Seasonal Variation in Mineral and Secondary Metabolites of Sterculia Foetida Leaf Fodder Across Different Landscapes of Southern Gujarat, India
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.48165/ija.2026.28.02.10Keywords:
Sterculia foetida, leaf fodder, minerals, secondary metabolites, landscape, seasonal variationAbstract
The three major sources of fodder supply in India are crop residues, cultivated fodder and fodder from common property resources like forests and pastures which are low in productivity. It is essential to explore high yielding perennial multipurpose tree species. Therefore, present study intended to estimate Sterculia foetida leaf fodder macro and micro mineral and secondary metabolite composition to establish landscape and seasonal variation in three districts namely Navsari, Valsad (coastal parts of Arabian Sea) and the Dangs of south Gujarat, India. The study revealed significant variation (P≤0.05) in macro (nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium and magnesium and micro minerals (iron, copper, zinc and manganese) and secondary metabolites [total tannin content (TTC), total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoids content (TFC), total alkaloid content (TAC), total terpenoids content (TTeC) and total saponin content (TSC)] in S. foetida leaf fodder among landscapes and seasons. N, P, Ca and Mg ranged from 0.86-1.40, 0.08-0.15, 4.10-7.25 and 0.58-1.88 per cent, respectively among eight landscapes. Out of the 8 macro and micro minerals N, Cu, Fe and Mn was higher Waghai Forest II (L8) landscape whereas P, Ca, Mg and Zn was maximum in Valsad Urban II (L6), and NAU Agricultural I (L1) and NAU Agricultural II (L2). Amongst macro minerals, N and Ca were significantly higher during summer and Mg and P during winter. Similarly, micro minerals namely Cu, Zn, Fe and Mn ranged from 0.88-2.23, 2.23-5.58, 23.60-67.98 and 2.45-7.00 ppm, respectively among landscapes. Leaf fodder TTC, TPC, TFC, TAC, TTeC and TSC ranged from 1.11-1.56, 1.16-2.21, 1.51-2.26, 2.92-3.08, 1.03-1.59 and 6.00-8.16 per cent, respectively. Fe and Mn content was higher during the summer season, and Cu and Zn content in winter season. Out of the eight macro and micro minerals, availability of one or the other recorded higher in winter and summer, indicating good fodder quality in both the seasons. However, out of six secondary metabolites, TTC, TPC, TFC, TAC, and TSC was significantly higher during the winter season and only TTeC was higher in the summer season leaf fodder. Thus, lean period S. foetida leaf fodder could provide many beneficial biological activities due to presence of most of alkaloids and flavonoids at safe limits. Further, the provenances with higher mineral matter and secondary metabolite content could be taken up for improvement programme for quality leaf fodder production.
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