Three tropical range grasses (Cenchrus ciliaris, Dichanthium annulatum, and Panicum antidotale) and two range legumes [Macroptilium atropurpureum (siratro) and Stylosanthes hamata (stylo)] were grown under four irradiances, i.e. 100 (I100, control), 75 (I75), 50 (I50), and 25 (I25) % of full sunlight. Accumulation of chlorophyll (Chl) b increased but that of Chl a decreased under low irradiances. The greater accumulation of Chl (a+b) in grasses (particularly in D. annulatum and P. antidotale) under shade predicted their shade adaptability. Among legumes Stylosanthes was more adaptive to the shade than Macroptilium due to its higher accumulation of Chl (a+b). Significant difference in the accumulation of carotenoids under I25 over I100 was observed in all the species, which shows the increase in quality of the fodder under limited irradiance. There was a significant decrease in soluble protein content in C. ciliaris under I75, however, no significant difference in protein content was observed under I50 and I25, which was also reflected in the SDS pattern with the reduction in content of polypeptides at I75 and following increase at I50 and I25. This was possibly due to reduction of light-induced protein at I75 and then expression of the stress-induced protein at further reduction of irradiance. Peroxidase activity in C. ciliaris increased with the decrease in irradiance and its isozyme pattern showed differences among all treatments, which indicated the role of different peroxidase isoforms at different irradiances. and M. J. Baig ... [et al.].