Paper Details

Nutritive value of aquatic plants of Head Baloki on Ravi River, Pakistan

Muhammad Akmal, Muhammad Hafeez-ur-Rehman, Sana Ullah, Naima Younus, Karim Johar Khan, Muhammad Qayyum

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.12692/ijb/4.10.115-122

Int. J. Biosci. 4(10), 115-122. May, 2014. (PDF)

Abstract:

The present study was carried out at Head Baloki on Ravi River Pakistan. The nutritional potential of some selected aquatic plants including water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes; Emergent), water primrose (Ludwigia peploides; Emergent), Phragmites (Phragmites australis; Emergent), water Lilly (Nymphea lotus; Floating), Dalla (Cape Cod Grass; Submerged) and Vallisneria (Vallisneria spiralis; Submerged) were evaluated through proximate composition. Protein content was highest in leaves (11.85%) for water hyacinth, in stem (20.12%) for phragmites, in whole plant (25.4%) for water lilly and in whole plant (12.11%) for water primrose. Ash content was highest in roots (21.33%) for water hyacinth, in whole plant (12.24%) for phragmites, in leaves (13%) for water lilly and in whole plant (6.4%) for water primrose. Fiber content was highest in stems (20.80%) for water hyacinth, in whole plant (13.73%) for phragmites, in leaves (15.23%) for water lilly and in whole plant (11.13%) for water primrose. Fat content was highest in roots (4.01%) for water hyacinth, in leaves (5.4%) for phragmites, in leaves (4.32%) for water lilly and in whole plant (0.39%) for water primrose. Highest moisture was observed in leaves (6.46%) for water hyacinth, in roots (7.2%) for phragmites, in leaves (6%) for water lilly and in roots (4.3%) for water primrose. Our study suggests that these aquatic plants can be incorporated as a good source of protein and other nutrients in animals’ feed. Exploitation of these aquatic plants will not only be of economic importance but would be a step toward better utilization of these plants for additional feed production. This will also help in solving the weed eradication problem.