Determination of organic acids in silage by silica gel chromatography

✍ Scribed by R. F. Wilson; J. M. A. Tilley

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1964
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 498 KB
• Volume: 15
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0022-5142
• DOI: 10.1002/jsfa.2740150402

✦ Synopsis

branches as regards leaf composition but these differences were usually small in magnitude. Leaf-nitrogen and -potassium percentages were not influenced by sampling height and, although there were significant effects of height on other mineral constituents, the errors arising from the adoption of an arbitrary sampling height would be small. The main factors of branch, height and leaf type were not the only ones affecting composition ; the existence of interactions significant at the 1% level of probability show the necessity for a widespread sampling system if a truly representative sample is to be obtained. However, the intensive sampling applied in this investigation would be impracticable for nutritional studies involving large numbers of trees and something simpler must suffice. Sampling from ladders is impracticable in most instances and, if all sampling is done from the ground, this restriction to a height of up to 7 ft.

or so should be adequate for comparative purposes. Because of the possibility of significant branch differences it is important that the leaves collected should be evenly disfributed around the tree and it is tentatively suggested that the sample size should not be less than 50 leaves or 60 g. of dry matter. There is, however, need for much further investigation of variations in leaf composition under other soil conditions and at different times during the season.