Abundance, seed pod nutritional characteristics, and seed germination of leguminous trees in South Kordofan, Sudan

Abstract

Seed pods of leguminous trees are a potential source of livestock feed in Sudan. Abundance, seed pod nutritional characteristics, and seed germination of leguminous trees in south Kordofan were examined. In the study area, densities of all trees and leguminous trees were 99.8 and 24.0 trees/ha, respectively. Percentages of crude protein in seed pods, after seeds were removed, ranged from 0.1 to 27.2, in vitro dry matter digestibility from 28.1 to 59.8, in vitro organic matter digestibility from 23.3 to 59.9, and neutral-detergent fiber from 50.8 to 79.3 during the dry season. Seeds of sunut (Acacia nilotica) and girfaldud (Albisia anthelmintica) germinated only after soaking in a large volume of water; they may have contained chemical inhibitors that restricted germination. Undamaged seeds of other tree speciea required scarification with concentrated sulphuric acid for 5 to 150 minutes to give optimum germination in 2 to 9 days. Seeds damaged by Bruchid beetles failed to germinate if their embryos were eaten, but germination of damaged seeds whose embryos were not eaten was sometimes as high as that of the controls. Bores made by the Bruchids in seeds may have facilitated moisture inbibition.