In some countries of Central America, Moringa spp is considered as the tree of life because of its nutritional properties and its plasticity. In some of them, research is held to take advantage of Moringa spp foraging and nutritional properties regarding plant age, to be used for animal feed. This study aims to evaluate the effect of cutoff frequency on forage yield of Moringa oleifera, cultivar Criolla. The study was carried out in January and December 2012, in a Fluvisol soil of Cauto Valley under irrigation conditions and organic fertilization. A randomized block design with four replications was used and the variables considered were, plant height, number and thickness of shoots, number of leaves, leaf/stem ratio, total dry matter yield (DM), and leaf dry matter to explain the response of cutting at 45 and 60days. All the analyzed variables were significantly affected (p≤0.05) by cutoff frequency. The highest (p≤0,05) yield ofleaf dry matter , stems, and total were obtained when cutting at 60 days with 7.3, 11.8, and 18.4 t MS/ha respectively.It is concluded that cutting frequency modified the productive behavior of cultivars under study.

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of ve planting distances in morphoagronomic variables of Moringa oleifera Lam. The work was conducted in areas of the Agricultural Research Institute “Jorge Dimitrov”, the municipality Bayamo, Granma province, Cuba, on the period from November to February of 2014-2015, respectively. A design of randomized blocks with three replications was used. Five treatments were evaluated with consistent planting distances; the cut was made at 10 cm above the oor every fortnight. Signi cant effects (p<0.05) between treatments, plant height and number of shoots/plants where planting distances signi cantly increased the number of bolters/plants (p<0.05) were found with averages of ve and three in the major and minor planting distance respectively. Planting distances used in uenced the morphoagronomic indicators of Moringa oleifera vc. Super Genium. Biomass yield decreased signi cantly (p<0.05) with increasing distance from planting 7 t/ha with the 10 cm x 10 cm, up to 2 t/ha with 20 cm x 20 cm treatment.

Background: Tithonia diversifolia Helms (Gray), is a robust shrubby forage plant with high integral biomass yield (stem and leaves); susceptible to heliophany and conditioning of bromatological characteristics, nutritional value, and modification of the rumen environment is due to genetic variability between genotypes. Objective: To evaluate the macromolar quality of the biomass of introductions T. diversifolia Helms (Gray) established in two locations, and the nutritional value, gas production and in vitro rumen environment promoted by the whole plant biomass established in Ecuador. Methodology: The chemical composition of the full plant (PITD) was considered based on Dry Matter (DM), Organic Matter (OM), Mineral composition (MC), Crude Protein (CP), neutral Detergent Fiber (NDF), Acid Detergent Fiber (ADF). In vitro gas production was evaluated according to Ankom Technology, considering Tiffon 85 there (Cynodon dactylon) at control, quantified or ammoniacal nitrogen (N-NH3), short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) and pH. The experiment was developed in a completely randomized design in factorial arrangement with three repetitions for the variable chemical composition, and the in vitro digestibility of the date processed through a random complete block design with six repetitions, in the ruminal ambient and production SCFA was analyzed through a completely randomized block design with three repetitions. Results: There were variable responses in the DM content for the effect of interaction P <0.01, and higher mineral content in El Carmen, Ecuador for introduction 13.5, with respect to the rest of the cultivars in both locations. NDF was significantly expressed (p0.05). The gas production of the introductions, except for 1.2, was similar to that produced by the control (Tifton 85), however, in the degradability of the OM, net gas production (Net GP) of DM and OM, stood out. introduction 1.2 compared to the control (P<0.01) and the rest of the introductions. The net GP of NDF exceeded 1.2 (p<0.02) than the control, also quantitatively to produce Acetic and Propionic Fatty Acid. Implications: The introductions of T. diversifolia Helms Gray based on the results obtained preserve macromolar characteristics, gas production and SCVFA production (short chain volatile fatty acids) in contrasting ecosystems such as Valle del Cauca, Colombia and Manabi in Ecuador. Conclusions: The introductions of T. diversifolia Helms Gray, maintain a good protein composition, produce low methane contents, have high performance in the fermentation of organic matter and the cell wall, which suggests its future use as a complement to the ration in conditions in conditions Edaphoclimatic of the province of Manabi.

