Ishaaya, I., Faculty of Agriculture, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
Birk, Y., Faculty of Agriculture, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
Bondi, A., Faculty of Agriculture, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
Tencer, Y., Faculty of Agriculture, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel

The effect of soyabean saponins on the growth of chicks, mice, rats and Tribolium castaneum larvae and on the survival time of tadpoles and guppies was studied. Soyabean saponins did not impair growth of chicks when added at five times the concentration in a normal soyabean‐supplemented diet. They had also no effect on the growth response of rats and mice and on the amount of ingested food, but caused slight growth retardation of Tribolium castaneum larvae. Soyabean saponins showed a pronounced detrimental effect on tadpoles and guppies. Copyright © 1969 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd