Forage and Pasture Researcher, Andassa Livestock Research Center, P.O.BOX:27, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia; Feeds and Nutrition Researcher, Andassa Livestock Research Center, P.O.BOX:27, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia
Denekew, Y., Forage and Pasture Researcher, Andassa Livestock Research Center, P.O.BOX:27, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia; Tsega, W., Feeds and Nutrition Researcher, Andassa Livestock Research Center, P.O.BOX:27, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia
The research was undertaken from mid September 2006 to January 2007 at Dembia trial site of Gondar Agricultural Research Center. The aim of the study was to evaluate the β-ODAP content in forage, grain and straw of improved and local grass pea lines. The treatments were six grass pea accessions replicated three times and arranged in a randomized complete block design (RCBD). The four treatments of grass pea accessions (ILAT-LS-LS-B1, ILAT-LS-LS-B2, ILAT-LS-K-290 and ILAT-LS-610) were brought from Debre Zeit Agricultural Research Center (DZARC) and the two local lines Kok- Egir and Shanko were collected from the study area based on their seed coat color. Analysis of variance showed significant (P< 0.05) variation among grass pea accessions in β-ODAP content of straw, grain and forage DM with a mean of 0.15%, 0.25% and 0.23%, respectively. Improved grass pea lines that where brought from DZARC showed low ODAP content compared to the locally available lines. Therefore, improvement and dissemination of low β-ODAP grass pea varieties would be of great help to the resource-poor farmers in providing protein-rich food and nutritious fodder/feed for the livestock. Additional comprehensive study is required to evaluate the impact on meat and milk through feeding of grass pea grain and fodder for different class of animals.