The effects of condensed tannins (CT) in fresh Sulla (Hedysarum coronarium) on the net flux of skatole and indole from the gastrointestinal tract to the mammary gland were investigated in ewes during mid to late lactation. Twelve ewes were prepared with catheters in the mesenteric artery and the mesenteric, portal, hepatic and mammary veins. A transonic flow probe was fitted around the pudic ar...

Many of the Hedysarum plants have been used as folk remedies in China, especially as detoxifying and diuretic agents, and also with some efficacy against diabetes and chronic nephritis as recorded in some Chinese herbal books. Extracts of some species of Hedysarum have been reported to have the potential to treat dementia and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) from the results of their improving learning...

Hedysarum mackenziei Richardson (wild sweet pea, bear root) is widely regarded as toxic and warnings about confusing it with its edible cousin Hedysarum alpinum Richardson (Eskimo potato) abound. To find the chemical basis for this claim, we performed an exhaustive comparison of the secondary chemistry between the two plants as well as a search for nitrogen containing metabolites (alkaloids) in...

Because New Zealand is a signatory to the Kyoto Protocol Framework Convention on Climate Change (1997), it is required to report national greenhouse gas emissions and maintain them at 1990 levels by 2008-2012. New Zealand has one of the highest per capita levels of the greenhouse gas methane [Woodward et al., 2001] and most of this arises from gut fermentation from ruminants. Not only does this...

With high dry matter yields of high quality forage, high soluble carbohydrate levels and a suitability for harvest by cutting and removing, the forage legume sulla (Hedysarum coronarium) has the potential to be an important silage crop in New Zealand. In three experiments the ensiling potential of sulla was compared with conventional pasture using a mini-silo system which allows for rapid evalu...

Most species in the Leguminosae (legume family) can fix atmospheric nitrogen (N₂) via symbiotic bacteria (rhizobia) in root nodules. Here, the literature on legume-rhizobia symbioses in field soils was reviewed and genotypically characterised rhizobia related to the taxonomy of the legumes from which they were isolated. The Leguminosae was divided into three sub-families, the Caesalpinioideae, ...

Intercropping perennial legumes with trees can reduce Nitrogen (N) losses, due to the high amount of N accumulated in stable forms soil and permanent cover during whole year. Although cycling improvement mature agroforestry systems (AFS) was well documented, there is a lack knowledge regarding transition AF. In this work, we studied association two forage crops, namely ryegrass (Lolium multiflo...