Biochemical and Mineral Composition of Anchote (<i>Coccinia abyssinica</i> (Lam.) Cogn.) Accessions from Ethiopia

Abstract

Anchote (Coccinia abyssinica (Lam.) Cogn.) is among few indigenous crops in Ethiopia that has a great potential to be a food and nutritional security and socioeconomically important crop, so far given lower attention in research and development in Ethiopian national research system considering  it as a minor crop . In order to fill the knowledge gaps about the nutritional potentials of this crop, the present study was conducted to assess the  biochemical composition and anti nutritional profile of 100 anchote accessions collected from western and southwestern parts of Ethiopia. Flour  from storage roots of 100 anchote accessions were collected and the samples run in three replications. Data on 20 biochemical, nutritional and root  flesh color traits were generated in laboratory and subjected to analysis. Analysis of variance indicated significant variation (p<0.01) among the  accessions for the 20 traits and root flesh color. The calcium contents ranged from 1.45 to 6.79 mg/g with a mean of 4.16mg/g. The ranges and  means of iron (0.041to 1.12and0.15), zinc(0.02to 0.47and 0.06), dry matter(%) range and mean ( 7.71 to 13.73 and 11.79), crude fiber( 0.2 to 8.07%  and 3.55% ), protein( 7.21 to 15.93% and 11.81%), carbohydrate ( 66.56 to 78.14% and 72.13%) and total energy(3.24to 3.54kcal/g and 3.34kcal/g dry  matter). The cluster analysis of biochemical traits and root flesh color showed the existence of six divergent groups. According to PCA analysis all  the accessions were grouped into seven components based on root flesh color, and biochemical traits of which flesh color, Ca, K, Mg, S, P and Na  contents were significant (eigenvalue > 1) and explained 78 % of the total variability. The total genetic variability explained was 84.30% and some  traits were negatively correlated; root flesh color, Ca, B, Mn, Zn, crude protein, and crude fiber and the remaining mineral and biochemical  compositions correlated positively. The variation exhibited in this experiment could be attributed to environmental and genetic factors. Owing to  the potential of the plant nutritionally, further identification of its active compounds is recommended.