title: Effect of harvesting frequency, variety and leaf maturity on nutrient composition, hydrogen cyanide content and cassava foliage yield.
abstract: The experiment studied the effect of harvesting frequencies and varieties on yield, chemical composition and hydrogen cyanide content in cassava foliage. Foliage from three cassava varieties, K94 (very bitter), K98-7 (medium bitter) and a local (sweet), were harvested in three different cutting cycles, at 3, 6 and 9 months; 6 and 9 months and 9 months after planting, in a 2-yr experiment carried out in Hanoi, Vietnam. Increasing the harvesting frequency increased dry matter (DM) and crude protein (CP) production in cassava foliage. The K94 variety produced higher foliage yields than the other two varieties. Dry matter, neutral detergent fibre (NDF), acid detergent fibre (ADF) and total tannin content increased with months to the first harvest, whereas CP content decreased. Hydrogen cyanide (HCN) content was lower at the first harvest than at later harvests for all cutting cycles. At subsequent harvests the content of total tannins tended to decline, while HCN content increased (p<0.05). Chemical composition differed somewhat across varieties except for total tannins and ash. Dry matter, NDF, ADF and total tannins were higher in fully matured leaves, while CP and HCN were lower in developing leaves.
authors: National Institute of Animal Sciences, Hanoi, Vietnam .
authors: Khuc Thi
authors: KT
authors: Hue
authors: National Institute of Animal Sciences, Hanoi, Vietnam .
authors: Do Thi
authors: do T
authors: Thanh Van
authors: Department of Animal Nutrition and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 7024, SE-75007 Uppsala, Sweden .
authors: Inger
authors: I
authors: Ledin
authors: Department of Animal Nutrition and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 7024, SE-75007 Uppsala, Sweden .
authors: Ewa
authors: E
authors: Wredle
authors: Department of Animal Nutrition and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 7024, SE-75007 Uppsala, Sweden .
authors: Eva
authors: E
authors: Spörndly
keywords: Cassava Foliage; HCN; Harvesting Frequency; Manihot esculenta Crantz; Variety; Yield