#forestation
Pyongyang maple trees are widely planted in town and the country across Korea as they are well shaped and make up a beautiful scenery in autumn. In the past, however, their fruits were little used in sugar production, and their utility was seldom identified.
Recently, a research team of Kim Po Hyon University has changed maple fruits into treasure. Around May every year ripe fruits fall to be waste material, and their annual amount across the country is enormous. Considering the amount of fruits Prof. Ri Yong Su and his team thought of developing it as a useful source of protein feed. In the course of analysing its components the team focused on the fact that the protein content is over 30%, and it has plenty of different kinds of vitamins, amino acids and other essential microelements. The researchers thought that they could make animal feed of the fruits, and buckled down to the study.
Halfway in the research, a knotty problem cropped up—digestion inhibitors were found in the fruit, which prevent absorption of nourishment. Without removing them it was impossible to increase its utility as animal feed. The method of extracting inhibitors needed much cost, and it would hurt the value of the feed which needs to be in quantity. The researchers made deep-going studies, groping for a proper method of removing the inhibitors. A particular effort was directed to the finding of a method of neutralizing the inhibitors in a unique way at a less cost. Finally, a successful method was developed to process the maple fruits by denaturation and microorganic fermentation. The test application proved successful at several stockbreeding and fish farms.
The nutritive components of the animal feed made from the maple fruits are much better than those of grain fodders, enhancing the appetite of domestic animals including poultry and fish as well as their digestive and absorptive functions. Not long ago, at an academic symposium on animal husbandry and veterinary science, many scientists said that the new feed may ensure a stable production with no or little soybean when 20–30% of the feed is mixed in assorted feeds. They approved that it opened up a bright prospect in solving the problem of protein feed. Collecting the fruits costs less and the per-hectare yield of the maple fruits is two to four times larger than soybean. It also has much economic profitability as the sources of protein feed come from uncultivated land.
Ri Yong Su says,
“Pyongyang maple trees are planted in the Sepho Tableland which is now being developed into a leading stockbreeding base. I think we still have a long way to go.”
Voice of Korea
