Effects of Harvesting Period and Storage Duration on Volatile Organic Compounds and Nutritive Qualities of Alfalfa

Ning Yuan, Lin Sun, Shuai Du, Gentu Ge, Zhijun Wang, Yuyu Li, Jian Bao, Muqier Zhao, Qiang Si, Junfeng Hao and Yushan Jia
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Ning Yuan: College of Grassland Resources and Environment, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010019, China
Lin Sun: Inner Mongolia Engineering Research Center of Development and Utilization of Microbial Resources in Silage, Inner Mongolia Academy of Agricultural and Animal Husbandry Sciences, Hohhot 010031, China
Shuai Du: National Engineering Laboratory of Biological Feed Safety and Pollution Prevention and Control, Key Laboratory of Molecular Nutrition, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feed, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Feed Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
Gentu Ge: College of Grassland Resources and Environment, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010019, China
Zhijun Wang: College of Grassland Resources and Environment, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010019, China
Yuyu Li: College of Grassland Resources and Environment, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010019, China
Jian Bao: Key Laboratory of Forage Cultivation, Processing and High Efficient Utilization of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010019, China
Muqier Zhao: Key Laboratory of Grassland Resources, Ministry of Education, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010019, China
Qiang Si: Key Laboratory of Forage Cultivation, Processing and High Efficient Utilization of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010019, China
Junfeng Hao: College of Grassland Resources and Environment, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010019, China
Yushan Jia: College of Grassland Resources and Environment, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010019, China

Agriculture, 2022, vol. 12, issue 8, 1-18

Abstract: Harvest time and storage time had significant effects on nutrient quality and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) of alfalfa. The objective of this study was to use headspace solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS) to analyze alfalfa at different harvest periods (budding stage, early blooming, full blooming), and storage for 0 d, 90 d, 180 d, 270 d, and 360 d, the dynamic changes in VOCs and nutritional quality. Results indicated that ketones, aldehydes, alcohols and esters were the main volatile components of alfalfa VOCs, accounting for 87.41%, 88.57% and 90.85% of the total volatile components at budding stage, early blooming and full blooming, respectively. VOCs and nutrient quality of alfalfa varied significantly in different harvest periods; delayed harvesting significantly reduced alfalfa aldehydes, alcohols, crude protein (CP), and total digestible nutrients (TDN) and significantly increased ketone, dry matter (DM), acid detergent fiber (ADF) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) contents ( p < 0.05). After Comprehensive consideration ofthe yield, nutritional quality and VOCs of alfalfa, the best harvest time was determined to be the budding stage. The VOCs and nutrient quality of alfalfa were significantly different at different storage durations, and ketones, ADF and NDF were significantly increased and significantly reduced DM, CP and TDN ( p < 0.05). Ketone content and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) content had a significant positive correlation, (NDF F = 5.5, p = 0.024). Storage 360 d 2-methylbutyraldehyde (musty), 1-octen-3-one (earthy musty odor) content increased. These may be the key compounds that causes the smell of fresh alfalfa to fade away and a musty smell to emerge.

Keywords: alfalfa; VOCs; nutritional quality; harvest period; storage duration; HS-SPME-GC-MS (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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