Anatomy, nutritional value, and cell wall chemical analysis of foliage leaves in Guadua chacoensis (Poaceae, Bambusoideae, Bambuseae), a promising source of forage

FERNÁNDEZ, PAULA VIRGINIA; VEGA, ANDREA S.; COLOMBATTO, DARÍO; PANIZZO, CECILIA C.; CIANCIA, MARINA; FERNÁNDEZ, PAULA VIRGINIA; VEGA, ANDREA S.; COLOMBATTO, DARÍO; PANIZZO, CECILIA C.; CIANCIA, MARINA

JOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE

JOHN WILEY & SONS LTD

Lugar: Londres; Año: 2017 vol. 97 p. 1349 - 1358

0022-5142

BACKGROUND: The present study combines exo and micromorphological studies, cellwall chemical composition, as well as the assessment of the nutritional value of Guaduachacoensis foliage leaves.RESULTS: Foliage leaves of G. chacoensis are a promising source of forage because: (a)as a native woody bamboo it is adapted and it helps to maintain environmental conditionsin America, (b) leaf anatomical studies exhibit discontinuous sclerenchyma, scarcelydeveloped. Pilosity, silica cells, prickles, and hooks are also scarce, (c) it has a high proteincontent, similar to that of Medicago sativa, while other nutritional parameters are similar tothose of common forages, and (d) glucuronoarabinoxylan, the major extractedpolysaccharide, has 1/3 of the 4-linked β-D-xylopyranosyl units of the backbone substitutedmainly with α-L-arabinofuranose as single stubs or non reducing end of short chains, butalso 5-linked α-L-arabinofuranose units, terminal β-D-xylopyranose and D-galactopyranoseunits, and α-D-glucuronic acid residues, and small amounts of its 4-O-methylatedderivative.CONCLUSION: These results constitute the first report for this species and as culms areutilized in constructions and crafts, the remaining leaves, when used as forage, constitute abyproduct that allows an additional income opportunity.