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In vivo colonization of grass cell walls by rumen micro-organisms

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

R. Elliott ,
B. W. Norton  and
C. W. Ford
R. Elliott
Affiliation:
Department of Agriculture, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, 4067
B. W. Norton
Affiliation:
Department of Agriculture, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, 4067
C. W. Ford
Affiliation:
Division of Tropical Crops and Pastures, C.S.I.R.O., Cunningham Laboratory, St Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, 4067
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Summary

Cell wall preparations from stems of four mature grass species, pangola grass, setaria, sugar cane and barley straw were incubated in nylon bags in sheep fitted with rumen cannulae and fed chopped pangola grass at hourly intervals. After varying incubation times D.M. loss, and incorporation of 35S into microbial cystine on the fibres, were measured. Pangola and barley straw were digested to a much greater extent (ca. 48 and 44%) than sugar cane and setaria (ca. 29 and 23% respectively) and digestion was still continuing after 60 h. With the exception of setaria, microbial colonization of the cell wall preparations peaked after 24 h incubation and then declined. In setaria only a small amount of [35S]cystine was measured, the level of which did not change appreciably after 18 h.

After 24 h incubation, microbial colonization on pangola fibre was about three times that on barley straw and sugar cane. Only on pangola fibre did cystine accumulation, and its subsequent rapid decline, coincide with the development and detachment of fungal sporangia. There was no relationship between the extent of microbial colonization and D.M. loss from the fibres. Sulphur concentrations, both in the plant fibres and rumen fluid, could not explain the greater fungal growth on the pangola cell walls in preference to the other species.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 105 , Issue 2 , October 1985 , pp. 279 - 283
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1985

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References

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