RAJAN KATOCH* AND ANKUR TRIPATHI
Biochemistry Laboratory, Department of Crop Improvement
CSKHPKV, Palampur-176062 (Himachal Pradesh), India
*(e-mail : rajankatoch@yahoo.com)
(Received : 28 June 2020; Accepted : 10 September 2020)
SUMMARY
The effect of different chemical treatments on nutritional quality and digestibility of wheat straw, rice straw, Sorghum sudan grass (SSG) and Guria grass (Chrysopogon fulvus) was investigated. The treatment with sodium chloride (2.00%), aqueous ammonia (10.00%), urea (4.50%) and dilute acid (1.50%) significantly improved the CP content of wheat straw (148.57%), rice straw (66.06%), sorghum sudan grass (SSG) (17.27%) and (30.24%), respectively. Alkali treatments [NaOH (2%) and Ca(OH)2 (0.4g/gm of sample)] were effective in reducing fiber and hemicellulose contents in wheat and rice straws while aqueous ammonia treatment was effective for treatment of SSG and Guria grass. Acid hydrolysis resulted delignification of feeds to the extent of 37.50%. Treatment of rice straw and SSG with sodium chloride resulted 21.62% and 57.58% increase in ash content, respectively. Highest increase in ash content of wheat straw (82.61%) and Guria grass hay (18.30%) was observed with dilute acid and calcium hydroxide treatments, respectively. Alkali treatments resulted significant reduction in phenolic content of straw and hay. The chemical treatments were effective in improving digestibility of fibrous feeds. The results of the study revealed that acid hydrolysis, sodium chloride, sodium hydroxide and aqueous ammonia, treatments had significant effect on improvement in nutritional composition and digestibility of wheat straw, rice straw, SSG and Guria grass hay, respectively.
Key words:Chemical treatments, digestibility, nutritive quality, delignification