The two temperate forage legumes containing condensed tannins (CT) that promote ruminant production are birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.; BFT) and sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia Scop.; SF). Both are well-adapted to the cool-temperate climate and alkaline soils of the Mountain West USA. Condensed tannins comprise a diverse family of bioactive chemicals with multiple beneficial functions...

The carbon/nutrient balance hypothesis suggests that leaf carbon to nitrogen ratios influence the synthesis of secondary compounds such as condensed tannins. We studied the effects of rising atmospheric carbon dioxide on carbon to nitrogen ratios and tannin production. Six genotypes of Populus tremuloides were grown under elevated and ambient CO(2) partial pressure and high- and low-fertility s...

Iron deficiency remains a global health issue, and antinutritional factors, such as tannins, are often cited as contributors to the high prevalence of deficiency. Despite this, tannin-rich diets may have potential beneficial cardiovascular and cancer-fighting properties because of the antioxidant activity of tannins. Furthermore, epidemiologic studies and long-term trials involving participants...

Most pulse (nonoilseed legume) seed flours can be fractionated rapidly and economically by air classification into protein and starch concentrates. The nutritional value of air-classified field pea and faba bean concentrates requires characterization to assess the feeding opportunity for pigs. Thus, the objectives were to characterize the apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of DM, OM, ene...

The proanthocyanidins or condensed tannins, phenolic polymers which are synthesized by many plants, characteristically bind and precipitate proteins. The specificity of the interaction was investigated using a competitive binding assay to compare directly the affinities of various proteins and synthetic polymers for the tannin obtained from Sorghum bicolor (Lin.) Moench. At pH 4.9, the relative...

A novel potentiometric sensor based on ionophore (Cd(NH2CH2CH2OCH2CH2OCH2CH2NH2)Ag3(CN)5) for the determination of β-N-oxalyl-L-α, β-diaminopropionic acid (ODAP) is developed. The ODAP-selective membrane sensor demonstrates high sensitivity and short response time. The detection limit of the ODAP-selective membrane sensor is about 2 × 10(-6) mol L (-1) and the response time is shorter than 6 s....

Recent studies have shown effects of host plant genetics on community and ecosystem processes, which makes understanding the impacts of genetically based traits on hidden or non-apparent organisms more important. Here we examined links among genetic variation in hybrid cottonwoods, plant phytochemistry, and twig fungal endophytes (i.e., a common hidden organism). We found three major patterns: ...

The objective of this work was to study nutritional strategies for decreasing methane production by ruminants fed tropical diets, combining in vitro and in vivo methods. The in vitro approach was used to evaluate the dose effect of condensed tannins (CT) contained in leaves of Gliricidia sepium, Leucaena leucocephala, and Manihot esculenta (39, 75, and 92 g CT/kg DM, respectively) on methane pr...

This study evaluates how preference by a generalist slug herbivore Arion subfuscus changes inversely with seedling size across three levels of fertilization for three full-sib families of willow seedlings. We analyzed seedlings for condensed tannin and protein concentration, and related these data to changes in palatability. In preference tests over time, leaf discs from more fertilized seedlin...