Investigation of prussic acid and nitrate concentration in eighteen varieties of forage sorghum

The aim of this study was to investigate the concentration of Prussic acid and Nitrate as main anti-nutrients in 18 varieties of sorghum forages. The sorghum varieties include four domestic Iranian sorghums named: Pegah, Speed-feed, KFS-2 and KFS-18 and 14 imported varieties named: CSSH.1, FGCSI09, FS 1 BMR, JS BMR SSH.1, JS BMR SSH.2, S, T, PHFS-27, PFS-21, FGCSI10, FGCSI12, SP BMR, HFS1 and JS 2. All sorghum varieties were cultivated in the farm of Seed and Plant Improvement Institute. General condition such as irrigating, fertilizing, light and temperature were the same for all varieties. Samples were harvested at blooming stage and concentration of prussic acid and nitrate was determined. Statistical analysis was performed using one-way ANOVA. The highest concentration of prussic acid detected in FS 1 BMR (481 ppm) PHFS-27(408 ppm) and FGCSI10(381 ppm). and the highest concentration of nitrate was detected in JS 2 (2416ppm) and JS BMR SSH.1(2088 ppm). By comparing the concentrations of prussic acid and nitrate in these 18 varieties of forage sorghum with the tables of anti-nutrition hazard level, it was found that the concentration of anti-nutritional substances in all of these varieties was lower than the level of dangerous for livestock.