Improving Pasture Digestibility: Low Lignin Forages

High lignin content in forages reduces dry matter digestibility and voluntary feed intake by ruminants. Ribozyme and antisense RNA technologies are being investigated as methods of reducing lignin levels and increasing digestibility in temperate and tropical forages. Pirstly, potential target genes in the lignin biosynthetic pathway, against which ribozyme and antisense contructs may be targeted, are being isolated from the temperate and tropical legumes, lucerne and Sty/osa11thes lmmilis, respectively. Secondly, promoter sequences that may direct expression of ribozyme and antisense contructs to specific cells and tissues are being isolated, Thirdly, various ribozyme design and delivery systems are being investigated in order to maximise ribozyme effectiveness.