Ecology and potentialsforage desmodiums
Abstract
The Desmodiums belong to a large genus Desmodium comprising 450 species, distributed all over the world. In India, 49 species are reported from tropical, subtropical and temperate regions. Almost all the species are important pasture legumes and being palatable and nutritious are considered as alfalfa of the tropics. Research attention on the forage value of desmodiums is rather low in comparison to other pasture legumes. In this paper, the ecology and potentials of Desmodium of forage value are highlighted.
Keywords
Forage Desmodiums, grazing preference, legume persistence, stress tolerance, environmental adaptations
