Improving Nutritional Security of India Through a Potential Underutilized Legume-Bambara Groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verde.)

摘要

Neglected and underutilzed crops could play prominent roles in sustaining the impoverished rural populations by increasing their available food and protein basket and one such important underutilized crop is Bambara groundnut. In Africa, Bambara groundnut is the third most important legume after groundut and cowpea. Its seed is rich in protein containing high lysine and methionine and isconsidered as a balanced food compared to all other legumes. The present study was carried out duing kharif'season of 2014-15. Bambara groundnut varieties SB-42, UniswaRed, S-165-A, S-193 and nine isolated gamma irradiated stabilized mutants of SB-42 were used for estimation of moisture, protein, fat, ash and carbohydrates estimation.Whereas for mineral estimation,only widely adapted variety SB-42 was used in the track of Karnataka. Increased protein per cent was observed in all the mutants compared toits control SB-42. Mutant 11 was isolated with highest protein content as well as highest yield (28.96 g/plant). Hence there is a possibility that protein content can be increased through induced mutagenesis. The mineral composition estimated in SB-42 indicated the presence of calcium to be 260 mg/100 g and potassium 1723.25 mg/lOOg. While iron content was estimated to be 3.6 mg/100 g. Estimation of sodium indicated a value of 75.25 mg/100 g. By supplementing a healthy diet with potassium rich like Bambara groundnut having 1723.25 mg/lOOg, patient sufferers from diabetes may improve their sensitivity to insulin, and the effctiveness of hormone. Crop has a combination of low sodium and high potassium which our studies indicated a value of protective sodium to potassium ratio (less than one) that is 0.04 significantly decreases risk of C VD (cardiovascular disease) and all-cause mortality.