Nutrient composition of okra (<i>Abelmoschus esculentus</i> L. Moench) as affected by selected insecticides in the control of Okra flea beetle

Abstract

The proximate and mineral compositions of okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) pod under different insecticide applications  were determined using standard analytical techniques. Moisture content, crude protein, crude fat, crude fibre,  carbohydrate contents (%), minerals (calcium and iron) and vitamins (A and B) content of A. esculentus treated with  aqueous extracts of Azardirachta indica seed, Piper guineense fruit and Allium sativum bulb were compared with  manufacturers recommendation of Lambdacyhalothrin (0.8l/ha), Chloropyrifos (1.0l/ha) and Carbofuran applied at 2, 4  and 6 weeks after planting. Means of data on nutritional quality traits were analyzed for variation and separated using  DMRT at 5% probability. Further, the means were subjected to principal component analysis and then associated with the insecticide treatments using biplot analysis. There were significant differences in the effects of the insecticide  treatments on measured nutritional quality traits. Vitamin B content varied significantly among the treatments with all  treatments producing fruits with higher niacin and thiamine contents than FAO values, while riboflavin content was  lower than FAO values. Also, vitamin C content was higher in all treatments than the FAO value. Treatments such as  lambda-cyhalothrin, and A. indica + P. guineense applied three times resulted in calcium contents higher than the FAO  value. Iron content in the fruits from the treated materials exceeded that of the FAO. The highest iron content was  obtained from the mixture of A. indica and P. guineense applied three times, while the lowest was recorded in A.  sativum extracts applied three times. Spraying with treatments 1, 7, 12, and 15 would improve the vitamin C level of okra pods while treatments 2, 3, 6, 8, 10, 13, and 16 would enhance micronutrient levels of iron and calcium in okra pods.  Further studies could investigate the biosafety of the nutritional quality traits enhanced due to the applied treatments.