Abstract 19

D'Mello,-JPF

Scottish Agricultural College, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JG, UK.

Toxic factors in crop plants. Proceedings of the second spring conference, Edinburgh, 22 March 1991 [edited by D'Mello, J.P.F.; Duffus, C.M.]. 1991, 48-61; 53 ref. Edinburgh, UK; Scottish Agricultural College Edinburgh.

Toxic factors in tropical legumes which may precipitate adverse effects in livestock are reviewed. Occurrence of several toxic compounds in a single legume species creates difficulties in establishing a hierarchical order of potency. Difficulties occur with detoxification of such legumes, particularly if the deleterious substances are heat-stable, such as non-protein amino acids. Significant detoxification procedures have been outlined for the winged bean and the jack bean. The most notable advance in detoxification relates to biotechnological manipulation of rumen function to facilitate degradation of mimosine to innocuous residues in cattle grazing Leucaena forage.