Tamarind monograph.pdf - Crops for the Future

content. The composition of tamarind leaves as a browse species collected in
Ethiopia has been reported by Kaitho et al. (1988) (Table 2.11). Leaves are
also used to produce an essential oil. This is primarily limonene (24-6%)
and benzyl benzoate (40-6%) according to Pino et al. (2002).
Table 2.11 Average chemical composition of tamarind leaves used for
browse
2.5 Wood and Bark
Constituent Amount (g/kg)
Organic matter 949
Crude Protein 139
Nitrogen solubility 317
Neutral detergent fibre 467
NDF-bound nitrogen 22
Acid detergent fibre 324
ADF bound nitrogen 14
Lignin 121
Total phenols 14
Condensed tannins 8
Source: Kaitho et al. ( 1988)
In most producing countries the wood is highly valued although most trees
produce little heartwood (Chaturvedi, 1985) and it may be absent altogether
in young trees. In old trees, the heartwood is generally narrow, hard to very
hard, fibrous, heavy and strong, and is regarded as very durable. The specific
gravity of the wood ranges from 0.80-0.90 g/m 3 . It is purplish brown or
mottled brown in colour, dark-reddish veined with an irregular outline and
radiating ramifications. It resembles ebony (Dalziel, 1937; Eggeling and
Dale, 1951; Bolza and Keating, 1972). The sapwood is up to 20 cm wide;
light yellow, sometimes red-streaked, rather fibrous and loosely grained,
easily perishable (Kurz, 1877; Troup, 1909). The sapwood is liable to insect
attack but the heartwood is durable and termite resistant (Timyan, 1996).
The wood quality can be correlated to a degree with the cambial activity and
development in relation to the climate of growth (Rao and Rajput, 2001).
The bark is sometimes used in traditional medicinal preparations. In terms of
constituents it lacks phenols and flavonoids (Neetu and Bohra, 2003).
23