Nutritional evaluation of wild sicklepod (Senna obtusifolia) seeds from Obanliku, South-Eastern Nigeria.

摘要

The study evaluated the nutritive value of seeds of wild Senna obtusifolia plants as an alternative plant protein source in livestock diets. Proximate composition results showed high dry matter (92.50%), crude protein (29.54%) and crude fiber (10.18%), but low ether extract, nitrogen free extract, ash and calorific values. The vitamin content results showed poor vitamins B₂, B₁, C and A but the seeds were rich in vitamin B₃ (1.85 mg/100 g) values compared to other seeds. The seeds were also abundant in calcium (960 mg/100 g), potassium (1,200 mg/100 g), phosphorus (810 mg/100 g), sodium (600 mg/100 g), magnesium (640 mg/100 g), iron (234.60 mg/100 g), zinc (53.12 mg/100 g) and copper (10.48 mg/100 g) but low in molybdenum, cobalt, chromium, selenium, sulphur and fluorine. The amino acid profile reveals a high concentration of leucine (7.60 g/100 g protein), histidine (2.11 g/100 g protein), proline (2.33 g/100 g protein) and glycine (4.11 g/100 g protein) while the rest of the amino acids were of low concentration in the raw seed. The concentration of anti-nutrients in the legume seeds recorded high values (260, 185, 388.50 and 83.25 mg/100 g) for alkaloid, saponin, tannin and oxalate respectively, while phytate, hydrocyanic acid and phytohaemagglutinin levels were low. The high level of most anti-nutrients indicates the potential for interfering with the utilization of the nutrients by the animals. This therefore, creates a need for detoxification of the seeds through processing before using in livestock feeds.