A tropical forage solution to poor quality ruminant diets: A review of Lablab purpureus

摘要

TheliteratureconcerningtheagronomiccharacteristicsandnutritivevalueofthelegumeLablabpurpureus(Lablab)isreviewed.Lablabpurpureuscombinesagreatnumberofqualitiesthatcanbeusedsuccessfullyundervariousconditions.Itsfirstadvantageisitsadaptability,notonlyisitdroughtresistant,itisabletogrowinadiverserangeofenvironmentalconditionsworldwide.Stayinggreenduringthedryseason,ithasbeenknowntoprovideuptosixtonnesofdrymatter/ha.Beingpalatabletolivestock,itisanadequatesourceofmuchneededproteinandcanbeutilisedinseveraldifferentways.Itcanbegrazedinapasturesettingorasacompanioncroptomaize,cutashay,ormixedwithcornsilage.Inseveralexperimentsithasbeenobservedtoincreaselivestockweightandmilkproductionduringthedryseason.Lablabpurpureuswithitsabilitytoout-yieldconventionalcrops,especiallyduringthedryseason,anditsenhancednutritivevalue,isafoddercropofgreatsignificancefortheTropics.Lablabcanbeusedadvantageouslyasacovercrop.Itsdensegreencoverduringthedryseasonprotectsthesoilagainsttheactionofthesun'sraysanddecreaseserosionbywindorrain.Asgreenmanureitprovidesorganicmatter,mineralsandfixesnitrogenintothesoiltherebyimprovingcropyieldsinaneconomicandenvironmentallyfriendlymanner.Thoughlablabisknowninmanycountriesandhasthecapabilityofbeinganoutstandingresourceforagriculturalsystemsinthetropics,itisnotbeingusedtoitsfullpotential.Inmanyareaswherelablabcouldbebeneficial,abilitytobuyseedisrestrictedbyeconomicconstraintsandproducers'willingnesstotaketheriskintryinganewpracticeisguardedbytraditionalparadigms.Effortmustbedevotedtoconductingmoreresearchtoextendbothtechnicalandpracticalknowledgeaboutlablabsothatitsfullpotentialmaybeachieved.Thushelpingtoimprovethelivingconditionsincountrieswhereshortagesofhumanfoodandanimalfeedstuffsexist.