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Nutrient and Anti-nutrient Compositions of New Crop Varieties of Cowpea (<i>Vigna unguiculata</i> L.) and Maize (<i>Zea mays</i> L.)
Abstract
Objective: To determine the proximate composition and anti-nutrient content of new varieties of cowpea and maize released by the Institute for Agricultural Research [IAR], Ahmadu Bello University [ABU] – Zaria.
Materials and Methods: Samples of eleven varieties each of cowpea and maize were collected from their respective breeders in the Department of Plant Science, IAR, ABU, Zaria. Carbohydrate, crude protein, ash, moisture, crude lipid and crude fiber contents were determined using standard methods. Determination of phytate, tannin, cyanide, saponin and oxalate were conducted on the cowpea varieties while for the maize varieties, all the above listed anti-nutrients were determined except oxalate. The various analyses were expressed as mean + standard deviation and analyzed using one-way analysis of variance [ANOVA].
Results: Crude protein content in the cowpea varieties ranged from 22.66 to 24.10% and for maize 9.62 to 10.16%, carbohydrate ranged between 56.48 and 59.70% in cowpea and 72.88 to 74.35% in maize, lipid from 2.16 to 3.14% in cowpea and 0.23 to 1.80% in maize, ash from 2.68 to 3.40% in cowpea and 2.84 to 3.66% in maize, moisture from 8.12 to 9.46% in cowpea and 9.66 to 10.16% in maize and crude fibre from 3.30 to 4.42% in cowpea and 1.42 to 2.12% in maize. Phytate content varied from 1.04 to 1.88% in cowpea and 0.16 to 0.26% in maize, tannin from 0.18 to 0.48% in cowpea and 0.02 to 0.18% in maize, cyanide from 0.04 to 0.16% in cowpea and 0.10 to 0.16% in maize and saponin from 0.02 to 0.08% in cowpea and 0.0002 to 0.0004% in maize. Oxalate ranged from 0.00 to 0.004% in cowpea.
Conclusion: The study showed that the IAR released cowpea and maize varieties were nutritionally rich, low in anti-nutrients and suitable for local consumption and industrial utilization.
Key Words:Nutrients, Anti-nutrients, Cowpea, Maize, New varieties
Materials and Methods: Samples of eleven varieties each of cowpea and maize were collected from their respective breeders in the Department of Plant Science, IAR, ABU, Zaria. Carbohydrate, crude protein, ash, moisture, crude lipid and crude fiber contents were determined using standard methods. Determination of phytate, tannin, cyanide, saponin and oxalate were conducted on the cowpea varieties while for the maize varieties, all the above listed anti-nutrients were determined except oxalate. The various analyses were expressed as mean + standard deviation and analyzed using one-way analysis of variance [ANOVA].
Results: Crude protein content in the cowpea varieties ranged from 22.66 to 24.10% and for maize 9.62 to 10.16%, carbohydrate ranged between 56.48 and 59.70% in cowpea and 72.88 to 74.35% in maize, lipid from 2.16 to 3.14% in cowpea and 0.23 to 1.80% in maize, ash from 2.68 to 3.40% in cowpea and 2.84 to 3.66% in maize, moisture from 8.12 to 9.46% in cowpea and 9.66 to 10.16% in maize and crude fibre from 3.30 to 4.42% in cowpea and 1.42 to 2.12% in maize. Phytate content varied from 1.04 to 1.88% in cowpea and 0.16 to 0.26% in maize, tannin from 0.18 to 0.48% in cowpea and 0.02 to 0.18% in maize, cyanide from 0.04 to 0.16% in cowpea and 0.10 to 0.16% in maize and saponin from 0.02 to 0.08% in cowpea and 0.0002 to 0.0004% in maize. Oxalate ranged from 0.00 to 0.004% in cowpea.
Conclusion: The study showed that the IAR released cowpea and maize varieties were nutritionally rich, low in anti-nutrients and suitable for local consumption and industrial utilization.
Key Words:Nutrients, Anti-nutrients, Cowpea, Maize, New varieties
