782/2320-6216

Secondary Metabolites in Forage Crops – A Review

Ajmal Fayique, C.* and Usha C. Thomas

AICRP on Forage Crops & Utilization, College of Agriculture, Vellayani,
Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala- 695 522, India
*Corresponding Author E-mail: ajmalfayique@gmail.com
Received: 30.01.2018  |  Revised: 27.02.2018   |  Accepted: 6.03.2018  

 

 ABSTRACT

India currently faces two constraints in the sector of forage production namely the widened gap between the demand and supply   and the availability of inferior quality forage. Amongst these, the former can only boosted by a shift in the cropping systems adopted now and inclusion of more area under forage cultivation. But the latter, quality of the forage available, is largely determined by the presence of secondary metabolites even though they are byproducts of plant metabolism. There are nine important secondary metabolites namely tannins, saponins, cyanogenic glycosides, nitrates, mimosine, oxalates, phytates, protease inhibitors and alkaloids. Their toxic effects can be alleviated by adopting different methods, both easy and complex, which can be thus recommended to increase the quality of forage available in the country.

Key words: Secondary metabolites, Tannins, Saponins, Oxalates, Mimosine.

Full Text : PDF; Journal doi : http://dx.doi.org/10.18782

Cite this article: Fayique, A.C. and Thomas, U.C., Secondary Metabolites in Forage Crops – A Review, Int. J. Pure App. Biosci.6(3): 490-495 (2018). doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.18782/2320-7051.6216