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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Plant Sci.
Sec. Plant Nutrition
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fpls.2024.1476809
This article is part of the Research Topic Foliar Nutrient Analysis in Crop Species: Successes, Opportunities and Challenges View all 5 articles

Extending beyond traditional forage: Potential nutritional benefits of native plants in extreme arid insular regions

Provisionally accepted
Raquel Pérez Reverón Raquel Pérez Reverón 1Adolfo Perdomo González Adolfo Perdomo González 1Beatriz de la Roza Delgado Beatriz de la Roza Delgado 2Covadonga Rodríguez Covadonga Rodríguez 1José A. Pérez Pérez José A. Pérez Pérez 1*Francisco J. Díaz Peña Francisco J. Díaz Peña 1*
  • 1 Department of Animal Biology, Soil Science and Geology, University of La Laguna, San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
  • 2 Department of Nutrition, Grasslands and Forages, Regional Institute for Research and Agro-Food Development, Villaviciosa (Asturias), Spain

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    The scarcity, unstable nutritional quality and environmental cost of imported forages in arid insular regions like Fuerteventura in the Canary Islands (Spain) need exploring sustainable local alternatives. This study evaluated the nutritional quality of twelve native and endemic plant species categorized into legumes, grasses, and a mixed group, cultivated under controlled conditions. The bromatological profiles, focusing on fiber, protein, lipids, and minerals, showed significant differences among plants in key parameters of forage quality: neutral detergent fiber (NDF; 24.2-71.3%), acid detergent fiber (ADF; 9.0-40.5%), acid detergent lignin (ADL; 2.0-15.8%), crude protein (CP; 6.1-20.9%), total lipids (TL; 1.5-6.3%), ash content (25.4-88.6%), enzymatic organic matter digestibility (EOMD; 5.9-10.9 MJ/kg), metabolizable energy (ME; 5.9-10.9 MJ/kg), and relative feed value (RFV; 74.8-317.9). Among lipids, all species had a high proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA; 34.7 -63.1% of total fatty acids), mainly α-linolenic acid (ALA; 18:3 n-3; 24.8 -54.4%) and linoleic acid (LA; 18:2 n-6; 6.4 -25.0%).Other beneficial lipid molecules for animal health such as γ-linolenic acid (GLA; 18:3 n-6), stearidonic acid (SDA; 18:4n-3) and phytosterols (PTS) were detected in specific species.Mineral composition analysis revealed that only Ca, Na, Fe and Cu levels were near or above the established maximum tolerable levels (MTLs) in some species. According to literature, most of the species had a similar or slightly lower nutritional value compared to conventional forages such as alfalfa. Thus, the evaluated native species pool could serve as alternative feed for ruminants during forage shortages, suggesting their combined use to improve livestock health and product quality. This research emphasizes the untapped potential of native plant biodiversity to enhance sustainable agro-livestock practices in arid regions, supporting livestock nutrition and conserving unique botanical heritage.

    Keywords: Alternative forage, Crude protein, Fatty Acids, Livestock productivity, Mineral composition, Nutritive Value

    Received: 06 Aug 2024; Accepted: 29 Nov 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Pérez Reverón, Perdomo González, de la Roza Delgado, Rodríguez, Pérez Pérez and Díaz Peña. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence:
    José A. Pérez Pérez, Department of Animal Biology, Soil Science and Geology, University of La Laguna, San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
    Francisco J. Díaz Peña, Department of Animal Biology, Soil Science and Geology, University of La Laguna, San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain

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