Research Note: Carotene and Xanthophyll Changes During Growth and Processing of Turf Bermudagrass

Experiments were conducted to determine the effect of drying method and grass-clipping length on the concentrations of carotene and xanthophyll in turf type bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon). This lawn grass has potential for use as a xanthophyll source for poultry in the southern US. Oven-drying at 150 C for 40 min, oven-drying at 70 C for 20 h, dark room-drying at approximately 25 C for 120 h, and field-drying in natural sunlight were compared with freeze-drying. The field-drying method resulted in carotene and xanthophyll concentrations of only 15 and 52 mg/kg, whereas freeze-drying yielded the best values: 499 and 886 mg/kg, respectively. Regression analysis of both carotene and xanthophyll content indicated no significant differences that could be attributed to grass-clipping length.