Amino‐acid composition of lucerne and of lucerne and grass protein preparations

Abstract

Abstract The ammo‐acid composition of lucerne herbage cut at six stages of maturity has been determined by an ion‐exchange chromatographic procedure and compared with that of protein preparations isolated from lucerne and grasses. The protein preparations from grass and lucerne were of closely similar amino‐acid composition; no appreciable difference in composition could be detected between protein preparations from young or mature lucerne. The amino‐acid composition of lucerne‐herbage N differed from that of the protein preparations; this difference arose because these herbages contained about 30% of their nitrogen in a water‐soluble form, only part of which was present as free amino‐acids. The amino‐acid composition of lucerne herbage changed little as maturity increased.