Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-rcrh6 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-25T01:55:47.297Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The nutritive value of normal and brown midrib-3 maize

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

R. F. Weller
Affiliation:
National Institute for Research in Dairying, Shinfield, Reading, RG2 9AT
R. H. Phipps
Affiliation:
National Institute for Research in Dairying, Shinfield, Reading, RG2 9AT
E. S. Griffith
Affiliation:
National Institute for Research in Dairying, Shinfield, Reading, RG2 9AT

Summary

Normal and brown midrib-3 (bm3) maize plants of three genotypes (Inra 188, Inra 240 and Inra 258) were sampled at three stages of maturity. Whole crop and plant components were analysed for in vitro digestible organic matter in the dry matter (DOMD) and the concentration of neutral detergent fibre, cellulose, hemicellulose, xylose, soluble sugars, starch and total nitrogen in the dry matter.

The concentrations of total nitrogen, neutral detergent fibre, cellulose, hemicellulose and xylose were similar in both normal and bm3 plants. Xylose was the main constituent sugar of hemicellulose forming 70–75% of the total hemicellulose. The higher concentration of soluble sugars and lower concentration of starch in the bm3 plants was attributed to the later maturity of the bm3 plants.

The bm3 gene significantly reduced lignin synthesis in the whole plant and plant components at all harvests. The mean concentration of lignin in the normal and bm3 plants were 2·2 and 1·4%, respectively. The ferulic and p-coumaric acid concentrations in the bm3 plants were 1·31 and 0·93 mg/g D.M. compared with 1·59 and 1·16 mg/g D.M. for the normal plants, respectively.

The in vitro DOMD values for the bm3 plants were significantly higher (P < 0.05) than their normal counterparts.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1984

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Barnes, R. F., Muller, L. D., Bauman, L. F. & Colenbrander, V. F. (1971). In vitro dry matter disappearance of brown midrib mutants of maize (Zea mays L.). Journal of Animal Science 33, 881884.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Block, E., Muller, L. D., Griel, L. C. & Garwood, D. L. (1981). Bm3, versus normal corn silage and heated versus unheated soyabeans for high producing dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 63, 135 (abstract).Google Scholar
Colenbrander, V. F., Lechtenberg, V. L. & Bauman, L. F. (1973). Digestibility and feeding value of brown midrib corn stover silage. Journal of Animal Science 37, 294 (abstract).Google Scholar
Colenbrander, V. F., Lechtenberg, V. L. & Bauman, L. F. (1975). Feeding value of low lignin corn silage. Journal of Animal Science 41, 332 (abstract).Google Scholar
Gallais, A., Huguet, L., Berthet, H., Bertin, G., Broqua, B., Mourget, A. & Traineau, R. (1980). Preliminary evaluation of brown midrib maize hybrids for their feeding and agronomic value in France. In Improvement of Quality Traits of Maize for Grain Silage Use (ed. Pollmer, W. E. and Phipps, R. H.), pp. 319336. The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff.Google Scholar
Harkin, J. M. (1973). Lignin. In Chemistry and Biochemistry of Herbage, vol. 1 (ed. Butler, G. W. and Bailey, R. W.), pp. 323373. London: Academic Press.Google Scholar
Hartley, R. D. & Jones, E. C. (1978). Phenolic components and degradability of the cell walls of the brown midrib mutant, bm3, of Zea mays L. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 29, 777789.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Keith, E. A., Colenbrander, V. F., Lechtenberg, V. L. & Bauman, L. R. (1977). The effect of feeding brown midrib corn silage to lactating cows. Journal of Dairy Science 60, 96.Google Scholar
Kilkenny, J. B. (1978). Utilisation of maize silage for beef production. In Forage Maize, pp. 239261. London: Agricultural Research Council.Google Scholar
Lechtenberg, V. L., Colenbrander, V. F., Bauman, L. F. & Rhykerd, C. L. (1974). Effect of lignin on rate of in vitro cell wall and cellulose disappearance in corn. Journal of Animal Science 39, 11651169.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Linn, J. G., Meiske, J. C. & Goodrich, R. D. (1975). Nutritional value of brown midrib corn silage. Minnesota Cattle Feeders Report 1975, University of Minnesota.Google Scholar
Morris, E. J. (1976). Acetyl content and sugar compositions as factors influencing the digestion of grass cell walls in the rumen. Ph.D. thesis, University of Aberdeen.Google Scholar
Morris, E. J. & Bacon, J. S. D. (1977). The fate of acetyl groups and sugar components during the digestion of grass cell walls in sheep. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 89, 327340.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Muller, F. M., Barnes, R. F., Bauman, L. F. & Colenbrander, V. F. (1971). Variations in lignin and other structural components of brown midrib mutants of maize. Crop Science 11, 413415.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Phipps, R. H., McAllan, A. B. & Weller, R. F. (1984). The development of plant components in isogenic sterile and fertile forage maize and their effects on carbohydrate composition, nutritive value, in vivo digestibility values and animal performance with fresh and ensiled crops. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 102, 443–453.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Phipps, R. H. & Weller, R. F. (1979). The develop ment of plant components and their effects on the composition of fresh and ensiled forage maize. 1. The accumulation of dry matter, chemical composition and nutritive value of fresh maize. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 92, 471483.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rook, J. A., Muller, L. D. & Shank, D. B. (1977). Intake and digestibility of brown midrib corn silage by lactating dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 60, 18941904.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sheldrick, R. D. (1979). The quality of brown midrib-3 mutant maize grown for forage under field conditions in southern England. Grass and Forage Science 34, 283291.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Staillings, S. C. C., Donaldson, B. M., Thomas, J. W. & Rossman, E. C. (1982). In vivo evaluation of the bm corn silage by sheep and lactating cows. Journal ofDairy Science 65, 19451949.Google Scholar