Toxins from Gliricidia
The leaves of Gliricidia sepium, the multipurpose leguminous tree commonly used in alley farming, contain a substance called coumarin. This can be converted to dicoumerol, a substance that is chemically so similar to Vitamin K that it interferes with Vitamin K's role in blood clotting. Warfarin, the well-known rat poison, is a similar compound. Despite these properties Gliricidia does not pose a threat when fed to livestock as the coumarin is not particularly toxic. The potential risk is in feeding spoiled leaves, in which the coumarin to dicoumerol change may have occurred. Silage should also prove to be safe, although quality control will have to be good to avoid spoilage and the risk of dicoumerol production. Martin Price ECHO Development Notes 17430 Durrance Road North Fort Meyers FL33917 USA
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| Format: | News Item biblioteca |
| Language: | English |
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Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation
1992
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| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/45755 http://collections.infocollections.org/ukedu/en/d/Jcta39e/ |
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