Selection Of Superior Clones For Fodder And Cultivation And Utilization In Robinia Pseudoacacia

Robinia pseudoacacia are considered to be a promising forage tree, but it is known to contain tannin, which is an anti-nutritional factor. Therefore, development of low-tannin cultivars with desirable feeding responses would be a choice to increase prospect of R. pseudoacacia as a forage crop. The objectives of the present study were to evalue and select the R. pseudoacacia superior clones for fodder.There were distinguishing morphological characters between 9 clones and common R. pseudoacacia 2N, except for Kl and A. Moreover, rooting ability of K5 and B, height and basal diameter of clones B, G and K2 were both significant higher than 2N, while the worst rooting ability was found in K4. No difference was found in crude protein content of leaves (175.9 g kg-1-212.7 g kg-1) among these clones.Contents of crude protein and other routine ingredients and 18 kinds of amino acids in leaves of 19 R. pseudoacacia superior clones were both highly (159.8 g kg-1-240.0 g kg-1) and balanceable. Their nutrional values evaluated by means of amino acid scores (84.1-118.8), essential amino acid index and general method were better or similar to alfalfa (amino acid scores=64.3), and lower tannin content in leaves of G (6.9 g kg-1) than 2N (28.9 g kg-1) was found. Effective degradability of crude protein was significantly higher for stem than for leaf and whole plant, whereas effective degradability of acid detergent fiber was higher for leaf. Ruminal disappearances of nutrients were higher in June than in later stages. No significant effects were seen on either hens'performance or egg quality parameters except for egg mass and egg weight, and quadratic effect on apparent nutrient and amino acid digestibility. Egg mass and egg weight were both high in the diet containing 40 g kg-1 R. pseudoacacia.Interation of genotype-environment of R. pseudoacacia clones was significant in growth, while it may be resulted in leaf nutrition from different leaf maturation in the same season at different sites. Considering leaf biomass and nutrition, a suitable cultivation model should be cutting from second year after planting in spacing of 0.4 m×0.8 m and harvesting two times per year (harvesting in early June and late August while no cutting in spring), cutting height was 20 cm-30 cm.Silage quality of wilted R. pseudoacacia (K4) preserved alone is acceptable. The treatments of K4 mixed with corn stalk (33%-50%) achieved the best silage quality. R. pseudoacacia (K2) and Caragana were significantly better than Amorpha fruticosa in fermentation quality. The mixed silage of R. pseudoacacia and Caragana was the best. In addition, no significant differences were observed between R. pseudoacacia and alfalfa in term of average daily gain as feed for goat.