Yield and nutritive value of tropical forage legumes grown in semi-arid parts of Zimbabwe

Four legume species (Lablab purpureus cv. High-worth, Macroptilium atropurp ureum cv. Siratro, Stylosanthes guianensis cv. Fine stem and Desmodium unci natum cv. Silverleaf) were grown in experimental plots on 4 soil types in G okwe South District, Zimbabwe from 1995-1998. The textural classes of the s oils were sand, sandy loam, sandy clay loam and clay. The first 3 soil type s are regosols formed on Kalahari sands and the clay soils are black vertos ols derived from basalt. Legume yield was not significantly affected (P > 0 .05) by the type of soil. Lablab out-performed the other legumes with a dry matter yield of 5.9 t/ha, compared with 3.1, 2.9 and 3.3 t/ha for Siratro, Fine stem and Silverleaf desmodium, respectively. The corresponding protei n concentrations in the legumes were 159, 167, 159 and 134 g/kg DM. The res ults show that all of these legumes can be grown satisfactorily in areas of high temperature and low rainfall and produce forage with a high protein c oncentration, with lablab producing the highest DMY.