Evaluation of the nutrient status and forage quality of the hippo grass (Vossia cuspidata (Roxb.) Griff.) along Ismailia canal, Egypt

Abstract

The present study aims at investigating the potential of the hippo grass for sequestering inorganic and organic nutrients in its biomass, in addition to its forage quality along Ismailia Canal, Egypt. Eight sites including 6 polluted and 2 unpolluted were selected for a seasonal plant, water and sediment investigations. The nutrients and nutritional value of the plant tissues were estimated. The highest aboveground biomass was recorded during summer, while the lowest was in winter. The plant had the highest contents of Na, K, N and Mg during winter, while P and Ca during spring and autumn, respectively. Also, Na, K and P had the highest concentrations (176.7 mg kg À1 , 206.9 mg kg À1 and 1.1%) in the belowground, while N, Ca and Mg (0.9, 1.6 and 0.5%) in the aboveground organs. The contents of the investigated elements (except Na) were comparable in polluted and unpolluted canals with no significant differences. The aboveground parts had the highest values of ether extract (1.1%) during summer, crude fibres (60.2%) during spring, and total proteins (5.6%) during winter. The belowground tissues had the highest values of metabolized, digestible and net energy (2.4, 2.0 and 1.0 Mcal kg À1 ) during winter. In contrast, the aboveground shoots had the highest amounts of digestible crude protein (1.7%) during winter and gross energy during spring. The nutritional value of the hippo grass from unpolluted canals were greater than polluted ones for both above-and belowground parts. Hippo grass can sequester large amounts of nutrients. Consequently, this plant can be used in restoring eutrophic water through harvesting the aboveground biomass during the growing season. Besides, the aboveground shoots of the hippo grass could be used as a forage for dairy cattle, goat, beef cattle and sheep.

Nutrient Remediation Efficiency of the Sedge Plant (Cyperus alopecuroides Rottb.) to Restore Eutrophic Freshwater Ecosystems

“…Our research found that summer is the best time to harvest C. alopecuroides for greatest removal of Na, K, and N, while spring is best for removal of Ca, P, and Mg from eutrophic water bodies. This conclusion is consistent with the findings of Galal et al [41,43], who attributed it to the greatest nutrient accumulation (particularly N and P) linked with maximal plant biomass throughout the summer. Furthermore, Eid et al [29] identified spring as the best period to harvest P. australis with the maximum nutrient content and biomass to address Lake Burullus eutrophication in Egypt.…”

“…There is a large seasonal fluctuation in the inorganic nutrients among C. alopecuroides tissues and between unpolluted and polluted regions. This finding is consistent with Klaus et al [49] and Galal et al [41], who determined that plant size and growing season are the primary causes of nutritional variance. The below-ground regions of polluted water bodies contributed the most Na and K concentrations during the summer, and the least N and P concentrations during the winter.…”

“…These findings are consistent with those of Ghazi et al [31] and Galal et al [40], who found that sediment from polluted water bodies contained more nutrients and heavy metals than sediment from the unpolluted River Nile. Agricultural drainage, as well as home and industrial effluents from anthropogenic activities, are the primary causes of pollution in eutrophic water bodies, according to Galal et al [41]. In the same vein, polluted areas in the current study are surrounded by huge amounts of agricultural fields, which could dramatically raise the levels of water nutrients, particularly N and P, and, hence, enhance eutrophication [42,43].…”

“…alopecuroides plant density and biomass showed substantial seasonal variation, with the highest values recorded during the summer and the lowest values acquired during the winter. Many water macrophytes, such as Phragmites australis [29], Cyperus articulatus [40], Vossia cuspidata [41], Ludwigia stolonifera [43,44], Arundo donax [45], and Typha domingensis [46] have shown similar results. C. alopecuroides had the highest biomass of 0.9 kg/m 2 , which is higher than the same species' 0.1 kg/m 2 [24] and 0.6 kg/m 2 [47], but lower than the 1.7 kg/m 2 [40] and 5.0 kg/m 2 [48] for C. articulatus.…”

Potential use of dry powder of Vossia cuspidata (Roxb.) Griff. rhizomes and leaves in methylene blue dye remediation

“…Previous chemical analysis verified and estimated the contents of Na, K, N, Mg, P, Ca, ether, crude fibres, proteins, ash, and carbohydrates with seasonable variations in the aboveground leaves and stem, and in the belowground roots and rhizome of Vossia cuspidata 65 . Figure 1 A,B show the FTIR of the PL and PR biomasses before “pristine” and after getting loaded with the MB dye.…”