Nutritional characterization of Mucuna pruriens: 1. Effect of maturity on the nutritional quality of botanical fractions and the whole plant

Abstract This study was conducted to determine the stage of maturity at which the dry matter (DM) yield and nutritive value of velvet bean ( Mucuna pruriens ) is optimized. Mucuna was harvested at 77, 110 and 123 days after planting (DAP) from quadruplicate 5 m × 1 m plots within each of 6 blocks. At each DAP, DM yield, chemical composition, botanical composition, in vitro rumen fluid-pepsin DM digestibility (IVDMD) and concentrations of total polyphenols, l -dopa and tannins were determined on the whole plant and botanical fractions. Whole-plant Mucuna DM yield increased ( P P P P P P P Mucuna are concentrated in the leaves and the whole plant contains sufficient Ca, P, K, Mg, Fe, Cu, Na, Mo, Mn, and Zn for growing sheep, although their bioavailability of these minerals is unknown. Total polyphenol concentration quadratically ( P P P l -dopa concentration of the whole plant ( P P P P l -dopa was concentrated in the seeds and pods of mature (110–123 DAP) plants, but tannins were concentrated in leaves and stems. Whole-plant IVDMD was not affected by maturity, but digestible DM yield linearly ( P