In this study the enrichment dietary effect with different crude protein levels (CP) and feed additives on growth, survival, feed conversion ratio (FCR), feed consumption (FC) and total hemocyte count (THC) in juvenile white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei were evaluated. The study covered two bioassays: in the first one, juveniles were daily fed for 45 days with four experimental diets containing: (1) Control, commercial feed (35% CP); (2) 29% CP; (3) 32% CP; (4) 35% CP. After the 29% CP diet was selected, juveniles in bioassay II were daily fed for 45 days with a single CP diet complemented with probiotics: (1) Control, commercial feed (35% CP); (2) 29% CP; (3) 29% CP + Bacillus mix at 1×106 CFUg–1 feed; and (4) 29% CP + yeast mix at 1×106 CFUg–1 feed. Juvenile shrimp fed with experimental diets gained significantly more weight and increased survival, FCR, FC and THC compared with control diet. However, differences among experimental diets were not significant. In bioassay II, juvenile shrimp fed with experimental diet + feed additives significantly increased survival, FCR, FC and THC compared with control diet. Growth of juveniles significantly increased with 29% CP and 29% CP + yeast mix diets, compared with control group. Complementing the diet with yeast mix showed higher survival and THC of juveniles compared with the other experimental treatments. Different CP levels in shrimp diet improved growth, survival and circulating hemocytes, and addition of mixed yeast as feed additive induced better survival and immune response in juvenile shrimp.

Moringa oleifera has shown innumerable benefits as animal feed. For the expansion of this plant, a largeamount of quality seeds is necessary and, to produce them, sowing density and the cultivars used must be considered, among other factors. The objective of this work was to determine the effect of sowing distance on seed yield of four moringa cultivars. The study was carried out at the Experimental Pasture and Forage Station Pastures and Forages (EEPF, in Spanish) of the Institute of Agricultural Research(IIA, in Spanish) “Jorge Dimitrov” in Bayamo, Granma, Cuba. Four cultivars: Plain, Nicaragua, Supergenius, and Criolla, were evaluated on a Fluvisol soil in Cauto Valley. Twelve treatments, combining cultivar and sowing distance: 3x1, 3x2, and 3x3 m, were applied. The variables stem thickness, branches per plant,fruits per plant, fruit length, seeds per plant, and seed yield per plant and per hectarewere measured. There was not a significant interaction between cultivar and sowing distance for the studied variables.The best response of yield components was obtained from plants spaced at 3x2 and 3x3 m; however, the highest yield per hectare were reached from plants spaced at 3x1 and 3x2 m. Cultivarr was significant (p≤0.05) on stem thickness, fruit length, and seeds per fruit. For sowing distance, the significant variables (p≤0.05) were: stem thickness, branches and fruits per plant as well as yield per plant and per hectare.

The productivity of pastures and forage is increasingly limited due to climate variability and prolonged drought periods. For that reason, it is necessary to cultivate plants that are tolerant and productive under conditions of seasonal drought. The objective of this work was to characterize the agronomic and productive performance of new drought tolerantCenchrus purpureus cultivars. Three cultivars (CT-601, CT-603, and CT-605) were used at different regrowth ages (60, 80, 100, and 120 days) in two climatic periods: rainfall and low rainfall from 2013 to 2014 in a representative ecosystem of Cauto Valley, Cuba. The cultivars were grown on Vertisol and were fertilized with organic fertilizer at a rate of 25 t/ha. Some agronomic variables and dry matter (DM) yield (t/ha) were evaluated under rainfed conditions. A randomized block design with factorial arrangement and its interaction (3x4x2) was used. DM yield was affected by the second order interaction, during the period of rainfall, CT-605 at the age of 120 days reached the best average (p≤0.001) and during the period of low rainfall, CT-603 and CT-605 were highlighted (p≤0.001). Weather-season interaction on cultivars had a significantly positive impact (p≤0.001) on the length of leaves of CT-601 in the period of rainfall. CT-605 increased (p≤0.001) the percentage of leaves and green stems in the period of rainfall, superscripts were equalized in the dry season. Cultivars showed an acceptable DM yield during the low rainfall period, morphological changes neither affected the development nor the productivity.