Seagrasses as potential source of fodder for livestock: Complete proximate and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis

The present study analysed the nutritional values of Cymodocea serrulata (R.Br.) Asch. & Magnus, Syringodium isoetifolium (Asch.) Dandy and Enhalus acoroides (L.f.) Royle by complete proximate analysis and determined the phytocompounds present in them by using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) technique. The complete proximate analysis revealed a higher content of crude protein, crude fibre, calcium, phosphorus and energy in all the three grasses under study. However E. acoroides contained higher content of ether extract, lower level of acid insoluble ash and gross energy compared to the other two grasses. The GC-MS analysis showed the presence of decane, sucrose, tetradecanoic acid, deoxyspergualin, n-hexadecanoic acid, phytol, ricinoleic acid, docosyl isobutyl ether and squalene in C. serrulata and decane, sucrose, phytol, 9,12,15-octadecatrienoic acid, (Z,Z,Z)-Triethylene glycol monododecyl ether and Hexadecanoic acid and 2-hydroxy-1-(hydroxymethyl) ethyl ester in S. isoetifolium. Ethanol extract of E. acoroides revealed the existence of decane, epoxomicin, tetradecanoic acid, n-hexadecanoic acid, phytol, linoelaidic acid, 9,12,15-octadecatrienoic acid, (Z,Z, Z)-diethylene glycol monododecyl ether, hexadecanoic acid, 1-(hydroxymethyl)-1,2-ethanediyl ester and 15,17,19,21-hexatriacontatetrayne in GC-MS study. All the three seagrasses under study were found to be the rich sources of crude protein, energy, minerals and phytocompounds of varied pharmacological properties which can enable them to be an eligible source of alternative nutritional supplements for ruminants in the areas adjacent to coastal region of Ramanathapuram district, where fodder scarcity exists.